The dark fantasy anime Berserk became widely beloved for its interesting and memorable plot twists. Many fans had reservations about Griffith's disturbingly dark character. The beautiful and charismatic man was extremely ambitious, though he often ended up making some of the worst decisions in anime history.
His glorious white hair and feminine looks were in contrast with his cruel personality. Throughout the series, he was strong-willed and never hesitated in difficult situations. Despite coming from poverty, he achieved impossible goals and became a noble person. While most things Griffith did were irredeemable, he also had decisions that resulted in remarkable changes in the Midlands.
10 Worst: He Got The King's Brother And His Son Killed
Fans had mixed feelings after the events in episode nine. Griffith and his crew went out on a hunt and a stray arrow hit the leader. Not much later, Griffith assumed the person behind the attempt on his life must have been Julius, the king’s brother. He then sent Guts to avenge the deed by killing Julius. As Guts was on his way out, he killed another person, whom he thought was a guard, but, in fact, it was Julius’ 13-year old son, Adonis.
That night left a mark on Guts’ soul, as well as on some fans who weren’t happy about Griffith’s orders either.
9 Best: He Wanted His Own Kingdom
Most Berserk fans thought Griffith was simply overly-ambitious, and that's why they often forgave his questionable actions. His character was easy to relate to since he came from humble origins, yet he had almost unachievable aspirations.
His plans involved becoming the next king by marrying Charlotte, the current king’s daughter. To reach such heights, he had to be strong and often bold, otherwise he would have never been able to even meet the king. Griffith was a remarkably determined and charismatic person which made him a great leader and a fascinating character, something that helped Berserk became one of the most beloved CGI anime series.
8 Worst: When He Violated Charlotte
One of Griffith’s worst decisions was engaging in sexual activities with Charlotte. The princess was somewhat interested in the man. However, it wasn’t the right decision to use her feelings towards him this way.
During those times, especially in royal circles, sleeping with someone before getting married was an unforgivable act. Fans were debating whether Griffith’s deed constitutes as rape since Charlotte didn’t exactly stop him or call for help. However, Griffith’s life went to hell when the King found out what he did, and Griffith was imprisoned and brutally tortured for a year.
7 Best: He Was A Great Leader
At the beginning of Berserk, Griffith was already an established leader of the Band of Falcon. Fans grew fond of the strong commander, as he stood out of the mercenary crowd and had a very unique vibe.
When viewers met Guts, he was sort of lost, but, upon meeting the Band and their leader, his life took a huge turn. He found a purpose to keep going and became one of the strongest characters thanks to Griffith. Griffith’s achievements became even more fascinating for fans when they learned how far he had come.
6 Worst: His Obsession Over Guts
Ever since their meeting, Griffith was obsessed with Guts. That was understandable to a point because he was indeed a great asset to the Band.
However, fans realized there was more to their relationship. Most fans believe that Griffith was in love with Guts, and it's likely that everything would have been easier for Griffith if he wasn’t so blinded by his feelings for him. When Guts decided to leave the band, it didn't only terribly affect Griffith’s plans, but also made him both furious and miserable.
5 Best: When He Merged The Astral Plane & The Physical Plane
It was an epic moment when Griffith and his army fought against the Kushan Empire. It was visually amazing in and of itself, but the best moments were just about to come.
Griffith, by then Femto, anticipated Skull Knight’s move, a space-cleaving sword stroke, and averted it towards Ganishka. That triggered the Great Roar of the Astral World which merged the two planes, creating Fantasia. It was exciting for fans to see what creatures would surface. This was one of the most epic moments in Berserk and one of the reasons that made this manga so exciting and unique.
4 Worst: When He Became Femto
During the Eclipse, Griffith and his band were transported to another dimension, where they had to face demons. Four powerful demons explained who they were and invited Griffith to join them as the fifth God Hand. In exchange, he had to offer a sacrifice. For a few moments, Griffith went deep within his mind, going through a short soul-searching.
Griffith ended up brutally sacrificing his crew to achieve his dream. While Griffith transformed into Femto, his band was tortured and murdered by demons.
3 Best: When He Saved Midlands
While Griffith had done some despicable things over the years, many humans were grateful for his bravery. After he became Femto, he managed to achieve some incredible things. He liberated Midlands from the Kushan Empire’s occupation, and he and his comrades fought bravely to reclaim the areas. Femto aimed to ensure humans had a large area to live freely in safety.
Actually, Midlands became even safer than before, and people were all ready to pledge their alliance to Femto.
2 Worst: When He Kept Blaming Guts For Everything
Griffiths biggest weakness was without a doubt Guts. While Griffith was secretly in love with him, he also kept blaming Guts for his terrible decisions. When Guts left the band, Griffith was devastated and acted terribly rashly. Griffith acted in spite and wanted to take everything Guts held dear, and that's why he slept with princess Charlotte. As a result, he was tortured and maimed.
Instead of taking responsibility for his actions Griffith, secretly blamed Guts for everything and took his revenge when he sacrificed them in order to become Femto. He even grabbed and violated Casca in front of Guts in order to finally take revenge on his ex-compatriot. Even those fans who were supportive of Griffith’s ambitions felt this time he went too far, and this episode instantly became the darkest one in the series.
1 Best: When He Created A Utopian Society
After the Great Roar of the Astral World, a new city arose in the middle of Fantasia. This other-worldly city served as a safe haven for humanity in this new uncertain environment. Fans found Falconia to be a very interesting place, which Femto ruled with a great vision.
He appointed it as Midland’s new capital and created a true utopia in his new kingdom. While Griffith had to lose everything, he finally achieved his goals and was the ruler of a powerful and peaceful kingdom.