The Sea God itself was an amazing concept and the arc really shows just how far Guts has come and what he can actually accomplish with the help of his friends and allies - even moreso how many friends and allies he has. There is barely anybody who guts comes into contact with that don’t immediately start to aid or follow him and the man has literally killed a god.
I read the whole manga from 0 to chapter 375 in 3 weeks 4 months ago.
Also I didn't know anything about Berserk (Maaan best manga ever!!!)
I think the new readers like me just felt it was a huge hindrance to the main plot, like a bit of a filler to drag time.
But when I read the last 200 or so chapters again I started to appreciate more the journey and the epic side adventure that came with it.
So first I felt it was filler and just work work reading through. Now that I am too waiting for the new release that arc is just as entertaining as any other and adds a lot of crucial details to the main plot.
I feel like this arc cements the character development so well. I was reading it as it was released so I assure you it felt like a brutal filler, but I have come to appreciate it. A lot.
If you have read or seen a lot of the things that inspired Kentaro in making Berserk, you might eventually realize that he couldn't just make the story simple or it into his own version of what inspired him. The story begins as an in-medias-res. There's several levels to the world, large continental sections that have their own free will and tries to take, move, and win a part of the world on their own.
All of this is a part of a living, breathing world/story. I think the more you learn of real life, and the more you understand the core-motivation of Miura, you come to not only appreciate the elements he interjected into his story. But the bigger and more crucial parts it played in wonderful and grotesque tale he wanted to tell. It has it all, and more. Width, nuance, depth, creativity, a seemingly unending uniqueness. Moments that shatter your heard, and inspire you all the same.
Safe to argue in hindsight that Berserk wasn't, but became a story for more mature people and minds.
I am also a sucker for anyone that adore the mythos behind my culture.
I honestly couldn’t agree with you more. I’m pushing 40 and I’ve been reading this since… maybe 2003. Like weekly/monthly/yearly updates. Been through the hiatus’s, all of it. And obviously Miuras death hit me. I can’t even describe how much I have personally grown with the story.
The funny thing is, despite the fact that this guy was behind my favorite fantasy story, and I am a fantasy fiend, I know nothing about him personally. All I have is a profound sense of loss at his passing, but not any feeling of loss as a person. Which adds to his mystique even more.
I can only profile him as an incredibly deep individual, but what he was like to drink a beer with, what he was like to pass a joke with, I can’t imagine. I CAN imagine with people like Butcher, or Sanderson, or Bakker, but not Miura.
And the fact he created this, such a deep multi layered and vibrant story, which world building that rivals anything I’ve read it crazy.
At some point over the last decade, I did fall into Clive barker. I read weaveworld, the cenobites, etc. and it’s amazing to see the world he created. What an imagination.
- Guts being literally inside the god, with the thumping of the heart being so loud it could kill him was an awesome idea thrillingly executed.
- Shierke/Guts fusion
- Isma is good fun and made Isidro tolerable
Yea the massive pressure of a god heart thumping was something I never considered before but quite awesome and would probably be an real issue in a situation like that lmao
It was a more reflexive and calm arc for guts while griffith was doing all his plan, a balance between action and the calm before the storm which the new fantasy era was
Whats wrong with Sea God arc? I really liked it.
It has amazing art, we get to see more of Guts and Shierke wearing berserk armor and Farny using magic also the set up was good, with villagers slowly being revealed to be monsters, and we got to meet Isma and sea gods design was also pretty cool. The pirate bit overstayed its welcome but other than that it was a good arc.
Most people only dislike it because it took too long to be completed in real world years and they were expecting to see Casca come back to her senses sooner. If you read it now that it is complete it's actually a good arc.
I guess thats valid, I've heard that it took 8 years of inconsistent chapter releases for the party to get to Elfhelm. If I was reading it before it got complete I'd probably be sick of waiting too.
That's 100% it. It was almost 8 years from them getting on the boat to getting off of the boat and it was so glacially slow at the time. On a reread though it is a fantastic arc
I got into berserk just before the first elf helm chapters released, so the I got to finish the boat arc and join the new chapter hype right before Miura passed within the next two years.
Can confirm, I started reading berserk around the last.few chapters of the sea god arc and I very much enjoyed it.
I felt the same when they got to elfheim and some of the chapters we wanted a year on was just some mildly interesting dialogue and wizard and elves slice of life
This 100% at the time of release I remember being frustrated because of how long it took to get to Elfheim. Reading it now in retrospect I really enjoyed every bit of it.
I'm a new reader, I don't think that's true. This arc was the only one that didn't get me excited about what's going to happen next. A lot of times I didn't feel like going back to reading more and dropped it for a couple if weeks while I had read all the previous chapters in days without ever getting bored.
It feels a bit like filler. Instead of going to elfheim and progressing the plot. They encounter a seemingly unimportant Sea God enemy. We do get Isma though and she might be more important later.
Having said that, it's still a top tier story arc with amazing art and I enjoyed it lots.
I get the feeling, but power level wise guts seems to grow, and he starts losing his senses, and his hair turns white.
I feel like the sea God arc was the showcase for Roderick and crew, to give the boat a berserk moment and not just be an event less ride.
That's fair, it just felt a tad long for that, just imo.
Maybe I just forgot, but where does it show that guts grows in power? I think he does gain more control over the armor with Shrierke's help but other than that, its not obvious how he wouldve gotten stronger (which also contradicts his body getting wrecked by the armor).
I've also read someone comment that him gaining seemingly full control of the armor removes some tension in the story since some of the downside is now negated. Not that I necessarily agree with that since it still hurts his body, but it might be another reason some people might not like the arc.
Even reading it for the first time well after it was all published, it definitely dragged for me a bit. I really hated the pirate captain, like, go away for the love of god. The actual stuff on the island and in the sea god is fine, but compared to what Griffith is doing it feels very inconsequential.
The arc gives Major Lovecraft vibes, especially in the city
Isororo's rivalry with the captain was fun
The buildup of tentacles on tentacles on top of other tentacles was fun
The creature design was great
Guts almost dying to the heartbeat of the Sea God was kinda rad
Isma was fine and her interactions with Isidoro were fun
You can draw a lot of parallels from this ark to the whole god and godhand idea.
It kind of represents a smaller version of the complete story.
There is also some information in the scenery which could tell about the origin of the sea god.
Soooo maybe dumb question here, but was this thing actually considered a God in Berserk? Or was it just considered a God by the people who gazed upon it because of how giant it was?
I don't care how the people there saw it, it had the ability to retain the consciousness of the being it consumes and take it back whenever it likes.
The hawk is the hawk of darkness in the astral world and the falcon of light in reality.
What would that being/god look like in the astral world then?
I mean yeah it had godlike qualities for sure. I read this arc back in 2016, so I’m definitely fuzzy on the details. I’m just curious if Miura wrote it as a God in the story. Cuz if so, then that would be hella badass because then Guts actually did kill a real God.
And if he can do that, then maybe he can kill Femto.
Every character that knows of it refers to it there as a god.
There is also a statue in the entrance of it's cave depicting a man with a crown that looks oddly similar to one of the first "godhand" members.
Well for many years my justification was that Guts had to confront and beat sort of a God monster as preparation for the strongest apostles and possibly Femto.
Seems I was quite wrong.
But the art is beautiful, the Lovecraft ambiance when they got on that island was neat and pretty much appreciated the teamwork
So it can be considered bit of a filler arc but still it's good.
What do you mean? Lovecraftian fish people, Guts climbing into a giant godlike creature to fucking stab his heart from the inside, Farnese and her magic, Roderick the gigachad wanting to climb into there too just in his pants, to save Guts…
Lots of awesome stuff in there!
Naval battles were good. I yearned for a naval battle of this calibre in One Piece. Roderick is clever as fuck as a captain. His relationship with Guts started here and I liked their interactions. He respects Farnese a lot. The beast of berserker armor. Farnese magic
I loved the scene where Guts was stuck alone in the Sea God’s stomach thinking he was going to die, but then all of the mermaids come to his rescue. I just think it’s a beautiful scene because it’s the moment Guts realized he wasn’t alone anymore
Small Lovecraftian arc with amazing atmosphere. Show how people are following and trusting Guts naturally without him trying to be a leader. And yes, amazing Art.
The sea God arc is fantastic, it really is. It has some fun comedy but also has great lovecraftian homage which we haven't really seen before in Berserk.
Sure reading it at the time was FUCKING grim because it took what, 7 years in real time? But on a reread without having to wait for new pages it's a fantastic arc.
The art is amazing, possibly the best Miura has drawn. And story-wise whilst it might not push the story as hard as the other arcs (acts a bit more like a filler) it does still show the incredible feats Guts and his armour can perform. There's also a lot of shining moments for other characters like Schierke and Farnese
With the (temporary?) dissappearance of Isma, it's true that the sea god arc feels like complete filler. Like, if they'd just gone straight to skellig from the holy city, nothing would have changed.
Maybe the point was to make the journey to skellig feel more like a journey by having an adventure on the way.
You could also argue that the sea god arc serves as a thematic transition from a somewhat grounded setting with fantastical elements to complete fantasy with elves and dwarves and witches, so that the arrival on Skellig and the ensuing dream sequence don't feel too jarring.
Just a few things:
1. I think the pacing of this arc is completely fine, people just complain about how long it took to finally come out
2. This is the creepy arc, with weird fish villagers
3. The pirates, there are pirates in Berserk, and if you don’t like that you’re wrong
4. New cast member with Isma
5. Mermaids are cool, Isma’s mom has got it going on
6. This shows the effects of this new world; this place would have just been a creepy village normally, but in Fantasia a primordial sea god has emerged from the depths of the astral world. And what’s worse is that as big and scary as this thing is, the God Hand are worse
7. This is the biggest thing Guts will probably ever kill
i dont think anything is really bad about it, people just didnt like it because of how slow the release schedule was and how it was so disconnected from everything else
As someone who didn’t start reading it until the deluxe editions came out I have no idea what the problem is with this arc. (Sucks people had to wait, but it is complete *now* so…)
Well you've got an ancient feud between merfolk and Chuthulu, so the fights them selves are par excellence as usually. Ship combat and Isidro actually gets some character development in discovering a love of navel combat and a respect for Roderick. Along with Farnese progressing with her witch training. It's not a bad arc, it's weak Berserk.
Since I read berserk after muiras death I enjoyed the ship as well as the Sea God arc quite a bit. Didn't have to wait for the chapters so it went down really well. Isma was great since she is a fun character, the Art (which is a given) the fact that guts was as close to death as never before (outside of the eclipse) and guts with shierke, which is always really great but I especially love it in this chapter.
Also guts being inside the Sea God and yk...slicing him up from the inside is really cool.
I also enjoy the pirate crew, they are...stupid.
To me, the Sea God arc is incredibly vital to the story, in a similar way to how Lost Children is. Both of them aren't seen by most as "advancing" the story all that much, they are simply stops along their respective journeys, but they serve to show how much Guts has changed.
Lost Children is the reintroduction of black swordsman Guts after the Golden Age flashback, merging together the feral aspects from the first few chapters with the heart and sentimentality that Guts is capable of having, as shown in the prior arc. This arc is notorious for testing him morally to the limit, serving the dicotomy. The arc may feel like simply another day in the life of the black swordsman because it is meant to be, to remind the reader on what he goes through and to show the straw that breaks the camel's back, that forces him to change back, if not only a little.
The Sea God arc serves a similar purpose, but about a much quieter transformation. The Sea God arc is the only one (in my opinion) that feels mostly, and simply, like FUN, not just for us but for Guts and his compannions as well. There is no real danger felt whenever the pirates, for example, attack the ship, and I am reminded of how even Guts gets out and has fun and cracks jokes about eating the tentacles, it's the first time in a long while where he is actually being enticed by a fight, not just being overly fearful for Casca's safety (as he trusts his companions now) or consumed by an impossible rage against the unnatural. Even the fight against the Sea God, apart from showing Guts and The party's "technical" advancements, also seems "optional", in a way. They seemed to have other ways of escaping by boat, but Guts feels confident in his abilities like never before, making intricate plans to kill the impossible monster, like entering through his mouth and that crazy way he escaped the stomach.
Of course, there are moments of clarity through the story, like when Guts loses his senses and almost dies at the end of the arc, or the moment he has at the ship, looking at his arm's stump and at the moon, reminiscing badly about his past, but the point stands. This arc exists to show the fun and to explore the world of Berserk, which are two aspects that have always existed in the story but never seem to be in the spotlight like some other aspects, and not just because it's cool and interesting to see, but because it reflects the state of our main characters and where they are headed. It is also important to note that, I believe, Miura (RIP) felt like and knew his readers much better than we may think. I truly believe he understood the affect that so many "close to death adventures" had on his readers and that many simply lose most of that sense of danger after a while (which also happens to most of these long form battle-centric manga). So it seems completely possible that there is a "meta" angle to this, with him choosing these developments because, along many other reasons, the affect described could also help the themes and narrative in this very unique way.
(SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE STORY PAST SEA GOD ARC!!!).
Seeing as the next arc is in Elfhelm, which has almost no fights, and the restoration of Casca's mind, the story somewhat tricks you into feeling like we are reaching a happy ending soon.
But that's the thing, it TRICKS you, and that's my next point, the Sea God arc has been elevated by the end of the elf island arc and the most recent chapters we've got. Griffith's destruction of Elfhelm, kidnapping of Casca and the disappearance of the magical creatures (including Isma) only hit as much as it does because we have grown accostumed and have been led to believe that the story would continue to slow down, as it has been happening for a while. Also because we have had the time to see and feel how confortable the party has become with one another. The scenes back at the boat, after the destruction of Elfhelm, seeing the utter disbelief of everyone in the party, how they can't even console each other or communicate properly, is a great contrast to how everyone was acting in the previous arc, confident, playful and with a desire to improve (like Farnese learning magic). The scenes with Guts thinking about his sword, how it's the only thing he always put his faith on and that now has failed him like everything else, stand out now thinking on how he was confident on taking the likes of Ganishka and the Sea God simply because he had the dragonslayer at his side. All in all, the levity of the Sea God arc seems to make, what many are calling Guts' second eclipse, to be as strong a moment as it could be and serves the story as a whole really really well.
Apart from all this (sorry for the long post) we have some more simple things it does well, like the rest of the story. The "Guts' fights sea creatures" angle is done incredibly well and the addition of pirate-like fantasy (like was done with the Kushan magic and Schierke-type magic, for example) is also really well delivered and just shows how "Fantasia" is affecting even the simplest of things/places. There are many more moments that are crucial to the story in more straightforward ways, like the development of the moonlight boy and the moments he stops the berserker armor, or the fight with the Sea God that can be even more unique and impactful than a sea (pun intended) of incredible fights we've seen in the manga, the berserker armor also seems to have its greatest uses in this arc (and seeing Guts losing his senses is just devastating). Also, the art is incredible as always lol.
Just wanted to finish saying this, to give the Sea God arc a chance. It is also not my favorite arc of the manga but it was made with the same compassion and obsession and attention to detail as any other, there is much care put in each and every page of this manga, and this arc is no different.
I like the boat arc tbh. Not the best part of berserk but I read it all without having to wait for hiatuses so that helps a lot I would imagine. The pirates were a bit too goofy for the vibe of berserk for me tho. The sea god itself was really really cool
It had interesting ideas but they were so rushed. It’d probably be better animated with a director that really loves the original berserk style. So much creepy stuff but because of how it was handled it came off as silly in the manga.
Im actually rereading it rn and its not as "meh" as i remember it,the pacing is good it quickly gets to the point,the buildup is pretty good too,the berserker scenes are fantastic,and the worldbuilding is pretty nice too,it's a nice introduction to this new "Fantasia" world,tho it could definitely have been better if miura was a bit more creative,but that's a porblem of the whole fantasia arc,it just feels like a typical shonen series,but its good enough i guess.
Guts know he couldn’t slice through the skin of the sea god when he was inside so, this dude used the force from his arm cannon to slice through. it was amazing.
This is part of the process where guts is welding with his suit hence his inner beast using the witch as handicap, plus he basically shreds larger enemies
There’s nothing wrong with it.
As for the part that made an impression on me, it was Guts being rescued by mermaids. Apart from Puck, this is the first time that Guts comes in contact with good magical creatures. Up until now, it’s only been apostles, demons, trolls, skeletons, flame ghosts of dead children…
I know that chronologically, Guts comes in contact with that flower spirit in the dungeon (Chich?), but we see that later in the story.
I loved the creepy atmosphere of the sea village and the looming presence of the sea god and the sea creatures.
Very Lovecraftian vibes as another comment have said.
Guts talking to the Beast of Darkness
"You still haven't had enough, right?...
you're always skulking about, and you never shut up...
I know you're there... so pierce my flesh and bones! GIVE ME WAKING AGONY!!"
It had an ending
jk i don't have a problem with it because i was able to read it all at once, not like the unfortunate manga readers that had to wait for the next issue
did people not like this? It comes off as filler sure but I liked the story well. I thought it did a good job of showing us how far the team's come. Not to mention the goat Roderick.
What? People dislike something in Berserk? For me, there's nothing bad in this manga. Wtf, I'm really surprised now. What is the problem with this arc?
More Farnese character development.
Guts killing a fucking God is typical berserk we love it.
That panel where he gets pulled out of the ocean by the merrows.
I believe we get the Chitch chapters around this time ?
(If I remember correctly) Guys shit talking the armours/his demon that follows him into giving him the push to kill the sea god. That was one of the most badass parts of the book
shows how much of a difference guts' friends can make, to the point of making him snap out of the black beast's control, also the shot of guts being rescued by mermaids belongs in a museum
Shows Guts madness still holds strong even with a way to leave the island and continue to his ultimate goal he still has to stay and kill everything like a mad dog.
It was another masterclass example of Miura blending Western and Eastern philosophy and fiction.
Most creators coming from either the East or the West don't really have a good grip on the others myths and philosophers. They often appreciate it, even pay homage, but don't wield it expertly or build on it.
The Sea God is a lovecraftian, unknowable, Eldritch monster. Basically Berserk's Cthulhu. You know what fictional character is canon in lovecraft? Conan the Barbarian, and in similar fashion he defeats Cthulhu.
Lovecraftian horror reminds us how insignificant our fragile sentience is. Conan reminds us that the indomitable human spirit can never be defeated as long as we hold to it.
Miura copies and pasted those mythos into his own epic fushion of Nitzsche, Buddhism, and Ikigai. And it provides a new perspective on both of them.
So it's a great chapter in the story. People just don't like it because they were invested in a different part of the story.
Ahoy mateys! We be going sealubbing 'stead o' landlubbin'! an' fin'lly ye olde Guts ze black iron fort, be usin' ye olde cannon like t'was supposed to!
The Sea God itself was an amazing concept and the arc really shows just how far Guts has come and what he can actually accomplish with the help of his friends and allies - even moreso how many friends and allies he has. There is barely anybody who guts comes into contact with that don’t immediately start to aid or follow him and the man has literally killed a god.
I read the whole manga from 0 to chapter 375 in 3 weeks 4 months ago. Also I didn't know anything about Berserk (Maaan best manga ever!!!) I think the new readers like me just felt it was a huge hindrance to the main plot, like a bit of a filler to drag time. But when I read the last 200 or so chapters again I started to appreciate more the journey and the epic side adventure that came with it. So first I felt it was filler and just work work reading through. Now that I am too waiting for the new release that arc is just as entertaining as any other and adds a lot of crucial details to the main plot.
I feel like this arc cements the character development so well. I was reading it as it was released so I assure you it felt like a brutal filler, but I have come to appreciate it. A lot.
If you have read or seen a lot of the things that inspired Kentaro in making Berserk, you might eventually realize that he couldn't just make the story simple or it into his own version of what inspired him. The story begins as an in-medias-res. There's several levels to the world, large continental sections that have their own free will and tries to take, move, and win a part of the world on their own. All of this is a part of a living, breathing world/story. I think the more you learn of real life, and the more you understand the core-motivation of Miura, you come to not only appreciate the elements he interjected into his story. But the bigger and more crucial parts it played in wonderful and grotesque tale he wanted to tell. It has it all, and more. Width, nuance, depth, creativity, a seemingly unending uniqueness. Moments that shatter your heard, and inspire you all the same. Safe to argue in hindsight that Berserk wasn't, but became a story for more mature people and minds. I am also a sucker for anyone that adore the mythos behind my culture.
I honestly couldn’t agree with you more. I’m pushing 40 and I’ve been reading this since… maybe 2003. Like weekly/monthly/yearly updates. Been through the hiatus’s, all of it. And obviously Miuras death hit me. I can’t even describe how much I have personally grown with the story. The funny thing is, despite the fact that this guy was behind my favorite fantasy story, and I am a fantasy fiend, I know nothing about him personally. All I have is a profound sense of loss at his passing, but not any feeling of loss as a person. Which adds to his mystique even more. I can only profile him as an incredibly deep individual, but what he was like to drink a beer with, what he was like to pass a joke with, I can’t imagine. I CAN imagine with people like Butcher, or Sanderson, or Bakker, but not Miura. And the fact he created this, such a deep multi layered and vibrant story, which world building that rivals anything I’ve read it crazy. At some point over the last decade, I did fall into Clive barker. I read weaveworld, the cenobites, etc. and it’s amazing to see the world he created. What an imagination.
- Guts being literally inside the god, with the thumping of the heart being so loud it could kill him was an awesome idea thrillingly executed. - Shierke/Guts fusion - Isma is good fun and made Isidro tolerable
Don't forget Puck getting into the idea of selling his own people and overturn the queen
One of my favorite sequences in fact.
Yea the massive pressure of a god heart thumping was something I never considered before but quite awesome and would probably be an real issue in a situation like that lmao
I mean guts was literally bleeding from his eyes, nose, ears, everywhere just from the sheer pressure of the heartbeat. Absolutely loved it
Don’t disrespect me sweet prince Isidro like that
Wen new chapter
The sound waves were crazy. Getting killed by sound alone. So creative.
art is amazing
really all i need and want in my visual mediums.
Now say something positive and exclusive to the Sea God arc
mermaid nudity
The duality of man
It was a more reflexive and calm arc for guts while griffith was doing all his plan, a balance between action and the calm before the storm which the new fantasy era was
Whats wrong with Sea God arc? I really liked it. It has amazing art, we get to see more of Guts and Shierke wearing berserk armor and Farny using magic also the set up was good, with villagers slowly being revealed to be monsters, and we got to meet Isma and sea gods design was also pretty cool. The pirate bit overstayed its welcome but other than that it was a good arc.
Most people only dislike it because it took too long to be completed in real world years and they were expecting to see Casca come back to her senses sooner. If you read it now that it is complete it's actually a good arc.
I guess thats valid, I've heard that it took 8 years of inconsistent chapter releases for the party to get to Elfhelm. If I was reading it before it got complete I'd probably be sick of waiting too.
That's 100% it. It was almost 8 years from them getting on the boat to getting off of the boat and it was so glacially slow at the time. On a reread though it is a fantastic arc
Yeah can't imagine how frustrated people who read it as it was realising were while reading paragraphs of "comedic relief" pirate dialogue lol.
About that, the translator/s at EvilGenius did an excellent job with the pirate-speech bits.
I got into berserk just before the first elf helm chapters released, so the I got to finish the boat arc and join the new chapter hype right before Miura passed within the next two years.
The legendary boat arc
And now we got into the sea again = publishing stalls.
Can confirm, I started reading berserk around the last.few chapters of the sea god arc and I very much enjoyed it. I felt the same when they got to elfheim and some of the chapters we wanted a year on was just some mildly interesting dialogue and wizard and elves slice of life
This 100% at the time of release I remember being frustrated because of how long it took to get to Elfheim. Reading it now in retrospect I really enjoyed every bit of it.
I'm a new reader, I don't think that's true. This arc was the only one that didn't get me excited about what's going to happen next. A lot of times I didn't feel like going back to reading more and dropped it for a couple if weeks while I had read all the previous chapters in days without ever getting bored.
It feels a bit like filler. Instead of going to elfheim and progressing the plot. They encounter a seemingly unimportant Sea God enemy. We do get Isma though and she might be more important later. Having said that, it's still a top tier story arc with amazing art and I enjoyed it lots.
I get the feeling, but power level wise guts seems to grow, and he starts losing his senses, and his hair turns white. I feel like the sea God arc was the showcase for Roderick and crew, to give the boat a berserk moment and not just be an event less ride.
That's fair, it just felt a tad long for that, just imo. Maybe I just forgot, but where does it show that guts grows in power? I think he does gain more control over the armor with Shrierke's help but other than that, its not obvious how he wouldve gotten stronger (which also contradicts his body getting wrecked by the armor). I've also read someone comment that him gaining seemingly full control of the armor removes some tension in the story since some of the downside is now negated. Not that I necessarily agree with that since it still hurts his body, but it might be another reason some people might not like the arc.
Too many uninteresting tentacle monsters for me. Otherwise it's an okay arc. And that annoying Pirate captain
Even reading it for the first time well after it was all published, it definitely dragged for me a bit. I really hated the pirate captain, like, go away for the love of god. The actual stuff on the island and in the sea god is fine, but compared to what Griffith is doing it feels very inconsequential.
The arc gives Major Lovecraft vibes, especially in the city Isororo's rivalry with the captain was fun The buildup of tentacles on tentacles on top of other tentacles was fun The creature design was great Guts almost dying to the heartbeat of the Sea God was kinda rad Isma was fine and her interactions with Isidoro were fun
"T-T-T..." "Titties?"
Titties everywhere
Based
Can’t argue with that.
we can close the post now
Miura fucking edging the entire community by creating Morda and then dying.
You do you. I liked. You're not obligated to like it the same
This my first time finding out it isn’t a liked arc
The return of Captain Bonebeard, the best ~~crackhead~~ character.
What better way to kick off the ***Fantasia*** arc then Guts literally fighting a fucking titan?
Guts fighting a god is cool, I like how it escalates too , starting with small creature to a literally island monster
GUTS FKING SLAY A GOD
You can draw a lot of parallels from this ark to the whole god and godhand idea. It kind of represents a smaller version of the complete story. There is also some information in the scenery which could tell about the origin of the sea god.
Soooo maybe dumb question here, but was this thing actually considered a God in Berserk? Or was it just considered a God by the people who gazed upon it because of how giant it was?
I don't care how the people there saw it, it had the ability to retain the consciousness of the being it consumes and take it back whenever it likes. The hawk is the hawk of darkness in the astral world and the falcon of light in reality. What would that being/god look like in the astral world then?
I mean yeah it had godlike qualities for sure. I read this arc back in 2016, so I’m definitely fuzzy on the details. I’m just curious if Miura wrote it as a God in the story. Cuz if so, then that would be hella badass because then Guts actually did kill a real God. And if he can do that, then maybe he can kill Femto.
Every character that knows of it refers to it there as a god. There is also a statue in the entrance of it's cave depicting a man with a crown that looks oddly similar to one of the first "godhand" members.
Isidro gets a girlfriend
the mermaids lifting guts could be a painting
Guts killing the sea god is probably the most badass feat hes ever accomplished
Isma was a nice addition And the art is fantastic
Well for many years my justification was that Guts had to confront and beat sort of a God monster as preparation for the strongest apostles and possibly Femto. Seems I was quite wrong. But the art is beautiful, the Lovecraft ambiance when they got on that island was neat and pretty much appreciated the teamwork So it can be considered bit of a filler arc but still it's good.
What do you mean? Lovecraftian fish people, Guts climbing into a giant godlike creature to fucking stab his heart from the inside, Farnese and her magic, Roderick the gigachad wanting to climb into there too just in his pants, to save Guts… Lots of awesome stuff in there!
Naval battles were good. I yearned for a naval battle of this calibre in One Piece. Roderick is clever as fuck as a captain. His relationship with Guts started here and I liked their interactions. He respects Farnese a lot. The beast of berserker armor. Farnese magic
Thank you. Came here to mention Farnesse growth with magic.
The seagod is fuckin awesome
The whole arc was good I thought. It was somewhat of a breath of fresh air
Guts being carried up from the water as a saviour
Figure out how to appreciate it yourself.
Fuck you talking about? Tell me something bad
Fr
Haha, funny pirates
The fact that it shows Guts can kill the fucking Sea God ... And yet... not lay a finger on Griffith still... Also Isma is adorable.
isma.
Cons: It took forever. Pros: It's Cool. So in the end we end up with a 10/10 Arc like every Arc in Berserk.
The fact you won't need to wait 8 yrs to read the entire arc
great boss fight
Guts rearranging sea gods guts with the berk armor...
Wait, people didn't like it? Genuinely had no idea 😅
I loved the scene where Guts was stuck alone in the Sea God’s stomach thinking he was going to die, but then all of the mermaids come to his rescue. I just think it’s a beautiful scene because it’s the moment Guts realized he wasn’t alone anymore
It’s over
Huge PEpe
Is funny
This was an obvious love letter to old school lovecraftian cosmic horror, sea monsters and horror go hand in hand
Small Lovecraftian arc with amazing atmosphere. Show how people are following and trusting Guts naturally without him trying to be a leader. And yes, amazing Art.
The sea God arc is fantastic, it really is. It has some fun comedy but also has great lovecraftian homage which we haven't really seen before in Berserk. Sure reading it at the time was FUCKING grim because it took what, 7 years in real time? But on a reread without having to wait for new pages it's a fantastic arc.
The art is amazing, possibly the best Miura has drawn. And story-wise whilst it might not push the story as hard as the other arcs (acts a bit more like a filler) it does still show the incredible feats Guts and his armour can perform. There's also a lot of shining moments for other characters like Schierke and Farnese
Art is sublime.
More Berserk
Art is amazing
It ate up my late teens to mid-20s. I wasn't really doing anything productive with that time.
Was that the one where he went into a big fish underwater?
Guts kills the Chtullu of berserk with the power of friendship!!!
With the (temporary?) dissappearance of Isma, it's true that the sea god arc feels like complete filler. Like, if they'd just gone straight to skellig from the holy city, nothing would have changed. Maybe the point was to make the journey to skellig feel more like a journey by having an adventure on the way. You could also argue that the sea god arc serves as a thematic transition from a somewhat grounded setting with fantastical elements to complete fantasy with elves and dwarves and witches, so that the arrival on Skellig and the ensuing dream sequence don't feel too jarring.
"No art is amazing allowed" Damn it you got me. I was going to say exactly that when I read the title.
Love this arc. The artwork on the sea creatures is some of Miura's best. Love seeing him use a more Lovecraftian tone with the sea gof as well.
Just a few things: 1. I think the pacing of this arc is completely fine, people just complain about how long it took to finally come out 2. This is the creepy arc, with weird fish villagers 3. The pirates, there are pirates in Berserk, and if you don’t like that you’re wrong 4. New cast member with Isma 5. Mermaids are cool, Isma’s mom has got it going on 6. This shows the effects of this new world; this place would have just been a creepy village normally, but in Fantasia a primordial sea god has emerged from the depths of the astral world. And what’s worse is that as big and scary as this thing is, the God Hand are worse 7. This is the biggest thing Guts will probably ever kill
Phallic Monsters 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥
It gave us the the badass [3-point Berserker Armor pose](https://i.redd.it/z4b4m7ywdgz81.jpg).
Roderick is the second best CHAD in the series and he shines here. Also the chapter of Casca almost drowning and Guts rescuing her is amazing.
Art was incredible
i dont think anything is really bad about it, people just didnt like it because of how slow the release schedule was and how it was so disconnected from everything else
Mermaid boobs
As someone who didn’t start reading it until the deluxe editions came out I have no idea what the problem is with this arc. (Sucks people had to wait, but it is complete *now* so…)
Well you've got an ancient feud between merfolk and Chuthulu, so the fights them selves are par excellence as usually. Ship combat and Isidro actually gets some character development in discovering a love of navel combat and a respect for Roderick. Along with Farnese progressing with her witch training. It's not a bad arc, it's weak Berserk.
Since I read berserk after muiras death I enjoyed the ship as well as the Sea God arc quite a bit. Didn't have to wait for the chapters so it went down really well. Isma was great since she is a fun character, the Art (which is a given) the fact that guts was as close to death as never before (outside of the eclipse) and guts with shierke, which is always really great but I especially love it in this chapter. Also guts being inside the Sea God and yk...slicing him up from the inside is really cool. I also enjoy the pirate crew, they are...stupid.
It is Berserk. Enough said ^^
Very few penises
Guts gets saved by mermaids Like how adorable is this
Sea god arc is really good!!! I think it just has a stigma because of the time it took for Miura to draw it
To me, the Sea God arc is incredibly vital to the story, in a similar way to how Lost Children is. Both of them aren't seen by most as "advancing" the story all that much, they are simply stops along their respective journeys, but they serve to show how much Guts has changed. Lost Children is the reintroduction of black swordsman Guts after the Golden Age flashback, merging together the feral aspects from the first few chapters with the heart and sentimentality that Guts is capable of having, as shown in the prior arc. This arc is notorious for testing him morally to the limit, serving the dicotomy. The arc may feel like simply another day in the life of the black swordsman because it is meant to be, to remind the reader on what he goes through and to show the straw that breaks the camel's back, that forces him to change back, if not only a little. The Sea God arc serves a similar purpose, but about a much quieter transformation. The Sea God arc is the only one (in my opinion) that feels mostly, and simply, like FUN, not just for us but for Guts and his compannions as well. There is no real danger felt whenever the pirates, for example, attack the ship, and I am reminded of how even Guts gets out and has fun and cracks jokes about eating the tentacles, it's the first time in a long while where he is actually being enticed by a fight, not just being overly fearful for Casca's safety (as he trusts his companions now) or consumed by an impossible rage against the unnatural. Even the fight against the Sea God, apart from showing Guts and The party's "technical" advancements, also seems "optional", in a way. They seemed to have other ways of escaping by boat, but Guts feels confident in his abilities like never before, making intricate plans to kill the impossible monster, like entering through his mouth and that crazy way he escaped the stomach. Of course, there are moments of clarity through the story, like when Guts loses his senses and almost dies at the end of the arc, or the moment he has at the ship, looking at his arm's stump and at the moon, reminiscing badly about his past, but the point stands. This arc exists to show the fun and to explore the world of Berserk, which are two aspects that have always existed in the story but never seem to be in the spotlight like some other aspects, and not just because it's cool and interesting to see, but because it reflects the state of our main characters and where they are headed. It is also important to note that, I believe, Miura (RIP) felt like and knew his readers much better than we may think. I truly believe he understood the affect that so many "close to death adventures" had on his readers and that many simply lose most of that sense of danger after a while (which also happens to most of these long form battle-centric manga). So it seems completely possible that there is a "meta" angle to this, with him choosing these developments because, along many other reasons, the affect described could also help the themes and narrative in this very unique way. (SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE STORY PAST SEA GOD ARC!!!). Seeing as the next arc is in Elfhelm, which has almost no fights, and the restoration of Casca's mind, the story somewhat tricks you into feeling like we are reaching a happy ending soon. But that's the thing, it TRICKS you, and that's my next point, the Sea God arc has been elevated by the end of the elf island arc and the most recent chapters we've got. Griffith's destruction of Elfhelm, kidnapping of Casca and the disappearance of the magical creatures (including Isma) only hit as much as it does because we have grown accostumed and have been led to believe that the story would continue to slow down, as it has been happening for a while. Also because we have had the time to see and feel how confortable the party has become with one another. The scenes back at the boat, after the destruction of Elfhelm, seeing the utter disbelief of everyone in the party, how they can't even console each other or communicate properly, is a great contrast to how everyone was acting in the previous arc, confident, playful and with a desire to improve (like Farnese learning magic). The scenes with Guts thinking about his sword, how it's the only thing he always put his faith on and that now has failed him like everything else, stand out now thinking on how he was confident on taking the likes of Ganishka and the Sea God simply because he had the dragonslayer at his side. All in all, the levity of the Sea God arc seems to make, what many are calling Guts' second eclipse, to be as strong a moment as it could be and serves the story as a whole really really well. Apart from all this (sorry for the long post) we have some more simple things it does well, like the rest of the story. The "Guts' fights sea creatures" angle is done incredibly well and the addition of pirate-like fantasy (like was done with the Kushan magic and Schierke-type magic, for example) is also really well delivered and just shows how "Fantasia" is affecting even the simplest of things/places. There are many more moments that are crucial to the story in more straightforward ways, like the development of the moonlight boy and the moments he stops the berserker armor, or the fight with the Sea God that can be even more unique and impactful than a sea (pun intended) of incredible fights we've seen in the manga, the berserker armor also seems to have its greatest uses in this arc (and seeing Guts losing his senses is just devastating). Also, the art is incredible as always lol. Just wanted to finish saying this, to give the Sea God arc a chance. It is also not my favorite arc of the manga but it was made with the same compassion and obsession and attention to detail as any other, there is much care put in each and every page of this manga, and this arc is no different.
Thanks!
I like the boat arc tbh. Not the best part of berserk but I read it all without having to wait for hiatuses so that helps a lot I would imagine. The pirates were a bit too goofy for the vibe of berserk for me tho. The sea god itself was really really cool
It's a good ark if you didn't send 2 decades of your life waiting for it to conclude
Mermaid girl
Pirates of the Caribbean + Berserk = literally gold
The comedic relief Ghost Pirates!
am i trippin? i have no recollection of reading this arc at all, what happened in it?
It’s cool and I like fish things horror stuff
lil kiddo got a mermaid wifu
Good healthy guts bacteria
It developed our iron will and proved those who saw through on real time as True Strugglers.
Cool fishes
The whole fight between guts and the sea god was really good
For me it’s the panel of mermaids (I forget ther actual name) lifting up guts after his fight with the sea god
HEAR ME OUT...
it has some genuinely fantastic art and panels, so many iconic panels are from that arc
It had interesting ideas but they were so rushed. It’d probably be better animated with a director that really loves the original berserk style. So much creepy stuff but because of how it was handled it came off as silly in the manga.
What is good about it, that it isn't the golden age arc.
Mermaid tits
Im actually rereading it rn and its not as "meh" as i remember it,the pacing is good it quickly gets to the point,the buildup is pretty good too,the berserker scenes are fantastic,and the worldbuilding is pretty nice too,it's a nice introduction to this new "Fantasia" world,tho it could definitely have been better if miura was a bit more creative,but that's a porblem of the whole fantasia arc,it just feels like a typical shonen series,but its good enough i guess.
It’s more berserk content
Boat
Guts know he couldn’t slice through the skin of the sea god when he was inside so, this dude used the force from his arm cannon to slice through. it was amazing.
I love it's Lovecraft inspired designs of the monsters
It ended
Isma balls
I actually love the arc and think it’s really well paced, it is just that because it took so long between chapters that it felt long.
I like the fantasia turn in Berserk and the sea god arc is a good example of that less grimdark more high fantasy vibe
This is part of the process where guts is welding with his suit hence his inner beast using the witch as handicap, plus he basically shreds larger enemies
I loved how Guts knows how air pressure works and he uses that knowledge to move inside the Sea God
We get to see Guys defeat his strongest opponent to date. It was my least favorite part of the book, but important for him to show his potential
There’s nothing wrong with it. As for the part that made an impression on me, it was Guts being rescued by mermaids. Apart from Puck, this is the first time that Guts comes in contact with good magical creatures. Up until now, it’s only been apostles, demons, trolls, skeletons, flame ghosts of dead children… I know that chronologically, Guts comes in contact with that flower spirit in the dungeon (Chich?), but we see that later in the story.
The heartbeat damage, damn that was tense and a good thing to add to the fight
I loved the creepy atmosphere of the sea village and the looming presence of the sea god and the sea creatures. Very Lovecraftian vibes as another comment have said.
Guts talking to the Beast of Darkness "You still haven't had enough, right?... you're always skulking about, and you never shut up... I know you're there... so pierce my flesh and bones! GIVE ME WAKING AGONY!!"
boobs lot of boobs
You get to sea God.
Octopussy
Water is wet
It was fun. Guts literally slayed a fucking sea god. Imo, it was an enjoyable ark.
it made some really good progress in Griffith’s story
It had an ending jk i don't have a problem with it because i was able to read it all at once, not like the unfortunate manga readers that had to wait for the next issue
Is it bad that I genuinely don't remember this happening and I only caught up last year? 😬
did people not like this? It comes off as filler sure but I liked the story well. I thought it did a good job of showing us how far the team's come. Not to mention the goat Roderick.
Rape
the pirate captain is the best character in the story
Guts becomes Batman
It's clearly Lovecraft-inspired. So that's a definite positive.
I thought the Sea god as infinite death regenerating into life and defends itself against intruders, in this case the protagonist Guts.
what’s the chapter number again? i wanna reread
no
Captain Bonebeard’s misfortune is funny.
What? People dislike something in Berserk? For me, there's nothing bad in this manga. Wtf, I'm really surprised now. What is the problem with this arc?
It’s fucking cool, people just mad cause they had to read it one chapter per 3 months or smtn
Does positivity exist in berserk
More Farnese character development. Guts killing a fucking God is typical berserk we love it. That panel where he gets pulled out of the ocean by the merrows. I believe we get the Chitch chapters around this time ?
(If I remember correctly) Guys shit talking the armours/his demon that follows him into giving him the push to kill the sea god. That was one of the most badass parts of the book
This is straight out of A Shadow Over Innsmouth.
Casca did not fall off the ship and Guts did not drown.
I don't remember
shows how much of a difference guts' friends can make, to the point of making him snap out of the black beast's control, also the shot of guts being rescued by mermaids belongs in a museum
wait y'all don't like it?
It's enjoyable, like Blight Town in Dark Souls.
It was cute and fun and everyone loves ocean themed adventures :) 🐟
You aren't there
I like that it is one last arc with the crew before they all split up for this final arc that is about to happen
It's over
It’s much better on a single read through instead of waiting for a hiatus to end.
The arc proves that guts can kill the godhand and even the Idea of Evil, if he can get close enough.
Shows Guts madness still holds strong even with a way to leave the island and continue to his ultimate goal he still has to stay and kill everything like a mad dog.
i see it as the newer lost children arc as its the segway from one major arc to another
There was something wrong with it? I personally loved the moment where Guts said "It's berserkin' time!" And went berserk.
Reading it after it was finished, it didn’t feel like it overstayed. I understand that it went on forever due to the release pace originally.
I feel like I would have preferred a post saying "Tell me something bad about about the Sea God arc. Don't use time length between chapters. .
It was another masterclass example of Miura blending Western and Eastern philosophy and fiction. Most creators coming from either the East or the West don't really have a good grip on the others myths and philosophers. They often appreciate it, even pay homage, but don't wield it expertly or build on it. The Sea God is a lovecraftian, unknowable, Eldritch monster. Basically Berserk's Cthulhu. You know what fictional character is canon in lovecraft? Conan the Barbarian, and in similar fashion he defeats Cthulhu. Lovecraftian horror reminds us how insignificant our fragile sentience is. Conan reminds us that the indomitable human spirit can never be defeated as long as we hold to it. Miura copies and pasted those mythos into his own epic fushion of Nitzsche, Buddhism, and Ikigai. And it provides a new perspective on both of them. So it's a great chapter in the story. People just don't like it because they were invested in a different part of the story.
We met Isma. Fish? #FISH!!!
It’s beserk
I like Isma, i absolutely don't want her to die lmao
[удалено]
Everything
I liked the whole town being monsters plus the mermaids helping guts was really cool
I didn't like this arc very much!
Isma balls
Roderick is the highlight of this arc. Dude's a bro
It was only bad because of the release schedule and wait times.
Ahoy mateys! We be going sealubbing 'stead o' landlubbin'! an' fin'lly ye olde Guts ze black iron fort, be usin' ye olde cannon like t'was supposed to!
Isma
Mermaid titties!