Berserk: Ougon Jidai-hen - Memorial Edition

Fleeing a traumatic childhood, lone mercenary Guts drifts from battle to battle, striking down powerful enemies with his unwieldy sword. After one skirmish, Guts clashes with the mystifying Griffith and his small army known as the Band of the Hawk. The victorious Griffith drafts Guts into his ranks, granting the swordsman a kinship unlike anything he has ever known.

Alongside the skilled warrior Casca, Guts helps Griffith guide the band to fame and glory. But as he gains military prestige, Griffith becomes the target of assassination attempts and political schemes. He uses Guts to further his ambitious rise to power, taking advantage of the swordsman's lack of aspiration.

Even as he grows closer to Casca, Guts' absence of direction robs him of any sense of belonging. Fostering opposing desires, Guts and Casca fight for Griffith's dream—although fractures forming among the trio threaten to disrupt their world.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Guts Main

Iwanaga, Hiroaki Japanese

Griffith Main

Sakurai, Takahiro Japanese

Casca Main

Yukinari, Toa Japanese

The Skull Knight ing

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Puck ing

Judeau ing

Kaji, Yuuki Japanese

de Vandimion, Farnese ing

Hikasa, Youko Japanese

Serpico ing

Okitsu, Kazuyuki Japanese

Nosferatu, Zodd ing

Miyake, Kenta Japanese

Donovan ing

Noda, Fuko Producer

Sano, Yuuta Director, Storyboard, Editing

Kubooka, Toshiyuki Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation

Ashino, Yoshiharu Episode Director, Key Animation

Reviews

Dec 24, 2022

von_Lohengramm

Recommended

The definitive anime adaptation for Berserk's Golden Age arc.

To preface this, Berserk by Kentaro Miura should be experienced in manga form before you embark on any anime adventures for it, IMO — please go read the manga before trying any version of the anime, including this. With that being said, the Memorial Edition anime has cemented itself as the must-watch version of the Golden Age arc.

The Memorial Edition is the best bang-for-your-buck as far as length/number of episodes and content covered. It does not cover every single event (it's 12 volumes/102 chapters of content covered in 13 episodes, so keep that in mind); however, ... it covers most major events, and for what it does cover, it covers well. It also finishes the arc and does not cut off in the middle of the climax. With over 30 minutes of additional new/extended scenes, it adds the Bonfire of Dreams and Wounds chapters, as well as other moments. Not enough can be said to compliment these additions. I don't think anyone expected the number of or quality of additions when this project was first announced, or even when it was announced that there would be additions included. With these additions also came new OST music, including a new song by Susumu Hirasawa for the Bonfire of Dreams scene. The CGI models were touched up as well, which goes a long way, especially when compared directly to the movie versions of the models. There are still some spots where the CGI sticks out, but they are mostly minimal background characters or when they are in large groups.

There was a fair amount of negative for this project when it was first announced, that only seemed to ramp up at the beginning of the season. This was all done before any real changes had been allowed to be shown (the additional content/scenes came in episodes 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13), which is just plainly unfair, and a perfect example of why you shouldn't write something off so early. Especially in a case like this, where they have d new things to come later on. Not sure how one can claim it "provides nothing new" when they have d new content that wasn't in the initial few episodes, for example.

Berserk 1997 "elitists" (for lack of a better word) will still find a way to downplay this adaptation, even when 1997 has more glaring flaws than this does. Do not let it discourage you from watching this wonderful memorial project from Studio 4°C. Between the project itself and all the interviews throughout the season, you can tell the ion and care that they had for this project, Berserk as a whole, and Miura. There was no announcement for a continuation following the finale episode, but I would personally welcome a continuation of this level with open arms.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Mar 19, 2023

itikitty

Mixed Feelings

Funny

I wanted to write this review, just to be safe in case someday Berserk fans come and judge me.
right now I really like Guts as a character. I just hate this anime because Guts doesn't have many moments/scenes, because I can't stand to see another (bad) adaptation. I'll try to start reading the manga...

I don't have much experience in reading action manga and live to the fullest by romance standards. I'm not ready but I'm sure it will be worth it.

I've said everything I wanted to say so enjoy.. :

lone mercenary Guts drifts from battle to battle, striking down powerful enemies with his unwieldy ... sword..everything changed after Griffith and the Band of the Hawk attacked. Guts still has a lot to learn but in this age of war and destruction
Casca believes BL will save the world...

I'm kidding.. but be prepared. Casca will always remind us that "Griffith didn't want the world he only wanted one man"
I still have a lot to say.. but I'm afraid that this Reviews will be read by children.

so enjoy

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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Mar 25, 2024

MirageR

Not Recommended

Informative

Spoiler

Summary:

Another worst way to watch Berserk. I don't get how hard is for animation houses and the ones holding the rights of Miura's work to do it as it should. An average cut-down adaptation for this generation sensibility standards which was already heavily censored and shortened, that trades some of the most iconic, meaningful momments and crudeness, for some generic gore, extra fan service and CGI + movement-sensor-ed scenes that look mostly decent, while also ruining a few important parts.

Reasons to not watch over the 1997 version:

You've read the manga already.

Cut content

... A) Guts reaction when interacting with the general at the begining.
B) Guts past (just dialogue saved for the end).
C) The first time Griffith saves Guts (the full battle is pictured, literally in like 3 shots).
D) Revealing Zodd's ability after being further injured.
E) The lodestone knight gift from Charlotte to Griffith.
F) Foss, the queen, and everything that involved them.
G) Griffith's past related to Gennon.
H) Boscon vs Guts finale (sword break and Zodd's intervention got cut).
I) Griffith friction with a noble (commander/general?) which captures him after being with Charlotte.
J) Mention of previous queen (Charlotte's mother).
K) Guts participation in a tournament.
L) The year with Godo.
M) Griffith alternate future dream.
N) The cliffhanger of Rikert being before a couple apostles.

Ruined content

1) Gut's nightmare (a very, very short slide show).
2) Caska's past memmory (also a slide show).
3) Most of the tension between Guts and Corkus during all the episodes.
4) Corkus and Judeau table talk with Guts before leaving (Corkus got cut-off).
5) Guts and Griffith clash (no deep thoughts of the later, no forced stop the sword swing from the former).

Reason to watch over the 1997 version:

*Is shorter and you don't have that much free time.
*Some scenes from the manga that didn't made it into the 1997 like: griffith's torture, the assassin battle (only the 2nd one), the clash between skull knight & Zodd outside the eclipse and obviously everything that happen after the 1997 version ends.

Another reason to watch, is not "over" but as a complement for the 1997, and only if you don't feel like reading the manga.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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