When Kentaro Miura passed away earlier this year, the future of his iconic fantasy manga Berserk became uncertain. While many questions about the series still remain, it has been confirmed that at least one more volume by Miura will be released.

According to the series' official Japanese Twitter account, Volume 41 of Berserk will be released in Japan on Dec. 24 in two editions: a standard release, and a special edition will also include a drama CD and a B5-sized canvas illustration. The illustration will feature original artwork created by Miura before his death.

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Berserk is considered by many to be one of the most influential dark fantasies of all time. Many manga authors have cited it as one of their primary influences, including Hajime Isayama (Attack on Titan), Kazue Kato (Blue Exorcist), Makoto Yukimura (Vinland Saga) and Yana Toboso (Black Butler). Moreover, veteran writer and editor Kazushi Shimada argued that series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Fullmetal Alchemist and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba would not exist if not for Berserk. 

Miura's classic manga was first published in 1989 in Hakusensha's now-defunct magazine Monthly Animal House. In 1992, Berserk moved to the semimonthly magazine Young Animal, where it has been published ever since. Miura passed away unexpectedly in May 2021 due to an acute aortic dissection. Young Animal announced that the manga's 364th chapter, the first to be published since Miura's death, will appear in its Sept. 10 issue; however, it is unclear if this new chapter is unreleased work by Miura, or penned by another author.

Young Animal has yet to announce their plans for the future of Berserk series.

KEEP READING: Berserk: The Origin & Power of Dragon Slayer, Guts' Mighty Iron Sword

Source: Twitter, via CrunchyrollÂ