Thankfully, getting into the Berserk anime is really straightforward once you understand what each series is adapting, which series are remakes and which are sequels. This guide will help you make sense of all Berserk’s content so you can sink your sword into this rich world.
All Berserk Anime in Order
First of all, here is a catalogue of all anime content related to the Berserk franchise: There are a few single recap episodes that also exist, mainly related to the 2016 and 2017 series, but this is all the main Berserk content you’ll want to consider watching.
Do You Need to Watch Berserk 1997 or Can You Skip to 2016? Remakes Explained
One thing that makes Berserk’s anime confusing for new watchers is the arcs and remakes, which are further complicated by the non-linear timeline Berserk has early on. The first anime, often called Berserk 1997, is an adaptation of the first two arcs of the Berserk manga, the Black Swordsman Arc and the Golden Age Arc. However, the Golden Age Arc serves as a prequel, so in-universe, this is the start of the story. The same Golden Age Arc was also adapted into three films from 2012 to 2013 – these movies essentially retell the story from Berserk 1997. The modern series, often called Berserk 2016, is actually a sequel to the 1997 series, not a remake. The 2016 and 2017 Berserk anime adapt the next two arcs in the story, Conviction and Falcon of the Millennium Empire. Lots of big moments happen before the 2016 Berserk, so if you want a complete experience, it’s recommended to start with the earlier content first. It’s not impossible to jump into Berserk 2016 and pick up on previous events as you go, but it does undersell the story up to that point.
Where Should You Start with Berserk?
If you want a complete experience of Berserk, you really have three options on where to start: Berserk 1997, the Golden Age Arc trilogy or the new Memorial Edition. As mentioned above, both the 1997 TV series and the Golden Age Arc movies adapt the start of the manga’s story, except for a few lead-in chapters adapted in 1997 but omitted in the trilogy. The trade-off is that while the Berserk movies have better action sequences and a nicer flow, the TV series delivers more character development with scenes that the films don’t include. Many fans watch both, either starting with the movies and then enjoying the TV series or vice versa. The most important thing is that you won’t miss anything crucial if you choose just one. Berserk: The Golden Age Arc - Memorial Edition is a TV broadcast of the film trilogy, cutting the three movies into a traditional TV series. While there are some minor improvements to visuals and audio, and the inclusion of a few new scenes, it’s essentially the same content as the movies but repackaged.
The Best Berserk Anime Watch Order
If you want an experience of Berserk that’s as close to the manga as possible, then this is the most effective watch order: In terms of story events, these three series happen one after the other, although the animation style change from 1997 to 2016 can be a little jarring. As mentioned, you could swap out the 1997 TV series for the movies if you wanted to speed through the series with more modern animation, but you will lose some scenes of character development. An alternative option, if you wanted to avoid watching the classic anime series, is: By watching the 2022 series, you get the faster story of the Berserk Golden Age Arc movie trilogy with some added scenes and a slight improvement in animation quality. Similar to the 1997 TV series, this will then lead to the events of Berserk 2016 and 2017. Of course, some fans avoid the 2016 series due to its animation style. However, if you want to enjoy the story without reading the manga, this is the only continuation available. So, all you need to do is pick how you’ll start Berserk. Then, strap yourself in for one of the greatest fantasy anime!
