In the vast realm of anime, few series have captured the dark, gritty essence of medieval fantasy quite like “Berserk.” With its intricate storyline, unforgettable characters, and intense battles, it’s no wonder fans are often left puzzled about the best way to dive into this epic saga. If you’ve found yourself wondering about the optimal Berserk watch order, you’re not alone. I mean, the series has so many remasters that it’s too hard to keep up!
Whether you’re a seasoned fan revisiting the series or a newcomer eager to embark on this harrowing journey, this guide is here to illuminate the path.
Plot:
Berserk follows the tumultuous life of Guts, a lone mercenary with a tragic past and an indomitable spirit. Born from the corpse of his hanged mother, Guts’ life has been a series of battles, betrayals, and hardships. As a young mercenary, he crosses paths with the charismatic and ambitious Griffith, leader of the Band of the Hawk. The two form a deep bond, with Guts becoming Griffith’s right-hand man.
However, their fates take a dark turn when Griffith’s ambition leads him to a forbidden artifact, the Behelit, setting him on a path to become one of the God Hand, demonic entities with immense power. This decision shatters their bond and plunges the world into an age of darkness and chaos. Guts, now branded with a mark that attracts malevolent spirits, embarks on a relentless quest for vengeance against Griffith, facing unspeakable horrors and battling both external enemies and his inner demons.
This tale is a grim exploration of fate, free will, and the lengths one will go to for ambition and revenge, set against a backdrop of a medieval world teeming with supernatural horrors.
Berserk Watch Order:
Berserk (1997–98 series)
This series dives deep into the Golden Age Arc, one of the most beloved arcs in the Berserk manga. It introduces us to Guts and Griffith. As Guts becomes a key member of the Band, the series explores their camaraderie, battles, and the intricate relationship between Guts and Griffith.
Release Date: October 1997 to March 1998
Number of Episodes: 25
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg of the King (Movie 1)
This film is a retelling of the early events of the Golden Age Arc. While it covers similar ground as the 1997 series, it offers a fresh perspective with updated animation and some changes in pacing and detail.
Release Date: 2012
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle for Doldrey (Movie 2)
The second installment of the movie trilogy focuses on the Band of the Hawk’s strategic campaign to capture the fortress of Doldrey. It showcases the tactical genius of Griffith and the might of Guts on the battlefield.
Release Date: 2012
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III – The Advent (Movie 3)
This film delves into the darker aspects of the Golden Age Arc, leading up to the harrowing events of the Eclipse. It captures the despair, betrayal, and horror that befall the Band of the Hawk.
Release Date: 2013
Berserk (2016 series)
Picking up from where the Golden Age Arc left off, this series follows Guts in his quest for revenge as the Black Swordsman. However, the 2016 series was widely criticized for its excessive use of subpar CGI, which many fans felt detracted from the intricate details and emotional depth of the manga.
Release Date: 2016
Number of Episodes: 12
Berserk Season 2 (2017 series)
Continuing Guts’ journey, this season further delves into his encounters with apostles and the supernatural. However, like its predecessor, it was panned by fans and critics alike for its continued reliance on poorly executed CGI.
Release Date: 2017
Number of Episodes: 12
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022)
This is essentially a re-release of the Golden Age Arc movie trilogy but presented in an episodic format. It not only revisits the events of the movies but also incorporates new scenes from the manga that were previously omitted. This provides a more comprehensive and enriched experience of the Golden Age Arc for fans.
Release Date: 2022
Number of Episodes: 13
So, how should you watch this series?
Navigating the world of Berserk anime adaptations can be a bit daunting, given the multiple remakes and versions available. As you can discern from the list, a significant portion of these adaptations are retellings of the same narrative arc. So, which one should a newcomer start with? For those venturing into the dark and intricate world of Berserk for the first time in 2023, the options boil down to the classic Berserk 1997 series or the fresh 2022 re-release of Berserk: The Golden Age Arc. Personally, I’d advocate for beginning with the 1997 release to truly appreciate the series’ origins and then transitioning to the 2022 remake to experience the added depth and nuances.
But what comes next after the Golden Age Arc?
Is venturing into the Berserk 2016 and 2017 series a worthy endeavor? Speaking as a devoted fan, I’d lean towards a ‘no’. The animation quality and excessive CGI usage in these series often detract from the essence of Berserk. Instead, I’d strongly recommend diving into the manga post the Golden Age Arc to truly grasp the depth, artistry, and continuation of the story. However, if you’re adamant about sticking solely to anime, then Berserk (2016-2017) does serve as the direct sequel to the Golden Age Arc.
Best Places to Watch Berserk:
Crunchyroll:
Crunchyroll is definitely the best platform to watch Berserk online. The platform offers the 2022 rerelease of The Golden Age Arc and the 2016 version. However, sadly, the 1997 version is not available here. The anime can be watched for free on this platform if you don’t mind the ads.
The subscription of Crunchyroll costs 7.99 USD per month and a free trial is also available.
Can’t seem to find Berserk on Crunchyroll because it’s region-locked? Here’s how you can solve that!
How to Watch Berserk on Crunchyroll Anywhere in the World
This method works on both desktop PCs and mobile phones or tablets.
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- Purchase (or start a free trial) of a VPN. I can confirm that NordVPN works for this purpose.
- In the settings, choose America as your location.
- Fire up the VPN and wait for it to do its magic.
- Once you’re connected, navigate to Crunchyroll (browser or app).
- Search “Berserk” in the Crunchyroll search bar and you should see the anime pop up.
Enjoy! Please note that if you still can’t watch Berserk, you may have to clear the Crunchyroll cache first and try again.
To do this on mobile, go to settings -> apps -> Crunchyroll -> clear cache. To do this on PC, you have to clear the cache in your web browser.
I’ve had no trouble using this method and I still use NordVPN to watch anime from various Crunchyroll country libraries daily.
Funimation:
Funimation only lets you watch the 2016 version of Berserk. By buying a subscription you get access to tons of other shows as well. The two subscriptions available for Funimation cost 7.99 and 9.99 USD per month.
YouTube:
YouTube is actually the only platform where you can watch the original 1997 Berserk series. While it has not been uploaded by the creator’s themselves, the show can’t be found anywhere else on the internet.
Click here to discover the 5 best places to watch anime for free.
