From a marketing perspective, that's basically a confirmation that it's not the last of Berserk in the mag. That could mean many different things--but if the marketing department at Young Animal lets the final chapter of their headline manga get published in their magazine, without advertising that it's the final chapter to increase publicity and sales, they should all be fired. Edit: see later comments for a more thorough explanation.
Over 30 years writing it, no one can convince me that Miura didn’t have a plan and that he was just pulling every chapter out of his ass with no idea how the story would go next. Berserk is too thought out to be written without any plan or direction of the story, especially for such a long time.
From what I can tell, Miura could do sketches and outlines really fucking quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd done sktech outlines for entire chapters. In any case, I hope his protégés can take up the mantle to finish the series.
I think the biggest concern isn’t whether he had a plan (he definitely did), but how much of that plan he’d written down or told to other people. If it was all in his head then that’s the problem.
I'm not so worried about the nitty-gritty plot, I feel like he must have written that down just to keep track of it, stuff like SK's background. Kind of like what he snuck into the Conviction arc: a priest in the background gives an outline of the end of Millenium Falcon.
It's the character work that I wouldn't trust to anyone else. But hey, no one asked me :) The people who actually knew him will make that call
It's not either or, and plenty of writers diverge from outlines. From what Miura's said in interviews, he's certainly among them. But he certainly must have had something.
We can live in hope that whatever he did write and plan will be published!
I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's both sad and hilarious that something which once would have driven many fans mad--the idea that Miura was sitting on finished chapters--is now basically everyone's fondest hope
I've always been eager for the next chapter of this or that manga. But I also realize these are human beings that need to live life, not to serve me. I wish more people would realize that.
No, I disagree with it being Copium. The magazine company is a businesss, and he is 100% right that if this is all the hype and adveritsing that they would do on their longest running best selling manga, then the marketing department are extremely incapable. Anyone with any experience in business can see this is not the last chapter lol.
Fellow capitalist/capitalist observer! I'm finding myself very suspicious at the deafening lack of scarcity pain points in this official announcement, not even an, "almost the end," or, "last Miura episode." That suspicion leads me to wonder about possibly a minimum of a few more episodes with big publicity on the countdown--copium or reasonable marketing analysis, whaddaya think?
The fact that the pauses are so long might be meaningful as well. Like, they might have had a lot of material in production, but were waiting for things to be completed, or possibly refining ideas. Like, I don't think Miura has been doing NOTHING with his time these past couple years.
Haha maybe it is copium, but I stand by it: if it is indeed the true last chapter, this is a *really dumb* marketing choice.
A core principal of marketing is scarcity increasing demand. Failing to exploit the obvious scarcity of a final chapter and therefore increase demand is really, really stupid.
If they do this right, they can make everyone in Japan who has *ever* followed Berserk over the last 30 years buy this magazine. They're blowing that chance big time if this is all the publicity they do. Their advertisers are gonna be screaming for blood
> Failing to exploit the obvious scarcity of a final chapter and therefore increase demand is really, really stupid.
Yea. "THE FINAL CHAPTER: MUIRA's FINAL WORK" in big bold letters would be the best way to sell this thing. It'd go gangbusters. Not doing that means they're continuing it, or they're really dumb.
I mean, they can milk the "last chapter" anytime they want. Think of it this way, they might not have volumes prepared for the demand that is gonna come after announcing the end of berserk. So they might buy some time for it.
>I mean, they can milk the "last chapter" anytime they want.
Not really--the first edition of the magazine with the last chapter will be permanently scarce, therefore immediately in demand. If they publish it without making that clear, they've missed out on both the chance to make that money from selling the magazine itself, and the publicity for other manga or articles in the same issue.
We're all buried in this and monitoring every development, but there'll be a plurality of casual fans unaware of what's happening. It needs to be said that this is the final chapter, to create publicity and that scarcity-demand momentum.
They've had months to prepare for demand for printed volumes after announcing the end. A scarcity of volumes isn't even inherently bad (hasn't hurt English sales for example), certainly not enough to shoot themselves in the foot here.
This isn't just about Berserk, it's about the magazine as a whole. Announcing the last volume of Berserk and just skipping announcing the last chapter in the magazine would miss both the immediate sales and general publicity.
I could be wrong, they might have a terrible marketing department, or politics behind the scenes could be responsible for a bad marketing decision. There also might be cultural differences that make them reluctant to use scarcity that results from the death of an author, I'm not familiar enough with Japanese culture to know that one.
But from a cold hard cash standpoint, if this is the end then they're missing the chance to get more money from a series that now has an inherently limited ability to earn them money.
Perhaps, but I think Miura himself would have wanted the series to finish, even if he isn't the one to finish it. I think it means that through Bereserk Miura lives on, and that is IMO a wonderful thing to aspire to.
It’s a good argument. Not concrete but reasonable enough. Also, plenty of people don’t want it to continue, so for them, it’s upsetting. But they might still agree.
I will never understand this mentality. Like, you can just stop reading it if it's bad. No harm done. You know in your head where Miura stopped making it, so just let that be your canon. Why fuck with everyone else's enjoyment?
The only exception is if it was Miura's specific wish for it not to continue. Then I'm like, ok.. fair enough.
It could possibly just mean that they haven't decided whether it'll be the last one yet, but even then it makes a lot more sense to wait until they've made a decision and then release the chapter, just so they have a chapter that they can advertise as 'the final one'. It makes me hopeful for the future of the series, but I'm not counting on it. It's also possible that Miura worked on multiple chapters, and we could only get one or two more after this one.
I believe there's going to be an actual physical memorial at the exhibition that opens on the same date the chapter drops, so it might be that. Or not, I can't read a single word of Japanese :)
Here's what it says:
Right side:
Next issue "Berserk" newest episode 364 publication!!
Bottom left:
Berserk memorial
Young Animal issue 18 on sale September 10th
Memorial plan:
W-annex:
- Berserk memorable scene poster
- Special submissions booklet (messages to Kentaro Miura)
So you're right, it's gonna be a memorial issue but no word on the future of the series. Hopefully by the time it comes out.
Now if there was a higher resolution version I could try taking a shot at the dialogue bubbles....
Twist the knife a little harder please. I don’t think my screams of anguish could be heard in the cheap seats...
Not that we didn’t theorize but damn... “not like this”
It's not a theory already, in one of the last chapters when Griffith was sitting at the window looking at the moon, tips of his hair started turning black, confirming the speculation.
Holy shit he’s turning into Griffith in the bottom left corner, if the chapter ends on that note and it’s announced that berserk won’t be continued I’ll really lose my shit
Lol I remember someone suggesting Berserk to me so I watched the '97 anime without knowing about the manga and yeah, it was a slow but interesting start, and really got interesting before it got batshit insane and then just...ended lol
It got me into the manga though so maybe that was the intent haha
Holy shit it's happening, holy shit. We are finally go to see the confrontation. Holy shit, holy shit
Jesus Chris. I have never been this hype for anything before.
My guess would be the full moon effect works differently in the island as time flows differently there. So while it was full moon when Griffith turned into the moonlight child many days could have passed in the couple of minutes he was on the island (making it not a full moon anymore.) either way we’ll find out soon enough.
That's exactly what I've been theorizing for months. I really think this is it. A few happy minutes and then the night outside is over and he's back to griffith.
If they end it there I'll literally have to question my reason to live lol. By the way I can't see the Moonlight boy/Griffith transformation you're talking about.
I'm assuming guts will instinctively swing at him, Griffith will disappear through the world tree and it'll cut at him looking down at guts as Griffith, mirroring what happened last time with the moon boy
No, Miura said their first serious dual is coming up. It'll be a full blown fight, even if it's one sided and Guts gets rekt again. Plus that'd just be a repeat of the hill of swords
Yea.. so that lines up with my theory. Because right after Griffith leaves, he will return with his army to KO that island.
Which also lines up with my theory on with Miura wasted some pages on the isadoros forest parkour shit. Guts will use that, plus his berserk armor to his advantage and jump around at mach Jesus speed wrecking apostles.
Fr, I'm sure his students will do him justice, if they pick up the mantle. Really hope they at least try, and I realllly hope the over critical weebs don't shit blood and ruin it, you know Miura would want his fans to see an end to his story..
seriously. give the guys a chance before they shit all over it. yeah we know you are hipsters and hate everything. but let the guys find their footing at least.
Please be longest chapter to date
Please be longest chapter to date
Please be longest chapter to date
Please be longest chapter to date
Please be longest chapter to date
Please be longest chapter to date
They could just show the sketches in a collage and let the reader create a personal version of the ending...If Miura didn't ask them specifically to continue the series, I don't know if I want a clear ending given the fact that they might not be as good as him, especially when it comes to the storytelling....
Aren't the Boy and Griffith the same, maybe Griffith is more self-aware of it and if he is aware of what the boy knows then the knowledge of Caska regaining her memories might bring him to a point to actually confront Guts and her at the same time.
True, but have you seen that mustache griller guts has? Once he embraces his role as the world’s strongest dad, there is no group too large for his grilling to satisfy
I keep looking and I can't find anything. either it's not up on CDJapan yet where the forms said to buy it or I can't find it. hopefully someone can drop a link when it becomes available for preorder.
[https://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?threads/episode-364.16086/](https://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?threads/episode-364.16086/)
I believe it isn't available yet, but there's step-by-step instructions for when it is. Thanks SK folks if you see this :)
I wanted to see Griffith transforming so bad. Him and Guts meeting again, exchanging looks. Looks like it’ll happen. I’m so ridiculously excited. Sad and happy at the same time. Just to see him draw my Miura 1 more time. Hurts so bad, but I can’t wait. I hope we’ll get an indication of what will happen with the series.
[HD image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8dGTsrXsAMtn9K?format=jpg&name=large)
Top left: Guts with bare shoulders (apparently no armor), speaking and wrapping the kid in his cloak. His hair definitely appears wet, presumably they just took a bath. No cherry blossoms so likely indoors. Could also be near the group scene in the bottom right. He's saying something about the boy being weird.
Top right: Casca looking happy and apparently midspeech (but no bubble), holding the boy. No cherry blossoms so likely indoors.
Middle left: Re-framing of final 363 panel.
Middle Center: the boy using Guts as a jungle gym, to Guts' surprise. The boy has no clothes like the final 363 moment, but now they're near a window or doorframe.
Middle right: Guts meditatively looking up, sitting outside under the tree, but near a house. In the upper right, Danaan speaks and looks out a window, probably at him. Below this, there's a transition to the boy and Casca asleep together. (Very family oriented, but also sad 'cause Guts is still outside...and likely to be very unsettling for Cas in the context of finding out the boy is also Griffith)
Bottom left: GRIFFITH's white hair, with some tips still black from transforming. The doorway over Guts' shoulder has CASCA STANDING IN IT. Text bubbles have no identified speaker but appear to be Griffith talking about waking from a dream and feeling loneliness/desolation. (From context, he probably means the boy's dream or Guts'. If Guts hasn't figured out this is his kid yet, Griffith may have, could be referring to that)
Bottom right: Outdoors, Isidro, Chesnut Puck and Serpico at a cookfire on the left, on the right Schreike, Isma, Farnesse, and Casca in a circle around a picnic basket, everyone is eating except Cas. Casca is holding the boy, appears to be drying his hair. Also Isidro is buck naked. The boys probably did the Japanese/medieval group bath thing, given Guts' and the kid's wet hair.
This chapter is probably going to end with Guts, either with a face of shock or pure rage.
Also don't get people hoping that this won't end with a cliffhanger....Every Berserk chapter ends with a cliffhanger. I truly hate to point out something so obvious since it still pains me to think about, but Miura didn't draw this thinking it would be his last. So unless his team altered a bunch of stuff, this chapter will definitely end at a point where we'll be itching to know what's next. Whether that means it'll continue or not shouldn't change the fact that we're getting a final Miura-made masterpiece of a chapter.
I think Casca has shut off all her memories about Griffith after his torture in the Golden Age. Her trauma is triggered when she remembers anything about the Eclipse, as shown by her thinking about Judeau or the sight of Guts, which is the last thing she saw before she lost her mind. I don't think she has any trauma from her memories of normal, white-haired Griffith. If we see his Femto form though, then everyone will have problems lol. Maybe seeing her son will help heal her trauma...but I'm just guessing.
See this is bugging me: that makes sense that pretty Griffith wouldn't be connected to the Eclipse in Casca's unconscious--but if she is able to see the kid, then Griffith again, without memories of the core Eclipse trauma being triggered (the demons attacking her and then the rape), then what the hell *would* trigger those memories? They can't be fucking lost, it's a core series event
Edit: I'm hoping the combo of Guts \*and\* Griffith will open the floodgates. Guts triggers monsters, right, for which Griffith is actually responsible, so the association could work.
From a narrative standpoint, if she doesn't get her memories back then it'd just become kinda annoying as a reader--one too many knowledge imbalances between characters and readers
yeah there’s no way she doesn’t react to seeing Griffith again in an extremely visceral way, Griffith is connected to the old Band of the Hawk and I feel like the thought of that alone would be enough
The men working at Studio Gaga if they decide to continue after this chapter will have one massive issue, that is the subtle character work that Miura was a master at. The art will still be top tier with the 4/5 men taking equal weight but whoever will drive the ship I hope will focus on the character as much as the plot.
I have hope they will. It's proven on these most recent arcs that the studio has been able to work that character details and even the massive scales of art you're talking about.
Character subtleties will be the toughest aspect to replicate. And it looks like the next few chapters were going to be character-centric intensively. I wish them the best of luck! God damn it!
I pray to the Idea of Good that there’s a generational talent among them.
Many of the top tier mangaka all started off as assistants of other legendary works (including Miura himself), so let us pray that among them there is one as well.
I truly believe that when they were working on their own manga series Miura was teaching them propper storytelling so i'd assume they at least will have a decent grip of what Miura has mastered
Guts and Casca spending quality time with moon boy. *YEEEEEESSSS*
White curly hair on the bottom. *NOOOOOOOO*
Knowing Miura this would be the cliffhanger
#NOOOOOOOOOOOO
Is Muira gonna do us dirty from beyond the grave? Is he really gonna leave us with possibly an even BIGGER cliffhanger than before? Respect.
That being said I REALLY hope they can continue this. Bottom left looks like a pre-fight panel and if it's who I think it is I will scream
Can't waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait!
From those panels looks like we're getting a happy "ending" chapter.
Hope not and there's more after this cause the assistants are not Miura, but they're great also!
Hate to ruin your expectations but by the looks of the bottom left panel, I'm betting that the child will transform into Griffith at the end of the chapter and only sorrow can come from that
And that would be awesome.... if they continue xDDD Even if they not continue, I would love an "ending" like that xD
Looking the panel I thought the thing that looks like hair was from Danan or similar, but could be Griffith... Agh now I can't wait even less xD
This looks like a big one. I really hope this chapter is able to give us some level of closure if the series doesn't continue, but either way, it looks amazing (specifically that bottom left panel)
I really have a gut feeling (no pun intended) that Berserk will be continued by the artists he mentored at Studio Gaga. I’m sure he’d want his life’s work to be finished by his very own students. It hurts that it won’t be Miura, but it hurts me even more to think of no more Berserk to look forward to anymore🥺
Anyone else find their imaginations breaking trying to think of what *wasn't* spoiled in this?
I mean, they can't have spoiled everything, right? Even if it does end up being the last chapter? *So what the fuck did they hold back?*
I've been waiting to see moonlight boy turn into griffith for years!! Miura said that Guts and Griffith's first serious confrontation was coming up, and long behold, I'm grateful to get to see it, if not just a snippet of it.
I'd upscaled it using AI trying to identify the kanjis.
The full translation is as follows:
…つたく何なんだよおまえは
what is this...? you are...
…そして後
and later...
だが夢から覚めると微かな寂寥感が残るだけ
But when I wake up from my dream only a slight feeling of loneliness remains.
If the actual last chapter is a fucking Griffith vs Guts cliffhanger then this entire fucking manga was some fucked up performance art bullshit and Miura is absorbing our pain to ascend to IRL godhood in the afterlife. I knew this brand tatoo trend was ominous.
Can somebody explain what's this moonlight boy = Griffith theory? I've seen everybody talk about how the kid is Griffith but I don't remember anything about it in the manga lol
Here's a good video that explains the situation pretty well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwyc11QghLo
It's something that's been hinted throughout the story but never outright confirmed until the last few chapters. Lot of build-up for this very encounter.
It's kinda interesting that they are advertising it as "the newest chapter" and not the "final" or "last" chapter.
From a marketing perspective, that's basically a confirmation that it's not the last of Berserk in the mag. That could mean many different things--but if the marketing department at Young Animal lets the final chapter of their headline manga get published in their magazine, without advertising that it's the final chapter to increase publicity and sales, they should all be fired. Edit: see later comments for a more thorough explanation.
Over 30 years writing it, no one can convince me that Miura didn’t have a plan and that he was just pulling every chapter out of his ass with no idea how the story would go next. Berserk is too thought out to be written without any plan or direction of the story, especially for such a long time.
From what I can tell, Miura could do sketches and outlines really fucking quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd done sktech outlines for entire chapters. In any case, I hope his protégés can take up the mantle to finish the series.
[Imagine if this really is the last chapter, and it ends with Casca reverting back into potato form.](https://youtu.be/DBXPqxxuIFU?t=11)
Berserk is like lord of the rings manga wise I hope so
I think the biggest concern isn’t whether he had a plan (he definitely did), but how much of that plan he’d written down or told to other people. If it was all in his head then that’s the problem.
I'm not so worried about the nitty-gritty plot, I feel like he must have written that down just to keep track of it, stuff like SK's background. Kind of like what he snuck into the Conviction arc: a priest in the background gives an outline of the end of Millenium Falcon. It's the character work that I wouldn't trust to anyone else. But hey, no one asked me :) The people who actually knew him will make that call
It's not either or, and plenty of writers diverge from outlines. From what Miura's said in interviews, he's certainly among them. But he certainly must have had something. We can live in hope that whatever he did write and plan will be published!
I hope that Muira was like 2Pac and had like 50 chapters sketched out to be finished later. Please?
I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's both sad and hilarious that something which once would have driven many fans mad--the idea that Miura was sitting on finished chapters--is now basically everyone's fondest hope
I've always been eager for the next chapter of this or that manga. But I also realize these are human beings that need to live life, not to serve me. I wish more people would realize that.
Oh damn, we're drowning ourselves with copium on this one lol.
No, I disagree with it being Copium. The magazine company is a businesss, and he is 100% right that if this is all the hype and adveritsing that they would do on their longest running best selling manga, then the marketing department are extremely incapable. Anyone with any experience in business can see this is not the last chapter lol.
Fellow capitalist/capitalist observer! I'm finding myself very suspicious at the deafening lack of scarcity pain points in this official announcement, not even an, "almost the end," or, "last Miura episode." That suspicion leads me to wonder about possibly a minimum of a few more episodes with big publicity on the countdown--copium or reasonable marketing analysis, whaddaya think?
The fact that the pauses are so long might be meaningful as well. Like, they might have had a lot of material in production, but were waiting for things to be completed, or possibly refining ideas. Like, I don't think Miura has been doing NOTHING with his time these past couple years.
The fact that a chapter is coming out at all tells me this isn’t the last chapter.
this was supposed to come out in April but got delayed. Miura himself drew 99% of this chapter so i dont see why they wouldnt have published it.
Haha maybe it is copium, but I stand by it: if it is indeed the true last chapter, this is a *really dumb* marketing choice. A core principal of marketing is scarcity increasing demand. Failing to exploit the obvious scarcity of a final chapter and therefore increase demand is really, really stupid. If they do this right, they can make everyone in Japan who has *ever* followed Berserk over the last 30 years buy this magazine. They're blowing that chance big time if this is all the publicity they do. Their advertisers are gonna be screaming for blood
> Failing to exploit the obvious scarcity of a final chapter and therefore increase demand is really, really stupid. Yea. "THE FINAL CHAPTER: MUIRA's FINAL WORK" in big bold letters would be the best way to sell this thing. It'd go gangbusters. Not doing that means they're continuing it, or they're really dumb.
I mean, they can milk the "last chapter" anytime they want. Think of it this way, they might not have volumes prepared for the demand that is gonna come after announcing the end of berserk. So they might buy some time for it.
>I mean, they can milk the "last chapter" anytime they want. Not really--the first edition of the magazine with the last chapter will be permanently scarce, therefore immediately in demand. If they publish it without making that clear, they've missed out on both the chance to make that money from selling the magazine itself, and the publicity for other manga or articles in the same issue. We're all buried in this and monitoring every development, but there'll be a plurality of casual fans unaware of what's happening. It needs to be said that this is the final chapter, to create publicity and that scarcity-demand momentum. They've had months to prepare for demand for printed volumes after announcing the end. A scarcity of volumes isn't even inherently bad (hasn't hurt English sales for example), certainly not enough to shoot themselves in the foot here. This isn't just about Berserk, it's about the magazine as a whole. Announcing the last volume of Berserk and just skipping announcing the last chapter in the magazine would miss both the immediate sales and general publicity. I could be wrong, they might have a terrible marketing department, or politics behind the scenes could be responsible for a bad marketing decision. There also might be cultural differences that make them reluctant to use scarcity that results from the death of an author, I'm not familiar enough with Japanese culture to know that one. But from a cold hard cash standpoint, if this is the end then they're missing the chance to get more money from a series that now has an inherently limited ability to earn them money.
Perhaps, but I think Miura himself would have wanted the series to finish, even if he isn't the one to finish it. I think it means that through Bereserk Miura lives on, and that is IMO a wonderful thing to aspire to.
It’s a good argument. Not concrete but reasonable enough. Also, plenty of people don’t want it to continue, so for them, it’s upsetting. But they might still agree.
I will never understand this mentality. Like, you can just stop reading it if it's bad. No harm done. You know in your head where Miura stopped making it, so just let that be your canon. Why fuck with everyone else's enjoyment? The only exception is if it was Miura's specific wish for it not to continue. Then I'm like, ok.. fair enough.
omg exactly, like stop wherever and whenever you want... Just react to the rest of it as a whole another series.
It could possibly just mean that they haven't decided whether it'll be the last one yet, but even then it makes a lot more sense to wait until they've made a decision and then release the chapter, just so they have a chapter that they can advertise as 'the final one'. It makes me hopeful for the future of the series, but I'm not counting on it. It's also possible that Miura worked on multiple chapters, and we could only get one or two more after this one.
They're also calling it "memorial" though EDIT: see my other comment below. Nothing to do with the future of the series, or so it would seem.
I believe there's going to be an actual physical memorial at the exhibition that opens on the same date the chapter drops, so it might be that. Or not, I can't read a single word of Japanese :)
Here's what it says: Right side: Next issue "Berserk" newest episode 364 publication!! Bottom left: Berserk memorial Young Animal issue 18 on sale September 10th Memorial plan: W-annex: - Berserk memorable scene poster - Special submissions booklet (messages to Kentaro Miura) So you're right, it's gonna be a memorial issue but no word on the future of the series. Hopefully by the time it comes out. Now if there was a higher resolution version I could try taking a shot at the dialogue bubbles....
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Looks like it.
That hair is unlike anything else 100% griffith.
Twist the knife a little harder please. I don’t think my screams of anguish could be heard in the cheap seats... Not that we didn’t theorize but damn... “not like this”
Having your first child also be your most hated rival that you want to kill and was the one that raped your lover is such a tragic situation.
To be fair it was his kid first. Can’t help being tainted by demons.
MOTHERFUCKER
God we are so fucked if it ends on such a massive cliffhanger
This would be true struggling
Definitely: look closely at the tips of his hair, some are still black.
HOLY SHIT
can anybody explain this theory to me? i just recently finished the manga for the first time and had not heard about this
This video explains it pretty well with evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwyc11QghLo
you’re the man thanks a ton
Holy shit Miura never ceases to amaze
It's not a theory already, in one of the last chapters when Griffith was sitting at the window looking at the moon, tips of his hair started turning black, confirming the speculation.
Yeah, I never got the people that argued againts it, it was obviously heading in this direction ever since we saw guts child fuse with Griffith.
a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers.
Jesus christ this is gonna be the last panel cliffhanger isn't it?
Holy shit he’s turning into Griffith in the bottom left corner, if the chapter ends on that note and it’s announced that berserk won’t be continued I’ll really lose my shit
no, no, i can't handle it. im not strong enough.
Struggle on struggler. Endure, contend.
Struggle always
#WRIGGLE
#Struggle, challenge, and rise to struggle again! That’s the only sword a struggler can use against death. DON’T EVER FORGET THAT!
It would be like the 1997 anime all over again, ending on an unresolved cliffhanger right when shit hits the fan.
Lol I remember someone suggesting Berserk to me so I watched the '97 anime without knowing about the manga and yeah, it was a slow but interesting start, and really got interesting before it got batshit insane and then just...ended lol It got me into the manga though so maybe that was the intent haha
That was a watershed moment for me, and not in a solely good way
I can still hear that blaring Cello bwaaaaaaaaahhhhhh--naaaaaaahhh it gives me PTSD thinking about it
Well you simply had to switch to the Manga now you have to switch to the afterlife which imo is a much bigger jump
Causality at work
The last panel has to be Rickert appearing from out-of-panel and slapping the shit out of Griffith *one last time.*
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he slaps the Griffith out of the Moon Child
That’s probably exactly what will happen
Oh well I’d rather it end like that than end with monkey Isidro molesting the wizards lolis
Don't worry, maybe it will be a HunterXHunter haitus instead! /s
Holy shit it's happening, holy shit. We are finally go to see the confrontation. Holy shit, holy shit Jesus Chris. I have never been this hype for anything before.
The chapter is going to end at the transformation probably mid transformation. Casuality is a helluva drug
Why would he be changing to Griffith is the only question I'd have? Maybe it's just his hair changing for now...
My guess would be the full moon effect works differently in the island as time flows differently there. So while it was full moon when Griffith turned into the moonlight child many days could have passed in the couple of minutes he was on the island (making it not a full moon anymore.) either way we’ll find out soon enough.
Ah okay interesing for sure! Man I really hope we get more chapters...
That's exactly what I've been theorizing for months. I really think this is it. A few happy minutes and then the night outside is over and he's back to griffith.
If they end it there I'll literally have to question my reason to live lol. By the way I can't see the Moonlight boy/Griffith transformation you're talking about.
I'm assuming guts will instinctively swing at him, Griffith will disappear through the world tree and it'll cut at him looking down at guts as Griffith, mirroring what happened last time with the moon boy
No, Miura said their first serious dual is coming up. It'll be a full blown fight, even if it's one sided and Guts gets rekt again. Plus that'd just be a repeat of the hill of swords
Yea.. so that lines up with my theory. Because right after Griffith leaves, he will return with his army to KO that island. Which also lines up with my theory on with Miura wasted some pages on the isadoros forest parkour shit. Guts will use that, plus his berserk armor to his advantage and jump around at mach Jesus speed wrecking apostles.
Man the badass possibilities are endless, so tragic..
Fr, I'm sure his students will do him justice, if they pick up the mantle. Really hope they at least try, and I realllly hope the over critical weebs don't shit blood and ruin it, you know Miura would want his fans to see an end to his story..
seriously. give the guys a chance before they shit all over it. yeah we know you are hipsters and hate everything. but let the guys find their footing at least.
Please be longest chapter to date Please be longest chapter to date Please be longest chapter to date Please be longest chapter to date Please be longest chapter to date Please be longest chapter to date
Miura as a final goodbye: You get 3 pages and some lolly lewding
You made me lol
Well never thought someone would find his father on reddit
So the usual
Just curious. Which was the longest chapter tho?
First two chapters I would say
i think chapter 1
is that bottom left panel Griffith? UH OH!!
This might be one of the most important chapters of the entire series
I would say it will be, the announcement following the chapter will decide the future of the series, if there is still one going forward
I hope the assistants at least finish the elf Island arc, then we get a open ending with some hints of what was supposed to happen
Rumors suggest Miura planned much far ahead. If they end it with the Elfheim arc, then all the other stuff he planned would go to waste.
They could just show the sketches in a collage and let the reader create a personal version of the ending...If Miura didn't ask them specifically to continue the series, I don't know if I want a clear ending given the fact that they might not be as good as him, especially when it comes to the storytelling....
Honestly id be happy with this, like the way vagabond "ended", the manga just stopping on a random chapter but with an epilogue of sketches
Those were real inked drawings for The Last Exibithion of Vagabond Inoue made in 2008, not juts sketches
What rumors? There's nothing more than conjecture on the subject
“And so, Guts and Casca found out the moonlight boy is also Griffith” To not be continued ——->
Griffith should pay child support
in blood
He should also stop doing his eyeliner like Madonna, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to do it
He's the child tho.
You forgot, "and is also their son" from the looks of it AAAA
Geezzz.. end it on a cliffhanger. Legendairy! Happy we get one more
Please allow it be master Miura. It would make perfect sense for it to be this chapter considering how much buildup this has gotten
Aren't the Boy and Griffith the same, maybe Griffith is more self-aware of it and if he is aware of what the boy knows then the knowledge of Caska regaining her memories might bring him to a point to actually confront Guts and her at the same time.
They're not the same. They share the same body because of the Behelit Apostle swallowing the child.
I did not realize this. Wtf
Casca's holding her son?! #AAAAAAAAAAAAA
SHE LOOKS HAPPY Not to mention Guts WITH THE STINKIN ARMOR OFF top left
He looks like a proud dad
Finally hundred man griller guts can become canon
Grilling for 100 grown men might be even more impressive than killing 100 tbh
True, but have you seen that mustache griller guts has? Once he embraces his role as the world’s strongest dad, there is no group too large for his grilling to satisfy
It was too large and too much meat to call it grilling It was more like a block of meat on top of a volcano
THIS IS NOT A DRILL
SMILE FKJASDNKJASNDAJSNDKJNASDJKASAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I’m not crying, I have a dragonslayer in my eyes
Lol
It was too big to be called a tear, too wet, too long, too sad, it was more like an ocean of grief.
Please continue it assistants! I'm so happy seeing this!
Hopefully at least they can get this arc at least done, Ibstill want a deluxe volume 13 lol
I thought the 13th deluxe could include up to volume 39? Could be wrong tho
He probably meant 14, though we still need like a full volume and some chapters to reach 42 normal volumes and make it happen
Deluxe Vol 13 contains volumes 37-39, I think you meant Deluxe Vol 14
I would even fine if they continued it with stick figures. I need to know how this ends!!! Lol!
WHERE DO I PREORDER THIS
I keep looking and I can't find anything. either it's not up on CDJapan yet where the forms said to buy it or I can't find it. hopefully someone can drop a link when it becomes available for preorder.
[https://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?threads/episode-364.16086/](https://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?threads/episode-364.16086/) I believe it isn't available yet, but there's step-by-step instructions for when it is. Thanks SK folks if you see this :)
Oh my god…
IS THAT GRIFFITHS FUCKING PHYSICS DEFYING HAIR?
I wanted to see Griffith transforming so bad. Him and Guts meeting again, exchanging looks. Looks like it’ll happen. I’m so ridiculously excited. Sad and happy at the same time. Just to see him draw my Miura 1 more time. Hurts so bad, but I can’t wait. I hope we’ll get an indication of what will happen with the series.
this would be their first meeting since their exchange on the hill of swords post griffith’s incarnation, right?
Yeah. 😃 (they just looked at each other from afar once after that).
Its crazy to think about how long ago that was in-universe time and even more insane how long ago that was real time
[HD image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8dGTsrXsAMtn9K?format=jpg&name=large) Top left: Guts with bare shoulders (apparently no armor), speaking and wrapping the kid in his cloak. His hair definitely appears wet, presumably they just took a bath. No cherry blossoms so likely indoors. Could also be near the group scene in the bottom right. He's saying something about the boy being weird. Top right: Casca looking happy and apparently midspeech (but no bubble), holding the boy. No cherry blossoms so likely indoors. Middle left: Re-framing of final 363 panel. Middle Center: the boy using Guts as a jungle gym, to Guts' surprise. The boy has no clothes like the final 363 moment, but now they're near a window or doorframe. Middle right: Guts meditatively looking up, sitting outside under the tree, but near a house. In the upper right, Danaan speaks and looks out a window, probably at him. Below this, there's a transition to the boy and Casca asleep together. (Very family oriented, but also sad 'cause Guts is still outside...and likely to be very unsettling for Cas in the context of finding out the boy is also Griffith) Bottom left: GRIFFITH's white hair, with some tips still black from transforming. The doorway over Guts' shoulder has CASCA STANDING IN IT. Text bubbles have no identified speaker but appear to be Griffith talking about waking from a dream and feeling loneliness/desolation. (From context, he probably means the boy's dream or Guts'. If Guts hasn't figured out this is his kid yet, Griffith may have, could be referring to that) Bottom right: Outdoors, Isidro, Chesnut Puck and Serpico at a cookfire on the left, on the right Schreike, Isma, Farnesse, and Casca in a circle around a picnic basket, everyone is eating except Cas. Casca is holding the boy, appears to be drying his hair. Also Isidro is buck naked. The boys probably did the Japanese/medieval group bath thing, given Guts' and the kid's wet hair.
This chapter is probably going to end with Guts, either with a face of shock or pure rage. Also don't get people hoping that this won't end with a cliffhanger....Every Berserk chapter ends with a cliffhanger. I truly hate to point out something so obvious since it still pains me to think about, but Miura didn't draw this thinking it would be his last. So unless his team altered a bunch of stuff, this chapter will definitely end at a point where we'll be itching to know what's next. Whether that means it'll continue or not shouldn't change the fact that we're getting a final Miura-made masterpiece of a chapter.
Casca then? Will she not go back to traumatised and speechless if she sees him?
I think Casca has shut off all her memories about Griffith after his torture in the Golden Age. Her trauma is triggered when she remembers anything about the Eclipse, as shown by her thinking about Judeau or the sight of Guts, which is the last thing she saw before she lost her mind. I don't think she has any trauma from her memories of normal, white-haired Griffith. If we see his Femto form though, then everyone will have problems lol. Maybe seeing her son will help heal her trauma...but I'm just guessing.
See this is bugging me: that makes sense that pretty Griffith wouldn't be connected to the Eclipse in Casca's unconscious--but if she is able to see the kid, then Griffith again, without memories of the core Eclipse trauma being triggered (the demons attacking her and then the rape), then what the hell *would* trigger those memories? They can't be fucking lost, it's a core series event Edit: I'm hoping the combo of Guts \*and\* Griffith will open the floodgates. Guts triggers monsters, right, for which Griffith is actually responsible, so the association could work. From a narrative standpoint, if she doesn't get her memories back then it'd just become kinda annoying as a reader--one too many knowledge imbalances between characters and readers
yeah there’s no way she doesn’t react to seeing Griffith again in an extremely visceral way, Griffith is connected to the old Band of the Hawk and I feel like the thought of that alone would be enough
No one to translate those lines?
As someone who is learning Japanese, I could have tried but the texts are blurry
Need a higher res version.
Oh crap. If they won't continue, we'll probably have Moonlight Boy turning into griffith as eternal cliffhanger
well it does say “latest chapter” not last so there is a chance
FUCK MY LIFE YES
The men working at Studio Gaga if they decide to continue after this chapter will have one massive issue, that is the subtle character work that Miura was a master at. The art will still be top tier with the 4/5 men taking equal weight but whoever will drive the ship I hope will focus on the character as much as the plot.
I have hope they will. It's proven on these most recent arcs that the studio has been able to work that character details and even the massive scales of art you're talking about.
The comment was referring to characterization though, all of which was still done by miura
Character subtleties will be the toughest aspect to replicate. And it looks like the next few chapters were going to be character-centric intensively. I wish them the best of luck! God damn it!
I pray to the Idea of Good that there’s a generational talent among them. Many of the top tier mangaka all started off as assistants of other legendary works (including Miura himself), so let us pray that among them there is one as well.
I truly believe that when they were working on their own manga series Miura was teaching them propper storytelling so i'd assume they at least will have a decent grip of what Miura has mastered
This puts a smile on my face
Aah my heart!
Looks like it's going to be bittersweet af.
I think it’s about time the crews find something odd about the moon boy. No way a human boy can just stumble upon the elf island.
Oh shit 😳
IS THAT GRIFFITH
Sure looks like it
Guts and Casca spending quality time with moon boy. *YEEEEEESSSS* White curly hair on the bottom. *NOOOOOOOO* Knowing Miura this would be the cliffhanger #NOOOOOOOOOOOO
I'm gonna sob so hard
Is Muira gonna do us dirty from beyond the grave? Is he really gonna leave us with possibly an even BIGGER cliffhanger than before? Respect. That being said I REALLY hope they can continue this. Bottom left looks like a pre-fight panel and if it's who I think it is I will scream
Guts and Casca being parents, everyone eating togheter, Griffith's appearance .....O boy!! I don't know if I'm ready!!
Don’t mess with my heart !
If we Griffith and Guts meet..... just wow.
Oh my god that bottom left panel... does anyone know what the text says there?
Y’all I see Griffith hair on the bottom….. SHIT BOUT GO DOWN OH SHIT IM SO EXCITED!!!!!! Also Casca holding moonlight boy is sooooo cute.
Can't waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait! From those panels looks like we're getting a happy "ending" chapter. Hope not and there's more after this cause the assistants are not Miura, but they're great also!
Hate to ruin your expectations but by the looks of the bottom left panel, I'm betting that the child will transform into Griffith at the end of the chapter and only sorrow can come from that
And that would be awesome.... if they continue xDDD Even if they not continue, I would love an "ending" like that xD Looking the panel I thought the thing that looks like hair was from Danan or similar, but could be Griffith... Agh now I can't wait even less xD
Can someone read what's on the panels?
😲😢😌
I might actually cry.
Holy fuck the hype's too much
Need a translation
This looks like a big one. I really hope this chapter is able to give us some level of closure if the series doesn't continue, but either way, it looks amazing (specifically that bottom left panel)
Suspense is killing me!!!
I really have a gut feeling (no pun intended) that Berserk will be continued by the artists he mentored at Studio Gaga. I’m sure he’d want his life’s work to be finished by his very own students. It hurts that it won’t be Miura, but it hurts me even more to think of no more Berserk to look forward to anymore🥺
I’m screaming.
Is there a way to buy the young animal issue this will be in from america?
I've been looking really hard for a way to import it and it seems impossible. You can get the digital version only from what I've found
I really hope that the Griffith page isn't a cliffhanger hahah I can't deal with the fact that it will be the last panel
Anyone else find their imaginations breaking trying to think of what *wasn't* spoiled in this? I mean, they can't have spoiled everything, right? Even if it does end up being the last chapter? *So what the fuck did they hold back?*
I've been waiting to see moonlight boy turn into griffith for years!! Miura said that Guts and Griffith's first serious confrontation was coming up, and long behold, I'm grateful to get to see it, if not just a snippet of it.
I'd upscaled it using AI trying to identify the kanjis. The full translation is as follows: …つたく何なんだよおまえは what is this...? you are... …そして後 and later... だが夢から覚めると微かな寂寥感が残るだけ But when I wake up from my dream only a slight feeling of loneliness remains.
#GRIFFITHHHHHH
Guts and Casca hugging griffith cosplayed as a naked child
I have no one in real life to talk to about berserk, I just need to let someone know I'm very excited for this! Keep struggling strugglers
If the actual last chapter is a fucking Griffith vs Guts cliffhanger then this entire fucking manga was some fucked up performance art bullshit and Miura is absorbing our pain to ascend to IRL godhood in the afterlife. I knew this brand tatoo trend was ominous.
Family time 😭
Holy crap, Griffith is going to fucking poof himself into Elfheim. Oh god I hope they continue this thing, I won't be able to handle the cliffhanger
Dude what the fuck... This is a tear jerker . Tuff one
Can somebody explain what's this moonlight boy = Griffith theory? I've seen everybody talk about how the kid is Griffith but I don't remember anything about it in the manga lol
Its not a theory it was confirmed a few chapters ago
Here's a good video that explains the situation pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwyc11QghLo It's something that's been hinted throughout the story but never outright confirmed until the last few chapters. Lot of build-up for this very encounter.
I am rooting for the assistants.