Motor City has come and gone (Read the Roadtrip Report!!) and ol'J.H. made off with some goodies including this week's review of "Kenpuu Denki Berserk" TV 17-20.
Berserk is a series that has gained a sudden strong following among North American anime fans as every fan subber and his bastard cousin has been trying subtitle the whole series. Bereserk began as most anime do as manga. Written and drawn by Kentaro Miura, the series picked up a steady readership in the reader struggling "Young Animal" magazine. In 1997 Berserk was animated into a 25 episode series recapping the first 8 volumes worth of the manga. Most notable about the production of the TV series is Yasuhiro Imagawa as series concept adviser. Imagawa is best known for the stunning 7 part "Giant Robo" OVA series (aka "8 years of my life when I could be watching the Brave Robot Series?").
Also notable is the series opening song "Tell Me Why", sung entirely in english (though some would disagree). The series features an excellent soundtrack and near OVA quality animation.
The series main theme (besides it's characters) is a question of "Is man fated to live his life in a predestined fashion or does he have the self-determination to make his own future?". Pretty heady stuff for a cartoon no?
TV Episodes 17-20
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We are in the home stretch of this series now. Lets give you the character scorecard:

Gatts - The main character and weilder of a really huge sword. Gatts is a mercenary by trade and 3 years ago lost a duel to a man named Griffiths, leader of a merc outfit called "The Band of The Hawk". Gatts rises in rank and becomes the leader of the unit called "The Strike Raiders" and in the process becomes Griffith's most trusted aide. Gatts was trapped behind enemy lines at one point and killed an entire battalion of mercenaries (totalling 100 men) before help arrived.

Griffith - Leader fo the Hawks and the closest thing to Ryuji Yamakawa I've come across in anime (y'know, the whole "Is he or isn't he?" debate). Griffiths was a peasant who dreamed of one day becoming a king by his own hand. To achieve this goal he formed the Hawks after selling his body for one night to a nobleman named Gennon. Since then the Hawks have become the most celebrated band of fighters in the Kingdom of Midland. After saving Midland forces during an ambush Griffith was given a title and land, thus his goal his half way there.

Caska - The only female member of the Hawks. Caska was Griffith's second in command until Gatts showed up. Gatts saved her life when the 2 were trapped behind enemy lines and now she is beginning to realize feelings for him that she previously reserved for Griffith.

Charlotte - Princess of Midland who secretly loves Griffith

Corkus, Judeau, Rickert & Pippin - The inner circle of the Hawks and execute Griffith's battle plans perfectly. All have taken a shine to Gatts save Corkus
 

Griffith has propsed a battle plan to take the Northern stronghold of the Kingdom of Chuda. The north is run by Govenor Gennon, a man with ties to griffith, while the army is led by Boscogne, the greatest knight in all of Chuda. If Griffith's plan works then the 100 year war between Midland and chuda will be all but over.
Griffith's plan involves using Gatts Strike Raiders as a lure to bring out the main fighting force, saving a main raiding force to storm the castle. Boscogne realizes what the plan is as Gatts and his team are holding there own against wave after wave of mounted calvary. Boscogne holds back his main force though, not wanting to fall into the trap. Gennon however ORDERS Boscogne to unleash the main force and the castle defenders. Griffith sees this and orders the reamining forces to push forward to meet the enemy, except for Judeau and Caska's team, avid the enemy and TAKE THE CASTLE!!
Gatts is confronted by Boscogne and the 2 duel but midway through the second charge Gatts horse-cutter sword breaks. Weaponlkess and horseless after the last charge. All seems lost now when suddnely, a lone fighter atop a hill tosses a sword down to Gatts a new extra large sword. Gatts grabs the blade and cleaves both Boscogne and his horse. Gennon is furious but before he can finally charge off inot the field, Caska's team has won the castle and the battle. Gennon surrenders but not before pleading to Griffith to once again show him "affection". Griffith mocks Gennon and tells him there was no affection, Griffith just used him to getthe money he needed to start the Hawks. Gennon is enraged but before he can do anything Griffith kills with a sword through the eye.

The victory is won and Griffith and the Hawks return to Midland as heroes. To thank Griffith for ending the war with Chuda, the king of Midland gives the Hawks leader the highest rank in the Midland army... The White Pheonix General. Gatts and Hawks inner circle all attend the ball in Griffith's honor that night while elsewhere in the castle some Barons and Duke's jealous of Griffith's power determine he must die and are supported by the Queen of Midland, who even supplies the poison to be put in Griffith's drink. At the ball Caska tries to avoid dancing with the nobility as they are more interested in her as an oddity (a female merc) than as a persaon. Gatts is stunned at how beautiful Caska looks. Both wander over to griffith and all of them take a cup of wine. Griffith sips his wine and then... to everyone's horro... falls down dead!!

Comments
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The battle scenes in this show are violent and I mean VIOLENT!! We are talking Honma/Yamakawa violent here people!! These episodes are important because they already mark where the good times for Gatts will end. Caska already suspects he is going to leavethe Hawks as he stated several times "I can't let my sword be controlled by another man's dream". The series takes a turn toward carnage at the end of the series when the Hawks are betrayed by one of their own (who does it? like I'm telling!!). The animation is top rate, the story flows smoothly as we see Gatts question is place in the grand scheme of things. Well, what are you waiting for... GET THIS!! You want this... YOU NEEEEED THIS!!

James
 

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