We’ve reviewed Berserk films here before, so I won’t waste too much of your time recapping – by this point we probably all know the premise, but with the new TV anime having just wrapped up, this collected pack from Madman is the perfect primer for a Berserk marathon.
Based on the long-running manga by Kentaro Miura, Berserk is a work of truly brutal medieval fantasy. When wandering fighter Guts is taken in by the Band of the Hawk and their enigmatic leader Griffith, the group quickly climb to new heights of success in battle, bringing an end to the 100-year war in the country of Midland and being hailed as heroes, until Guts leaves the band and Griffith is imprisoned after seducing the King’s daughter. Eventually rescued, the emaciated and mute Griffith activates the Behelit – that weird red potato with a face thing – and brings about the Eclipse as the God Hand descend upon their prey and take a reborn Griffith, now known as Femto, as their final member.
Although this has been animated before as a TV series, the story loses none of it’s impact when retold in these three movies, and the Eclipse in particular is a brutal and disturbing spectacle to behold in the age of high definition. The movies aren’t without their issues – the first plays host to some of the jankiest CG going – but overall the narrative well and truly outweighs any issues there.
Compressed into a single case with an RRP of $59.95AUD you can’t really go wrong with this set, and with the new season of Berserk picking up with Guts as the apostle-hunting Black Swordsman now out in the wild, there’s never been a better time to pick it up and delve headfirst in to the series.
A review copy was provided by Madman Entertainment to the author for the purpose of this review.
