Kentaro Miura’s Berserk isn’t just one of the most influential manga ever conceived, but it’s arguably one of (if not) the greatest dark fantasies ever made. Unfortunately, Guts’ saga may never be completed as Miura passed away in 2021.
A testament to Berserk’s near-perfect quality is that, despite its incomplete status, many of its individual chapters stand leagues above every other manga out there in terms of art and storytelling. These ten may be the best, but they’re only parts of a legendary whole.
10 Chapter 307 — Falconia Is Born From The World Spiral Tree’s Remains
By now, it’s not groundbreaking to say that Miura was one of the most talented mangaka ever, but “Chapter 307 – Falconia” is one of the best showcases of his skills at work. In just 12 pages and with barely any dialogue, Miura conveyed the awe and wonder that humans and Apostle alike felt when they laid eyes on Griffith’s dream kingdom: Falconia.
The capital was detailed beautifully, right down to the tiles on the arch’s tiles, and it truly is a sight to behold. Besides having some of Berserk’s most majestic splash pages, Chapter 307’s beauty was further emphasized by the fact that it was the finale to the nightmarish (if expertly drawn) clash between Midland’s armies and a godlike Emperor Ganishka.
9 Chapter 91 — The God Hand Made Their Presence Known
On Chapter 307’s flipside is “Chapter 91 – Advent,” the chapter where The Eclipse truly began. Where Chapter 307 was a dream come true, Chapter 91 was a nightmare brought to life in horrifying yet mesmerizing detail. The chapter’s true stars were undoubtedly the God Hand, who made their unforgettable entrances here.
In the chapter’s mostly speechless first half, the God Hand rose from the ether and mortified the Band of the Hawk with their mere presence. Shortly after, Void presided over the coming sacrifice. While The Eclipse’s most terrifying moments occur a few chapters later, Chapter 91 was the ominous yet strangely entrancing calm before the storm of death.
8 Chapter 277 — Guts Surfed Nosferatu Zodd Into Emperor Ganishka’s Face
Declaring just one action scene from all of Berserk as the best is a fool’s errand. Besides the fact that there are too many epic battles and hardcore duels to choose from, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That being said, every Berserk fan can agree that Guts’ team-up with his nemesis Nosferatu Zodd to fight Emperor Ganishka was extremely enjoyable.
In “Chapter 277 – Human Bullet,” Guts and Zodd temporarily put their rivalry aside to take down the immoveable thunder emperor. Here, Zodd flew straight at Ganishka’s head while Guts rode on his back. The gambit worked, and it was realized in two of the most amazing action-packed pages ever seen committed to manga.
7 Chapter 337 — Rickert Slapped Griffith After Realizing The Truth
One of the saddest realities of Berserk is that whatever Griffith’s fate or comeuppance will be will probably never see the light of day. After all the suffering he inflicted on others for his sake, it may be a bit annoying for readers to see Griffith walk away relatively unscathed. Thankfully, Rickert rectified this in “Chapter 337 – Bridge Of Parting.”
After realizing just what happened during the Eclipse, Rickert confronted the commander he once idolized and slapped him across the face. Rickert then verbally tore down Griffith, denouncing his new Band of the Hawk before leaving Falconia. This was the most punishment Griffith got for his sins, and it was beyond cathartic for long-time fans.
6 Chapter 224 — Mistress Flora Gives A Heartbreaking Sacrifice & Final Lesson
Many pivotal events transpired during Guts and friends’ journey to the Forest of the Spirit Tree, including the Berserk Armor’s debut, the Skull Knight’s mystery being expounded on, and Guts finally feeling peaceful for a while. Unfortunately, it all burned down during this brief respite’s heartbreaking end in “Chapter 224 – Departure of Flame.”
Just when the Apostles had Guts’ party at their mercy, Schierke’s mentor Flora sacrificed herself to help them escape. As Flora held off the dragon Grunbeld, she bid Schierke farewell and assured her that she was ready to face the world. The chapter closed with a serene and tear-jerking flashback of Flora and Schierke enjoying a picnic together.
5 Chapter 221 — Guts Accepted His Second Found Family
After seeing everyone he held dear die horribly (or worse) during The Eclipse, Guts isolated himself and dedicated his life to revenge. Despite his denial, Guts gravitated towards strangers who became part of his second-found family. After nearly 100 chapters’ worth of denial, Guts finally let his guard down in “Chapter 221 – Companions.”
Following a grueling fight, the party made it out of the trolls’ cave and basked in a hard-fought victory. While watching Casca, the talkative fairy Puck, Isidro, Farnese, Serpico, Schierke, and Ivalera bicker, Guts suddenly got nostalgic and remembered the original Band of the Hawk. At that moment, Guts finally admitted that it was nice to be part of a family again.
4 Chapter 236 — Guts Experienced Peace For The First Time
Shortly after escaping the Forest of the Tree Spirit’s fiery end, Guts’ party made it to the beach. For the first time in what seemed like an endless pilgrimage, Guts and his companions were safe in “Chapter 251 – The Sound of the Sea.” Even if the moments were fleeting, everyone made the most of their time on the beach and got closer to one other.
For example, Farnese became Schierke’s student in witchcraft, while Guts realized that despite everything, there was still a peaceful world he could return to. And this time, he didn’t have to be alone. Most importantly, Chapter 251 featured a double page spread of the party frolicking on the beach, which is one of the fanbase’s most beloved scenes.
3 Chapter 364 — The Next Chapter Of Guts’ Story Begins
As abrupt an ending as it may be, Berserk’s (currently) final chapter, “Chapter 364 – Tear of Morning Dew,” is a fitting finale. After years in-universe, — and decades in reality — Guts finally reunited with Griffith. What’s more, Casca was present, and the Moonlight Boy was revealed to be Griffith, and he would take over Griffith’s body every full moon.
When Griffith resurfaced in the last few pages, he tearfully confessed that he felt alone despite achieving his dreams. The chapter felt like the end of a long journey and the beginning of its next phase. Though its continuation is still up in the air, Chapter 364 was a bittersweet and satisfying way to tie up some of Berserk’s longest-running loose threads.
2 Chapters 46-47 — Guts & Casca Confess Their Love For Each Other
From the moment they first met, it was obvious that Guts and Casca had feelings for one another. After denying it and pushing each other away for years, the two confessed their love in the two-part chapter “Wounds.” Even today, this remains one of Berserk’s truly beautiful moments, and it was worth the build-up.
Besides the gorgeous art, what made Chapters 46 to 47 truly romantic was how Guts and Casca let themselves be vulnerable. Up until that point, they buried their emotions under a warrior’s tough exterior, but now they are comfortable just being in love with one another. From this moment onward, Guts dedicated his entire life and being to Casca.
1 Chapters 354-355 — Casca Returned From The Darkness
As heart-wrenching as The Eclipse was, its most painful moment was Casca’s assault. Though she survived, the trauma was so severe that she regressed to a childlike state and stayed that way for years. Guts fought to bring her back, but, in the end, it was Farnese and Schierke who pulled her from the brink during their trek through her fractured mind.
“Chapter 354 – Awakening” closed with the Casca that Guts and readers remembered waking up in one of the manga’s most beautiful pages yet. Seeing Casca return to her proud self in “Chapter 355 – Beneath Sun-Dappled Trees” was worth the decades-long wait, even if it ended with her trauma biting back in the saddest way possible.
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