Synopsis
Doomed to earn the moniker of the Black Swordsman, Guts journeys across many lands as a mercenary, recognized by his colossal greatsword. He accepts the most profitable contracts without committing to any single group until he encounters the Band of the Falcon. Following a mission, Guts is ambushed and defeats several members of the band. Griffith, the band's leader, finds Guts intriguing and challenges him to a duel. While the other members cannot match Guts, Griffith overwhelms him with a single strike. Left incapacitated, Guts recovers at the Band of the Falcon's camp. Upon waking two days later, he confronts Griffith once more, agreeing to a duel where the loser must join the band. Weakened by his injuries, Guts loses and is subsequently recruited by Griffith. Over the next three years, Guts rises to become one of the band's top commanders. His prowess in battle is unmatched save for Griffith, as he faces numerous enemies alone. The combination of Guts' formidable strength and Griffith's strategic leadership leads the Band of the Falcon to victory after victory. However, an ominous force looms, poised to alter Guts' existence forever.
Background
Kenpuu Denki Berserk adapts the first 12 volumes and a part of the 13th volume of the manga. While the story remains fairly loyal to the source material, heavy modifications were made to exclude some of the more graphic depictions of violence, as well as characters and other content that could not be covered within the length of the anime’s running time. These changes were approved by the series creator himself. The series was released on DVD by Media Blasters in six volumes from May 28, 2002 to May 27, 2003. The company also released a complete collection on November 16, 2004; it was later remastered by AnimeWorks and published on March 10, 2009. An art book—titled Berserk: Kenpuu Denki - Kanzen Kaiseki-sho—containing sketches and behind-the-scenes information on the anime was published by Hakusensha on December 9, 1998.
