Berserk volume 5 offers a taste of happiness
Slowly the world of Berserk seems to be catching up with the reader. As Guts continues to press forward being the most angry man alive, we see him slowly become someone not just willing to work with others but eager to. Volume 5 of the manga shows us the noblest side that we’ve ever glimpsed of the mercenary, which is going to make his inevitable descent all the more painful.
Pain goes hand in hand with reading Berserk, though, so we are powering through the Golden Age and get back to the grim world of fighting demons in volume 5.
Berserk’s Golden Age draws to a close
The Golden Age arc of Berserk isn’t nearly as peaceful and tranquil as the title would have you believe. It included some of the most disturbing images and content that we’ve seen in the manga so far, proving that people are the true monsters of the world. Guts is sent to be the rear guard of the retreating mercenary army led by Griffith and is expected to simply hold the advancing cavalry back long enough for everyone else to escape.
Of course, Guts, being the overachiever he is, decides to fight two dozen men on horseback on his own, getting heavily injured in the process. This forces Griffith to come back and save his newest soldier, but it also endears Guts to the rest of the Band of the Hawk, who are both awed and terrified of the guy who can pick a fight like that and survive.
The next morning Guts is summoned to speak to Griffith as he washes. The two have a surprisingly playful and innocent splash fight before the commander shows off his unusual necklace. Egg-shaped and covered in noses, eyes, and mouths, it is immediately recognisable as the Behelit that we saw in earlier volumes.
It is a perfect example of how to use nonlinear storytelling to build up tension. The reader knows without a doubt how dangerous the Behelit is, even if we don’t know exactly how it works. However, Griffith seems blissfully unaware of its power and treats it like a semi-mystical bauble he obtained from a fortuneteller. All these panels do is put pieces on the board in a way that will explain what we saw in earlier chapters, yet stops short of giving any firm answers.
After this encounter, in which a casually naked Griffith proclaims that his ultimate goal is to get his own kingdom to rule over, there is another time skip. A few years pass and we see Guts once again throwing himself into battle without a thought for his safety or wellbeing. In a subtle but wonderful exploration of how trauma impacts our behaviour, Guts himself isn’t sure why he continues to do this.
He no longer has the near-suicidal urge to die in combat, yet he cannot help but single out the most powerful enemies for himself, even when it puts the men under his command in danger. It is a constant source of friction between him and fellow officer Casca. Their relationship is shown as strained, even if there is an acknowledgement of each other’s skills and abilities. Berserk does a wonderful job of allowing Guts to feel vulnerable in this section. In fact, it feels like the closest he has ever come to being truly happy.
Here, it feels like Guts is through the worst of his story. He has found people who accept him and even celebrate him. He has a commander who doesn’t see him as a toy to sell or discard at the first opportunity. There is a genuine friendship between Griffith and Guts, who seems to readily open up about to his leader in a way that we haven’t seen up to this point. Their connection is such a stark contrast to how we first saw them that it is chilling.
Griffith is a wonderfully drawn and written character. He is merely human but is also shown to be one of the most patient and determined characters I’ve seen in a manga. His mannerisms seem almost childlike in their innocence, but it is clear that he will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals and has plans upon plans to do it. Even at this point in the story, without any of his demonic powers, Griffith is terrifying to behold.
Part of his plan comes to fruition when he gets knighted, with the entire Band of Hawks in attendance. Except, of course, for Guts, who is swinging a giant sword with even more weight attached to it. Because go big or go home, right?
Up until now, there hasn’t been anything supernatural in this prolonged flashback. That changes when Guts encounters a figure known as Nosferatu Zodd. Aside from having one of the most metal names ever, he is a seemingly immortal, unstoppable warrior who has been terrorising battlefields for more than a hundred years. Zodd has taken up residence in the castle that the Band of the Hawk is trying to take control of. Dozens have gone to face him and none have returned.
Of course, putting an enemy that powerful in front of Guts is just showing a red flag to a bull. This feels like a moment that Kentaro Miura has been waiting for because the level of detail in the art here really picks up. Berserk is full of medieval-inspired armour and weapons, and we see Miura indulge in drawing every small detail of them. Guts’ armour feels worn and used as he decides to face Zodd alone.
There are some great panels in the ensuing fight, with Zodd being the first person other than Griffith to stand up to Guts’ heavy sword. However, it is clear that Zodd is something other than human and Guts is grossly outmatched. Zodd is just playing with Guts at this point, happy to have a decent fight for once. The fight is completely one-sided, but it is a joy to look at. The level of texture in Zodd’s transformed appearance is gorgeous.
Griffith arrives with a whole platoon of men to save Guts, but they’re just as helpless to stop Zodd. What ensues is a slaughter that nearly kills both men until the demon sees the Behelit around Griffith’s neck. For reasons that are not clear, he decides to leave through the ceiling with a parting prophecy.
“If you would be a true friend of this man, when his ambition collapses, death will pay you a visit. A death you can never escape.”
The final chapter of Berserk volume 5 shows Griffith on the mend being visited by nobles and dignitaries. A plot to kill the young, charismatic man is afoot, but Guts is more consumed with Casca’s hatred for him than anything else. This all does a wonderful job of setting up the events which will destroy their friendship forever, which is one of the most tragic aspects of Berserk. Guts is actually happy here and we know that happiness will be taken from him. We don’t know when and we don’t know how, but it is coming.
You can catch up with Berserk by buying either physical or digital versions on Amazon.
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