‘Berserk’ Shares Live-Action Promo Honoring Latest Volume

Kentaro Miura’s Berserk is one of the most popular manga series despite dealing with many hiatuses over the years, but fans keep coming back for the series’ detailed, bleak visual style.

The 40th Volume of the series was recently launched in Japan, and to celebrate, the series released a new live-action promotional video featuring some pretty cool visuals.

Featuring Shigeru Matsuzaki (who starred in the live-action Space Adventure Cobra) as Guts, the promo follows Guts on his lonely journey as he battles the various monsters in the series. With 40 million volumes of the manga printed worldwide (as confirmed by the end of the promotional video), the series is more primed for a full live-action adaptation than ever now that it has also returned from its latest hiatus.

Dark Horse recently released Volume 39 of the series last July, and is even releasing a new collector’s edition February 29 next year for an estimated $49.99 USD. The Berserk Deluxe Collector’s Edition will feature the first three volumes of the manga in Miura’s “preferred” 7″ X 10″ page format as well.

Berserk was originally created by Kentaro Miura for Monthly Animal House magazine (now Young Animal) in 1989. The series follows Guts, an immensely strong warrior who is known for his massive sword. Guts lives his days fighting in a demon-infested medieval world where corrupt nobles rule. The hero is plagued by demon assailants thanks to a curse he had branded on him, and Guts continues to fight in order to keep a vow. The man promised to slay a former friend of his who became a demon and ripped away Guts’ former life.

Berserk has had a few anime adaptations over the years, beginning in 1997, with varied success. The franchise got a makeover in 2016 from GEMBA and Millepensee, with the second adaptation covering the manga’s ‘Conviction’ arc. The series was tentatively praised for its writing, but Berserk‘s new anime adaptation has become infamous for its poor use of CG animation and low quality production.

The anime series is described as such:

“Spurred by the flame raging in his heart, the Black Swordsman Guts continues his seemingly endless quest for revenge. Standing in his path are heinous outlaws, delusional evil spirits, and a devout child of god. Even as it chips away at his life, Guts continues to fight his enemies, who wield repulsive and inhuman power, with nary but his body and sword—his strength as a human. What lies at the end of his travels? The answer is shrouded in the “night.” Strain your eyes and stare into the dark!”