Berserk 301 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Confusion)

Shifting dimensions and values, mortals fighting side by side with Apostles... there's an imbalance of power, but one has to wonder exactly what Griffith wants with mortal kind in the first place... Humans have always been the sacrifice, so why does he need them on his side? After Sonia's rousing speech in the previous chapter, dichotomies anneal as man and beast join forces to bring down a small portion of the Kushan emperor's form. This is a very short instalment, but it deals with several of the major Berserk themes - fear of the unknown that renders people weak, free will, and the division between realities.

Berserk 302 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Soar)

This chapter is even shorter, consisting of Griffith's charge toward Ganishka. For this he is riding Apostolic Zodd rather than his horse... so why is Rakasha hidden away beneath Zodd's wing? Will he try to make good on the promise he once made, to take Griffith's beauty and make it his own?

Berserk 303 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Backlight)

This chapter opens with reflections, silhouette recollections of betrayal and sacrifice. Ganishka's early life is shown to us, but there are too many black faces, and the first half of the chapter doesn't work very well because of the way it is drawn. Which is a damn shame, because it is both interesting and important. The second half is better, back to Miura's famous fine style, and is no less fascinating. We return to the present moment in a bath of light... to see Griffith kneel by Ganishka's eye. What is he planning? We may not find out, because behind Griffith, a sword of resonance is shredding the fabric of dimensions and heralding the arrival of a familiar but unexpected guest. Could this be the end of Femto?

Berserk 304 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Fissure)

The Skull Knight's sword has been crafted to warp both space and time, and we discover now that not only is Griffith aware of this, he has actually been anticipating the moment - "I've been waiting for you," he says, sounding quite pleased with himself, as well he might. He knows the distortion of space will do his work for him, cutting its way into his own dimension. This chapter works very well because it focuses intently on the act of breaking open the new world, without cluttering the event with pointless words.

Berserk 305 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Foundation)

The complete lack of speech in this episode expresses the inexpressible. Griffith's light bathes the world, rather like an atomic explosion (which at one point it is shown to resemble). The light is pure, brilliant, stunning - but, to continue with the atomic metaphor, it brings mutation, not cleansing, in its wake.

Berserk 306 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Fantasia)

The titlepage announces - A world in upheaval. The light has passed on, leaving ogres to stalk farmlands and dragons to sink their claws into castle spires. Skeletons and the trolls of the Berserk world have invaded towns and homes. Fantasia - the grotesque, erotic and bizarre - has arrived. In places Miura is rather overtly chanelling Hieronymus Bosch - witness pages 18/19 (above) and its mauling of Hell, laden with medieval religious symbolism (and no, there's no subtlety in this one). Fantasia as depicted here is more fittingly in keeping with the medieval type of fairytale, where the fairies at the bottom of the garden drink blood and steal souls for entertainment. Aside from the Bosch piece, which in graphical terms is the weakest of the lot, there is some beautiful artwork in this instalment, the dragon for example, which is intricate, delightful and menacing.

Berserk 307 (Volume 34: Millenium Falcon Arc, Chapter of Falconia, Falconia)

The title page of this episode announces the 20th Anniversary of Berserk. Yes folks! believe it or not, this manga has been running for twenty years, and it may well go for twenty more... Here we come to the somewhat anticlimactic end of the Falconia Chapter and finally to the end of the Millenium Falcon Arc. Griffith has produced an edifice as grand, glorious and utterly soulless as his dream, and his followers are dazzled into their usual blind obedience.

Berserk 308 (Volume 35: Fantasia Arc, Chapter of Elf Island, Ghost Ship)

Returning to Roderick's ship en route to Elfheim, we are first given a bird's-eye glimpse (literally) of the effects of the altering light upon the ocean's inhabitants before some very silly stuff involving Schierke, Isidro and the elves - though Casca's imprisonment of the sea-gull was a nice touch. Things turn serious as the crew realise something peculiar has happened to the pirate ship, and it puts them all in real danger. Casca's brand and Gatt's seal begin to bleed...

Berserk 309 (Volume 35: Fantasia Arc, Chapter of Elf Island, Ghost Ship 2)

Gatts is back. Yes - that sums up the whole episode.

Berserk 310 (Volume 35: Fantasia Arc, Chapter of Elf Island, Ghost Ship 3)

Isidro's comment of "damn, I'm sick of waiting around" seems to echo the thoughts of every fan of Berserk over the last few years... How long have we waited to see Gatts wield that sword again? And he does it so effortlessly... The brilliance of this section is the seamless blend of Gatts' and Roderick's tactics - the two of them seem to be firmly on the same wavelength. Incongruously, the cannon fire which appeared to be so ineffective in #308 does damage here.

Berserk 311 (Volume 35: Fantasia Arc, Chapter of Elf Island, Solitary Island)

Land ahoy..! An island with an ominous Od no less... Roderick's ship has taken a battering from the battle with the sea monster, and they must dock for repairs. The island is charted but inhospitable, with jagged towering cliffs and a dilapidated port. Even Farnese senses something strange about it, but Gatts finds himself partly blind - ever since Griffith's strange 'wind' blew over them his sealed brand has been bleeding, sensitive to everything. The inhabitants of the run-down fishing village are hiding, but they don't appear to be human. Isidro has wandered off, but someone is watching him...

Berserk 312 (Volume 35: Fantasia Arc, Chapter of Elf Island, Girl of the Roaring Current)

Obviously there's something not right about this island, and it's becoming clear that staying a night at the single, silent inn might not be the best course of action.... Roderick has already cannily divined that it feels like they're under the sea, and with Schierke's unsettling observations about the shrine of an ancient ocean diety added to Gatt's quiet unease, we just know that we're being set up for something. Of course there is the usual idiocy involving Isidro and Schierke and the strange fisher girl to be endured first, and the odd Japanese television in-joke, before Schierke discovers something very troubling indeed. In spite of one too many silly, childish intrusions, the tension in the Elf Island chapter is starting to build nicely.

This page updated March 2010
All images shown here are copyright to Kentaro Miura and Young Animal, English translation courtesy of Evil-Genius.us