Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Berserk is one of the most beloved and acclaimed anime series. The classic anime gem has received a deluxe treatment with Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series. Berserk features superb sword and sorcery adventure and the trademarks of a classic action-packed gem.

Distributor Discotek Media provides a restored version of the classic anime series – available for the first time in high-definition in North America. Executive produced by Mitsuru Ōshima (Utawarerumono, Drive Head: Tomika Hyper Rescue Kidō Kyūkyū Keisatsu) and Yoshiko Nagasaki, Berserk is based on the classic manga by Kentarō Miura. Berserk features animation by OLM (Pokémon, Deltora Quest).

Produced by Toshiaki Okuno (Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, Tonari no Tokoro) and Toshio Nakatani (Hunter × Hunter, Ouran High School Host Club), Berserk aired on the Nippon Television Network. Berserk features voice performances by Nobutoshi Hayashi, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Yūko Miyamura, Akiko Yajima, Akira Ishida, Masuo Amada, and Tomohiro Nishimura. The series has an enthusiastic cult following with good reason – Berserk is one of the staples of classic Japanese anime.

Guts (Nobutoshi Hayashi) is one of the toughest and most determined warriors. Guts is known to others as The Black Swordsman. Guts has earned a reputation as a tough fighter wielding an epic blade even more impressive than any ordinary sword. Guts takes on demons and ghosts – with demonic forces attempting to stop Guts. The demons might rule the land but Guts is a brave warrior. Guts also has memories of his past adventures with the Band of the Hawk and leader Griffith (Toshiyuki Morikawa).

Berserk features a supporting cast including Casca (Yūko Miyamura), Rickert (Akiko Yajima), Judou (Akira Ishida), Pippin (Masuo Amada), and Corkus (Tomohiro Nishimura). The supporting cast helps to round out the entire ensemble. The supporting characters play significant roles in the production, too.

The character designs are essential to the production merits. Berserk features top-notch character designs by Norihiro Matsubara (Pokémon Heroes - Latias & Latios, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew) and Yoshihiko Umakoshi (My Hero Academia, Saint Seiya Omega). The designs add a lot to the anime series and help to showcase the wonderful artistry of each of the characters. The designs are visually compelling and make a strong impression aesthetically.

One of the hallmarks of the anime is the superb animation. Berserk features art direction by Shichirō Kobayashi (Kimagure Orange Road, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro). Berserk also showcases the chief animation direction by Norihiro Matsubara (Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker, Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life) and Yuriko Chiba (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Maria the Virgin Witch).

The artistry of the production is one of the great strengths of the anime. The team of animators are incredibly talented and there is so much heart to the production. The animation team delivers a wonderfully creative, highly imaginative, and visually splendid effort in spades.

The hand drawn animation style is bold and visionary. There is much to appreciate about the art style and each frame of the animation. The hand drawn art showcases so much beautiful artistry and depth – there is much to love about the aesthetic. Each illustration is beautiful and there is a sense of vision far beyond the scope of many other productions. The artistry certainly elevates Berserk to being one of the most visually compelling anime series. There is no doubt that the high-quality animation is one of the key reasons Berserk is so esteemed as a beloved anime classic. The animation quality alone helped to create the cult following.

The cinematography by Mitsunobu Yoshida (Venus Wars, Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honnêamise) is another key highlight of the anime series. The cinematography showcases the evocative tapestry of the production. The visuals are beautiful throughout and add much to the anime production. For a series with a lot of bold colors and a visually mature aesthetic, the darker and grittier elements are highlighted well by the cinematographer. It is perhaps no surprise to anime enthusiasts that the classic Berserk anime has such compelling cinematography with one of the best cinematographers in the anime feature-film industry involved.

Featuring a score composed by Susumu Hirasawa (Paranoia Agent, Paprika), Berserk is a well- done score and a huge highlight of the anime. Hirasawa is a talented composer and someone who provides terrific music to the production. The score is epic in scope. Berserk features music by one of the masters of Japanese anime scoring. As a result, the score is an essential and vital part of the production.

Written by Atsuhiro Tomioka (Fairy Tail, Pokémon), Makoto Itakura (New Attacker You!), Shinzō Fujita (Lupin III: Crisis in Tokyo, Lupin III: The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure), Shoji Yonemura (Digimon Fusion, Pokémon), and Yukiyoshi Ōhashi (Pokémon, Yu Yu Hakusho), Berserk is a well-written and epic anime in every sense of the word. The production has enormous scale and energy. The writing reflects the bold adventure in spades.

Directed by Naohito Takahashi (Stainless Night, Flower Witch Mary Bell), Berserk is an ambitious anime classic with a massive sense of scale. Director Takahashi creates a compelling visual style for the anime gem. Berserk is a beloved classic with good reason – the filmmaking is exquisite and there is a sense of majesty to the production. Berserk doesn’t disappoint and provides the type of splendor that keeps anime fans enthralled.  

Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Berserk is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The high-definition presentation is exceptional. The transfer retains a naturally filmic quality.

The animation is robust, engaging, and visually splendid. The crisp line art is beautifully reproduced. The background animation looks outstanding. There is so much beauty in the animation style and it is a natural highlight of the anime. The hand drawn art is well reproduced with the filmic scan. Discotek Media certainly did a fantastic job preserving the anime series on physical media.

One of the strengths of the Blu-ray disc format is the encoding quality. Physical media can provide higher video bit-rates compared to streaming services. For enthusiasts, there can be gains in the presentation quality.

Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The lossless audio is engaging and enthralling. The soundtrack is well reproduced. Dialogue is crisp and clear on the release. The presentation has robust detail and clarity overall. The engaging sound design provides an appropriately epic sense of scale even with only a 2.0 sound design.

A hallmark of the Blu-ray format is lossless audio encoding. The lossless audio encoding allows for a more immersive and engaging audio soundstage. For audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts, the presentation quality can make a nice difference. The robust and detailed audio sounds even more immersive in lossless.

Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The steelbook limited edition includes deluxe packaging exclusive to the collectors release. The steelbook design is exclusive to the release. The packaging is top-notch and adds wonderful merit to the release. For physical media fans and enthusiasts, the collectable quality of the steelbook is something that adds enormous value to the package. A collectors item and something fans can proudly add to their shelf.

On disc supplements include:

Special Episode R-0 (SD, 27:06)

Avant-Title

Clean Opening

Recap

"Tell Me Why" Full Version

Recap

"Waiting So Long" Full Version

Recap

Clean Ending

"BERSERK – Forces – "Anime Music Video by Satoshi Kon

TV Promo

Clean Opening – Encore Version (SD, 1:13)

Creator Kentaro Miura Interview (SD, 20:00)

Producer Toshio Nakatani Interview (SD, 18:01)

Episode 13 Storyboards (SD, 19:26)

Paint it Berserk (SD, 3:24)

Dub Outtakes (SD, 37:58)

US Blu-ray Trailer (HD, 00:54)

Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series provides the entire series run. The cult classic anime series is one of the most beloved in Japanese anime history. For anime enthusiasts, Berserk is a gem waiting to be discovered or re-discovered on physical media.

The anime series has incredible animation and production values. The Blu-ray release provides a stunning high-definition presentation, lossless audio encoding, and a plethora of bonus features. Highly recommended.