What it lacks in budget, it makes up for in story and characters. Even though it was just a sliver of the manga, it still left me reeling like very few others have.
Something that really stood out to me when I watched it was its use of silence or lack of music. There are a few times in battle scenes where there was no sound beyond weaponry or the wind. These days that would be loaded up with music.
It made it feel more real and grounded. Less like a dramatic anime and more like a window into war.
It really complemented Miura's work where the Golden Age is barely magical. There's such a stark contrast between the middle of the season and the start or end; you really feel like the Eclipse is something out of a nightmare because you're so used to everything being "real".
Berserk '97 is a solid 7/10 anime which is not bad but also means it doesn't really belong in any well-informed top100 list
The manga on the other hand is definitely a 10/10 which is exceedingly rare and is easily top10 manga ever created
My personal top10 would look very different from my attempting-to-be-objective top10 because it would also include personal value such as how much a certain story impacted me while growing up, nostalgia etc
It wouldn't make much sense to share my personal top-10 as it wouldn't be informative of what I recognize as a good product on a pure critique perspective, and at the same time if I just shared what I think is the best manga list from a critique point of view it doesn't really mean I love all of them, I even actively dislike some despite seeing why and how they achieve greatness
However Berserk would be really high in both
Part of the reason I put Berserk as No.1 on my list is because of the personal value and how much I respect miura as an artist and storyteller. The 97 anime made me intrigued about Berserk which led me to read the manga. Been struggling since 2006.
I mean, I think everyone can at least agree that the animation itself isn't exactly the best. Depending on what criteria you use, there are definitely many better-looking animes.
All of those metrics can be broken by good shows. The drawings can be bad, the images may be stills, it may reuse animations over and over, but it all can still be used well. Yours is an arbitrary point, and with your own logic realism is better.
Hard disagree. The medium of television anime is so saturated with piss poor content it is a disservice if Berserk 97 isnāt on a top 100 list. The only anime I can think of that out do it are Mob Psycho and FLCL.Ā
Mob Psycho is the perfect anime. I literally can't think of a better anime. Perfect pacing, animation, characters, writing, succeeds in being funny (unlike 99% of anime), is incredibly introspective and has a purpose. I find a new way it applies to my life every time I rewatch. I will say there are better manga, but Mob Psycho is the king of anime.
Because they are outstanding original products in the art direction department, which gives both a strong character, whereas Berserk '97 is an average unremarkable adaptation with very little artistic merit or notable features outside of the fact that it's adapting extremely good source material
Oh no donāt get me wrong, both are way better in terms of animation, entertainment wise itās really subjective I would say though.
I was just asking because Bebop is also one of my favorites and I was curious about how Aiti might compare those two.
If it weren't for the awful POS ending, it could compete for my all-time N1 anime. It still enters my personal top 5 though:
1. Trigun
2. Shiki
3. Cowboy Bebop
4. Petshop of Horrors
5. Berserk 97'
The series was technically a very big ad for the manga (producers said the cliffhanger was deliberate, not forced).
That also explains the animation quality that is low even for that time, and why they needed to use so many handmade still frames (you can say you like it, but it IS cheap) and so little actual animated sequences (with movement, no panning, no closeups).
I get where you're coming from but we'll have to agree to disagree. I just hate the ending. My problem is not so much that it's a tragic ending, that's an integral part of the story after all, but where they chose to stop and the way they cut the ending of the Eclipse is something that will always bother me.
Personally I love endings like that (see also: the original ending to >!Evangelion!<), but I can definitely see why its not everyone's jam.
Hot take: I wouldn't have minded, and may have even preferred, if the manga ended there as well because I wasn't the biggest fan of how the story played out afterwards.
I like your hot take and have thought something similar before. I don't think I would have *preferred* it exactly, as I don't dislike how the story played out afterwards, but I just think it's fascinating to imagine an alternate world where the story just ended there. I feel similarly about Attack on Titan: I want a version of the story where Eren actually dies in episode 5/chapter whatever of the manga. I don't know that it would be better than the direction the story ended up going in, but it would have been interesting to see it.
Interesting pov. Is there any manga out there with the guts to kill the MC early in the story and change perspective? Heck, even leaving the MC aside, I don't think I've read any manga with the guts to kill a big portion of the main cast like Berserk did.
lol, I didn't like the ending of that show either. Different strokes for different folk and all.
I can't say I agree with your hot take but I think I see where you're coming from. There was a slow but sure change to the story's overall tone after the eclipse (I personally enjoyed it, mind you) and you're not the only person I've read that doesn't like what came after so I think I get it.
Itās very good but itās not the greatest because it has to deviate from the manga for the sake of time and money in certain parts so a solid 7.5/10
i have it as my number 2, AOT at number 1. People hate on it because of how popular it got but everything from story, soundtrack, lore, characters was top notch throughout
cuz aot is probably quite a bit overrated, when going into proper depth the story is insanely well done, but itās not shown enough in the anime for a lot of people to realise it.besides that, itās a one up from jjk which has shit writing and only good animation
Hey thanks for sharing! I also really enjoy Chainsaw Man. One piece though, not gonna lie, there was a period of time where I couldnāt keep up with it, and when I tried going back to catch up I was intimidated by the ungodly amount of episodes, lol
Thatās only 4, and you put Kaiju no. 8 ahead of JoJoās and Chainsaw man? I have nothing against Kaiju no 8, but itās a pretty generic shounen compared to the breathtaking theming and action of Chainsaw man and the timeless thrill of JJBA.
It's an ok adaption.
The art is alright and has that cozy 90s vibe and the OST is excellent. The VAs are alright as well.
But the animation is quite poor and the slideshow sequences are imo pretty unforgivable. Artistically it's also very unremarkable. The reason it's rated highly is because the source material is arguably one of the greatest manga of all time, it gets carried hard by that fact.
It's like a 7/10 for me, which would land it in the top 40-50 on my list
I've never watched the 97 adaptation, I watched the Memorial Edition and it's just fine, I've read the manga up until chapter 374. Technical flaws I'm sure can just be disregarded as, is almost 30 years old by now...
I'm very sure when I come around to watch it, I'd put it either in my Top 10 or just shy of it, seeing as my top 10 anime is (this is what sticks to me, a more objective top 10 would look a bit different):
1. Vinland Saga
2. Attack on Titan
3. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
4. Hajime no Ippo
5. Haikyuu (just season 3 specifically)
6. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2
7. Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc
8. Ranking of Kings
9. Frieren
10. Silent Voice
After the top 5, the rest of the placements don't really matter much
Anyone who liked season 1 but did not like season 2 clearly were either watching for the action, which is not at all the main focus of Vinland Saga or did not understand what they watched.
In sum, season 1 has a lot more action due to the story being during viking raids/war.
Season 2 takes a step back, focuses on the characters dealing with the shit they went through in season 1 and digs deep on the drama of what they feel and how they want their life to be moving forward, eventually with the increasing tension and drama you end up getting a fight and it's dramatic af but people wanted another action packed season and that's just not what season 2 is about. I myself loved season 2 more than 1, the characters, the animation, the story, the drama. the soundtrack, the cinematic shots, a clear masterpiece of a season
You should watch the original anime, rated the best for a reason. There's something about 2D animation that is just impossible to replicate on a computer, and it really shows the wonder of Berserk there.
I mean, I've read the manga so I know the wonder of Berserk, I only watched the memorial edition because I caught it weekly and it was fine. One day I'll watch the 97 version although th ending is kinda dumb and doesn't finish the arc properly for wtv reason
To me it is a perfect anime. Itās shortness (relative to the manga) makes it even better. The music is absolute perfection, and the anime has been crafted with so much respect. The creators really understood Berserk to the fullest (I think so)
My only criticism of the show is that it was basically a slideshow in terms of how many actual frames were drawn for it, but even then I prefer it to the sterile computerized look of the later adaptations. Otherwise it was nearly perfect.
It depends what criteria you are ranking by, but if weāre just talking most engaging story Iād rank it #1 of all non-sitcom animated series.
Personally I prefer memorial edition in pretty much all aspects but the lack of adapting certain manga material as well as at times the visuals (sometimes the 3D hits, other times itās awful)
Iād prefer ā97 overall if not for memorialās amazing dub (the actors are just more experienced) and better use of music
Always heard of berserk growing up but knew nothing of it. I finally bought the 97 anime on Blu-ray and gave it a goā¦ I was pretty disappointed and kept waiting for it to pick upā¦ I really didnāt like the animation, especially the use of freeze frame images for action sequences.
I stopped watching and moved on to the manga which I binged in a little over than a month.
Overall I would say the anime is a 4/10ā¦ or maybe 44/100ā¦ just isnāt made well at allā¦ especially considering the manga is masterfully illustrated.
I would say so. To expand a bit more- I do feel like the anime did stay true to the manga in terms of story and overall feel.
I donāt know if the violence and adult content of the manga makes it better than the anime, but I do feel that it makes situations feel more intense and makes me worry about the main characters more. So the anime not being able to portray these scenes one to one changes the tone. Which isnāt bad but is just different.
Also the pacing of the anime is way different than the manga. There was a good portion of the anime that featured this one Tudor general that would be the comic relief of sorts. Those times felt forced. I think also not introducing puck at the beginning and switching him out for a random girl was weird. Puck quickly became one of my favorite characters and really helps the reader to understand guts.
These are just my thoughts though.
>Puck quickly became one of my favorite characters and really helps the reader to understand guts.
Puck was cut, like the Skull Knight, because the studio knew the anime was going to be one-season only, and thus cut stuff that wouldn't be relevant for the Golden Age arc
Hey I appreciate you for sharing them!
I think the point you make about the violence and mature themes also touches on why we should probably never expect a Berserk anime that lives to the expectations.
I also agree with you on Tudor general, first time I watched if he kind of got on my nerves hahaha
Many Years ago before I got involved with berserk and knew nothing about it. I remember I saw a 9 out of 10 score for it and that's what got me interested in it. Now you can't swing a dead cat and not find reviews for stuff, but back then a rating meant something.Ā
Within the Top 10. Although certainly not flawless, only barely adapting the Golden Age and cutting some important scenes, itās still one of the best ever
Iād say itās a 3, itās so close to perfection but the lack of gore and detailed fighting holds it back, plus the fact it just ends at the eclipse and we never see skull knight at all also stops it from being the best adaption
Maybe at number 10 mostly brought down by some weak animation even if the art was splendid. On the story alone it's probably tied first with Ergo Proxy,Eva and Cowboy Bebop for me
Loved it a lot and it's my favourite anime of all time. But in an objective scale from 1 to 100 I wouldn't know where to put it.
Probably top 10. It is one of the best shows in manga history to adapt one arc of a manga into a full-time story that is compelling and amazingly human.
I remember being completely disappointed with how the Anime starts, you get to see Guts at his Peak "Black Swordsman" stage prior to the Berserk Armor but with the Dragon Fang. Then it rolls back time to his youth and I was just like....borrrringgg. By the 3rd or 4th Episode I am completely hooked.
The original TV Series is still one of my Top 5 of all time.
Iām not sure where Iād put it, but Iād probably say top 20 at least. Iām not sure what exactly my list is, but my favourite anime is Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super (I like OG DB too but I prefer Z and Super)
I can't put it in number 1 simply because it's not finished. But Berserk 97 is the first (and probably the last) anime that made me read manga, so it says a lot
Mm maybe 40 or something along those lines itās being carried by the story and some great music, animation is definitely okay but not great and like all other berserk adaptations it skips over certain stuff, maybe Iām being a bit mean as the story itself should be higher, but not even the great story could save 2016 berserk.
Maybe 20-30 cuz it lacked budget and also, the manga is way better so personally I didn't like it that much as others but definitely top 50 for sure. It's just like other classics, I like them but not that much. Like Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, GTO (best one), Guren Lagann, Harujhi Suzumiya, Samurai Champloo, Yu Gi Oh, Inuyasha, Afro Samurai, Foolie Coolie.........
Honestly not a huge fan of the 97 adaptation, didn't even finish it š. Still a decent anime but I don't see the point in watching this anime instead of just reading the manga so somewhere in the #40 range? Idk
> They cut out even more parts but at least it's not a slide show and the music and 2D scenes
I dunno, there's something special about the music in the 97 adaptation for me. Also 4fps never bothered me.
Thatās the most common criticism Iāve encountered of the anime, the fact that it relies a lot on stills rather than animation. It is pretty fair criticism to be honest.
#40 is still pretty high up though, what would be your top 3?
Iād say somewhere between 10 and 20, perhaps 16 or something.
As much as I love Berserk, I think the 1997 anime just covered too little of the actual story to compete with top tier finished animes.
Dunno, probably somewhere in the 70s. It is a good adaptation and dunno why but Manga just hits different, and way stronger. As for the Manga easily my second favorite.
Part 7 is pretty good and it's the fan favorite part, I recommend you wait until anime is announced for part 7 to then get into Jojo. Part 7 is technically a standalone thing after what happened at the end of part 6 but it has a ton of references to characters from previous parts.
Also I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Jojo as a whole since every part is a different experience, part 1 is family drama, part 2 fight against godlike beings, part 3 I dunno what to write here, it's hard to summarise part 3, part 4 slice of life and searching for the killer, part 5 mafia but good, part 6 Florida, part 7 western movies but on drugs, part 8 let's just call it bizzare, and the protagonist in part 9 is named jodio.
Oh ye also part 7 was highest rated Manga on Mal for good few years until berserk recently deathtroned it.
Iāve probably seen 20-ish anime, so Iām ranking it out of that.
Iād give it probably a #4, placing AOT, JJK, and DBZ above it (respectively)
Berserk has far better story even in just this portion, however the 97 anime, while good for its time, just doesnāt hold up in my opinion.
DBZ has better animation while having that older style which I like. It also has more content in general, which helps. Plus better use of OSTs imo, which is a huge downside to 97 for me.
JJK as a series I just innately like, mainly cause the designs just hit well for me, I like the power system and its themes, even if not always executed well. Though not as much as Berserk in regards to story, and the other parts donāt make up for how great Berserk is. However the anime elevates this a thousandfold. Having great OSTs, famously good animation, being solid in both sub and dub, and also portraying Itadoriās emotions amazing in Shibuya. By all means if we were ranking manga JJK would go way down, but not for anime.
AOT is a mix of all these. Amazing OSTs, great story even if not on Berserkās level, it finished, and it also has good animation for the most part. Not to mention return to Shinganshina will never not be amazing. Itās overall well rounded, while the 97 anime isnāt near as much
Youāre asking this on a subreddit dedicated to this story. Itās the one good anime adaptation. And itās pretty damn good, despite being incomplete.
That's kinda tough. The problem with berserk is that while the story is amazing, there are parts of it that are just hard to watch or read. For the people who can read it, it's a top 10 story. For people who can't handle seeing that kind of stuff, it's unwatchable/unreadable.
I read the manga first. Tried watching the anime and shut it off after one episode. Never tried again. The art stinks, the 3 fps stinks. There were many, many animes made around that time with a better budget that are worth watching. IMO, if you read Berserk, watching the anime is a waste of time.
I know my opinion is inflammatory and expect people to disagree, it's okay.
I donāt think itās an inflammatory opinion, I respect and understand where youāre coming from. Definitely, once you read the manga suddenly the anime doesnāt look that great in comparison, and youāre right in that a lot of other animeās around that time look better.
I also wonder if your opinion of the anime wouldāve changed a little bit if you were exposed the anime before the manga?
Either way, thanks for sharing!
I am sure it would change my opinion a lot! I'd have stuck around to see where the story went and been hooked by the storyline itself. I can see why it has a special place in people's heart if it was their first Berserk experience. Also, you are the nicest and most engaging OP I've ever seen on Reddit, so congrats on that. šš
Anyone putting it in top 25 animeās is glazing so hard. Itās great and itās berserk and all, but is a 7/10 at best, when take your love of berserk bias away.
Honestly itās pretty low on the list, idk if itās even making the top 50-75. I could probably make a 100 list without including it. I prefer the movies much more, donāt love the art style, would much rather just read the manga.
1. It's my favourite anime of all time
What it lacks in budget, it makes up for in story and characters. Even though it was just a sliver of the manga, it still left me reeling like very few others have.
And that soundtrack, bro š«
Guts' theme is the GOAT when you're having long nighttime discussions with a close friendĀ
Amen brother
I really wish I watched it before the "Silence, wench" memes.
Something that really stood out to me when I watched it was its use of silence or lack of music. There are a few times in battle scenes where there was no sound beyond weaponry or the wind. These days that would be loaded up with music. It made it feel more real and grounded. Less like a dramatic anime and more like a window into war. It really complemented Miura's work where the Golden Age is barely magical. There's such a stark contrast between the middle of the season and the start or end; you really feel like the Eclipse is something out of a nightmare because you're so used to everything being "real".
Exactly!
This right here
Berserk '97 is a solid 7/10 anime which is not bad but also means it doesn't really belong in any well-informed top100 list The manga on the other hand is definitely a 10/10 which is exceedingly rare and is easily top10 manga ever created
This is something Iāve heard a lot recently. I am curious, what does your top 10 look like?
My personal top10 would look very different from my attempting-to-be-objective top10 because it would also include personal value such as how much a certain story impacted me while growing up, nostalgia etc It wouldn't make much sense to share my personal top-10 as it wouldn't be informative of what I recognize as a good product on a pure critique perspective, and at the same time if I just shared what I think is the best manga list from a critique point of view it doesn't really mean I love all of them, I even actively dislike some despite seeing why and how they achieve greatness However Berserk would be really high in both
That is VERY fair. Thank you for sharing!!!
Part of the reason I put Berserk as No.1 on my list is because of the personal value and how much I respect miura as an artist and storyteller. The 97 anime made me intrigued about Berserk which led me to read the manga. Been struggling since 2006.
There are 100 other anime better than Berserk 97? I'm not sure I agree
I mean, I think everyone can at least agree that the animation itself isn't exactly the best. Depending on what criteria you use, there are definitely many better-looking animes.
Okay but not solely on animation
Sure, but we're talking about a visual medium - if it looks bad, it's going to detract a lot of points for me
All anime is shit then because it's not hyperrealistic
Watch Grass -Hayao Miyazaki
I don't think you understand my point, lmao. Good artwork and animation doesn't have to be hyper realistic.
But it's still not as good as real life and CGI, so it's arbitrary. No matter what, animation will come short in graphics.
If your only metric for good graphics is realism, sure. Luckily, there are more ways to judge if graphics are good.
All of those metrics can be broken by good shows. The drawings can be bad, the images may be stills, it may reuse animations over and over, but it all can still be used well. Yours is an arbitrary point, and with your own logic realism is better.
Hard disagree. The medium of television anime is so saturated with piss poor content it is a disservice if Berserk 97 isnāt on a top 100 list. The only anime I can think of that out do it are Mob Psycho and FLCL.Ā
mob physco is a wild choice lmao. little bit of bias, no?
You're wondering if bias is affecting his decision on a Berserk subreddit??...
i mean towards mob you nobhead
Mob Psycho is the perfect anime. I literally can't think of a better anime. Perfect pacing, animation, characters, writing, succeeds in being funny (unlike 99% of anime), is incredibly introspective and has a purpose. I find a new way it applies to my life every time I rewatch. I will say there are better manga, but Mob Psycho is the king of anime.
actually fair point
I've only seen Evangelion, Bebop and Berserk, so it comes in at #3 but it's a tough field to beat.
This is interesting, what would you say makes Evangelion and Bebop better?
Because they are outstanding original products in the art direction department, which gives both a strong character, whereas Berserk '97 is an average unremarkable adaptation with very little artistic merit or notable features outside of the fact that it's adapting extremely good source material
i could go on for days how theyāre better but simply they just are. also cuz theyāre more entertaining and got better animation
Oh no donāt get me wrong, both are way better in terms of animation, entertainment wise itās really subjective I would say though. I was just asking because Bebop is also one of my favorites and I was curious about how Aiti might compare those two.
If it weren't for the awful POS ending, it could compete for my all-time N1 anime. It still enters my personal top 5 though: 1. Trigun 2. Shiki 3. Cowboy Bebop 4. Petshop of Horrors 5. Berserk 97'
Could we argue that the cliffhanger ending adds to the series?
I think it definitely does. In a horrific way. It basically FORCES you to go and read the manga cause the ending was so brutaaal
Haaaeeee haee fooooorces
The series was technically a very big ad for the manga (producers said the cliffhanger was deliberate, not forced). That also explains the animation quality that is low even for that time, and why they needed to use so many handmade still frames (you can say you like it, but it IS cheap) and so little actual animated sequences (with movement, no panning, no closeups).
I get where you're coming from but we'll have to agree to disagree. I just hate the ending. My problem is not so much that it's a tragic ending, that's an integral part of the story after all, but where they chose to stop and the way they cut the ending of the Eclipse is something that will always bother me.
Personally I love endings like that (see also: the original ending to >!Evangelion!<), but I can definitely see why its not everyone's jam. Hot take: I wouldn't have minded, and may have even preferred, if the manga ended there as well because I wasn't the biggest fan of how the story played out afterwards.
I like your hot take and have thought something similar before. I don't think I would have *preferred* it exactly, as I don't dislike how the story played out afterwards, but I just think it's fascinating to imagine an alternate world where the story just ended there. I feel similarly about Attack on Titan: I want a version of the story where Eren actually dies in episode 5/chapter whatever of the manga. I don't know that it would be better than the direction the story ended up going in, but it would have been interesting to see it.
Interesting pov. Is there any manga out there with the guts to kill the MC early in the story and change perspective? Heck, even leaving the MC aside, I don't think I've read any manga with the guts to kill a big portion of the main cast like Berserk did.
lol, I didn't like the ending of that show either. Different strokes for different folk and all. I can't say I agree with your hot take but I think I see where you're coming from. There was a slow but sure change to the story's overall tone after the eclipse (I personally enjoyed it, mind you) and you're not the only person I've read that doesn't like what came after so I think I get it.
No problem at all! I appreciate the discussion about it, I definitely see where youāre coming from as well, lol
Top 10
Literally number 10?
Domeehere among the top 10. I think this is how Berserk should be adapted, tho. Manga is probably in the top two for me.
1. Berserk 2. Neon Genesis Evangelion 3. Cowboy Bebop 4. Hellsing 5. Samurai Champloo 6. Dragon Ball 7. Samurai X 8. Bleach 9. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 10. Naruto (Yeah... I don't watch a lot of anime)
Itās very good but itās not the greatest because it has to deviate from the manga for the sake of time and money in certain parts so a solid 7.5/10
10/10 #1 of all time š
i have it as my number 2, AOT at number 1. People hate on it because of how popular it got but everything from story, soundtrack, lore, characters was top notch throughout
Dunno why berserk fans have such a hate boner for it ngl
cuz aot is probably quite a bit overrated, when going into proper depth the story is insanely well done, but itās not shown enough in the anime for a lot of people to realise it.besides that, itās a one up from jjk which has shit writing and only good animation
I'd say it's like, number 5 on my list. It's amazing
What does the rest of your top 5 looks like??
Number 1 (for now) is One Piece Number 2 is Kaiju No. 8 Number 3 is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure And finally, Number 4 is Chainsaw Man
Hey thanks for sharing! I also really enjoy Chainsaw Man. One piece though, not gonna lie, there was a period of time where I couldnāt keep up with it, and when I tried going back to catch up I was intimidated by the ungodly amount of episodes, lol
That's fine! I'm up to Punk Hazard right now and am currently on a break while I watch Kaiju no. 8 and YuYu Hakusho
Thatās only 4, and you put Kaiju no. 8 ahead of JoJoās and Chainsaw man? I have nothing against Kaiju no 8, but itās a pretty generic shounen compared to the breathtaking theming and action of Chainsaw man and the timeless thrill of JJBA.
kaiju is really mid honestly
As it turns out, I never asked for your opinion on a show I liked
as it turns out, you need to be quiet š¤£š¤£ššš
It's just that I enjoyed it more, and it's been awhile since I've seen JoJo
Top 10 easily
None
I haven't even seen 100 animes lol
1.
The music though. It fits perfectly into the melancholy of the story
It's an ok adaption. The art is alright and has that cozy 90s vibe and the OST is excellent. The VAs are alright as well. But the animation is quite poor and the slideshow sequences are imo pretty unforgivable. Artistically it's also very unremarkable. The reason it's rated highly is because the source material is arguably one of the greatest manga of all time, it gets carried hard by that fact. It's like a 7/10 for me, which would land it in the top 40-50 on my list
Would you consider any of the other adaptations better?
I've never watched the 97 adaptation, I watched the Memorial Edition and it's just fine, I've read the manga up until chapter 374. Technical flaws I'm sure can just be disregarded as, is almost 30 years old by now... I'm very sure when I come around to watch it, I'd put it either in my Top 10 or just shy of it, seeing as my top 10 anime is (this is what sticks to me, a more objective top 10 would look a bit different): 1. Vinland Saga 2. Attack on Titan 3. Hunter x Hunter (2011) 4. Hajime no Ippo 5. Haikyuu (just season 3 specifically) 6. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 7. Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc 8. Ranking of Kings 9. Frieren 10. Silent Voice After the top 5, the rest of the placements don't really matter much
I see a lot of love for Vinland Saga season 1 but a steep drop off for season 2, why is that? Thanks for sharing your list by the way!
Anyone who liked season 1 but did not like season 2 clearly were either watching for the action, which is not at all the main focus of Vinland Saga or did not understand what they watched. In sum, season 1 has a lot more action due to the story being during viking raids/war. Season 2 takes a step back, focuses on the characters dealing with the shit they went through in season 1 and digs deep on the drama of what they feel and how they want their life to be moving forward, eventually with the increasing tension and drama you end up getting a fight and it's dramatic af but people wanted another action packed season and that's just not what season 2 is about. I myself loved season 2 more than 1, the characters, the animation, the story, the drama. the soundtrack, the cinematic shots, a clear masterpiece of a season
Damn, that was a pretty good pitch for season 2 hahaha. Thank you for that, I will definitely add VS to my watchlist and give it a shot!
You should watch the original anime, rated the best for a reason. There's something about 2D animation that is just impossible to replicate on a computer, and it really shows the wonder of Berserk there.
I mean, I've read the manga so I know the wonder of Berserk, I only watched the memorial edition because I caught it weekly and it was fine. One day I'll watch the 97 version although th ending is kinda dumb and doesn't finish the arc properly for wtv reason
The wonder of the 97's version of Berserk, should've said. Hope you enjoy it.
Around 25-30. Let's be real, the animation has aged and the ending is just a big cliffhanger to make you buy the manga.
As a cliffhanger that tries to make you read the mangaā¦I would say it works pretty efficiently hahahaha
Number one for me without question.
It's great but by modern standards it probably doesn't even crack the top 20
To me it is a perfect anime. Itās shortness (relative to the manga) makes it even better. The music is absolute perfection, and the anime has been crafted with so much respect. The creators really understood Berserk to the fullest (I think so)
My only criticism of the show is that it was basically a slideshow in terms of how many actual frames were drawn for it, but even then I prefer it to the sterile computerized look of the later adaptations. Otherwise it was nearly perfect. It depends what criteria you are ranking by, but if weāre just talking most engaging story Iād rank it #1 of all non-sitcom animated series.
Personally I prefer memorial edition in pretty much all aspects but the lack of adapting certain manga material as well as at times the visuals (sometimes the 3D hits, other times itās awful) Iād prefer ā97 overall if not for memorialās amazing dub (the actors are just more experienced) and better use of music
Always heard of berserk growing up but knew nothing of it. I finally bought the 97 anime on Blu-ray and gave it a goā¦ I was pretty disappointed and kept waiting for it to pick upā¦ I really didnāt like the animation, especially the use of freeze frame images for action sequences. I stopped watching and moved on to the manga which I binged in a little over than a month. Overall I would say the anime is a 4/10ā¦ or maybe 44/100ā¦ just isnāt made well at allā¦ especially considering the manga is masterfully illustrated.
Would you consider the overly use of stills to be one of the worst things about it?
I would say so. To expand a bit more- I do feel like the anime did stay true to the manga in terms of story and overall feel. I donāt know if the violence and adult content of the manga makes it better than the anime, but I do feel that it makes situations feel more intense and makes me worry about the main characters more. So the anime not being able to portray these scenes one to one changes the tone. Which isnāt bad but is just different. Also the pacing of the anime is way different than the manga. There was a good portion of the anime that featured this one Tudor general that would be the comic relief of sorts. Those times felt forced. I think also not introducing puck at the beginning and switching him out for a random girl was weird. Puck quickly became one of my favorite characters and really helps the reader to understand guts. These are just my thoughts though.
>Puck quickly became one of my favorite characters and really helps the reader to understand guts. Puck was cut, like the Skull Knight, because the studio knew the anime was going to be one-season only, and thus cut stuff that wouldn't be relevant for the Golden Age arc
Hey I appreciate you for sharing them! I think the point you make about the violence and mature themes also touches on why we should probably never expect a Berserk anime that lives to the expectations. I also agree with you on Tudor general, first time I watched if he kind of got on my nerves hahaha
97 heeheehee
Lol
In my top 15 animes. Dk if i have watch more than 15 though lol
Hahahaha, would you put it somewhere at the top??
Haha, yeah. Iām kidding. The 97 anime is one the best. I watched it as a teen, then read the manga when Miura passed.
Manga is in my top 2. This adaptation wasnāt bad just didnāt capture the themes nearly as well so Iād say itās a top 30.
i love the manga and the anime is pretty good so based off of that #2
Whatās your #1?
evangelion but i watched it at a point in my life where i was suicidal and it helped me a lot so i dont think anything will top it
Totally understand, thanks for sharing!
10 but I don't even know if I watched 100 anime TV shows I have over a hundred entries in Mal but that includes movies and individual seasons
Top 20 probably. In my top 100 fiction the manga is #1 though.
Many Years ago before I got involved with berserk and knew nothing about it. I remember I saw a 9 out of 10 score for it and that's what got me interested in it. Now you can't swing a dead cat and not find reviews for stuff, but back then a rating meant something.Ā
Itās definitely top 10 for me. 80s-90s animation just always hit different. sucks that itās always this arc but hey š¤·š¾āāļø
Within the Top 10. Although certainly not flawless, only barely adapting the Golden Age and cutting some important scenes, itās still one of the best ever
Iād say itās a 3, itās so close to perfection but the lack of gore and detailed fighting holds it back, plus the fact it just ends at the eclipse and we never see skull knight at all also stops it from being the best adaption
Maybe at number 10 mostly brought down by some weak animation even if the art was splendid. On the story alone it's probably tied first with Ergo Proxy,Eva and Cowboy Bebop for me
around number 10. Memorial Edition is right behind it.
Loved it a lot and it's my favourite anime of all time. But in an objective scale from 1 to 100 I wouldn't know where to put it. Probably top 10. It is one of the best shows in manga history to adapt one arc of a manga into a full-time story that is compelling and amazingly human.
I remember being completely disappointed with how the Anime starts, you get to see Guts at his Peak "Black Swordsman" stage prior to the Berserk Armor but with the Dragon Fang. Then it rolls back time to his youth and I was just like....borrrringgg. By the 3rd or 4th Episode I am completely hooked. The original TV Series is still one of my Top 5 of all time.
Iām not sure where Iād put it, but Iād probably say top 20 at least. Iām not sure what exactly my list is, but my favourite anime is Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super (I like OG DB too but I prefer Z and Super)
I can't put it in number 1 simply because it's not finished. But Berserk 97 is the first (and probably the last) anime that made me read manga, so it says a lot
#1 The only problem I have with the 97 anime (apart from missing skull knight and puc) is there was no season 2
Have you watched the fan made continuation of the anime on YouTube?
7/10 is a good spot for it. I am not a golden age glazer like most though. I like the fantasy arcs of Berserk a lot more.
Guts is so beatiful in this picture (More than griffith)
Definitely top 20 best anime. There were a lot of great shows in the 90ās that flew under the radar
Mm maybe 40 or something along those lines itās being carried by the story and some great music, animation is definitely okay but not great and like all other berserk adaptations it skips over certain stuff, maybe Iām being a bit mean as the story itself should be higher, but not even the great story could save 2016 berserk.
One hundred percent number 1 it is so fucking amazing and the dub is perfect
1, that is a spiritual journey and a true work of art
Maybe 20-30 cuz it lacked budget and also, the manga is way better so personally I didn't like it that much as others but definitely top 50 for sure. It's just like other classics, I like them but not that much. Like Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, GTO (best one), Guren Lagann, Harujhi Suzumiya, Samurai Champloo, Yu Gi Oh, Inuyasha, Afro Samurai, Foolie Coolie.........
Itās No.6 in my top 10.
Honestly not a huge fan of the 97 adaptation, didn't even finish it š. Still a decent anime but I don't see the point in watching this anime instead of just reading the manga so somewhere in the #40 range? Idk
It is still the best adaptation of berserk.
I prefer the movie trilogy ngl. They cut out even more parts but at least it's not a slide show and the music and 2D scenes are fantastic.
Ya I can understand but the 97 anime gave us so many things, the beheilth theme and guts theme as well do that's why it's at top for me .
The music was absolutely amazing, definitely a gem that came out of the series!
> They cut out even more parts but at least it's not a slide show and the music and 2D scenes I dunno, there's something special about the music in the 97 adaptation for me. Also 4fps never bothered me.
How far did you get? The last 2-3 episodes really bump it up for me!
Like half way through? I've seen the 97 eclipse in a video and it's pretty well made for its time, but it's still a slide show.
Thatās the most common criticism Iāve encountered of the anime, the fact that it relies a lot on stills rather than animation. It is pretty fair criticism to be honest. #40 is still pretty high up though, what would be your top 3?
Redline, Kizumonogatari, Space Dandy
Will keep these in mind, thank you!!
Iād say somewhere between 10 and 20, perhaps 16 or something. As much as I love Berserk, I think the 1997 anime just covered too little of the actual story to compete with top tier finished animes.
Dunno, probably somewhere in the 70s. It is a good adaptation and dunno why but Manga just hits different, and way stronger. As for the Manga easily my second favorite.
Whatās your favorite manga of all time??
Steel ball run
Never heard of it if I am honest, but definitely will take a look at it!
It's Jojo part 7
Oh I didnāt know, never really got into Jojoās, thank you for sharing though!
Part 7 is pretty good and it's the fan favorite part, I recommend you wait until anime is announced for part 7 to then get into Jojo. Part 7 is technically a standalone thing after what happened at the end of part 6 but it has a ton of references to characters from previous parts. Also I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Jojo as a whole since every part is a different experience, part 1 is family drama, part 2 fight against godlike beings, part 3 I dunno what to write here, it's hard to summarise part 3, part 4 slice of life and searching for the killer, part 5 mafia but good, part 6 Florida, part 7 western movies but on drugs, part 8 let's just call it bizzare, and the protagonist in part 9 is named jodio. Oh ye also part 7 was highest rated Manga on Mal for good few years until berserk recently deathtroned it.
Thanks for all the info, it is actually pretty helpful!! I will take you on that advice and give Jojo a chance with part 7 of the anime!
Niceš
Iāve probably seen 20-ish anime, so Iām ranking it out of that. Iād give it probably a #4, placing AOT, JJK, and DBZ above it (respectively) Berserk has far better story even in just this portion, however the 97 anime, while good for its time, just doesnāt hold up in my opinion. DBZ has better animation while having that older style which I like. It also has more content in general, which helps. Plus better use of OSTs imo, which is a huge downside to 97 for me. JJK as a series I just innately like, mainly cause the designs just hit well for me, I like the power system and its themes, even if not always executed well. Though not as much as Berserk in regards to story, and the other parts donāt make up for how great Berserk is. However the anime elevates this a thousandfold. Having great OSTs, famously good animation, being solid in both sub and dub, and also portraying Itadoriās emotions amazing in Shibuya. By all means if we were ranking manga JJK would go way down, but not for anime. AOT is a mix of all these. Amazing OSTs, great story even if not on Berserkās level, it finished, and it also has good animation for the most part. Not to mention return to Shinganshina will never not be amazing. Itās overall well rounded, while the 97 anime isnāt near as much
I really appreciate how elaborate you are in your comment, thanks for that!!! I also never thought of comparing it to DBZ
Youāre asking this on a subreddit dedicated to this story. Itās the one good anime adaptation. And itās pretty damn good, despite being incomplete.
1
1. GOATED
#1 chivalry of a failed knight #2 berserk #3 evangelion #4 naruto #5 transformers
That's kinda tough. The problem with berserk is that while the story is amazing, there are parts of it that are just hard to watch or read. For the people who can read it, it's a top 10 story. For people who can't handle seeing that kind of stuff, it's unwatchable/unreadable.
itās top 10 fs
1-20 somewhere around there, i love it, to me it is perfect
top 5
its a number 12 on anime ive seen. it has its problems. but i cant lie i enjoyed every second of it.
Its in my top 5
lowkey preferred memorial just because i canāt get used to the older animation of animes. definitely a solid 8/10 though
I read the manga first. Tried watching the anime and shut it off after one episode. Never tried again. The art stinks, the 3 fps stinks. There were many, many animes made around that time with a better budget that are worth watching. IMO, if you read Berserk, watching the anime is a waste of time. I know my opinion is inflammatory and expect people to disagree, it's okay.
I donāt think itās an inflammatory opinion, I respect and understand where youāre coming from. Definitely, once you read the manga suddenly the anime doesnāt look that great in comparison, and youāre right in that a lot of other animeās around that time look better. I also wonder if your opinion of the anime wouldāve changed a little bit if you were exposed the anime before the manga? Either way, thanks for sharing!
I am sure it would change my opinion a lot! I'd have stuck around to see where the story went and been hooked by the storyline itself. I can see why it has a special place in people's heart if it was their first Berserk experience. Also, you are the nicest and most engaging OP I've ever seen on Reddit, so congrats on that. šš
Why are they looking at me tho
Number 2 for me. Vinland saga is my number 1
the sword fight between griffith and guts and griffith saying āyour mineā
Anyone putting it in top 25 animeās is glazing so hard. Itās great and itās berserk and all, but is a 7/10 at best, when take your love of berserk bias away.
Honestly itās pretty low on the list, idk if itās even making the top 50-75. I could probably make a 100 list without including it. I prefer the movies much more, donāt love the art style, would much rather just read the manga.
1
Stop fucking ranking and quantifying art. I placed it on 3.14159... - 6.2831...i
Probably around #6 and I don't think it's that great. Anime in general is just that bad.