Berserk Team Confirms New Chapter Return Is One Miura Agonized Over For 20 Years

For some great manga, a wait between chapters can be so long that their next release comes off more as an event rather than simply a delightful recurring reappearance in their home magazine. While some are used to frequent breaks like for Eiichiro Oda now with One Piece, or quarterly schedules like with Katsura Hoshino or Yuki Tabata, others have been used to longer hiatuses in the form of months rather than weeks. In the case of Berserk, after nine months, chapter #384 is on the way, and there could be an explanation on why this one took so long.

Given the events of Berserk chapter #383, where Guts stepped into the stupa, with memories of Griffith and Casca, including the most recent instance where he took her away to Falconia, showing prominently. It’s clear that it’s the fullest opportunity for Guts to come to terms not only with the events of the Eclipse, which he did somewhat, but also his most recent failure, which left him despondent now for much of the latest arc. With the next chapter on the way, Berserk supervisor Kouji Mori, who was famously a close friend of creator Kentaro Miura, confirms this next chapter is one Miura obsessed over for 20 years, suggesting a massive development is on the way.

Berserk Chapter #384 Was One Of Studio Gaga’s Biggest Challenges Ever

Custom Image by J.R. Waugh

Despite Mori having confirmed previously that Miura had relayed his vision of the story, its plot, and even its ending, it’s certainly still difficult to accurately nail a series so beloved worldwide. The development of Berserk chapter #384 is almost certainly going to feature some sort of path to catharsis for Guts himself, much like the momentous journey into Casca’s dreamscape to recover her psyche. Mori even recently posted about the upcoming release, all but confirming the real reason for this particularly long, nine-month delay.

Given that Berserk was still in the early chapters of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire Arc 20 years before his passing, at even this latest possible point it was clear that the stupa was a development Miura had been incubating well before the series would ever reach the Fantasia Arc. It doesn’t mean an explosive new chapter, but still one with enormous emotional significance, both for its original creator and the one to whom he entrusted the series.

“Berserk will be featured in Young Animal, which goes on sale tomorrow. I’m truly, deeply sorry for keeping you waiting so long. This chapter is an episode that Miura agonized over for twenty years, and even I, who heard it from him dozens of times, found it incredibly challenging…

We somehow managed to reach the finish line after going over the dialogue countless times with Shimada-san, who was our editor at the time and has been a long-time mentor to both Miura and me. Once again, everyone at Studio Gaga, starting with Kurosaki-kun, did absolutely outstanding work!! I’d be thrilled if you enjoy it.”

-Kouji Mori

Given the stupa can have dual purposes, both as a tomb and as a place of meditation, it could just as easily be Guts’ burial ground as it is his place to reach renewal, although the latter is obviously more likely in this instance.

Guts Still Has Plenty Of Reason To Live And Fight In Berserk

Beyond the story having followed Guts’ story primarily since its inception, Berserk would simply not feel complete without Guts fully confronting his past, including his most recent failure. His lingering Beast of Darkness has gone untamed, still trying to tempt him down his vengeful path once more, while Griffith has taken Casca away in chapter #367, as the world continues to slip into ruin. Guts stepping into that stupa was a major development because, while he’d previously been able to steer others, like Rickert, away from his own personal suffering following the Eclipse, he’d not been able to address and process the avalanche of trauma that consumed his life.

Numerous reasons for this have included the Mark of Sacrifice sending waves of demonic assailants every night before Schierke was able to suppress it, as well as multiple noteworthy arcs along the way. Guts suffered long before the Eclipse, with abuses running as far back as his time with Gambino. While it’s uncertain what will change exactly with Guts being fully given the space to meditate and confront his numerous sources of trauma, it’s definitely crucial for his character development that he is fully able to process it all and move forward. Guts has accepted his new band of trusted allies, and shown enormous strides. But the fight isn’t over.

While bigger astral institutions like the God Hand collectively might be difficult to envision defeating permanently, Guts still needs a meaningful, conclusive confrontation with Griffith, whose own respective arc hasn’t concluded, either. The remaining Apostles, including Griffith’s new Band of the Hawk, and particularly noteworthy antagonists like Nosferatu Zodd, need a meaningful conclusion as well. Guts may well finally move past his own personal failings and desire for revenge, but the false utopia of Falconia still stands in the way of meaningful freedom for humanity, especially if Griffith sets his sights on more territory. Guts may soon confront his greatest inner battle, but the war isn’t over.

It’s clear that Miura planned for these moments a long time, and successfully conveying his unfiltered vision was clearly one of Studio Gaga’s biggest hurdles beyond simply resuming the series after Miura’s passing. Under Mori’s watch, Guts has suffered for years now, unwaveringly conveying the original creator’s vision even at these points. But it seems clear that the franchise is ready to move forward, and that Berserk’s next releases are sure to set up a proper breakthrough.

Video Game(s)

Sword of the Berserk: Guts’ Rage, Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no Sho, Berserk and the Band of the Hawk

First Film

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 1: The Egg of the King

Cast

Nobutoshi Canna, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Yûko Miyamura, Hiroaki Iwanaga, Takahiro Sakurai, Kazuki Yao, Unshô Ishizuka, Kenta Miyake

Created by

Kentaro Miura, Kouji Mori