Berserk 11
March 14, 2008
I absolutely had to have more Berserk after I read 9-10, so I went out and bought 11-13, the only consecutive volumes I could lay my hands on at the comic shop. I’m really hoping that forward momentum will slow down after 13 so that I can at least wait and order more when I’m not flat broke. If I’m not satisfied, I’m probably have to drive to the suburbs this weekend to get more, and I really don’t want to do that. Berserk may just make me, though.
As expected, Guts fights the Wolfman. He turns out to be a monster akin to the Nosferatu, perhaps the same type of monster. Maybe not, though. He does a trick like the Lord from the second story where a huge monster somehow spontaneously generates from his midsection so his tiny torso and head is mounted on top of a gigantic body, complete with huge staring eyes. I liked the fight, which took up a good chunk of the volume. The way Guts finally wins is pretty amazing and suitably violent, but Guts takes quite a beating to get there. These beatings seem pretty insignificant when compared with the abuse he was taking in the present, though.
Griffith is doted upon a little bit and thrown around, and apparently is unable to play his role when asked. He doesn’t have much to say about the fight, or what happened to him, or even about how he feels when he is directly engaged in combat. I don’t think he has much to say at all anymore, which is a shame. I really would like to know what he thinks about Guts. He seemed to… I don’t know, enjoy the fight between Guts and the monster. He was declared officially invalid at one point, which is definitely disappointing.
I don’t know if I can take much more of this Casca business. It was particularly bad last volume, but I hate how flirty and mother-y she is now. I feel like this kind of ruins her. Since she wasn’t shown in the present, I can only assume she dies, which should be quite sad even if I don’t like her. It will probably destroy Guts and send him into a berserker rage against whatever monster does it. Hmm. Maybe that monster will be Griffith, taking away the one thing Guts has that’s important. That would be interesting.
March 14, 2008 at 12:21 pm
You are totally making me want to read Berserk. :)
March 14, 2008 at 7:09 pm
[...] Connie lets loose a volley of reviews at Slightly Biased Manga, giving her take on vols. 9, 10, and 11 of Berserk, Secret Comics Japan, vol. 32 of Dragon Ball, and vol. 3 of Let Dai. Snow Wildsmith [...]
March 15, 2008 at 12:22 am
You gotta tell me if by the end of vol. 13 you’re more impressed–or less–by what actually happens than what you’re currently projecting. XD
March 16, 2008 at 2:26 am
Let me tell you, I couldn’t be more impressed with volume 13. I couldn’t have hoped for anything nearly as awesome as a full-volume slaughter/betrayal like that. The jury’s still out on Casca though. I feel like I can’t pass judgment on her unless she’s killed or cured.