Berserk and Your Place in the World

Few words are needed for this.

With the untimely passing of Kentaro Miura, the world seemed to be on pause for a moment. Even if you hadn't heard of this man, his work could be felt all across the world of media. He was an excellent story-teller and an exceptional artist. There are several videos and essays already about his main work, his magnums opus, Berserk. I will do my best to leave you, my fellow reader, somewhat of a different impression, hopefully.

A quick breakdown must occur first. Berserk is a mountain of a story. To put it simply, it is about a man named Guts and his journey to fight the ever-present forces of fate, gods, and demons. We start from his unexpected birth as a child, his time as a mercenary learning to love and open up to friends, only to have that ripped apart. We then see his anger and grief as Guts seeks to avenge these wrongdoings, only to lose himself countless times in the process. Finally learning to accept his shortcomings, he begins a new journey to make sure his loved ones are protected and free from the grief and trauma that he himself must endure.

It is not an easy read or watch. Characters are put through hellish ordeals. Sexual violence, murder and war run amuck in the series with demons pulling the strings in the background. It's a fantasy world that most people are glad does not truly exist. Guts himself loses body parts and pieces of his soul, only to keep going in the end.

That is what makes this story truly special. No matter the pain, the people they lose, the pieces of themselves that are lost in the chaos of the world, the characters of Berserk are always given two choices: struggle or die. They always choose to struggle.

Now, it may seem blunt or harsh to be given these options at first, but there is something innate about those choices that humans seem to thrive on. Backs against the wall, people will always struggle mightily. The word "struggle" has a strong connotation. It may tie your senses to images of weakness or softness. What Miura does so masterfully is change that connotation in Berserk. To struggle in the world of Berserk is to attempt to change the hands of fate. It's a badge of honor. Guts is even referred to as the Struggler, forever attempting to rewrite his own preordained history.

This philosophy goes even further. Characters lose their loved ones through murder and war yet they struggle on. They grieve, rightfully so, but they clear that hurdle. They remember fondly of those past times, yet they know they cannot achieve it again. There is a line Guts states that evokes this sentiment perfectly:

"Even if you force back what was lost, it still won't be the way it was." - Guts

The philosophical messages that Kentaro Miura hammered away are what fans of the series appreciate. Along with the art, every emotion can be felt as it is intertwined with the very fabrics of the themes. We all struggle profusely. Sometimes it is our own demons of guilt, pain, regret and loss. Sometimes, we struggle against the very establishment that raised us. Or it could be as simple as a homework assignment we have not touched yet.

When explained, the messages seem preachy. One might say, "Yeah, we already know this." To those people I say: we all know this. We know what it means to be human. We just need a reminder every now and then. My reminder is watching and reading Guts fight his own struggle.

Rest in peace, Kentaro Miura.

You’re going to be all right. You just stumbled over a stone in the road. It means nothing. Your goal lies far beyond this. Doesn’t it? I’m sure you’ll overcome this. You’ll walk again… soon." - Guts

*Hey, everyone! Thank you for making it to the end. This is much different from anything I've written on here. Let me know if you like it, reviews will be coming soon either way!*

**Tips are always welcome!**