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Berserk (1997 TV series)

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Berserk
American complete series boxset, 2003
剣風伝奇ベルセルク
(Kenpū Denki Beruseruku)
GenreAction, Dark fantasy, Tragedy
Anime television series
Directed byNaohito Takahashi
Produced byToshio Nakatani
Toshiaki Okuno
Music bySusumu Hirasawa
StudioOLM, Inc.
Licensed by
Original networkNippon TV
Original run October 7, 1997 – March 31, 1998
Episodes25 (List of episodes)
Anime television series
Original networkWOWOW, MBS
Original run July 2016 – scheduled

Berserk, also known as Sword-Wind Chronicle: BERSERK (剣風伝奇ベルセルク, Kenpū Denki Beruseruku), is a Japanese anime television series that aired from 1997 to 1998. An adaptation of the manga Berserk, it comprises 25 half-hour episodes produced by Oriental Light and Magic and first aired on Nippon TV.[1] A new television anime series is scheduled to air in July 2016.[2]

The episodes adapt the manga's Black Swordsman arc, continuing through the Golden Age storylines.

Plot

Though the manga storyline remains largely intact, many changes were made, with the modification or elimination of characters (one notable example being Puck), some of the series' most violent and brutal scenes, and material that would have extended the storyline beyond the planned run of the anime series. Themes of friendship and ambition are more developed and emphasized than those of causality and the supernatural, all of which were made with the approval of series creator Kentarō Miura.

Production

Music

Susumu Hirasawa composed the soundtracks for both the anime and video games, using an eclectic selection of instruments. He received the offer to compose music for the series due to Miura being a fan of his works and listening to them while he works on Berserk, that also led to Miura almost never requesting a specific composition for him to include. Hirasawa has said that Berserk does not feel like a self-restrained story, and that composing for the series is similar to the sensation of unlocking one of his inner restraints, leading to compositions on a "Berserk" style.[3] Hirasawa recycled some earlier works for the series: "Take the Wheel" (from Aurora) was rewritten and rerecorded, while "Kun Mae #3" (from Kun Mae in a Calculation) was only retitled. The opening theme is "TELL ME WHY" by PENPALS, the ending theme is "Waiting so long" by Silver Fins, and the insert song (used on the "next episode" segments) is "BERSERK -Forces-" by Susumu Hirasawa. Music from other composers is also used in the series: "Madre Assente", from Ennio Morricone's The Blue-Eyed Bandit soundtrack, is used on the scene of the Queen's funeral. Hirasawa's work on the series led him to meet Yūko Miyamura, which led to musical collaborations between the two. Hirasawa's album Technique of Relief builds off of his work on the series and the Miyamura collaborations.

Cast

Character Japanese voice English voice
Guts Nobutoshi Canna Marc Diraison
Griffith/Femto Toshiyuki Morikawa Kevin T. Collins
Casca Yūko Miyamura Carrie Keranen
Rickert Akiko Yajima Michelle Newman
Judeau Akira Ishida Christopher Kromer
Pippin Masuo Amada Jeff Ward
Corkus Tomohiro Nishimura Mark Sebastian
Nosferatu Zodd Kenji Utsumi J. David Brimmer
Void Unshō Ishizuka John Avner
Slan Atsuko Tanaka C.L. Jones
Ubik Chafurin Christian Collingwood
Conrad Toku Nishio Sean Schemmel

Release

It first aired from October 7, 1997 to March 31, 1998 on Nippon TV.

In Asia, Vap Video has released thirteen VHS and twelve VCD including two episodes each (a single one in the last VHS and three in the last VCD) from 1998 to 1999 in Japan. The seven discs "DVD-BOX", using Audio-CD cases, was released in Japan in 2001, with the seven volumes being re-released later in individual DVD regular cases in 2003.

Episodes

See also: List of Berserk episodes

Soundtrack

Untitled

At the time of the anime's production, Hirasawa was signed to Nippon Columbia, while VAP is the production committee member that has the home audio/video release rights, which led to disagreements; the opening and ending themes were created by bands signed to VAP. The soundtrack was released by VAP, the obi promotes only the VAP bands, while Nippon Columbia and HIrasawa's personal label TESLAKITE get a courtesy credit in the liner notes. Hirasawa's theme for the series was released as a single five days ahead of the soundtrack by Nippon Columbia/TESLAKITE, with no mention of VAP in the packaging.

All tracks are written by Susumu Hirasawa, except "Murder" by Hirasawa, Sacol Trakranprasirt and Supat Kuntatun; "TELL ME WHY" by Hayashi Munemasa, Seiya & Kinya Kamijō; "Waiting so long" by Hitomi Takenaka and Mitsuhiro Asakura

No.TitleArtistLength
1."BEHELIT"Susumu Hirasawa1:55
2."Ghosts"Susumu Hirasawa1:41
3."Ball"Susumu Hirasawa1:08
4."Gats"Susumu Hirasawa3:35
5."Murder"Shun9:29
6."Fear"Susumu Hirasawa3:26
7."Monster"Susumu Hirasawa4:03
8."EARTH"Susumu Hirasawa4:23
9."BERSERK ~Forces~" (TV Version)Susumu Hirasawa1:56
10."TELL ME WHY" (TV Version)PENPALS1:15
11."Waiting so long" (TV Version)Silver Fins1:22

References

  1. ^ Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2012). The Anime Encyclopedia, Revised & Expanded Edition:. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1611725151. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  2. ^ "New Berserk Anime is TV Series That Premieres in July". Anime News Network. February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  3. ^ ""Aria" Interview". Hirasawa Lyrics.
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