Berserk Volume 2

SAW THE ANIME, NOW READING THE MANGA, AND IT IS AWESOME! PHILOSOPHICAL, AND ACTION! A KILLER COMBINATION!

I finished the first volume of this manga a few hours ago and could not stop myself, I devoured this installment. Guts continues his quest and the action level goes even higher than in the previous volume. People that have already experienced this manga know that it includes scenes of extreme violence, many involving women and children, and that it has plenty of vivid gore. But, once again there are other facets besides the violence that make this a spectacular series. Guts is becoming a more interesting character with the turn of each page. We get to see a conflicted psyche, with many layers, and an uncertainty about his humanity and strength to face the challenges that lay ahead. The relevance and meaning of the brand he carries gets further explanation in this volume, and the Behelit surfaces, a key to open the door to a world of monsters and demons. The mighty Guts will face a tougher challenge this time around, and it is not clear if his mechanical arm and enormous sword, if it can be called that, together with his supernatural skill will be enough to carry him through. Once again, Puck provides the necessary tidbits of humor and a voice that seems to be starting to reach Guts' ears and affect his emotions. This is another wonderful volume and fans of the series will not be disappointed. One final recommendation, the volume ends with a cliff-hanger, so it would be wise to have the next one handy.

The only problem I've yet to have with Berserk is how fast they are as a read. I finished volume two in less than a hour. Though I will admit that the manga had me hooked, it wasn't just that that made this manga seem so short despite being over two-hundred pages. A lot of what happens in this manga is presented in imagery, and not in character dialogue. In fact, contrary to today's manga, where everything is over-explained, the Berserk manga under-explains. It lets its action speak for itself. I don't consider this a bad thing, though; it just sucks closing the book for the last time. In this volume, the battle with the Count continues from the first volume. Helping Guts is a strange man named Vargas, who wants nothing more than to see the count dead, yet is incapable of doing anything himself, as well as Puck, the little elf that constantly annoys/helps Guts throughout the manga. This volume also teaches us a little bit more about the brand on Guts's neck, as well as showing Guts rare, emotional side. And of course, it has heaps of violence, blood, and gore, along with a smidgen of comedy interlaced during some lighter moments. Though I felt the volume short, it still gets a five from me, and easily so. Berserk continues to get better, especially since I started my little trip through the world of Guts and his many demon enemies through the anime series. It's great getting to know his deeper history, as well as seeing Guts at his worst moments. If you've already started collecting the series, then you obviously shouldn't miss this. And if you've only seen the anime series, then buy this along with volume one and start collecting the series. Just note that the gore in this manga is graphic, and has a few scenes of nudity, which is often followed by some pretty disturbing imagery. I'd recommend following the book's instructions; if you consider yourself a mature reader, then get this.

If you have seen the Berserk anime released by Media Blasters then you have only scratched the surface of this story. The anime only covers about a third of the manga (which is currently 27 volumes and growing). I do not recomend this manga for those faint of heart, or those that felt the anime was too violent. The manga is much, much more graphic than its anime counterpart. Aside from a few very minor editing/spelling mistakes (In the first volume there is a minor spelling mistake in reference to a castle) I have no problem with Dark Horse's translation of Kentaro Miriua's Berserk. Highly Recommended

Wow. I LOVE this series. As we delve deeper into Guts' journey, the characterization is superb: Guts the Master Swordsman who's raw fury and power comes at the cost of his humanity(?). Plus, Puck the Elf is hilarious and never fails to get a laugh. He is a great balance to Guts' demeanor. Kenturo Miura's artwork is so effective in creating this chaotic world that you'd almost swear something moved in the background :) This continues to be a dark tale and I don't expect it to lighten up anytime soon - which is a good thing! The only bad thing was the cliffhanger ending....I want more BERSERK!!! PLUS, we haven't even gotten into where the anime took place. If you've seen this anime, get the manga...you won't regret it. For those who haven't, read if you dare...the Behelit awaits....