Berserk Resurfaces One of Its Earliest Anime Inspiration

The world of Berserk is definitely one of the darkest that was created within the medium of anime, and while creator Kentaro Miura passed last year, leaving his amazing story unfinished, fans are still discussing the story of the Band of the Hawk to this day. Recently, fans of Guts have discovered a film from the 1970s that appears to mirror a number of images and characters from the world of Berserk, leaving many to wonder if Miura had used the past movie as inspiration.

Berserk was first released as a manga in 1989 via the publication known as Young Animal, telling the dark story of the black swordsman named Guts that was seeking revenge for his lost comrades while also battling demonic entities that were so grotesque, it was often hard for readers to wrap their minds around what they were looking at. Recently, fans discovered the movie known as Belladonna of Sadness, an anime film that was released in 1973 and seemed to have images that looked similar to Berserk’s terrifying Eclipse as well as the designs of the god-like demons known as the Godhand. 

Reddit User Morbid Corbon shared the side-by-side comparison with this lesser-known animated film and the beloved franchise known as Berserk, showing some of the inspiration that Kentaro Miura might have used in bringing the story of the Band of the Hawk to life and in turn creating a story that influenced countless anime and video game series in turn:

Similarities between Belladonna of Sadness (1973) and Berserk
byu/morbidcorbin inBerserk

The publishers of the series have been tight-lipped regarding whether the series will continue with Kentaro Miura no longer at the helm, with fans wondering if Miura’s assistants might bring the story of Guts to an end following the creator’s passing. Considering how popular the series has become, it’s a surefire bet that the series will eventually return with a new anime adaptation, with the producers of Netflix’s Castlevania having stated in the past that they would love to take a crack at this dark world.

Have you had a chance to watch the beautifully dark movie Belladonna of Sadness? What do you think the future holds for Berserk? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Band of the Hawk.