Hangout Berserk General Discussion Thread

[shouryuujo]

damn, man... honestly, i don`t think you can actually compare the two of them... have you read a bit of "Berserk", past the first 4 volumes, actually? even if it leaves us waiting for even 5-6 months, the art and the story is entirely worth it... just find the torrent with the manga, download some, read past the first 4 volumes, and then come back asking if it`s become as bad as the other manga you mentioned... if you actually did, and you didn`t like it, then sorry for the long rant that`s not of any interest to you, we don`t give a damn about your opinion, don`t post here, end of story... the long breaks he takes are actually either so he can work on the tankoubon, either perfect his art even more... if you compare the chapters from before the long break and after, you will notice quite an improvement... and did you know that this man works even up to 14 hours a day, scribbling with a pen and ink all day on a piece of paper, just for most of us readers, that don`t buy the volumes? that`s why i ain`t complaining, `cuz he`s doing this for us, not for him... -_-

I actually do own all the volumes up to the recent releases. Sure i notice the difference of the drawings but i think there's a line between trying to perfect it and getting stuff out. Sure there are some fans that wouldnt mind waiting 1+months for a release with perfect art but there are some who would want a little less quality and trade for quantity. If you were to hire someone to mow your lawn would you want them to spend 10 hours doing it but you cant spot a single mistake or have them do it in 2-3 hours and you see some mistakes but it is good enough? I think even you would be frustrated if he releases a chapter every 4 months?

 

[xi0]

I actually do own all the volumes up to the recent releases. Sure i notice the difference of the drawings but i think there's a line between trying to perfect it and getting stuff out. Sure there are some fans that wouldnt mind waiting 1+months for a release with perfect art but there are some who would want a little less quality and trade for quantity. If you were to hire someone to mow your lawn would you want them to spend 10 hours doing it but you cant spot a single mistake or have them do it in 2-3 hours and you see some mistakes but it is good enough? I think even you would be frustrated if he releases a chapter every 4 months?

Listen guys, what's the point of debating this topic any further? Miura has been doing this for years now and he hasn't changed. Don't you think the editorial department at Young Animal complained and bitched at Miura initially when he started doing this? They decided that the pros definitely outweighed the cons. They've also had to field complaints from people who actually buy the magazine in Japan for years now as well. People all over the internet bitch incessantly about this very topic.

Berserk is what it is.................an awesome manga

Now discussing the prospect of Miura actually dying before it was finished is an interesting topic, but complaining about the release schedule is nothing new or thought-provoking. I know it's nearly impossible to curtail it, but at least try not to.

 

[shouryuujo]

Listen guys, what's the point of debating this topic any further? Miura has been doing this for years now and he hasn't changed. Don't you think the editorial department at Young Animal complained and bitched at Miura initially when he started doing this? They decided that the pros definitely outweighed the cons. They've also had to field complaints from people who actually buy the magazine in Japan for years now as well. People all over the internet bitch incessantly about this very topic.

Berserk is what it is.................an awesome manga

Now discussing the prospect of Miura actually dying before it was finished is an interesting topic, but complaining about the release schedule is nothing new or thought-provoking. I know it's nearly impossible to curtail it, but at least try not to.

yeah you are right. Just I dont think he ever took that long of breaks before though. The magazine is biweekly and he usually do ~20 pages so a page a day for 1 release/month is not too demanding? I think he could still be awesome by getting some assistants.

 

[102jayday]

im sure miura has a back up plan of berserk if he dies.
saying the fans could make a ending instead of some random artist, well the artist's could say they were a huge fan of berserk and are like all of us.
im sure his got a timeline plot or something,......guts encouters the god hand(flying little one, at sea and fights him/it......guts goes to elfheim.....caska is normal and betrays guts.....(i hope not on betrayal, guts would kill himself lol) .....princess charlotte is pregenant to a god hand.....guts kills griffith (mawhaah paybacks a bitch)....guts battles the new born child of griffith.....moonlight child helps guts...moonlight child stays with guts and caska at a farm, caska has another kid and guts is the man of the house...the end. something like that, well that was a example off my head, don't take it seriously! please!

miura will have something of berserk in his will lol.
maybe say to these certain artist to finish it and oh btw please take time in doing so and take 20 years

 

[Katz]

Well Miura is only 43 years old, so he has a decent amount of time left, hell he could be doing Berserk for another 20 years if he wants too...a 40 year manga series, that'd be EPIC, that could be put in the Guinness book.

 

[xi0]

The incredible detail and quality aside, I think Miura keeps the schedule he does because he can afford to. It's a known fact that manga-ka have an insane amount of pressure on them and work at a grueling pace to meet deadlines. This results in many of them not being the healthiest people.

Because Miura is an established artist he has probably realized that working at this pace will allow him to work longer and live a healthier lifestyle. Instead of being rundown and eventually resenting the actual work that goes into making Berserk he can probably enjoy it more and still has the drive to do what he does.

 

[SparkHunter13]

Kind of late with my reply, but I want to address a few things.

@ xi0:

Spot on. Agreed to both of your posts.

well, yeah, that`s the main problem here... Miura`s mind (as everyone`s) is a complete mystery, as the man himself... if we were to make up one ending we`d all be satisfied with, we`d be ceaselessly thinking about what would Miura do here and there, and so on... honestly, who would`ve thought that Ganishka, who was perceived as one of the minor characters in "Berserk", would be so vital to the continuation of the story? well, maybe a few, but still... the plot twists are unique and unexpected with Miura... that, you cannot replicate... O_o

You're right, of course, although I'll have to disagree on Ganishka being a minor character. Even without the events of recent chapters, he played an integral role in uniting the people under Griffith's banner, - amongst other things - hastening Griffith's ascent to the throne in the process. He was a pretty interesting character in his own right, too, being the only apostle to ever rebel against the God Hand.

Berserk would have been a weaker story without him, in my opinion.

i'm well aware of the quality of his art and i agree that quality cant be rushed.actually i agree with everything you say but imo there must be a limit to it.i'm an art student myself,how can i ever possibly disrespect the man!!but still,i wish i could show you my teacher's works for which he drawed all over the school's great hall(30-100m rectangular- 3,5m high) with INK in just 2 weeks.also much more detailed than berserk...

Did your teacher decide to paint the hall on a whim? Not likely. If the art is as detailed as you say (i.e. greater than Miura's), just imagine the planning required to do such a thing.

Now, consider Miura's position. Berserk is his magnum opus and twenty years in the making; his life's work and his livelihood. Each and every minor detail bears consequence somewhere down the line when the plot is as long and intricately formulated as Berserk's. Whilst the inking of a chapter may take up most of his time, Miura must also take into account twenty years worth of work to avoid even the slightest plot hole. It's little wonder he takes such frequent breaks when his job is so demanding.

P.S. I don't place Berserk above criticism, I've just learned to be patient with the releases and appreciate Miura for his achievement and ambition with his project. That's all.

 

[crazy_horse1989]

You're right, of course, although I'll have to disagree on Ganishka being a minor character. Even without the events of recent chapters, he played an integral role in uniting the people under Griffith's banner, - amongst other things - hastening Griffith's ascent to the throne in the process. He was a pretty interesting character in his own right, too, being the only apostle to ever rebel against the God Hand.

Berserk would have been a weaker story without him, in my opinion.

no, man, what i meant to say was simply that, when Ganishka was first introduced, i didn`t think he was THAT a major character, that`s all, and i doubt i was the only one... i do approve of his MAJOR contribution to the continuation of the story, as it went on... i just didn`t think he`d be that important... without him, the story would`ve lacked something, it wouldn`t feel the same, without all those fairy-tale characters blending into reality, slaughtering/helping/ignoring people... >_>
am i not making any sense, for my post to be so badly misunderstood? o_O

 

[xi0]

no, man, what i meant to say was simply that, when Ganishka was first introduced, i didn`t think he was THAT a major character, that`s all, and i doubt i was the only one... i do approve of his MAJOR contribution to the continuation of the story, as it went on... i just didn`t think he`d be that important... without him, the story would`ve lacked something, it wouldn`t feel the same, without all those fairy-tale characters blending into reality, slaughtering/helping/ignoring people... >_>
am i not making any sense, for my post to be so badly misunderstood? o_O

I see where you're coming from, but once it was revealed that he was an apostle, and a monstrously strong one at that, I think it was pretty clear that he wasn't going to be some throw-away, like Wyald or The Baron.

 

[SparkHunter13]

am i not making any sense, for my post to be so badly misunderstood? o_O

Yeah, kind of...

I'm kidding, it's just that you seemed to imply Ganishka was of little consequence until he dived into the "reincarnator". That's how I interpreted it, anyway, but it seems I was... mistook.

And on an completely unrelated note, less than a month to go!

 

[crazy_horse1989]

I see where you're coming from, but once it was revealed that he was an apostle, and a monstrously strong one at that, I think it was pretty clear that he wasn't going to be some throw-away, like Wyald or The Baron.

true, and that`s what i`m trying to say, that in the first few chapters, you wouldn`t have guessed his importance, until him being an apostle AND more importantly, his connection with Rakshas (what the hell is he, it makes me so damn curious: knows Ganishka and can act as part of Zodd?!), which no one seems to recall... once that was out in the open, i recognized him as a vital part of the "Berserk" world...
okay, enough about that, it`s already been discussed for too long... Miura is a genius, the end... o_O

Yeah, kind of...

I'm kidding, it's just that you seemed to imply Ganishka was of little consequence until he dived into the "reincarnator". That's how I interpreted it, anyway, but it seems I was... mistook.

And on an completely unrelated note, less than a month to go!

well, blame me, my bad english and my rush to make a post, thus making absofu**inglutely no sense, sorry... for now i think i`ll shut up and lurk for a while, as all of you seem to think i am a dumbass... >_>

hell yeah! when the next chapter of "Berserk", in exactly 27 days, including September 25th, i have to study every inch of the panels, as we don`t know if he`ll be back to his normal schedule or not... either way is fine by me, but i`d like to know what becomes of Guts & Co. now...

 

[xi0]

true, and that`s what i`m trying to say, that in the first few chapters, you wouldn`t have guessed his importance, until him being an apostle AND more importantly, his connection with Rakshas (what the hell is he, it makes me so damn curious: knows Ganishka and can act as part of Zodd?!), which no one seems to recall... once that was out in the open, i recognized him as a vital part of the "Berserk" world...
okay, enough about that, it`s already been discussed for too long... Miura is a genius, the end... o_O

I don't think he's a "part of Zodd" he was just hitching a ride. For what reason I'm not sure...

 

[SparkHunter13]

well, blame me, my bad english and my rush to make a post, thus making absofu**inglutely no sense, sorry... for now i think i`ll shut up and lurk for a while, as all of you seem to think i am a dumbass... >_>

... Sounds like you took it personally... My post wasn't meant to offend; as I said, it was a mistake on my part.

No harm done, I hope.

hell yeah! when the next chapter of "Berserk", in exactly 27 days, including September 25th, i have to study every inch of the panels, as we don`t know if he`ll be back to his normal schedule or not...

I believe this is his normal schedule. It's unlikely he'll return to semi-monthly releases now, seeing as how releases have become increasingly sporadic over the years.

A while back, the guys over at SK.net compiled a list showing the frequency and length of Miura's breaks. You could clearly see that... well, you might as well see for yourself: [CLICK].

 

[Katz]

A while back, the guys over at SK.net compiled a list showing the frequency and length of Miura's breaks. You could clearly see that... well, you might as well see for yourself: [CLICK].

Damn I wish I had a job where I could take a 19 week vacation, that'd be great, but I gotta respect Miura for how he handles his work, amazing details and I don't look hard for these things, but I've never seen a huge gapping plothole....god Imagine all the stuff he has to remember from 20 years of work and how much he has to backpedal and re-read....solely by himself, Kishi has I'm sure a nice sized group of assistance, and still there's plot errors and there's no arguing the stylistic art depth between them...but yea if the next chapter is the 25, I'm looking forward to it

 

[llamapie]

Damn I wish I had a job where I could take a 19 week vacation, that'd be great, but I gotta respect Miura for how he handles his work, amazing details and I don't look hard for these things, but I've never seen a huge gapping plothole....god Imagine all the stuff he has to remember from 20 years of work and how much he has to backpedal and re-read....solely by himself, Kishi has I'm sure a nice sized group of assistance, and still there's plot errors and there's no arguing the stylistic art depth between them...but yea if the next chapter is the 25, I'm looking forward to it

Actually he is one of the few mangaka who does the whole thing himself, including the line art.

 

[SparkHunter13]

Actually he is one of the few mangaka who does the whole thing himself, including the line art.

Not entirely; he does employ a small team of assistants to fill in minor details here and there.

Story-wise, though, it's all Miura.

 

[xi0]

Not entirely; he does employ a small team of assistants to fill in minor details here and there.

Story-wise, though, it's all Miura.

I've never heard of him using assistants at all actually. I know he works closely with an editor but as far as assistants go, I wasn't aware of him using any, period.

 

[Mythsoul]

whoa......I came to see if the chapter was already out...and i have to wait a good 18 days ..hmmm....well...its worth the wait

 

[CBlitz]

whoa......I came to see if the chapter was already out...and i have to wait a good 18 days ..hmmm....well...its worth the wait

hope its not a bunch 2 page spreads like last time, granted it was meant to convey the utter shock of the meging dimensions

 

[SparkHunter13]

I've never heard of him using assistants at all actually. I know he works closely with an editor but as far as assistants go, I wasn't aware of him using any, period.

For the record, I, myself, have never come across an interview in which Miura speaks of his assistants; the info on this comes from a mish-mash of different sources. Like this, for example:

Miura does all the storyboarding himself, of course. And most of the work, really. He has 5 assistants nowadays, more than he used to have: Yoshihiro Kurosaki, Akio Miyaji, Nobuhiro Hirai, Naohide Nagashima, Chigusa Amagasaki. [...] If you want to see a clear example of what the assistants do in an episode, check one with people standing in the background, and look at their faces. Those drawn by the assistants are much cruder than those by Miura.

[Source].

I imagine he did work without assistants earlier in his career. The art was of a "lesser" standard back then and inking each episode was likely not as taxing for Miura as it appears to be today. Recent volumes have elevated Berserk to a whole new plateau in terms of artistry and detail, so it's not unthinkable that Miura may have hired a few assistants to alleviate the workload a little.