Berserk: Manga Volume 27 Reaction!
Added 2024-07-13 13:00:05 +0000 UTC*SEASIDE & CITYSCAPE HEADPHONE WARNINGS*
Y'ALL -- the climax of the battle for the Spirit Tree and the Berserker Armor's debut is here! And it is WILD!
This volume was full of heartfelt moments between Guts and Schierke -- meanwhile, some craziness is ramping up in the former home of the Wyndam Rewards...Silat, I feel for you, sir! And Charlotte, I feel for you too, girl...but what does Griffith have planned for you?
Thank you for watching with me and for all the support!
Comments
Unfortunately, many people truly think this way. Including a younger version of me. I have first hand experience of going through your comment without sarcasm. In real life not Berserk related.
A mere Almond
2024-07-20 10:04:07 +0000 UTCAhhh, the infamous Volume 23 - may it rest in peace, haha! I definitely want to do a video when I’m caught up with “Miura’s part” (I still intend to react to Mori’s work volume to volume aftwards) that talks about Miura’s choices and the experience of reading the series overall from my POV, but I agree so much with your first paragraph! I think I’ve been more baffled by the folks defending Miura’s choices and its effect on my reading experience, so hearing someone come out and just say what you said means a lot. Even if folks disagree with my viewpoint, which is totally fine, at least hearing your comment makes me know I’m not insane for putting that viewpoint out there! 😀Hopefully, though, the worst is behind us! I have no doubt Miura’s had a plan for Casca - at least, everyone keeps telling me he does, haha! Everything you said about Casca completely makes sense, and I’ve begrudgingly thought about (like yeah, Miura, I get you’re playing long game with her - and everyone’s all but spoiled it at this point) but yeah, as a writer - I don’t know – even if you have an “end goal” when you’re writing for YEARS with a character doing nothing…could he not…put….SOMETHING - a page? A panel? Of insight or POV for her to make it not feel like she’s just “there?” To me, it IS very much a poor writer’s choice on his part - especially when I see writers post-Miura handle characters with similar trajectories with MUCH more grace and prowess (aka Isayama in AOT for example with a particular female character). But yes, agreed - she deserved much better. But YES! I LOVE Schierke to an insane degree! So much I’ve ordered a hat and wig for eventually cosplaying her in the reactions! 😀 She’s definitely risen to the top alongside Guts as my favorites - I would include Casca, but she’s fallen down my list since about Volume 18-19. Thank you so much for the comment and kind words! I appreciate the support! :3
Romaniablack
2024-07-17 15:47:39 +0000 UTCDone, my apologies for that! Hopefully she can read it now ✌🏻
Wolf
2024-07-17 00:20:01 +0000 UTCRIGHT?! What a wholesome Disney volume! 😛I agree! I’m starting…to suspect you are correct and that they’ve just all blocked out the tiny little instances of Miura being creepily sexual or weird. It’s not any “major grievances” anymore, but who knows! Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to go a volume without any woman being sexualized or assaulted! Fingers crossed! I do agree that Ganishka was an imminent threat, but that begs to ask: What is Griffith going to do? Just have her sit around with heart-eyes towards him so he can marry her, be king, and lock her up in another tower? And THEN what? Isn’t that…essentially what Ganishka was going to do? The difference is Charlotte mistakenly thinks that Griffith legit cares about her, when he…doesn’t? He’s just hotter and better and being subtle/trickster-y about it? Seems just two sides of the same coin at this point. Yeah, one would hope that she could see him for what he is, but at this point, I’m not sure what would make that happen. At least Anna is there. Thanks!
Romaniablack
2024-07-16 19:53:34 +0000 UTCHello wolf Can you please edit the part in your original comment about Miura not thinking that Casca getting her agency back will take him that much time plz? She doesn’t need to know if or when she ll get her agency back so i prefer it be edited ! Thanks Have a good day
Be Happy
2024-07-16 19:02:49 +0000 UTCHey Alex, thanks for your feedback! I know she's strict about these type of things but I hope the mods will bring my perspective to her attention. I think it might be helpful, who knows. I just don't like entertaining the theory that Miura disliked Casca or that he didn't care for her so he decided to threw her in the background. Once you read the whole story up to the point where he unfortunately passed away, you can tell Casca was always meant to be an important part of the whole story, not just the Golden Age. Could he have done a better job for her in all this time she's been "incapacitated"?? Yes, absolutely... but that's another conversation. Yes, I've seen Eva and I agree with the analogy. Which is probably why I never clicked with Rei as a character and find her to be the least interesting aspect of the story. Anno and his writing team have said so themselves in some interviews if I recall correctly; you could definitely tell Rei wasn't a character he felt strongly about but needed her there because of plot reasons. Thankfully Eva by being a much shorter story doesn't make Rei feel as aimless as Casca does in Berserk. There are other factors that contribute to this as well like one being an anime with a clear pacing, cinematography, editing and what-not while Berserk you can only rely on your own speed of reading and interpretation. I had the luck of reading this manga in a span of about a month in 2019 so the whole Casca thing for me didn't feel as long as someone who is reading one volume a week. The experience is going to dramatically vary from person to person. I can only feel sympathy for the og readers that went on that journey in real time, must have been torture lmao. Fanfic is all good and fun as long as one does not get too attached to those ideas so don't worry, I understand! I definitely have my own ideas of how Miura could have handled Casca better in this "limbo" stage but it is what it is 😪
Wolf
2024-07-14 17:56:11 +0000 UTCComment meant for Wolf: I'm not as strict so I appreciated reading your comment, but knowing how strict she is about those things, broad authorial intention even if they have no plot point discussion might be spoilery in her book... What you mention remind me of Hideaki Anno's situation with Rei Ayanami if you ever seen Eva. He had a clear idea of what he wanted to do with her character, but got there by episode 6 and then though "oh shit, I'm done with her character, now what?" and so Rei sort of disappeared from the story for a while. I guess is the risk writers that are 'plotters' take, you know where the story goes, you know the grand themes and where you want the pieces to end up on the board but you end up having to stretch some things or cramp some others to fit your preconceived, precast mold. Meanwhile 'explorers' don't have that problem because they grow the story without knowing themselves where it's going. Not that that is the superior path because in turn they risk their stories feeling aimless & disjointed. I find those kind of things interesting. And it checks out with what I been feeling about Casca, she's probably not coming back until the story starts nearing its end, but that's such a waste, she was so wonderful at the start. Maybe as coping I've been thinking of ways she could have been better integrated into the story without transforming Berserk too much away from what it is. What if instead of completely losing her mind, she had a more grounded PTSD, that she couldn't fight anymore because every time the anxiety would get to her so Guts would be the one doing the fighting but he couldn't understand why Casca can't so that would be their rift, Guts trying to push her to have his back and her just not being able to deal with that anymore and on top of that although they acknowledge their love they can't move forward because intimacy after everything that has happened and with that rift between them is just not possible. So they love each other but they start to resent each other. So it's both of them instead of Guts alone that decide they need to find a party to belong to because if it's just the two of them they'll end up resenting each other to the point of hatred. And then later that scene where Farnese does her best to protect Casca, causes Casca to think, "this girl here, is not a real fighter, and she's scared but she's still trying to protect me when I should be the one holding the blade keeping her safe". So even if it's slowly that sets casca in her journey to try to come to grips with her trauma... Maybe it conflicts with latter stuff, I don't know but at least it gives Casca something... But I've bored you with my mental fanfic enough plus I'm no writer and my idea is most likely shitty, so I'm sorry for all that rambling, I'm just coping. It's sad what has happened to her character so far.
Alex Kornejo
2024-07-14 05:40:07 +0000 UTCWait, Griffith didn't just start his empire from his parent's garage and just out worked everyone else? He actually got where he was by out ruthless-ing everyone else? No way.
Alex Kornejo
2024-07-14 05:28:12 +0000 UTCOG Lion King on the other hand is my childhood, my sister & I knew the songs by heart, and would sing them on long rides, I'm sure that wasn't fun for my parents. Anyway, Between Ganishka going full Scar on Midland and Zodd pulling an Aladdin as Lynden pointed out and Charlotte outright referencing Sleeping Beauty this was a very Disney Volume, so wholesome. About the 'nonsense'... at this point I wouldn't put much faith it really ever stopping and people saying it does probably just have forgotten how much of it there is or are completely tuning it out. We know Griffith is awful, but at list at this moment, Charlotte going with him seems like the safer development. Ganishka was an imminent threat, Griffith might be more insidious but less immediate. That at least gives me hope Charlotte might find a way to stay safe long enough for her to open her eyes to see Griffith for what he is. But it's worrisome she doesn't seem to be on anyone's radar other than Anna, poor girl born a princess but no one has ever cared for her other than her maid, she's just been an asset to be used and exploited by everyone else in her life... even Guts and crew aren't coming for them anytime soon; but maybe it will be one of those situations where the safest place is in the mouth of the lion.
Alex Kornejo
2024-07-14 05:16:25 +0000 UTCHi Romania! Catching up with all these new Berserk volume/reactions since that infamous volume 23! 😅 Thank you for providing your insight in vol. 25 regarding the points I brought up in vol. 23 about Miura doing a terrible job of presenting a female experience. I 100% agree with you on all accounts you argued there, my comments were more from the perspective of trying to rationalize (as a man) why he would make those decisions and not know how to get out of them more gracefully. To let this matter to rest... I think more often than not, while his intentions came from a good place, his lack of life experience beyond the 4 walls he shut himself in to do his work, made him trivialize and over-depict stuff that were too sensitive for people that actually went through horrible and traumatic experiences in life. Everything he ever experienced or referenced was through pop culture, tv or cinema as far as we know. So, perhaps in his ignorance he thought he needed to go that far in many instances of his story to make clear a point, who knows... But I also recognize and agree with you that the nature of a lot of SA depictions in this manga toy the line of being gratuitously pornographic, which is baffling to say the least. That is an entire culture conversation in of itself for another time 😪 Shifting gears to this volume 27 and to give my two cents on something you've been rightfully frustrated by... the handling of Casca's character. Everything I will say next is just my read on Miura's decision making based on stuff I've read about him and having gone through the Berserk rabbit hole (don't worry, I will keep it spoiler free). According to Kouji Mori (his best friend who took over the manga after his death), Miura knew how he wanted to finish the manga even whilst writing the Eclipse. If we believe this, that means that Miura knew from the very start where to take his characters and how to get them there from point A to point B to point C. Now, this most likely just implies that he had an overall map of the story in his mind but naturally, as with any type of storytelling process, he didn't have all the specifics planned out. So, as he went along in the story after the Eclipse, he started organically filling and filling pages with new details, new characters, new story lines that were making the worldbuilding more and more rich (which happens) but also much more longer; and as a consequence, Casca ended up getting the short end of the stick giving the condition she was put in. This is just an assumption on my part, but I have the impression that Miura knowing that he needed Casca to be at point B or C or D in the story, he found himself cornered by not knowing how to fill those details so he just relegated her to being a comedic relief in the meantime while he got the party (and her) to those specific points. It's just an unfortunate chain of events and poor narrative decisions that deprived us of a better character arc. I think we can all agree that Casca deserved better post-Eclipse. But anyway, last time I wrote in vol 23 I made the prediction that you were going to love Schierke, so I've been over the moon by how much you've latched on to her! ❤ She's the absolute best, I love her so much! One of my faves from the entire story! Can't wait to keep experiencing my favourite manga through your eyes and hearing your thoughts! Keep up the good work Rom, much love!
Wolf
2024-07-14 02:50:40 +0000 UTCThere is not supposed to be any confusion about what is going on with Griffith. All the explicit demonic evil acts make that clear. One of the reasons for the SA is to stop you the reader from falling into Griffith's spell. Every time you have this train of thought, remember all the SA Miura keeps on drawing. Its social commentary. People don't know they are being fooled. In fact, people in real life worship those who are manipulating them. What comes to mind for me is "The American Dream". And especially this one. "We are spreading democracy!". And yes, Miura is showing good people fall victim to "Griffith's propaganda". Both Griffith and Ganishka had the same idea. Use Princess Charlotte as propaganda to claim legitimacy as a ruler. Unfortunately for Ganishka, Griffith was victorious in that battle. Griffith is a person who uses others as steppingstones to achieve his goals. He will use others. Manipulate others. Betray others. Even kill. But all people see is his success. They are fooled into thinking he made it by hard work, dedication and strong morals. And Griffith is just an elaborate metaphor. Social commentary on people that really exist. You really downplayed what is happening with Farnese. Last volume you wanted Farnese to be a bad ass warrior and were disappointed. I think Miura has put you to shame on this one. Its undeniable. You wanted Farnese to be a bad ass warrior just like men. But Miura checked you on that and raised. Farnese isn't going to be a lowly sword wielding barbarian like the men.
A mere Almond
2024-07-14 01:53:50 +0000 UTCI feel really badly for Charlotte as well; she just wants to find love and it’s from all the wrong places! I’m at least glad she has Anna there with her! Anna is clearly the only one I agree, truly cares for Charlotte’s overall wellbeing! Maybe she needs to meet Skull Knight, our other feminist icon? Thank you for the info on the Kushan; that’s appreciated! And yes, I honestly can understand and share in the Sir Laban crush! He seems one of the more “grounded” characters in this series, and it was nice seeing Foss again! OOH, that is the demon that ate his arm! Ah…well. That’s interesting! I agree, despite the horrible systems they are surrounded by, I think it is important we can cheer on the individuals like Charlotte, Laban, and Silat to end up with better circumstances than what they are given. Definitely relatable and definitely something I’ll have to bring up in a future volume intro! 😛 I LOVE the development with Farenese and her wanting to learn herself! And I love that Schierke is there as such a positive force! I love her to pieces! YESSS, okay, I remember watching a documentary about the Skellig Islands were parts of Star Wars has been filmed so that is cool to see them referenced here as well! I relate to Guts and the shock of white at 23/24 – I was 21 when I started getting gray hairs (thanks genetics) but it’s never been enough to go “all white” like I wish it would (as you said) – get it over with, but alas, I’ll keep coloring for now, I guess. 😛 But yes, TALLY HO to Volume 28! And don’t feel bad, I feel I was at the prime age of Disney marketing so I grew up with a lot of those references. Thank you for the comment and kind words!
Romaniablack
2024-07-13 21:04:19 +0000 UTCAHAHAHAHA -- I would love to see an edit of that, honestly! Thank you for the comment and the laugh!
Romaniablack
2024-07-13 20:52:43 +0000 UTCCharlotte is one of the most tragic characters in this story. As a princess of Midland, she has been taken advantage of by her birth, her family, father, Ganishka, and Griffith. This woman just wants to be loved for herself and not taken advantage of, but, noooooo! This is why I love Anna so much, she is there for her and will not abandon her. Is there still an unequal power dynamic between Princess Charlotte and Anna? Yes, but I get a sense that she really cares for her too. I mean, the men don’t. Even now, I don’t believe Griffith and all his gleaming armor. The Kushan in real history was ruled by Emperor Kanishka. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanishka The art that Miura depicted as Indian in flavor is probably because India, as we know it today, was part of that empire. Of course, this was far back in antiquity so the style was a bit different. That is why when I say that video using Miura’s art to depict who the Kushan were I was like….. no man! That ain’t right! 😬🤦♀️ the Daka have a weapon called a Madu. Sir Laban! This is one aspect of Berserk that I love. It keeps its characters from the past and shows us what is going on with them in the present! We also see Foss! Yes, Laban is a handsome man…. Kinda have a slight crush on him if I’m honest. Borkoff! I just want to point out that Borkoff is the only apostle to have ingested a bit of Guts. He ate his arm. So how do we feel about developments in the story so far? I think that as a first time reader, being gaslit and not knowing who to root for, says a lot about how we think of stories. The good guys defeat the bad guys, right? Now we have both sides being terrible. You pointed that out. I actually like this approach as in life, there is a lot of gray areas. No country exists without blood on its hands. ( lots of blood sometimes) We want characters that are caught up like Charlotte, to make it through unscathed. We can be pro Charlotte and Laban, even if they have a shitty lover and leader. I think this is why I Love Silat as well. He and his people have been taken advantage of by some pretty unsavory characters. They just want freedom. When Silat discovers what Ganishka is and the Kushan engaged in, he was out! He was like…. Nope! Yeah, that look on his face said it all. That man made Behilit is horrific. Farnese seeking to learn magic to better herself is a development that I love! I do want to point out that, she has kinda given up on Guts showing her the way to be in the darkness. She recognized that it wasn’t enough and she has to learn for herself from a fellow female. Ok so Schierke is a kid, she’s the most powerful one out of everyone there! Good for both of them! Skellig islands! You can visit it! Some scenes of Star Wars were filmed there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skellig_Islands Yeah, Guts is looking kinda rough! That armor is bad news! Stressed him out so much he got a shock of white in his hair! I like the look. When I was in my 30’s, I had one as well. It was cool looking! I loved it! Now that I’m 55, I just have more gray hair…. It’s still there, but it blends in more now. ☹️ I just want to go all white hair now… get it over with! 😉 anyway, I think Guts looks more distinguished. He is still 23 and maybe 24 years old at this point. Mmmmm Volume 28! I’ve been waiting…. Tally Ho! Ps: I missed the whole Lion King thing. I was never really into Disney and Lion King never really held any nostalgia for me. When people mention it, I feel like I lived under a rock or something. 👁️👁️👁️👁️FEB Spolers⬇️👁️👁️👁️ Volume 27: 1! Only one and it was an elephant man. A Pishacha.
Moominkomet
2024-07-13 17:16:00 +0000 UTCImagine Zodd just breaks out into "A Whole New World" while flying them around.
Lynden
2024-07-13 17:06:04 +0000 UTC
