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A review by beaconatnight
Berserk Max, Band 2 by Kentaro Miura
5.0
This double volume (including the regular 3 and 4) continues the "The Guardians of Desire" arc before we learn about Guts's backstory and his relationship to Griffith in "The Golden Age". At this point the manga is already at its most crushing. It's full of surprising twists and powerful themes and the macabre artwork transfers the Dark Ages into the horrifying landscapes that mirror the dismal and demonic believes of the time.
The last volume left off when Guts desperately fought the Count for the torture he had to endure by the despot's hands. It's another relationship that initially takes center stage, though. The Count's daughter, Theresia, finally broke out of her prison. When suddenly she comes running through the door she's confronted – and understandably terrified – by the monstrous sight of her father.
What truly gave me the shivers, though, was his visible embarrassment. We soon learn what really happened seven years ago. While by today's (and reason's) standards the Count was already a bad man, he fought what he thought was a righteous cause by putting the heretics in his principality to justice. At least it wasn't as obsessive, yet.
When he returned from his witch hunt he found his own wife partaking in the most extreme form of obscene blasphemy. He killed all the participants to the ritual, only the biggest offender, his wife, he wasn't able to punish. It was his immense pain that opened the gate to the other dimension and that would offer him the chance to overcome his limiting humanity.
Something similar happens after the glorious moment when Guts is able to strike him down by taking his huge broadsword and striking with his mouth. It's now the supposedly good guy who tortures his foe. The Count again calls upon the God Hand and suddenly the whole group finds themselves in what looks every bit like an Escher painting. The demons – lead by the enigmatic Griffith whom Guts evidently knew before – are truly angst-inducing.
The Count called for the Ceremonia Adventis Daemonorum, a ritual that would restore his powers and enable him to kill Guts. There is a catch, of course, and this is where we realize again that the Count's humanity is still not entirely eradicated. He has to sacrifice someone close to him and who else could this be than his daughter. The decision truly tears him apart and unable to make the call the dead (among them the old friend Guts wasn't able or willing to save) pull him down in the spiral to hell. His daughter has to see his real father being dragged away.
It was such a horrifying scene, but it culminates into a particularly dark conversation when in the aftermath Theresia openly contemplates suicide. It's clear that Guts had been there too, but he conveys his point in the most despicable and ruthless way. He demonstrates to her that she literally clings to life. The scene leaves you very confused, because when he stumbles away you see a broken man, secretly with tears in his eyes. Probably himself wishing for his death but still somehow fighting on.
It's such a great transition to what Griffith saw in him as becomes clear when the two finally meet in Guts's background story (as told in "The Golden Age"). Not only do we learn of the events that made Guts the bitter man that is the protagonist in the main timeline, but we experience the harsh environment in which he grows up. This is very well exemplified by the first scene of the story where the dead hang from the trees and a baby lies still in the puddle next to it. It's believed to be a stillborn before the child suddenly comes to life. This cursed child is Guts.
He has to endure many horrifying and (without a doubt) defining episodes. The manga again shows us a very complex and human relationship to Guts's adoptive father and mentor, Gambino. He takes care of the boy and at least to some extent it seems like a loving relationship as far as it is possible in this world. You can understand why Guts has positive feelings for him. But it's genuinely shocking when he sells the boy to being raped by one of his mercenaries and later he holds the boy responsible for all bad that happens to him (I think a common theme in abusive relationships). It again so very well demonstrates Miura's sense for the darker side of human interaction and makes for truly captivating storytelling.
By the end of Volume 4 Guts and Griffith only just met. Especially their longer second fight is thrilling – how Griffith jumps on the blade! – and there is something very intriguing about the androgynous man and his explanation of why he "wants him" (evidently a rather ambiguous phrase). The volume ends in this awesome castle siege battle and the prospect of Guts becoming one of Griffith's Falcons.
I hope I was able to convey why the story had such a strong impression on me. The captivating and emotional storytelling is head and shoulders above your run-of-the-mill fantasy comic. Seriously, I literally would like to drop everything and return to the horrors of this world.
Rating: 5/5
The last volume left off when Guts desperately fought the Count for the torture he had to endure by the despot's hands. It's another relationship that initially takes center stage, though. The Count's daughter, Theresia, finally broke out of her prison. When suddenly she comes running through the door she's confronted – and understandably terrified – by the monstrous sight of her father.
What truly gave me the shivers, though, was his visible embarrassment. We soon learn what really happened seven years ago. While by today's (and reason's) standards the Count was already a bad man, he fought what he thought was a righteous cause by putting the heretics in his principality to justice. At least it wasn't as obsessive, yet.
When he returned from his witch hunt he found his own wife partaking in the most extreme form of obscene blasphemy. He killed all the participants to the ritual, only the biggest offender, his wife, he wasn't able to punish. It was his immense pain that opened the gate to the other dimension and that would offer him the chance to overcome his limiting humanity.
Something similar happens after the glorious moment when Guts is able to strike him down by taking his huge broadsword and striking with his mouth. It's now the supposedly good guy who tortures his foe. The Count again calls upon the God Hand and suddenly the whole group finds themselves in what looks every bit like an Escher painting. The demons – lead by the enigmatic Griffith whom Guts evidently knew before – are truly angst-inducing.
The Count called for the Ceremonia Adventis Daemonorum, a ritual that would restore his powers and enable him to kill Guts. There is a catch, of course, and this is where we realize again that the Count's humanity is still not entirely eradicated. He has to sacrifice someone close to him and who else could this be than his daughter. The decision truly tears him apart and unable to make the call the dead (among them the old friend Guts wasn't able or willing to save) pull him down in the spiral to hell. His daughter has to see his real father being dragged away.
It was such a horrifying scene, but it culminates into a particularly dark conversation when in the aftermath Theresia openly contemplates suicide. It's clear that Guts had been there too, but he conveys his point in the most despicable and ruthless way. He demonstrates to her that she literally clings to life. The scene leaves you very confused, because when he stumbles away you see a broken man, secretly with tears in his eyes. Probably himself wishing for his death but still somehow fighting on.
It's such a great transition to what Griffith saw in him as becomes clear when the two finally meet in Guts's background story (as told in "The Golden Age"). Not only do we learn of the events that made Guts the bitter man that is the protagonist in the main timeline, but we experience the harsh environment in which he grows up. This is very well exemplified by the first scene of the story where the dead hang from the trees and a baby lies still in the puddle next to it. It's believed to be a stillborn before the child suddenly comes to life. This cursed child is Guts.
He has to endure many horrifying and (without a doubt) defining episodes. The manga again shows us a very complex and human relationship to Guts's adoptive father and mentor, Gambino. He takes care of the boy and at least to some extent it seems like a loving relationship as far as it is possible in this world. You can understand why Guts has positive feelings for him. But it's genuinely shocking when he sells the boy to being raped by one of his mercenaries and later he holds the boy responsible for all bad that happens to him (I think a common theme in abusive relationships). It again so very well demonstrates Miura's sense for the darker side of human interaction and makes for truly captivating storytelling.
By the end of Volume 4 Guts and Griffith only just met. Especially their longer second fight is thrilling – how Griffith jumps on the blade! – and there is something very intriguing about the androgynous man and his explanation of why he "wants him" (evidently a rather ambiguous phrase). The volume ends in this awesome castle siege battle and the prospect of Guts becoming one of Griffith's Falcons.
I hope I was able to convey why the story had such a strong impression on me. The captivating and emotional storytelling is head and shoulders above your run-of-the-mill fantasy comic. Seriously, I literally would like to drop everything and return to the horrors of this world.
Rating: 5/5