RageManga is widely known around the world for being one of the greatest dark fantasy stories of the century, but in an author Kentaro Miura's Last InterviewsHe revealed his impressions of the series that may have helped make it so unique. Miura spent years crafting Guts' story, and during that time, he drew inspiration from past manga to create something that changed the genre.
The first chapter of the Berserk series was published in August 1989 in a Japanese magazine called Monthly Animal House, which was later renamed Young Animal. A prototype of Berserk was released in 1988, an early sign that Kentaro Miura had taken his time creating his story and characters. But an interview translated on Berserk Wiki during the Great Berserk Exhibition in December 2020 revealed the type of manga he originally intended to make.
“I was heavily influenced by 80s Japanese comics, and I started drawing Berserk in 1989 with the intention of drawing a manga set in that era… after reading my manga, if you find this old-style manga interesting, try reading other manga from the 80s and 70s.”
While most of Berserk was released in the 1990s and 2000s, its dramatic explosions and intense setting are completely different from other series released during that time. This makes sense because Miura wasn't trying to create a modern story; he was trying to create a story like the stories he loved from the 1970s and 1980s..
Berserk Wouldn't Exist Without Inspiration From Certain Manga
Kentaro Miura Isn't the Only Talented Seinen Manga
Compared to the shōnen genre, which includes series like Dragon Ball, Naruto, and One Piece, seinen manga are considered to be for a more mature audience due to the increased gore and mature themes that don't always have happy endings. Berserk and Vinland Saga are some of the best seinen manga, but they exist because of the foundation of the older Berserk series, whose creator is highly recommended by fans.
As the Great Berserk Exhibition interview shared, Kentaro Miura stated that Berserk was inspired by manga from the 1970s and 80s, so he hopes that fans who enjoy his work will continue to watch series from that era. The author has stated that the manga Fist of the North Star, written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, is easily one of his biggest inspirations.Series like Go Nagai's Violence Jack and Kaoru Kurimoto's Guin Saga also contributed to the atmosphere of Berserk. Interviews also shed light on the films that helped Miura develop Berserk.
Berserk is a product inspired by projects of the 70s and 80s.
The first chapter of Berserk was released on August 25, 1989.
Several interviews with the beloved author have given insight into his thought process and perspective on the series that fans consider the pinnacle of the genre. Miura's quote shows that he thinks Berserk is a product of the era he grew up in.and the content released during his formative years played a pivotal role in the creation of manga, which then inspired a whole new generation of storytellers. Other interviews shed light on many of the iconic pieces of entertainment that helped make Berserk what it is today.
The most recent Blu-Ray release of the 1990 Berserk anime features another interview with Miura discussing how films like Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2 influenced his creation of the series. The first Star Wars film was another big inspiration for Miura, and the inspiration from both films can be felt at several key moments in Berserk, especially with the sense of scale and the bizarre monster designs. However, the Berserk creator hopes to convince fans to look at other manga series that aren't as popular as George Lucus's lucrative space manga.
Despite the legendary talent's passing, the Berserk manga continues to release chapters sporadically, with the hope that it will one day come to an end with the help of Kentaro Miura's colleagues and friends who worked with him at Studio Gaga. Like many great stories, RageThe production is a culmination of teamwork and the result of many influencing factors proves that audiences shouldn't be afraid to try new things.
Source: Berserk Wiki translation of Great Berserk Exhibition by users Eas#8305 and Frostifusionz#8800