Updated September 3, 2022 by Ernie

If you’re an anime fan, you’ve probably read Berserk or at least heard about it. It is one of the most popular manga out there. This manga started serializing back in 1989. It has a total of 364 chapters divided into 41 volumes.  

In case you are looking for some recomms.. 30+ Powerful Berserk Quotes

BERSERK MANGA AFTER ANIME 

HISTORY OF BERSERK MANGA

As you already know, Berserk’s author Kentaro Miura has sadly passed away recently, leaving his manga unfinished. However, his close friend Kouji Mori has announced that he will continue the work of his friend. Fans have really high expectations of him and believe he will successfully continue the legacy of the manga. 

PLOT

In case you have been living under a rock and don’t know anything about Berserk, I’ll tell you a bit about it…. Berserk follows the story of a young man named Guts. Guts is unlike your typical shounen protagonists, who are usually blessed with exceptional luck. Even before birth, he was cursed. He was born from the dead body of his mother. Nobody ever loved him in his childhood. 

No one was there to raise him. He was even forced to fight for his life. His life improved when he became a member of the infamous mercenary group “Band of the Hawk.” He got really close to its leader Griffith. He even called him his best friend. Guts even found a girl he loved. 

Now, this is where things get really dark. Griffith betrayed Guts. He took everything Guts loved away from him. This mentally broke Guts. Well! I shouldn’t spoil y’all any further. 

Ohhh! I forgot to mention the infamous nickname of Guts. He is known as the Black Swordsman. Pretty cool, right?

WHERE TO START MANGA AFTER ANIME

Getting back to the topic…We will talk about where to start reading Berserk Manga after the anime. 

Soooo, here is the thing. There is not just one adaptation of this famous manga. It has been animated multiple times, in 1997, 2012, and 2016. All of them adapted a different number of chapters so we’ll talk about them one by one. 

1997 Version

Let’s start with the 1997 version. It was animated by OLM inc. This version comprises 25 episodes and adapted the manga to chapter 86. So, you can start reading the manga from chapter 87.

2012 Version

Now, let’s talk about the 2012 version. This one basically comprises three movies. Two of them aired in 2012, and the 3rd one in 2013. These movies were adapted to chapter 87, just a chapter more than the 1997 version. You can start reading the manga from chapter 88.

2016 Version

About the 2016 version, it consists of 2 seasons of 25 episodes. If you have watched this adaptation, you’ll have to start reading the manga from chapter 250..

You might be wondering how is it possible to cover over 200 chapters in 25 eps? Well! This adaptation skipped a lot of stuff from the manga. It’s better that you read the manga from the beginning.

Berserk never had a faithful adaptation. 1997 and 2012 can be called somewhat decent, but 2016 was just BAD!! There was nothing good in that adaptation. There was excessive use of CGI that ruined most of the anime. And ofc it was rushed a lot.

CHARACTERS OF BERSERK

Berserk has some of the best-written characters. The characters have some depth to them. Some of them are lovable, but you also just can’t seem to stop hating others. We’ll talk about some of them in this blog.

SPOILER ALERT!! The following paragraphs contain potential spoilers.

Guts

Guts is the protagonist of this amazing show and is known as the “Black Swordsman”. Guts is a very kind and caring individual. Even though he had a rough childhood, he still managed to learn how to love. 

After joining a mercenary group named “Band of the Hawks”, he thought that his life had changed for good. However, little did he know that it would get even worse. He was betrayed by his best friend, someone he even considered to be his brother, Griffith. He lost his lover and an arm as well. 

After this incident, he decided to take revenge against Griffith and became the Black Swordsman. I shouldn’t spoil you any further…

Griffith

Griffith is one of the deuteragonists of the show. He was the leader of the “Band of the Hawks” and the regular Midland Army commander. He is well-known for his immense talent in swordsmanship and intelligence. The way he devises tactics and implements them is just too good. 

However, there is a dark side to him. Even though he was really close to Guts, he betrayed him during the 5th Eclipse and even sacrificed his comrades. Why? To gain power ofc. He wanted to establish his kingdom.

I guess I shouldn’t spoil ya any further.

Casca

Casca is the love interest of our MC Guts, and is also one of the main characters. She is also a member of the “Band of the Hawks.” Her sword skills are just below Griffith and Guts, making her one of the strongest characters. 

Initially, she hated Guts because he had taken over her position as the vice-commander. However, as the series progressed, she also fell in love with him. But, Casca’s fate was not that great. Griffith sexually assaulted her during the 5th Eclipse. Griffith did it to piss Guts off. 

After that, she became mentally unstable and amnesiac. Pretty sad, right?

Schierke

Schierke is also one of the main characters. She is a powerful witch and disciple of the infamous witch Flora. She had to leave her village after an attack. 

She is a member of Guts’ travel party. Her most powerful ability is to hypnotize others. Guts treat her like a younger sister. She is a crucial member of his party. 

I won’t spoil much about her as it can ruin the story for y’all.

CONCLUSION

Hopefully, you guys know where to start the manga if you have watched the anime. I’ve tried my best to avoid spoilers. 

If you ask me, although the art style, in the beginning, was not as good as it is these days and the story’s progression is a bit slow, reading the manga from the start is better. However, you’ll still enjoy it. 

You should also take a look at this.. Berserk Quiz: Which Berserk Character Are You?