Summary
- Berserk chapter #375 could mark the beginning of the end for the dark fantasy epic, as the subplots finally intertwine and major players are put in place for the series' anticipated climax.
- Guts's Black Swordsman party, Silat and his Bakiraka warriors, and the Kushan dark sorcerer Diaba, may form an alliance to take down Griffith and bring an end to his reign.
- The reunion between Guts and Rickert, their first since chapter #181, suggests a shift in the story and sets the stage for a potentially epic confrontation between Guts and Griffith.
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Berserk chapter #375
With all the pieces finally coming together, Berserk's latest chapter is making good on its promise to continue the late Kentaro Miura’s sweeping epic to its fitting conclusion. Following the chronicles of Guts and his band of adventurers through a world of darkness, demons and despair since 1989, many fans felt their own despair when Miura sadly ed in 2021, only to be pleasantly surprised when his former assistants at Studio Gaga pledged to finish the story under the direction of Miura’s longtime friend and confidant, Kouji Mori. In this most recent chapter, this promise finally begins to take greater shape and form.
Entitled “Dawn Breaks on the Unyielding Fog of Night,” chapter #375 seemingly finds Guts’ band of heroes in dire straits, but all may not be as it appears on the surface. A Kushan naval detachment, under the command of longtime Guts rival Silat, appears out of the night to capture the crew and engers of The Seahorse. The prisoners include Guts himself, led to the deck dazed and in chains, unable to fight due to his inconsolable grief over having allowed Casca to be kidnapped by Griffith.
Just when this predicament seems bleakest, an unexpected friend reveals himself from within the Kushan ranks, Rickert, Guts’ former comrade in The Band of the Falcon. However slight this reprieve might seem, what it signals in totality may actually be the formation of the alliance which will ultimately bring Griffith down once and for all.
This meeting between Guts and Rickert is their first since Chapter #181, following the battle between Guts and Nosferatu Zodd on the Hill of Swords.
A Long and Winding Road in Berserk Might Be Reaching Its End
Guts is gathering a force to be reckoned with
With the conclusion of the "Fantasia Arc," it appears that Berserk has entered its penultimate phase, with the loose ends coming together in preparation for the presumed assault on Falconia and perhaps the fated confrontation between Guts and Griffith. Though now prisoners, Guts’ Black Swordsman party, including the witch Schierke, naval commander Roderick, and talented warrior Serpico, has been united with Silat and his Bakiraka warriors, along with the Kushan dark sorcerer Daiba. While an alliance between these vying forces might usually be out of the question, the presence of Rickert, along with their mutual enemy in Falconia and its new Band of the Falcon, could be an opportunity for these various factions to come together in a common goal: taking down Griffith.
Possible of Guts' Army |
Where Have They Been? |
|---|---|
The Black Swordsmans' Party |
Traveling with Guts to Elfhelm in an attempt to restore Casca's mind. |
The Former Band of the Falcon |
Rickert has fled from Falconia following a contentious meeting with Griffith, and now serves the Kushan army. Casca is a prisoner of Griffith following the restoration of her sanity. |
The Crew of "The Seahorse" |
Captain Roderick, along with Farnese's brother Magnifico, ed Guts at the beginning of the Fantasia arc following a Kushan attack. |
Silat of the Bakiraka |
A longtime enemy of Guts, Silat now appears to be one of the main military leaders of the Kushans, and planning an attack on Falconia following the death of the Kushan emperor, Ganishka. |
Daiba |
The sinister Kushan sorcerer fled to Falconia after his defeat by Guts, before fleeing with Rickert and ing Silat. |
It’s The Beginning of the End for Berserk
The dark fantasy epic is heading for its final showdown
It has now been 11 chapters since Studio Gaga took the reins of the series, and, truly, their adherence to Miura’s naturalistic pacing and psychologically well-designed characterizations has produced a worthy bevy of Berserk already. With these newest subplots finally intertwining, and the major players all put in place, the series’ anticipated and no-doubt horrifically tragic climax is now being set into motion. The question now becomes, with Casca enthralled in a psychic trap by the villainous Griffith, just what will happen to lift Guts back from the depths of despair and give him the power he needs to bring down Griffith, who absolutely humiliated him during their last meeting.
The Last Person Anyone Would Suspect - Berserk's Guts Just Suffered a Crushing Betrayal
In Berserk chapter #375, Guts' recent reunion with an old friend from his days in the Band of the Hawk takes a dark turn when he's seemingly betrayed.
After Miura's ing, fans were worried that Berserk would never be concluded. Even after Mori and Studio Gaga took the reins of the series, the long delay between chapters has certainly not made things easier for its devoted fanbase. Considering Berserk has been around for almost 35 years, it makes sense that its current authors want to bring this epic tale to its rightful conclusion soon, and the latest chapter seems to hint that the story is finally moving forward to its anticipated finale.
Berserk chapter #375 is now available from Young Animal Magazine in untranslated form, to be localized by Dark Horse Comics at a later date.
