ベルセルク [Berserk]

Berserk, Vol. 1 by Kentaro Miura introduces Guts, the Black Swordsman, a brutal mercenary marked by a cursed Brand that attracts demons and other supernatural horrors. Armed with an enormous sword and a mechanical arm, he carves his way through a medieval dark fantasy world filled with violence, corruption, and occult forces. Joined, somewhat unwillingly, by the talkative elf Puck, Guts pursues a path driven by rage and survival rather than heroism. This first volume of the seinen manga establishes Berserk’s blend of graphic action, horror elements, and bleak atmosphere that defines the long-running series.

Berserk, Vol. 2 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga of Guts, the Black Swordsman, as he storms a corrupt noble’s fortress to confront the monstrous Count. The Count twists a fallen guard captain into a nearly unstoppable abomination, forcing Guts into a brutal, high-stakes battle that showcases the series’ graphic violence and horror elements. Meanwhile, Puck, Guts’ tiny elf companion, is captured and handed over to the Count’s sheltered daughter, whose gilded confinement contrasts sharply with the carnage outside her room. This volume deepens the manga’s grim medieval setting and seinen tone, emphasizing grotesque transformations, moral decay, and Guts’ relentless drive against demonic power.

Berserk, Vol. 3 by Kentaro Miura pushes the dark fantasy and horror elements of the series into more nightmarish territory, as Guts concludes his brutal confrontation with the inhuman Count. The aftermath of this battle triggers the Behelit, calling forth the Godhand, a circle of overwhelmingly powerful demonic entities whose appearance reframes everything Guts thought he understood about monsters and fate. Trapped in a hellish realm and surrounded by supernatural forces far beyond his strength, the Black Swordsman faces revelations about sacrifice, power, and the true cost of survival. This volume continues Miura’s blend of violent action, unsettling imagery, and bleak atmosphere that defines this influential seinen manga.

Berserk, Vol. 4 by Kentaro Miura shifts from demonic confrontation to the origins of Guts, the Black Swordsman, tracing his childhood under the harsh mercenary Gambino and his life on relentless battlefields. This volume explores how constant warfare shapes Guts’ skills and psyche, setting him apart as a fearsome young fighter in a grim medieval fantasy world. His talent draws the attention of Griffith, charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawk, whose interest hints at future alliances and rivalries. Combining dark fantasy, graphic violence, and psychological horror, this manga volume deepens the series’ themes of survival, power, and the cost of ambition.

Berserk, Vol. 5 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga of Guts, the Black Swordsman, during his years with the Band of the Hawk under the charismatic commander Griffith. As their mercenary company rises to fame on brutal battlefields, Guts confronts the inhuman warrior Nosferatu Zodd, whose overwhelming power exposes the terrifying limits of human strength. The encounter hints at Griffith’s mysterious connection to demonic forces and deepens the horror elements that underlie the series’ medieval war setting. This volume blends graphic violence, supernatural menace, and psychological tension in Miura’s detailed manga artwork and seinen storytelling style.

Berserk, Vol. 6 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga of Guts during his years with the Band of the Hawk, an elite mercenary group led by the enigmatic Griffith. As the Hawks gain prestige in the service of a king, Griffith’s growing influence at court and the princess’s interest in him ignite dangerous resentment in the king’s brother. Political intrigue and personal jealousy collide with brutal battlefield action, pushing tensions toward assassination and open violence. This volume deepens the series’ blend of horror, graphic violence, and psychological intensity, highlighting both the fragile loyalties within the Hawks and Guts’s fearsome presence as Griffith’s most formidable warrior.

Berserk, Vol. 7 by Kentaro Miura continues the brutal Hundred-Year War between Midland and Chuder, with the Band of the Hawk leading Midland’s forces in a decisive confrontation. As Guts and Casca are swept from a cliff into a raging river and forced into hiding, the volume shifts between intense battlefield action and a quieter, character-focused interlude. Casca’s memories of Griffith, her recruitment into the Band of the Hawk, and her conflicted loyalty reveal the emotional and political fault lines beneath the mercenary company’s success. This installment blends dark fantasy warfare, psychological tension, and horror-tinged danger as enemy soldiers close in on the wounded pair.

In Berserk, Vol. 8, Kentaro Miura moves the long-running conflict between Midland and Chuder toward a decisive confrontation, with both kingdoms committing everything to a final campaign. The Band of the Hawk, commanded by Griffith and spearheaded by Guts, stands at the center of the action, delivering large-scale medieval warfare rendered in detailed, violent artwork. As the Hawks edge closer to victory on the battlefield, political tensions inside Midland sharpen, revealing nobles who view Griffith’s rise as a threat to their own influence. This volume blends dark fantasy and horror elements with military strategy and court intrigue, emphasizing how hidden enemies and shifting loyalties can be as dangerous as open combat.

In Berserk, Vol. 9, Kentaro Miura pushes the Band of the Hawk into crisis after Guts’ departure and his decisive duel with Griffith. Stripped of his composure and status, Griffith makes a reckless choice involving the king’s daughter, provoking royal fury and landing himself in a brutal dungeon. As Midland’s forces close in, the once-elite mercenary company finds itself exposed and leaderless, its survival uncertain in a world already steeped in war and supernatural menace. This volume deepens the dark fantasy and horror elements of the series, focusing on political fallout, physical torment, and Guts’ uneasy role in the fate of his former comrades.

Berserk, Vol. 10 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga as Guts reunites with the shattered Band of the Hawk, arriving in time to prevent their annihilation and deepening his connection with the commander Casca. The group’s focus shifts to a desperate mission: infiltrating Midland’s dungeons to rescue their mutilated leader, Griffith, from unrelenting confinement and torture. As they descend into the castle’s depths, Guts and his comrades confront nightmarish horrors that blur the line between human cruelty and supernatural terror. This volume intensifies the series’ blend of brutal action, psychological strain, and horror-driven atmosphere within a grim medieval setting.

Berserk, Vol. 11 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga as the shattered Band of the Hawk flees pursuit after Guts and Casca extract Griffith from the Midland dungeons. Physically ruined, masked, and barely conscious, Griffith can no longer lead or fight, leaving the remaining mercenaries exposed in hostile territory. As royal forces close in, the Hawks are targeted by the brutal Knights of the Black Dog, commanded by Wyald, a sadistic warrior whose monstrous nature pushes the series further into horror. This volume blends graphic violence, psychological despair, and supernatural menace in a grim medieval setting that defines Berserk’s mature seinen tone.

In Berserk, Vol. 12, Kentaro Miura pushes the dark fantasy saga into even more unsettling territory as the Band of the Hawk finally retrieves their imprisoned commander, Griffith. Physically and psychologically shattered, Griffith can no longer lead, leaving Guts, Casca, and the remaining mercenaries facing disillusionment and the slow collapse of their once-formidable company. As their bonds fray under the weight of trauma and lost purpose, forces from the supernatural realm take interest in Griffith’s ruined ambitions. This volume blends brutal action, horror-inflected imagery, and psychological despair, marking a pivotal turn toward the series’ most nightmarish themes.

Berserk, Vol. 13 by Kentaro Miura pushes the dark fantasy saga into full horror as the Band of the Hawk faces an onslaught of demonic entities beyond human scale. Their maimed former commander, Griffith, activates the Crimson Behelit and opens a passage to the realm of the Godhand, where he is offered overwhelming power in exchange for an unthinkable sacrifice. As the Hawks are trapped within this supernatural ritual, Guts fights against the demonic horde and the twisted rules of this otherworldly ceremony to protect Casca. This volume intensifies the series’ blend of graphic violence, psychological torment, and supernatural action that defines Berserk’s mature seinen tone.

Berserk, Vol. 14 by Kentaro Miura marks a turning point in this dark fantasy manga, as the shattered remnants of the Band of the Hawk face the consequences of Griffith’s pact with the Godhand. The catastrophic ritual leaves the world overrun by monstrous horrors and permanently scars both Guts, who loses his hand, and Casca, whose mind is broken. As Guts begins to recover physically, his focus narrows to survival and revenge, aided by the discovery of an enormous sword built for slaying inhuman foes. This volume also includes the original “Berserk Prototype,” Miura’s early one-shot that laid the groundwork for the series’ brutal action and horror themes.

Berserk, Vol. 15 continues Kentaro Miura’s dark fantasy saga as Guts, once a mercenary and raider captain, now wanders marked by the Brand of Sacrifice and hunted by demonic forces. With his former comrades dead, his lover broken, and his ex-commander transformed into a demon lord, Guts moves through a bleak medieval landscape driven by survival and vengeance. In this volume, he encounters a seemingly quiet rural village whose fairy-tale veneer hides disturbing secrets rooted in grief and cruelty. The story blends horror, psychological tension, and brutal action, with Duane Johnson contributing to this English-language edition of the manga.

Berserk, Vol. 16 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga of Guts, a warrior branded as a sacrifice and hunted by demonic forces. In this volume, Guts confronts the aftermath of a massacre involving possessed children, forcing him to face both his own brutality and the supernatural corruption consuming the land. His path leads to a deadly encounter with the enigmatic Queen of the Elves, whose deceptively innocent appearance conceals overwhelming power and cruelty. Combining horror-infused action with stark psychological tension, this installment deepens the manga’s grim atmosphere and moral ambiguity.

Berserk, Vol. 17 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga of Guts, the Black Swordsman, now a hunted outcast in the kingdom he once defended. Captured by the zealous Holy Iron Chain Knights, Guts faces torture and forced repentance, only to turn the tables by seizing their commander, Farnese, as a hostage. As they flee together, the demonic entities attracted to Guts’s Brand of Sacrifice close in, exposing the violent contradictions and buried fears within Farnese’s rigid faith. This volume blends brutal action, psychological horror, and grim worldbuilding characteristic of Miura’s seinen manga.

Berserk, Vol. 18 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga in a Midland thrown into chaos after the king’s death, as foreign armies advance, demonic entities multiply, and a zealous church hunts those it deems heretical. While Guts tests his reforged weapon on the invaders, Casca, shattered by past trauma and stripped of her former self, falls under the control of a dangerous group that exploits her vulnerability. Both bear the Brand of Sacrifice, drawing monstrous horrors toward them and anyone nearby, turning abuse and persecution into a catalyst for supernatural terror. This volume blends horror, action, and psychological tension in a grim medieval setting typical of Miura’s seinen manga.

Berserk, Vol. 19 by Kentaro Miura continues Guts’s brutal path through a medieval dark fantasy world steeped in horror and violence. As the consequences of past betrayals deepen, Guts confronts increasingly grotesque apostles and supernatural threats while struggling to protect those who have chosen to follow him. The volume intensifies the series’ blend of psychological torment, graphic combat, and bleak atmosphere, pushing its seinen themes of obsession, trauma, and vengeance further. Miura’s detailed artwork and cinematic pacing make this installment a particularly stark example of Berserk’s mix of action-driven storytelling and nightmarish imagery.

In Berserk, Vol. 20, Kentaro Miura shifts the dark fantasy saga to the ominous Tower of Conviction, where Casca has been seized by the fanatical Holy Iron Chain Knights. Under the authority of Mozgus, a notorious inquisitor of the Holy See, she faces brutal torment as a supposed witch. Guts advances toward the fortress-like tower, cutting through human and inhuman threats alike in his effort to reclaim her. Around them, supernatural forces converge on the site, hinting at a catastrophe reminiscent of the Eclipse and the potential unleashing of vast malevolent powers into the world.

Berserk, Vol. 21 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga of Guts, the Black Swordsman, as he storms the Tower of Conviction to reclaim Casca from the clutches of the Holy See. Mozgus, a ruthless inquisitor leading a brutal purge of alleged heretics, prepares to execute Casca, unaware that the Mark of Sacrifice she bears is attracting monstrous forces to the fortress. As supernatural horrors converge on the crumbling tower, Guts faces an enemy whose power exceeds that of an ordinary human and must fight through both fanatical soldiers and demonic threats. This volume blends graphic violence, horror elements, and intense action in Miura’s signature seinen manga style.

Berserk, Vol. 22 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga as the world reels from the destruction of the Tower of Conviction and the fall of Mozgus’s brutal regime. Although the demonic onslaught has ended, Midland remains unstable, and the balance of power shifts with the sudden reappearance of Griffith, once Guts’s revered commander and now a member of the Godhand. Seemingly restored to his former human appearance and ambition, Griffith begins assembling a new Band of the Hawk, drawing not only human followers but also supernatural allies. This volume deepens the horror and action elements of the series, focusing on political upheaval, eerie transformations, and the ominous shape of Griffith’s renewed ambitions.

Berserk, Vol. 23 by Kentaro Miura follows Guts and the traumatized Casca as they attempt to reach Puck’s homeland, a supposed refuge that proves anything but safe. Marked as sacrifices, they attract relentless supernatural threats, turning every step of their journey into a confrontation with demonic forces. As the violence escalates, Guts is forced to confront not only the monsters drawn to them, but also the terrifying possibility that his own rage and power endanger Casca more than any external enemy. This volume continues the series’ blend of dark fantasy, horror, and brutal action in a bleak medieval-inspired world.

In Berserk, Vol. 24, Kentaro Miura continues Guts’s brutal dark fantasy quest as he searches for a refuge where Casca can be shielded from the demonic forces drawn to her Brand of Sacrifice. Guided by the elf Puck, Guts and his uneasy companions press toward Elfhelm, a hidden realm of magic and illusion that promises rare safety in a hostile world. Within a forest protected by powerful enchantments, they encounter new allies whose mystical abilities hint at a possible haven. Yet even this seeming sanctuary is threatened, as marauding trolls and other horrors test the limits of its defenses and of Guts’s resolve in this violent seinen manga.

In Berserk, Vol. 25, Kentaro Miura continues Guts’s brutal passage through a dark fantasy world where even brief hopes of refuge are interrupted by horror. On the road to Elfhelm, Guts, Puck, and their companions are drawn into defending a remote village plagued by vicious trolls, acting on the request of a local witch. With the aid of her young disciple Schierke, they unleash powerful magic to counter the monsters, only to trigger a devastating mystical flood. When Casca and Farnese are swept away and captured in the trolls’ lair, the series shifts toward psychological and bodily horror, underscoring the manga’s blend of violent action, occult forces, and grim atmosphere.

Berserk, Vol. 26 by Kentaro Miura pushes Guts deeper into dark fantasy horror as he invades a troll-infested cavern to recover Casca and Lady Farnese from brutal captivity. The action escalates from visceral combat against monstrous trolls to a more unsettling confrontation when Slan of the Godhand materializes amid the carnage. As this demonic entity ensnares him, Guts is forced into a struggle that goes beyond physical endurance, threatening his sanity and inner resolve. This volume continues the seinen manga’s blend of graphic violence, supernatural terror, and psychological intensity within Miura’s bleak fantasy world.

Berserk, Vol. 27 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga with Guts wielding the dangerous Berserker Armor in a brutal confrontation against the dragon-form apostle Grunbeld and his devoted soldiers. The volume intensifies both physical and psychological horror, as the armor’s power threatens Guts’s already fragile sanity even as it keeps his broken body moving. Parallel to this personal struggle, the imperial forces of Ganishka and the newly reborn Griffith clash over control of Midland, turning Windham into a focal point of war and supernatural conflict. This installment blends graphic action, bleak atmosphere, and shifting political power in a mature seinen manga narrative.

Berserk, Vol. 28 by Kentaro Miura follows Guts and his companions as they finally reach the sea, only to encounter a mysterious child whose uncanny connection to Guts and the broken Casca unsettles the group. Their brief pause on the shore allows for reflection and shifting relationships, but the quiet is shattered when a Kushan sorcerer’s magic twists the ocean’s creatures into murderous horrors. Forced to rely again on the cursed Berserker Armor, Guts confronts both external monstrosities and the cost of unleashing his own inhuman power. As tensions within the band grow, one member’s unsuspecting alliance with an enemy adds another layer of danger to this dark fantasy action arc.

Berserk, Vol. 29 continues Kentaro Miura’s dark fantasy saga as Guts and his companions reach the bustling port city of Vritannis, trading demonic threats for human corruption. While Schierke and Isidro confront brutal pirate slavers in the harbor, Farnese is drawn back into the schemes of her influential family, who seek to reclaim her for their own political agenda. The group’s urgent search for passage out of the city unfolds amid religious tension, class conflict, and the constant threat of violence. This volume blends horror-inflected action with political intrigue, pushing its characters to weigh loyalty and freedom against power and fear.

Berserk, Vol. 30 continues Kentaro Miura’s dark fantasy saga as Guts and his companions secure passage on a ship commanded by Magnifico, Farnese’s brother, after Farnese’s drastic act to ensure their escape. The group faces a difficult choice between advancing their larger mission and abandoning a key ally whose fate remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the Kushan emperor unleashes overwhelming supernatural forces on the city of Vritannis, threatening Farnese’s noble family and the civilian population alike. With its blend of horror-inflected action and mature themes, this volume pushes the stakes higher within Miura’s ongoing seinen manga epic, translated by Duane Johnson.

Berserk, Vol. 31 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga in the besieged port city of Vritannis, where Guts and his companions struggle to reach a ship that may be their only escape. Kushan monstrosities, commanded by a formidable necromancer who wields both elemental magic and sea creatures, turn the harbor into a battlefield of horror. As Guts and the young witch Schierke attempt to harness the destructive potential of the Berserker armor, the cost of that power becomes increasingly apparent. Amid the chaos, an unexpected proposal from the Kushan emperor introduces a new and unsettling dimension to Guts’s ongoing conflict.

Berserk, Vol. 32 by Kentaro Miura pushes its dark fantasy world further into horror as Guts, the Black Swordsman, is forced into an uneasy alliance with the terrifying Nosferatu Zodd to confront the Kushan emperor’s astral incarnation. While this battle unfolds, Griffith—once Guts’ commander, now a demonic member of the Godhand—pursues his own designs for the fate of Midland. Guts and his small band continue their hazardous trek toward Elfhelm, homeland of the elf Puck, hoping for refuge from both human and supernatural threats. This volume blends brutal action, political upheaval, and eerie supernatural elements in Miura’s signature seinen manga style.

Berserk, Vol. 33 by Kentaro Miura follows Guts and his small band as they leave war-ravaged lands behind and venture across dangerous seas toward Elfhelm, homeland of Puck and realm of an elven king whose power may heal Casca’s shattered mind. This pursuit of a fragile hope forces Guts to delay his obsessive quest to destroy Griffith, once his commander and now a demonic ruler advancing a vast campaign of conquest. As political and supernatural upheavals reshape the Holy See and Midland, the manga intensifies its blend of dark fantasy, horror, and brutal action, emphasizing the cost of vengeance, loyalty, and survival in a world sliding further into nightmare.

Berserk, Vol. 34 by Kentaro Miura pushes the dark fantasy war in Midland to a brutal new scale, as the Kushan emperor reveals a grotesque, otherworldly form that spawns demons and devastation with every advance. Griffith’s reformed Band of the Hawk responds by unveiling their own inhuman natures on the battlefield, forcing the terrified refugees they protect to confront the reality of their so-called saviors. This volume focuses on large-scale action, horror-infused imagery, and the uneasy boundary between salvation and monstrosity in a world already saturated with violence and the supernatural.

Berserk, Vol. 35 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga as Guts and his companions, battered from a brutal encounter with monstrous creatures at sea, take shelter on a seemingly remote island. Their brief respite turns into another ordeal when they discover the island is saturated with malevolent forces and ruled by an ancient deity driven by vengeance. As their ship undergoes repairs, the group must confront escalating supernatural threats tied to the rising full moon. This volume blends horror, intense action, and psychological tension in Miura’s signature seinen manga style.

Berserk, Vol. 36 by Kentaro Miura continues the dark fantasy saga as Guts and his companions discover that the island they reached is actually the domain of a vast and malevolent sea god commanding monstrous creatures and a ghostly pirate ship. Trapped without a clear escape, Guts is forced to rely on the Berserker armor once more, pushing his body and mind toward a dangerous edge. As the battle intensifies, the absence of sorceress Schierke’s stabilizing magic leaves Guts vulnerable to losing himself entirely to the armor’s bloodlust, turning his immense power into a potential horror for his own allies. This volume blends intense action, horror elements, and psychological tension in a grim seafaring setting.

Berserk, Vol. 37 continues Kentaro Miura’s dark fantasy saga with Guts once more forced to rely on the destructive power of the Berserker armor. Trapped inside a colossal Sea God, he fights through grotesque inner landscapes to locate and destroy the creature’s vital core. Outside, an army of merrow clashes with the monstrous being in a desperate attempt to contain its threat. This volume blends intense action, horror-inflected imagery, and grim psychological tension characteristic of Miura’s seinen manga, as Guts pushes his body and mind toward their limits in pursuit of survival.

Berserk, Vol. 38 by Kentaro Miura splits its focus between two crucial fronts in this dark fantasy saga. Guts and his companions finally arrive at the remote isle of Skellig, seeking elven sorcery that might restore Casca’s shattered mind, even as they confront the possibility that such magic may demand a lethal sacrifice. In parallel, Rickert travels to the gleaming metropolis of Falconia, now ruled by Griffith, and discovers that beneath its ordered surface lurk terrifying inhuman forces. This volume deepens the horror and political tension of the series while advancing both the personal stakes for Guts’ group and the broader fate of Miura’s violent, supernatural world.