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Berserk: The Golden Age Arc

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Berserk: The Golden Age Arc
Theatrical release poster of Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg of the King
ベルセルク 黄金時代篇
(Beruseruku Ōgon Jidai-hen)
Genre
Anime film series
  • I: The Egg of the King
  • II: The Battle for Doldrey
  • III: The Advent
Directed byToshiyuki Kubooka
Produced by
Written byIchirō Ōkouchi
Music by
StudioStudio 4°C
Licensed by
Released
  • February 4, 2012
  • June 23, 2012
  • February 1, 2013
Runtime
  • 77 minutes
  • 98 minutes
  • 113 minutes
Anime television series
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition
Directed byYuta Sano
Written byIchirō Ōkouchi
Music by
  • Shirō Sagisu
  • Susumu Hirasawa
StudioStudio 4°C
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkTokyo MX, GYT, GTV, BS11
Original run October 2, 2022 – December 25, 2022
Episodes13
icon Anime and manga portal

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc (Japanese: ベルセルク 黄金時代篇, Hepburn: Beruseruku Ōgon Jidai-hen) is a Japanese anime film trilogy, which adapts Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga series's Golden Age arc. It was produced by Studio 4°C and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Japan. The first two films, The Egg of the King and The Battle for Doldrey, were released in Japan in February and June 2012, and the third film, The Advent, was released in February 2013. In North America, Viz Media has licensed the trilogy for English home video release. A remastered edited version for television with new scenes, labeled as "Memorial Edition", was broadcast for 13 episodes from October to December 2022.

Plot summary

[edit]

The Egg of the King

[edit]

A soldier named Guts attracts the attention of a mercenary group, The Band of the Hawk, when he kills an enemy champion during a siege. He is forced into joining the group after being defeated in single combat by its leader, Griffith. The Band of the Hawk are employed by the Kingdom of Midland for its Hundred Year War against the Tudor Empire, and Griffith rises in the kingdom's hierarchy after a successful battle. During another siege, Guts and Griffith encounter the demon Nosferatu Zodd, who notices the pendant around Griffith's neck and warns Guts that Griffith will be his doom. Griffith's rise in status is ill-received by Midland's noblemen, and there is a failed assassination attempt on Griffith by the king's brother, Julius. Griffith charges Guts with murdering Julius, and Guts also kills the noble's young son. Guts, emotionally scarred by his actions, overhears Griffith say that The Band of the Hawk are his comrades, but for people to be friends they must pursue their own dreams and not someone else's.

The Battle for Doldrey

[edit]

Guts and Casca are separated from The Band of the Hawk, and fend off attacks by the Tudor's cruel commander Adon and his men. Guts defeats most of Adon's men while covering Casca's escape, but begins to lament his life's path and decides he will eventually leave the Band of the Hawk, find and pursue his own dream, and become a true friend to Griffith. Later, the Band of the Hawk participates in the battle to capture the impenetrable Fortress of Doldrey and end the Hundred Years War, wherein Casca kills Adon. A month after the war's end, Guts parts ways with Griffith after defeating him in a duel. Griffith is distraught at Guts' departure, and in a lapse of judgment he is caught sleeping with the king's daughter, Charlotte. Griffith is charged with treason and imprisoned in the Tower of Rebirth while the members of the Band of the Hawk are branded outlaws.

The Advent

[edit]

A year after Guts' departure from the Band of the Hawk, he returns to aid them in freeing Griffith from the Tower of Rebirth. However, when they find Griffith he is barely alive, rendered mute, and physically withered after months of torture. Griffith attempts suicide, and his pendant reacts to his despair, opening a portal to another dimension experiencing a solar eclipse that draws in him and The Band of the Hawk. There, they encounter archdemons known as The God Hand and Griffith is told that his tribulations have been leading to this moment, when Griffith agrees to sacrifice his allies in exchange for being reborn as Femto, a member of the God Hand. The Band of the Hawk are slaughtered by the God Hand's monstrous Apostles (former humans like Nosferatu Zodd) and Femto rapes Casca. Guts loses his left arm and right eye trying to save Casca, but Casca loses her sanity from the nightmarish ordeal. Guts and Casca are spirited back to their world by the mysterious Skull Knight, who tells Guts he has been branded by the God Hand and will be subjected to nightly attacks by evil creatures. Guts leaves Casca under the care of former comrade Rickert and embarks on a journey to hunt down Apostles and the God Hand.

Voice cast

[edit]

The Japanese voice cast features Hiroaki Iwanaga as Guts (replacing Nobutoshi Canna from the original anime), Takahiro Sakurai as Griffith (replacing Toshiyuki Morikawa), and Toa Yukinari as Casca (replacing Yūko Miyamura).[4][5] The English voice cast features Marc Diraison as Guts, Kevin T. Collins as Griffith, and Carrie Keranen as Casca, all reprising their roles from the original anime.[6]

Band of the Hawk Character Japanese voice actor[7][8][9] English dub actor[7][8][9]
Guts Hiroaki Iwanaga Marc Diraison
Griffith

Griffith (young)

Takahiro Sakurai Kevin T Collins
Ayako Takeuchi Barbara Goodson
Casca Toa Yukinari Carrie Keranen
Judeau Yuki Kaji Christopher Kromer
Rickert Minako Kotobuki Michelle Newman
Corkus Yoshiro Matsumoto Doug Erholtz
Pippin Takahiro Fujiwara Patrick Seitz
Gaston Kazuki Yao Sean Schemmel
Members of the

Midland Court

King of Midland Nobuyuki Katsube Christopher Corey Smith
Princess Charlotte Aki Toyosaki Rachael Lillis (I)
G.K. Bowes (II and III)
Julius Rikiya Koyama Jesse Corti
Adonis Maki Mizuma Colin DePaula
Anna Ayako Takeuchi Lisa Ortiz
Hassan Hiroshi Arikawa Michael Sorich
Raban Hochu Otsuka Marc Thompson
God Hand Void Shinji Ogawa Jon Avner
Slan Miyuki Sawashiro Cindy Robinson
Ubik Chafurin Liam O'Brien
Conrad Rikiya Koyama Sean Schemmel
Other adversaries/

Miscellaneous

Nosferatu Zodd Kenta Miyake J David Brimmer
Skull Knight Akio Otsuka[10] Jamieson Prince
Bazuso Kendo Kobayashi David B Mitchell
General Gien Shingo Egami Sean Schemmel
Gennon Kazuki Yao Steve Kramer
Adon Rikiya Koyama Mike Pollock
Boscogn Takayuki Sugo TJ Storm
Torturer Chafurin Liam O'Brien
Silat Yuichi Nakamura[10] JB Blanc
Erica Ayana Kaketatsu[10] Michele O'Medlin
Old Fortuneteller Guin-poon-chaw Barbara Goodson

Release

[edit]

The project was first announced as a new anime project in September 2010.[11] The films were distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Japan.[12][13][14] Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg of the King (ベルセルク 黄金時代篇I 覇王の卵, Beruseruku Ōgon Jidai-hen Wan Haō no Tamago) was released on February 4, 2012, in Japan.[15][16]

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle for Doldrey (ベルセルク 黄金時代篇II ドルドレイ攻略, Beruseruku Ōgon Jidai-hen Tsū Dorudorei Koryaku) was released on June 23, 2012, in Japan.[17]

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III – The Advent (ベルセルク 黄金時代篇III 降臨, Beruseruku Ōgon Jidai-hen Surī Kōrin) was released on February 1, 2013, in Japan.[18]

In North America, Viz Media has licensed all three films for a home video release.[19] The Egg of the King was released on November 27, 2012;[20] The Battle for Doldrey was released on August 6, 2013;[21] and The Advent was released on April 15, 2014.[22] The Golden Age Arc has also been available for streaming on Netflix.[23]

Memorial Edition

[edit]

In June 2022, it was announced that the trilogy would receive a television broadcast version, titled Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (ベルセルク 黄金時代篇 MEMORIAL EDITION, Beruseruku Ōgon Jidai-hen Memoriaru Edishon).[24] The series was featured at the Aniplex Online Fest 2022, held on September 23, 2022.[25][26] It was directed by Yuta Sano and broadcast for 13 episodes on Tokyo MX, Tochigi TV, Gunma TV, BS11 and other networks from October 2 to December 25, 2022.[27][28][29][30][a] The episodes were released on a Blu-ray set on March 29, 2023.[31]

It was streamed outside of Asia by Crunchyroll.[32][33][34]

Episodes

[edit]
No.TitleOriginal air date [30]
1"The Golden Age"
Transliteration: "Ougonjidai" (Japanese: 黄金時代)		October 2, 2022 (2022-10-02)
2"Nosferatu Zodd"
Transliteration: "Fushi no Zoddo" (Japanese: 不死のゾッド)		October 9, 2022 (2022-10-09)
3"Master of the Sword"
Transliteration: "Ken no Nushi" (Japanese: 剣の主)		October 16, 2022 (2022-10-16)
4"Prepared for Death"
Transliteration: "Kesshikou" (Japanese: 決死行)		October 23, 2022 (2022-10-23)
5"Campfire of Dreams"
Transliteration: "Yume no Kagaribi" (Japanese: 夢のかがり火)		October 30, 2022 (2022-10-30)
6"The Battle for Doldrey"
Transliteration: "Dorudorei Kouryakusen" (Japanese: ドルドレイ 攻略戦)		November 5, 2022 (2022-11-05)
7"One Snowy Night"
Transliteration: "Aru Yuki no Yoru ni..." (Japanese: ある雪の夜に…)		November 12, 2022 (2022-11-12)
8"Demise of a Dream"
Transliteration: "Yume no Shuuen" (Japanese: 夢の終焉)		November 19, 2022 (2022-11-19)
9"Wounds"
Transliteration: "Kizu" (Japanese: 傷)		November 26, 2022 (2022-11-26)
10"Reunion in the Abyss"
Transliteration: "Shin'en no Saikai" (Japanese: 深淵の再会)		December 4, 2022 (2022-12-04)
11"Eclipse"
Transliteration: "Shoku" (Japanese: 蝕)		December 11, 2022 (2022-12-11)
12"Storm of Death"
Transliteration: "Shi no Arashi" (Japanese: 死の嵐)		December 18, 2022 (2022-12-18)
13"Vow of Retaliation"
Transliteration: "Hangeki no Chikai" (Japanese: 反撃の誓い)		December 25, 2022 (2022-12-25)

Music

[edit]

The soundtracks for the film series are composed and arranged by Shirō Sagisu, with the theme song composed and arranged by Susumu Hirasawa.[35] The insert song of all films, "Aria", is performed by Hirasawa,[36] a live performance (from Phonon 2555 Vision) is included on the home video releases of the second film, another live version is on the Nomonos and Imium DVD; the ending theme of the first film, "Beautiful Things" (ウツクシキモノ, Utsukushii Mono), is performed by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai (in an uncharacteristic epic ballad style) and composed by Rykeyz and Redd Styiez;[37][38] lastly, the ending theme of the third film, "Breakthrough", is performed by Kaname Kawabata of CHEMISTRY, written by Kawabata, Hidenori Tanaka and UTA, and arranged by Sagisu, Miho Hazama and CHOKKAKU.[39] A special TV program, narrated by Akio Otsuka (the voice actor for the Skull Knight), that summarized the events of the first two movies, used the Hirasawa song "Horde of Thistledown" (冠毛種子の大群, "Kanmō Shushi no Taigun") (from The Secret of the Flowers of Phenomenon) as its ending theme.[40]

The television broadcast version of the trilogy, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition, features an exclusive ending theme by Mika Nakashima, titled "Wish". It also features new music composed by Sagisu and Hirasawa.[41][42]

Reception

[edit]

In Japan, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I: The Egg of the King brought in $594,707 with a gross of $1,348,352,[43] and the last film in the trilogy brought in less, with an opening weekend of $280,248 and grossing $399,445.[44]

Kotaku's Richard Eisenbeis panned the first two installments of the trilogy, but described the third installment, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III: Descent, as supreme and delivering an experience surpassing the original manga both in emotional turmoil and brutal violence.[45]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Tokyo MX, Tochigi TV, Gunma TV and BS11 list the air dates for the series on Saturday at 24:30, which is effectively Sunday at 0:30 a.m. JST.[28]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ Ransom, Ko (April 9, 2012). "Berserk Films to be Distributed in 16 Countries Globally". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  3. ^ Marshall, Dallas (July 9, 2012). "Berserk: The Golden Arc – The Egg of the King". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
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  8. ^ a b "Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle for Doldrey". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III – The Advent". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
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  13. ^ ベルセルク 黄金時代篇II ドルドレイ攻略. Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
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  33. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 24, 2022). "Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition TV Anime's 3rd Promo Video Features New Song by Susumu Hirasawa". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  34. ^ Harding, Daryl (September 24, 2022). "Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition TV Anime Delivers New Trailer". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
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  45. ^ Elsenbels, Richard (February 5, 2013). "The Third Berserk Movie is by Far the Most Violent Thing I Have Ever Watched". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
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