Berserk (ベルセルク Beruseruku?), known in Japan as The Sword-Wind Romance: Berserk (剣風伝奇ベルセルク Kenpū Denki Beruseruku?), is a 1997 anime adaptation of part of the Black Swordsman arc, continuing through the Golden Age arc of Berserk. The series is produced by OLM, Inc. and distributed by Discotek Media in North America (succeeding Media Blasters) and Madman Entertainment, MVM Entertainment and AnimeWorks in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
It was introduced in 1997 where it was first broadcasted on Nippon Television in Japan. The series, despite removing plot-threads and key characters, was viewed as a critical and commercial success.
Background[]
The anime series was directed by Naohito Takahashi and produced by Oriental Light and Magic, airing on Japan's Nippon Television starting from October 7, 1997 and ending on March 31, 1998. The Anime covers Volumes 1 (Chapters 1 and 2, though fused into Chapter 1 along with reference to later Chapters in Volume 2), the end chapter of Volume 3 (where Gambino discovers Guts at a tree of execution), Volumes 4 through 10 and then Volumes 12 and 13 in the manga. Volume 11 is omitted entirely in the anime to remove the character Wyald, but the events of the volume are instead replaced with a similar (but much shorter) scenario involving human characters.
To make the animated series fit within 25 episodes, changes had to be made. Characters like Puck, Donovan, Skull Knight, Theresia, The Count, and Wyald were removed, as well as the opening scene with the Female Apostle was omitted (though she still exists during the Eclipse). The Count's story, Guts' fight with Wyald and many explicit scenes have been edited heavily, removing much of the gore in favor of heavy blood splatter instead of eyeballs, brains, innards and otherwise flying all over the place. The sex scene between Casca and Guts was cut down, as well as Femto's rape of Casca.
Cast[]
Episodes[]
| # | Title | Original airdate |
| 01 | "Black Swordsman" Kuroi Kenshi (黒い剣士) |
October 7 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| A girl is being harassed in a tavern when Guts walks in. He kills all the assailants but one and orders him to tell his master, the Baron, that the Black Swordsman is coming. Guts later finds and kills the Baron and removes a demonic relic called a Beherit from around his neck. Soon after, Guts remembers the events in his past, how he killed the knight Bazuso, and his encounter with the group that would change his life: The Band of the Falcon. | ||
| 02 | "Band of the Falcon" Taka no Dan (鷹の団) |
October 14 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| In a flashback, Corkus attempts to rob Guts, and Casca is drawn into the battle. Guts defeats her, but is then grievously injured by Griffith. Griffith orders Casca to lie with Guts during his convalescence to keep him from freezing. When Guts wakes up days later, he challenges Griffith who instead wishes to enlist the swordsman to his group. | ||
| 03 | "First Battle" Uijin (初陣) |
October 21 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith defeats Guts, and makes him a member of the Band of the Hawk. The Hawks go on a midnight raid and Griffith chooses Guts for the most important position of rear guard, Guts succeeds and the band hails him as a hero. | ||
| 04 | "The Hand of God" Kami no Te (神の手) |
October 28 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Three years pass as Guts and the Band of the Hawk gain in skill and fame. Guts remembers his childhood, being raised by his adoptive father and mentor Gambino. He was forced to kill him, however, when Gambino tried to kill the boy, as he blamed Guts for all the bad things that had happened to him ever since they found him. | ||
| 05 | "Sword Wind" Kenpū (剣風) |
November 4 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Guts is now a commander in Griffith's army. He keeps taking risks in battle, and although he succeeds, Casca reprimands him for his recklesness. Eventually, to the nobles' dismay, Griffith is knighted as a viscount in the Midland court . Guts saves the Hawks in battle, to Casca's chagrin. | ||
| 06 | "Zodd the Immortal" Fushi no Zodd (不死のゾッド) |
November 11 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| When Guts leads his men to raid a castle under Tudor occupation, Judeau reveals the keep to be overseen by a legendary warrior known as Nosferatu Zodd who is said to be immortal. When only one of Guts' men barely makes it out alive before dying from his horrific injuries, Guts decides to enter the keep himself. Inside he finds the bodies of his men, and clashes with the inhuman Zodd. When Guts manages to actually hurt him, an excited Zodd decides to stop holding back and transforms into a monster that nearly kills Guts before Griffith arrives to aid with a few men. While the monster is distracted, Griffith attempts to get Guts to safety before Zodd notices them and blocks their escape route. Zodd almost kills Griffith, but he sees the Beherit around Griffith's neck. Zodd then sprouts wings and flies off while telling Guts that his doom will come when Griffith's dream dies. | ||
| 07 | "Sword Master" Tsurugi no Aruji (剣の主) |
November 18 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Though he and Guts are still injured from their encounter with Nosferatu Zodd, Griffith uses it to get closer to the King of Midland and his daughter Charlotte. Guts and some of the Hawks feel that Griffith is pulling away from them. | ||
| 08 | "Conspiracy" Inbou (陰謀) |
November 25 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith and Guts continue to have success in battle and Griffith is made Count. The king's brother general Julius is furious about this as he and Minister Foss plot Griffith's murder with a poison arrow during the upcoming hunt. | ||
| 09 | "Assassination" Ansatsu (暗殺) |
December 2 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| During the hunt, Griffith and Charlotte grow close before the former is shot in the chest with a poisoned arrow. Luckily, Griffith's Beherit took the arrow. Griffith deduces that Julius is the culprit and sends Guts to assassinate the noble in secret during the festivities that occur that night. | ||
| 10 | "Precious Thing" Toutoki Mono (貴きもの) |
December 9 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Guts assassinates Julius, but is emotionally scarred when he accidentally kills Julius' son, Adonis to conceal the deed. Later, he overhears Griffith say to Princess Charlotte that he considers a true friend to be someone who chases his own dream, and does not follow others blindly. | ||
| 11 | "The Battle" Kassen (合戦) |
December 16 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith and the Hawks lead the march into battle against the Blue Whale Knights. Casca has a fever, and when she falls unconscious off a cliff, Guts goes with her. They are washed downriver, and Guts finds a cave. With their clothes wet, Guts must keep Casca warm with his body. | ||
| 12 | "Together" Futari (ふたり) |
December 23 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Casca tells her story: Griffith helped her save herself from rape, so she followed him. She watched him with a pederast lord to earn money to create an army. When Guts came, she knew that she would not be Griffith's chosen friend. | ||
| 13 | "Ready to Die" Kesshikō (決死行) |
January 6 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Adon Coborlwitz and his Blue Whale Knights find Guts and Casca. Though completely outnumbered, Guts tells Casca to run and stays behind to fight. Some men go after Casca, managing to capture her and attempting to rape her. Guts continues fighting. | ||
| 14 | "Bonfire of Dreams" Yume no Kagaribi (夢のかがり火) |
January 13 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Casca defeats her attackers, and she and Guts end up back at the camp. Guts and Casca share a tender moment, where Guts explains that everyone in the camp has a dream but all he has is his sword, causing Casca to think he's leaving. | ||
| 15 | "The Decisive Battle" Kessen (決戦) |
January 20 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| An impossible battle must be fought, and Griffith volunteers the Hawks to reclaim the Fortress of Doldrey from a Tudor noble named Gennon and the Purple Rhino Knights in his service. After Guts learns of Griffith's unsavory history with Gennon, the Hawks begin their assault before pulling back. Their boats are burned and there is nowhere to retreat to as Gennon and the bulk of his army leave the fortress. | ||
| 16 | "The Conqueror" Shourisha (勝利者) |
January 27 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| The retreat was a ruse and Casca takes the fortress, defeating Adon and the few remaining guards. Guts fights with the Rhino Knights' command Boscogn before his sword breaks, only to gain a sword that was provided by Zodd from a great distance. Guts uses the sword to kill Boscogn while Griffith kills Gennon to assure the Hawks' victory. | ||
| 17 | "Moment of Glory" Eikō no Shunkan (栄光の瞬間) |
February 3 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| The Hawks' reclaiming of Doldrey marked the end of the Hundred-Year War between Midland and Tudor, the King holding a ball for the mercenaries in their honor. But the Queen of Midland, Charlotte's stepmother and Julius' secret lover, hatches a scheme with Foss to poison Griffith during the banquet. However, Foss received a letter from Griffith hours prior. | ||
| 18 | "Tombstone of Flames" Honoo no Bohyou (炎の墓標) |
February 10 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Having forced Foss to aid him, Griffith allowed the Queen to believe she succeeded in poisoning him so he can burn her and her co-conspirators alive after locking the tower they were celebrating in. Guts, having once more aided Griffith in removing his competition, decides to leave the Band and tells a pleading Casca that he does not want to be caught up in Griffith's dream anymore. | ||
| 19 | "Separation" Wakare (別れ) |
February 17 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| As Guts tries to leave, he is challenged by Griffith but manages to defeat him and earn his freedom. However, Guts did not realize how much this would damage Griffith psychologically. That same night, Griffith spends a night of passion with Charlotte in a lapse of judgment. When Griffith leaves the next morning, he is apprehended and arrested, and the Hawks are branded as criminals. | ||
| 20 | "Sparks" Hibana (火花) |
February 24 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| A year has passed and Guts is living with Godot, a blacksmith, and his daughter Erica. Guts learns that the Band of the Hawk are now wanted outlaws and Casca is their captain. Guts goes to them and finds them battling foreign mercenaries. | ||
| 21 | "Confession" Kokuhaku (告白) |
March 3 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Guts helps the Hawks as they drive off the mercenaries after their bounty. Casca has a plan to rescue Griffith from the Tower of Rebirth where he is held prisoner. Casca blames Guts for Griffith's problems, but realizes it isn't his fault. They make love and Guts asks her to go away with him after the rescue. | ||
| 22 | "Infiltration" Sennyuu (潜入) |
March 10 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Casca and Guts go into the dungeon under the Tower of Rebirth to rescue Griffith, finding him now mute and horribly crippled from constant torture. Meanwhile, the Hawk members back at the camp are slaughtered by monsters led by a green fairy. | ||
| 23 | "Eve of the Feast" Zenyasai (前夜祭) |
March 17 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Casca feels she must take care of Griffith, and tells Guts to leave. But Griffith, horrified at what he has been reduced to from a year of endless torture, takes a wagon and runs off. But seeing the Band of the Hawk following him, Griffith finds his Beherit and unintentionally activates it as a group of people were watching, bringing everyone present to the Astral World where four demons awaken. | ||
| 24 | "Solar Eclipse" Nisshoku (日食) |
March 24 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| The four demons of the God Hand have woken and inform Griffith that he has been chosen to be their final member. But for his baptism, Griffith must offer his friends to the group of people who gathered, revealed to be the God Hand's Apostles like Nosferatu Zodd. Guts climbs a mountain of flesh to try and stop Griffith from becoming a demon, though the God Hand influence Griffith by showing him visions of his past to convince him that the lives of his men are trivial in regard to the fulfillment of his dream. | ||
| 25 | "Time of Eternity" Eien no Koku (永遠の刻) |
March 31 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Despite Guts' attempt to reach him, Griffith accepts the God Hand's offer with the Apostles assuming their true forms to commence the Eclipse; feasting by devouring those branded as offerings. In the end, only Guts and an unconscious Casca were momentarily spared as Griffith, reborn as the God Hand demon Femto, rapes Casca in front of Guts. Forced to cut off his left forearm to stop his former friend while his right eye is gouged out, Guts manages to escape back to physical world with Casca. Having his wounds healed, he eventually leaves Godot's house to have his revenge on Griffith and the Apostles. | ||
Music[]
Soundtrack[]
- Main article: Berserk (1997) Original Soundtrack
The anime's soundtrack is composed by Susumu Hirasawa and released on November 6, 1997.
Opening theme[]
- Tell Me Why by PENPALS
Ending theme[]
- Waiting So Long by Silver Fins
Trailers[]
Berserk (1997) - Trailer
Promo Trailer
BERSERK (TV) - RARE TRAILER (1997).
Full Trailer
Notes[]
- This was the first anime to be produced for Berserk.
- The English dub of the anime featured several humorous outtakes with voice actors either improvising lines, quoting movies or randomly bursting out into song.
[]
| Episodes (1997 anime)
1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 |
| Episodes (2016 anime)
1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 |