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Just finished both Berserk 1997 and the movie trilogy... Is 2016 really that bad?

FirMatt

FirMatt

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
252
Boston MA
Hey fam! Been loving the Golden Age Arc so so so much, I'm fascinated by Griffith as a character, though I'm VERY uncomfortable with what happens to Casca towards the arc's end. I'm left with SUCH misex feelings, tugged between needing to know what happens to these characters I'm so bought into now, but also knowing that I may struggle to enjoy the road ahead.

Is Berserk 2016's animation awful throughout, or were there just a few rough spots at the beginning? And do they continue to handle things like what happens to Casca in such a wanton way? It felt skeevy to the point of immense discomfort.
 
moustascheman

moustascheman

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,661
Canada
When it comes to animation quality, it's even worse than you'd expect.
lmyfjl.gif

This is not edited, it's a real scene in the show.
 

Jayuk

Member
Oct 27, 2017
106
As a long time reader of the manga, please do not watch the 2016 anime. It's probably not as convenient or as cheap, but I would highly recommend trying to read the manga instead if you have the time or ability. The animation quality is absolute garbage in 2016 Berserk.
 
andymcc

andymcc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,271
Columbus, OH
User warned: didn't engage with the OP, please think about what message you are sending when you choose to ignore issues around depictions of sexual assault
just read the manga. the 2016 anime will just hurt your first experience with the story.
 
brenobnfm

brenobnfm

Member
Sep 28, 2019
1,673
No, it's worse. But tbh i already thought the movie trilogy was bad enough, the 1997 is the only worthy adaptation.
 
Mass_Pincup

Mass_Pincup

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
7,127
It's worse than that.

For a manga with such an absolute insane level of details and style, the 2016 anime is an insult to Miura's work.
 
Narag

Narag

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,388
www.animenewsnetwork.com

What the Heck Happened to Berserk?

Thanks to its truly bizarre CGI animation efforts, fans often came away from Berserk's recent TV series revival disappointed, but what went wrong with this production behind the scenes? Callum May has the answers.
www.animenewsnetwork.com www.animenewsnetwork.com
 
munchie64

munchie64

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
2,541
tbh, it's not even just the animation. The show rushes things to an extreme extent, never giving the slower manga moments room to breathe.
 
ryan13ts

ryan13ts

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,100
Extremely unpopular opinion here, but outside of the animation (which was honestly bad in some parts) and some pacing issues, 2016 wasn't the worst offense to mankind like many portray it to be. Could have been much better, but wasn't the worst adaptation I've seen either. Thanks to the reaction to it though, especially the last season, I doubt we'll be seeing another adaptation until Miura actually finishes the story.

I was just glad to have some of Berserk's story animated... even if it wasn't the greatest.
 
Kschreck

Kschreck

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,069
Pennsylvania
FirMatt said:
Hey fam! Been loving the Golden Age Arc so so so much, I'm fascinated by Griffith as a character, though I'm VERY uncomfortable with what happens to Casca towards the arc's end. I'm left with SUCH misex feelings, tugged between needing to know what happens to these characters I'm so bought into now, but also knowing that I may struggle to enjoy the road ahead.

Is Berserk 2016's animation awful throughout, or were there just a few rough spots at the beginning? And do they continue to handle things like what happens to Casca in such a wanton way? It felt skeevy to the point of immense discomfort.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It's not as well done as the 1997 anime and people will go out of their way to shit all over it but it's plenty watchable. There is a few weak scenes as I'm sure people will post in here to deter you from watching but I found it quite enjoyable and was just happy to have more Berserk. Could it have been done better? Absolutely but just having more Berserk to watch was welcoming for me. Again opinions and mileage will always vary on these sorts of things.
 
HStallion

HStallion

Member
Oct 25, 2017
62,261
Berserk 2016 cuts out a big chunk of the story as well as altering events so its not like you're getting the full story. An entire arc is removed and they even had the chance to adapt some stuff that the original animal didn't cover (The slug count).
 
NightShift

NightShift

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,999
Australia
Read the comic. It's the most gorgeous thing ever and that makes it such an easy read. I don't know why anybody would rather the very limited visuals of the animes over it. Not even the 97 anime is a good substitute despite it still looking good for anime standards.
 
Nappuccino

Nappuccino

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
13,007
User warned: didn't engage with the OP, please think about what message you are sending when you choose to ignore issues around depictions of sexual assault
The comic is incredible. Just read that. Expect the first 2 or so volumes to have a few growing pains, but honestly just about every part of those early stages feels earned and well-incorporated into the character of Guts.

edit: I felt really bad that I didn't explain myself very well. I responded too rashly, missing the major thrust of the OP's post, and I should have better clarified my position. I did not mean to imply that the depictions of sexual assault were in any way, shape or form, not serious or without cause for being upset.
 
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Kewlmyc

Kewlmyc

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
26,683
Just read the manga. 2016/7 anime is just bad. I wanted to say "hilariously" bad, but it's just sad.
 
Winston1

Winston1

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
2,101
Believe it or not, the CG is actually the least of the shows problems. It literally fails on every single aspect of film making. The script, direction, camera work, sound design, pacing are also all abysmal. The CG just happens to be the most obvious issue but is actually a very minor problem compared to everything else, similar to Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars Prequels.
 
Pein

Pein

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,219
NYC
The voice acting and music is good I think.

I don't rate it highly but I watched the series a few weeks ago because I was on a berserk binge because it's been a few years. Also the berserk musou is kinda crap but good entertainment for like $15.
 
Aurica

Aurica

音楽オタク - Comics Council 2020
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
23,478
A mountain in the US
User warned: didn't engage with the OP, please think about what message you are sending when you choose to ignore issues around depictions of sexual assault
I'm confused why you wouldn't just read the incredible manga instead. You can get all the volumes from the library in the US.

edit: Oh, apparently my threadban was randomly removed. Sorry for just replying to the thread title initially. I haven't read most of the manga in over a decade, but there's definitely some sexual violence/threats of sexual violence after the eclipse, but there's nothing on par with what you've seen already. While I love where the manga ends up later, there's definitely gross stuff prior that I wish didn't exist. It may not be worth continuing for you, OP.
 
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I KILL PXLS

I KILL PXLS

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,520
I say this as someone who almost never reads the manga in lieu of an anime adaptation if one exists even if it's not amazing. Read the manga instead.
 
Handicapped Duck

Handicapped Duck

â–˛ Legend â–˛
Avenger
May 20, 2018
13,661
Ponds
Don't subject yourself to it, just as you shouldn't subject yourself to the Junji Ito Collection anime either. Just read the manga for both, if you want to see it afterwards for laughs great, but the manga will be a much better first time experience than the show.
 
Lord Hypnos

Lord Hypnos

Member
Oct 31, 2017
1,108
UK
No anime or movie adaptation has done the Berserk manga justice. They're fine as a supplemental viewing experience but I'd never reccomend watching them instead of reading it, they just skip too much content or completely butcher things like the 2016/17 CG anime.
 

lupinko

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,154
Instead of watching the 2016 anime, just read the manga or play the PS2 game, which is an amazing adaptation. Or just watch all the cutscenes on YouTube.

 
Rover

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,414
Literally nobody has addressed OP's concern about brutal and gratuitous rape scenes in the series. Are you guys for real?
 
FF Seraphim

FF Seraphim

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,697
Tokyo
His sword effect made a sound like frying pans were hitting each other. The only good thing about the anime is the music.
 
Staff Post
  • Index
    • Poodlestrike

    Poodlestrike

    Smooth vs. Crunchy
    Administrator
    Oct 25, 2017
    13,489
    Official Staff Communication
    Before posting, please read the OP in full. The animation quality is not all that is being discussed here. The OP is also asking about how other adaptations handle one of the most visceral and disturbing examples of sexual assault in manga/anime. Please think about what message you are sending when you are another voice choosing to ignore such issues.

    We're applying a warning to just about every post in the thread thus far for a reason. The intention is to bring attention to the issue and not risk posters never coming back to the thread and realize how their posts contributed to an environment of dismissing and ignoring these issues.
     
  • Index
    • Instro

    Instro

    Member
    Oct 25, 2017
    15,001
    Poodlestrike said:
    Official Staff Communication
    Before posting, please read the OP in full. The animation quality is not all that is being discussed here. The OP is also asking about how other adaptations handle one of the most visceral and disturbing examples of sexual assault in manga/anime. Please think about what message you are sending when you are another voice choosing to ignore such issues.

    We're applying a warning to just about every post in the thread thus far for a reason. The intention is to bring attention to the issue and not risk posters never coming back to the thread and realize how their posts contributed to an environment of dismissing and ignoring these issues.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    The first question in the second paragraph of the OP is about the animation quality.
     
    Jarmel

    Jarmel

    The Jackrabbit Always Wins
    Member
    Oct 25, 2017
    19,297
    New York
    Poodlestrike said:
    Official Staff Communication
    Before posting, please read the OP in full. The animation quality is not all that is being discussed here. The OP is also asking about how other adaptations handle one of the most visceral and disturbing examples of sexual assault in manga/anime. Please think about what message you are sending when you are another voice choosing to ignore such issues.

    We're applying a warning to just about every post in the thread thus far for a reason. The intention is to bring attention to the issue and not risk posters never coming back to the thread and realize how their posts contributed to an environment of dismissing and ignoring these issues.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Ok, I think this is sorta nonsense. There were two questions posed in the thread, one of which was asking about the animation which people generally responded to. As to the other question, the 2016 adaptation is post Eclipse and really deals with the fallout of the event. The OP seems to be asking does the tone of the show/work change and the answer is largely no but 2016 such a bad adaptation on so many other fronts that it's really not worth delving into this particular aspect in regards to this work as 2016 just fails on other basic fundamental levels. The advice of just ignoring 2016 is generally correct because the show is trash.
     
    Regulus Tera

    Regulus Tera

    Member
    Oct 25, 2017
    19,458
    It never gets as bad again as what Griffith does to Casca, but I do wonder why you choose to continue engaging with Berserk considering the subject matter clearly makes you uncomfortable. The aftermath of the 1997 ending colours the rest of the narrative, and it's not there just for shock value.
     
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