Welcome back, one and all, to the happiest manga ever penned! Hope you’re all ready for a party! It’s finally time for the festival! There’s even going to be a bonfire!
Why is everyone screaming?
Today, we’re covering the following chapters:
- Shadows of Idea 1 – 3
- Leaping Fish
- Bestial Priest 1 – 2
- Those Who Cling, Those Who Struggle
‘Shadows of Idea’ doesn’t waste time getting into the nightmare fuel. As evil spreads throughout the refugee camp, the starving populace begin to turn into monsters. Tents burn, children get eaten by their parents; you know, Berserk stuff. Terrified and desperate, the people begin to flee towards Albion Tower in some vain hope for salvation. The panels gradually zoom out, returning to Guts atop the wreckage, and the lights of the camp begin to take an all-too familiar shape.
Hold on… That kinda looks like an evil version of the Bonfire of Dreams. And this whole section is about Guts and Casca. And all the people are tossing their flames towards a joined hope, ala the Hawks and Griffith. Coincidence?
Down below, Azan and his men are met with the fleeing refugees and the nightmarish death blobs. Luckily for them, Mozgus flies down as if from the heavens and burns the threat away with his fire breath. Tossing Isidro aside, he goes on about divine miracles, the power of God, so on and so forth. Tl;dr: he convinces everyone that burning the witch (Casca) will bring unto them salvation.
While Mozgus and Azan’s men hold off the demons, the villagers all prepare for Casca’s burning. It’s a horrifying sight to behold. The villagers tug on her hair and clothes, their faces masks of terror, hatred, and desperation. The confusion and fright in Casca’s eyes is honestly disturbing. And all Guts can do is watch from above, too far away to help.
He doesn’t stay inactive long. The corpses and blood of Mozgus’ dead priests rise up, taking the form of four distinctly familiar silhouettes: the God Hand. Naturally, being the vengeful monster he is, Guts tries to strike, forgetting all about Casca for just one moment. But of course, it doesn’t work. These shades are not the real God Hand, but shadows, as Skull Knight alluded to before.
Yet that begs the question: if those four are there, then where is the fifth? Where is Griffith?
Guts doesn’t have long to ponder the question. Down below, the people are already piling wood around Casca and lighting torches. If he wants to get to her, however, he’ll need to get past the evil spirits, who form up like a wall of acidic blood around him.
The tension across these chapters is palpable! Guts is surrounded by demons, Casca by humans so crazed they may as well be. He is still so far away, making no progress, while the angry mob is all but ready to burn her. It feels truly desperate and hopeless.
We get a break from that tension as we cut back to Skull Knight and Luca. Despite the skeleton’s warnings of certain death and catastrophe, Luca makes for the tower anyway to help however she can. Waving Death a friendly goodbye, she departs. Another scene definitely proving that she is, in fact, best girl.
And look! Skull Knight is then confronted by best boy!
Amidst all the chaos, the Egg of the World climbs the ruined tower, his moment close at hand (get it?). Though his life is nearly over, he takes comfort in knowing his final sight will be the end of his wicked world. But on the way up, he catches sight of Mozgus and wonders; could things have been different if the priest had found him? He quickly sets the thought aside. All he wants now is to bring it to an end.
As he climbs, the Egg discovers the dying remains of the Demon Infant. He empathizes with the child, lost and alone, discarded and dying. So he swallows the baby, cradling it within himself, preparing to die with it for the new world to be born.
Would you believe me if I told you that was the single most important scene in all of Berserk?
‘Leaping Fish’ begins with Isidro desperately trying to find a way to save Casca. Nearby, Jerome, Nina, Serpico, and Farnese all emerge atop the wall as well, shell-shocked but alive. Poor Farnese doesn’t even have the energy to speak anymore, she’s so traumatized.
Though I daresay her night is going a good deal better than Casca’s.
Hope you enjoyed that break, because the tension is coming back in force.
As the crowd prepares to burn her, we get a brief glimpse into Casca’s perspective. The faces of the wretched townsfolk begin to melt away as demons seem to emerge and devour them. Her clothes vanish, leaving her naked before the corpses and demons. As if being burned at the stake weren’t bad enough, she’s got to do it while grappling with post-Eclipse PTSD!
Up above, Guts continues his fruitless fight, still determined to save her. Between each action panel, we see the torches rise, then fly, then catch beneath Casca’s feet. What little light begins to fade, the panels becoming more and more black. But just as all becomes dark and hope seems lost, Isidro drops from above, sword in hand, rope wrapped around his waist. The panels suddenly light up, and all the crowd can do is reach out in vain as the boy, with some help from Jerome and Nina, cut Casca free and spirits her away to safety.
Naturally, Mozgus is enraged and flies down to take the witch back. Unluckily for him, Guts pushes through the goop demons with one last desperate push. Falling, the Black Swordsman drives the Dragon Slayer straight through the would-be angel’s chest.
Skull Knight’s earlier words to Guts echo on the page.
It doesn’t mean it will be exactly the same. Maybe you aren’t a shadow on the water… but instead a fish that breaches the water’s surface.
Skull Knight, ‘The Leaping Fish’ – ‘Bestial Priest’ Part 1
The sheer vindication this scene makes me feel is unmatched! Ever since the Eclipse, all we’ve heard again and again is that destiny can’t be fought. That Guts and Casca are doomed with no escape and no hope. Here, at long last, we see Guts take his first true victory over Destiny and its nonsense. Not survival, but an honest, genuine win! God damn, does it feel good!
I especially love how the crowd reacts to Guts. They don’t know about the God Hand or the Brand of Sacrifice or Apostles or any of that bizarre nightmare nonsense. As far as they’re concerned, a demon in black came swooping down from the sky and stabbed their angelic savior. It’s cool, and it plays well into the Guts’ descent into becoming a terrifying monster. Plus the art looks absolutely incredible, I mean, come on, just look at this!
Also, he caught a glimpse of the Egg and the Infant. Pretty impressive for a guy with one eye falling down a tower at near mach speed.
But no time to process that! Casca is under attack again! Guts rushes to her aid again, but Mozgus is still up and kicking. Luckily for both our protagonists, Isidro and Jerome are still here to help. Not so luckily, Mozgus has entered his final form.
This is where the priest stops working as a villain for me. He works best as a religiously devout lunatic, a normal man whose morals and faith are twisted into sheer psychotic lunacy. Turning him into an over-designed winged monster who names all his attacks like a One Piece villain doesn’t do anything for me.
So the fight begins. Guts VS Mozgus. And it is a cool fight; some of the coolest action panels in the whole arc are here. Mozgus has been made virtually invincible, and his remaining priests are gunning straight for Casca. Guts has got to do something now he hasn’t done since the Eclipse: put faith in others in battle.
Oh yeah, and Azan is still here. He and his men are being overrun by evil spirits! Oh no!
Anyways…
Guts continues to fight Mozgus, and it continues to be really cool. We even get some banter, though most of it is Guts telling the Father to shut his fucking trap.
Oh yeah, and Nina falls into a well. Oh no!
Anyways…
Puck, Isidro, and Jerome come up with a plan to eliminate Mozgus’ priests. I actually really like this scene. It’s got some fun humor to break up the grim tone and it makes creative use of all three characters’ skill sets; Puck’s wings and light, Isidro’s aim, and Jerome’s sword. I especially love how small the panels are, creating a clear visual contrast between how these guys fight compared to how Guts does; plus, it makes the fight feel quick and hectic. Short as this little battle is, it’s actually pretty cool!
Naturally, Mozgus flies into a rage. Guts, drenched in blood and sweat, stands his ground, cool and determined. Down below, the mob of evil goop spirits begin to move forward once again.
‘Those Who Cling, Those Who Struggle’ gets off to an intense start. With the evil spirits closing in, the desperate populace urge Mozgus to hurry in defeating Guts and save them. It puts us as an audience in an interesting position. In order for Guts to save Casca, he must sacrifice all these people. Almost like how Griffith sacrificed the Hawks for himself.
But those villagers are all horrible and doomed anyways, so… get him, Guts!
Yet Puck himself explores the question. By sacrificing Casca, the spirits very well may leave the populace alone. From his understanding, Mozgus’ plan very well may work.
Guts, on the other hand, is not having it. He calls Mozgus and the whole crowd out on their bullshit. In their terror and faith, they’ve put all the evil they’re suffering onto a single woman as opposed to actually struggling to fight and live for themselves.
Now, finally, we come to the climax of the fight. Guts takes a massive beating, but in the midst of it, he realizes Mozgus’ weakness. A few badass action panels later, Guts goes to deliver the killing blow. But not before dropping one of the coolest one liners I’ve ever read.
This stretch of chapters is overall very strong. I’m not a huge fan of what Mozgus turned into. But in the face of everything else, of all the hype moments and the terror and the intensity and the sheer overwhelming satisfaction, that’s really not that big an issue.
We’re not done yet, though. There’s still a ways to go before Conviction finally comes to an end. And what an end it’s going to be!
Buckle up, folks. Next time is gonna be a doozy.
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