Kentaro Miura's Berserk takes place in a fantasy world resembling medieval Europe, albeit with a lot more supernatural entities and dark magic. The story centers on Guts, a figure also known as the Black Swordsman and one of the strongest men in the world. Cursed by ghosts and demons and haunted by his traumatic past, Guts is currently seeking vengeance against his former friend, Griffith.

As of 2021, the series has at least 50 million copies in print, making it one of the best-selling manga of all time. The Berserk manga has also received quite a few adaptations over the years — a movie series, multiple TV programs, video games, light novels, and even a Konami trading card game. That said, Berserk is best known for its film and television adaptations. Since there are multiple Berserk adaptations, fans will want to know which ones are canon to each other and which order to watch these anime projects in.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on January 23, 2024: Berserk is more than ever revered as a classic, if brutal, fantasy anime and manga series. The anime adaptations of Kentaro Miura's manga creation have mostly been well-received, though they also have their fair share of controversy. Nevertheless, the Berserk anime each exist to get new fans into the franchise, so it's important for them to know the correct order to watch them in. Said order includes the Berserk movies, with the Berserk anime released before and afterward being "chronologically" related adaptations.

This article discusses sensitive topics, including torture and assault.

Berserk

With director Naohito Takahashi at the helm, the first animated version of this Seinen series was produced by Oriental Light and Magic. This Berserk anime adaptation follows the manga's Black Swordsman and Golden Age arcs, showcasing Guts' burgeoning relationship with the Band of the Hawk. Several manga characters were entirely excised, like Puck and Donovan.

However, cutting out the Skull Knight resulted in an infamous plot hole, since it fails to explain how Guts and Casca escape Femto after the Eclipse. The original manga's overt violence and mature tone were drastically watered down for the anime, although the show inevitably ended on a mournful note. Further, removing some of the manga's gags helped make the anime narrative more solemn. For the longest time, it's been something of a "lost adaptation" due to its lack of availability on streaming platforms. Thankfully, Discotek is re-releasing the 1997 Berserk anime on Blu-ray in 2024.

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I — The Egg Of The King

A film series of Berserk movies was first announced as early as 2010, when it was mentioned on the jacket cover of Volume 35. Animated by Studio 4°C, this Berserk trilogy is officially subtitled The Golden Age Arc. The title of the first movie relates to Griffith's Crimson Beherit, the mystical object that would later cause irreparable damage to the world.

Guts meets Griffith for the first time in The Egg of the King, where he eventually befriends the Band's leader after suffering a humiliating defeat. Nosferatu Zodd tells Guts to stay away from Griffith, referring to his Beherit. The Egg of the King ends with Guts mindlessly obeying Griffith's orders, only to overhear the latter criticize every member of his supposedly beloved Band.

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II — The Battle For Doldrey

The Battle for Doldrey covers some of the most intense fight sequences from the original Berserk anime TV series. Dejected, the proficient swordsman Guts promises to exit the Band of the Hawk in order to seek his own path, and therefore earn Griffith's friendship on equal terms. The Band successfully infiltrates the Fortress of Doldrey using a pincer attack. Casca defeats and kills the malicious General of the Blue Whale knights, Adon Coborlwitz.

Griffith's victory puts an end to the Hundred-Year War, but Guts' unexpected decision to leave breaks his heart. Griffith recklessly ends up sleeping with Princess Charlotte, for which he's arrested and incarcerated in the ominous Tower of Rebirth. Although The Battle of Doldrey is a significant turning point in the Berserk storyline, this film installment doesn't pack the same potent punch as its successor.

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III — The Advent

Berserk has always been notorious for its wanton depictions of brutality, but The Golden Age Arc III – The Advent takes it to the next level. In a review for Kotaku, Richard Eisenbeis states that the third movie "delivers an experience surpassing even the original manga in both emotional turmoil and eye-wrenching ultra-violence." Guts finally returns to help the Band rescue Griffith, but they're shocked to discover their former leader's pitiful state after a year of continuous torture.

When Griffith tries to take his own life, the Crimson Beherit pulls both him and his allies into a demonic dimension. The God Hand demands a sacrifice in exchange for unlimited power, and Griffith doesn't even think twice. Numerous Apostles spawn all around the blood-tinged hellscape, massacring every remaining member of the Band. Griffith, now called Femto, proceeds to assault Casca in one of the most spine-chilling animated scenes ever made. Guts and Casca are fortunately saved by the Skull Knight at the end of the film.

Berserk (2016)

The 2016 Berserk anime series serves as a sequel to The Golden Age Arc movie trilogy and follows the events of the manga's Conviction arc. The first season introduces several manga characters for the first time, like Puck, Serpico, Farnese, Isidro, Nina, and Luca. Branded with the mark of The God Hand, Guts desperately attempts to find Griffith and make him pay for his crimes. Guts meets and defeats a few Apostles, while simultaneously trying to take care of the honorable and disciplined Casca. This task proves difficult given his supernatural situation.

The second season of the latest Berserk anime, released in 2017, adapts the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc from the manga. It involves an entirely new set of characters as well as those previously mentioned, such as Flora, Schierke, Rakshas, and Grunbeld the Giant. Team Guts, or the Black Swordsman Party, takes on several additional members, but not all remain loyal to him. The 2016 series is vastly more violent than the 1997 adaptation, but it remains rather faithful to Miura's manga storyline.

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc — Memorial Edition (2022)

Compared to The Golden Age Arc films, the Memorial Edition of the Berserk movies isn't radically different in terms of story and plot. However, this remastered adaptation directed by Yuta Sano has been repackaged in the form of a TV show, with minor tonal and visual modifications. The first episode of the Memorial Edition, titled "The Golden Age," was released on October 2nd, 2022.

The entire show ran for 12 episodes and includes the legendary "Bonfire of Dreams" sequence from the manga and the 1997 series. This was a crucial moment for both the narrative and the fandom, since it contextualized Guts' changing relationship with the Band of the Hawk. It also placed it last in the Berserk anime order. Although the Berserk fandom was unquestionably delighted with this recent adaptation, most would've rather had the Fantasia arc animated.