“Griffith defeats mercenary Guts, recruits him; together they lead Band of the Falcon to victory amid looming darkness.”
Berserk
剣風伝奇ベルセルク
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AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Griffith defeats mercenary Guts, recruits him; together they lead Band of the Falcon to victory amid looming darkness.
Guts, a man who will one day be known as the Black Swordsman, is a young traveling mercenary characterized by the large greatsword he carries. He accepts jobs that offer the most money, but he never stays with one group for long—until he encounters the Band of the Falcon. Ambushed after completing a job, Guts crushes many of its members in combat. Griffith, The Band of the Falcon's leader and founder, takes an interest in Guts and duels him. While the others are no match for Guts, Griffith defeats him in one blow. Incapacitated and taken into the Band of the Falcon's camp to recover, Guts wakes up two days later. He confronts Griffith, and the two duel yet again, only this time with a condition: Guts will join the Band of the Falcon if he loses. Due to his fresh injuries, Guts loses the fight and is inducted by Griffith. In three years' time, Guts has become one of the Band of the Falcon's commanders. On the battlefield, his combat prowess is second only to Griffith as he takes on large groups of enemies all on his own. With Guts' immense strength and Griffith's leadership, the Band of the Falcon dominate every battle they partake in. But something menacing lurks in the shadows, threatening to change Guts' life forever.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 249 sampled reviews
What 249 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.63 · some divergence
6.5 pts
Recommenders 9.1 · others 2.6
↓ 1.31
Running avg · Jun 2007 → Mar 2026
- 10 “Berserk is one of my all time favorite anime. And I only have two favorites. The story kept my attention even after the series was over. Rumors of a second series has gotten me excited for 4 years...”
- 9 “I must say this was a very suprising anime. For the story it is very nice. It's about a character named Guts who joins a mercenary team called Band of the Hawk, and you get to see lots of blood and...”
- 8 “A really great series! Even though the animation and action is a bit lacklustre, I can't help but really like this anime. It's something about those beautiful watercolour settings, the amazingly...”
Watch Order & Related
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See all credits →Production slate
- Format 25 × 23′ eps × min
- Total runtime 9h 35m all episodes
- Aired Oct 1997 – Apr 1998 Fall 1997
- Source Tv media type
- Rated R+ Mild Nudity
- Ref. BS-0024 catalog
Produced by
- VAP Producer
- Hakusensha Producer
- Nippon Television Network Producer
Licensed by
- Media Blasters Licensor
- Discotek Media Licensor