Berserk is one of those anime that make you think, I dare say like the Matrix. Although it takes place in a medieval setting, it has a lot to teach about destiny and our internal battles.
Despite its gory nature and dark theme, berserk is really deep with its character development and what appears to be its anti-hero, Guts.
When I think of Berserk I think of this quote.
Angels disguise themselves as demons and Demons disguise themselves as angels.
I want you to think about this quote for a moment because it has heavily to do with the topic of this article.
When we first encounter Guts, he appears to be an anti-hero, but is he really. They call him the Black Swordsman. This lone warrior traveling all the land in search for the man who betrayed him. Then we have Griffith this beautiful man that almost looks like a woman. Griffith has his own army and he seems wise, intelligent and everyone looks up to him and help him achieve his dream. Everyone lives for Griffith. As oppose to Guts, who is just this power house with an over size sword and seems undefeated and demon like.
Towards the second arc we see a change in both characters.
The Drifter Follows The Hawk
In the first arc when Guts is attacked by Griffiths soldiers, we get to see Guts strength and how he can wield a sword too long for his size. Guts only wanted to be alone. He was a mercenary. He just wants to get paid, eat and move on to the next mission. Guts just wants to survive and live his life in this medieval world that he lives in of constant danger.
When Griffith sees Gut’s strength, Griffith seems to be filled with greed. Griffith sees Guts as a tool to achieve his dream of one day having his own kingdom.
I didnt notice it at first and it took me a few times of watching to realize what was going on but I started to catch up and really see what was happening with every character.
Guts loses to Griffith in a match and is force to join the band of the hawk and fight their wars. In a way, Guts became a slave to Griffith’s purpose.
However, once Guts helps Griffith win the war for Doldrey, Guts realizes that there is more to life than just swinging his sword around in battle. Guts learn to have purpose from Griffith. Guts actually mature.
Finally, when Guts decided to leave the band of the hawk, Griffith challenge him to a duel as a way of passage to his freedom. Guts wins the duel of course and Griffith is left broken.
Guts matures and begins to live life with more meaning, trying to find out what his purpose is in life. However, Griffith is unable to take rejection and then takes his anger out by indulging in sex with the Princess of Doldrey. Griffith then gets caught and thrown into a dungeon where he is torture and lacerated.
Guts dealt with his emotional issues by looking within while Griffith dealt with his internal issues by taking it out on a sexual activity. Griffith solves his internal issues externally and Guts deals with his issues internally. That is why Guts grows and Griffith is the real greedy one.
Thus the twist of fate of the two characters. Griffith ended up being the bad guy. Griffith’s greed made him lose in the end.
That white angel looking man then sacrificed all his soldiers for his own purpose during the eclipse of the four apostles. Once again, Griffith was driven by his greed.
Griffith believes that the only way to achieve his dream was to pile more bodies while Guts came to find out that he could achieve his dreams without having to kill more people. Griffith just sees people as bodies that pile up for his way to heaven while Guts is actually more independent.
Griffith’s purpose is to acquire more things. Griffith is goal oriented but he does not change. He remains the same.
Griffith is unable to deal with rejection. He rapes Casca after he became Tempo. He raped the very woman who stood by his side when he had nothing.
Griffith also self harms himself, digging his nails into his skin out of anger because he did not have enough resources for his soldiers and had to sleep with a fat king.
Griffith wants power and he cant take rejection and is unable to grow above his emotional issues.
As oppose to Guts. Guts always looks within and actually grows.
Angels Disguise themselves as demons and demons disguise themselves as angels.
