Berserk
A swordsman, a dreamer, and a friendship that ends in nightmare.
Last updated: 10 November 2026
Berserk is a 25 episode dark fantasy anime from OLM, directed by Naohito Takahashi and first aired in Japan in 1997. It adapts the Golden Age arc of Kentaro Miura's manga, following mercenary Guts and his time with Griffith's Band of the Hawk. People watch it for its grounded medieval battles, its slow burn tragedy and Susumu Hirasawa's strange, haunting score. The story continues in the Golden Age Arc films and the 2016 series, and in full in the manga.
About Berserk
In a medieval world of endless war, the mercenary Guts is beaten in a duel by Griffith, leader of the Band of the Hawk, and forced to join his company. The Hawks win battle after battle for the kingdom of Midland, and Guts slowly finds something he has never had: comrades, and a reason to stay. Berserk (1997) tells that rise in 25 episodes, and it does not hide where ambition can lead. It is violent, sad and very human underneath the armour.
Berserk is a TV anime from 1997, first released in Fall 1997. It belongs to the Action and Horror and Drama genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Story & Plot
Guts was born under a hanged corpse and raised by mercenaries who never wanted him. By the time he is a young man he is a feared fighter for hire, swinging a sword almost as tall as he is and belonging nowhere. That changes when he crosses blades with Griffith, the white haired leader of the Band of the Hawk. Griffith wins, claims Guts as his own, and Guts finds himself fighting beside people like the sharp tongued commander Casca, who resents him at first and trusts him slowly.
The Hawks are good. Too good for a band of common soldiers. Midland's nobles sneer at them, the king rewards them, and Griffith's dream of a kingdom of his own pulls everyone higher than mercenaries are supposed to climb. Guts, who has only ever lived by the sword, starts to wonder what he is for when the fighting stops. That question, and Griffith's refusal to let anything go, set up everything that follows.
The 1997 series adapts the Golden Age arc and ends at the Eclipse, a turning point so bleak that viewers have talked about it for decades. Later versions retell and continue the story: the Golden Age Arc film trilogy of 2012 and 2013, its 2022 Memorial Edition television edit, and the 2016 series, which moves past the Eclipse with an older Guts travelling with new companions. None of the anime versions finish the story. For the ending, the manga is the only road, and it is still being published.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Berserk anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Black Swordsman | Episode 1 | 1997 | A framing episode: an older, scarred Guts hunts a monstrous noble, then the story jumps back to how he got there. |
| Golden Age: Joining the Hawk | Episodes 2 to 13 | 1997 to 1998 | Guts duels Griffith, joins the Band of the Hawk and earns his place beside Casca and the others in Midland's wars. |
| Golden Age: Rise and Cracks | Episodes 14 to 21 | 1998 | The Hawks reach the top, court politics turn poisonous, and Guts and Griffith start walking different roads. |
| The Eclipse | Episodes 22 to 25 | 1998 | The final episodes adapt the Eclipse, the most infamous sequence in the series. Disturbing throughout, and the point the manga continues from. |
Why Watch Berserk
- The Golden Age story works as a war drama first and a fantasy second, so the fall hurts.
- Hand drawn 1990s animation with heavy shadow and still, painterly frames.
- Susumu Hirasawa's score is unlike any other anime soundtrack of its era.
- Guts, Griffith and Casca are one of anime's most studied central triangles.
- A complete arc in 25 episodes, with clear routes onwards into films, the 2016 series and the manga.
Who Is It For?
Berserk is adults only. It contains graphic battle violence, gore, sexual violence in the Eclipse episodes, and themes of abuse and despair. It is not suitable for children or younger teens, and even adult viewers should know the final episodes are deliberately horrifying.
Main Characters
View all characters →Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Berserk.
- GutsMercenary swordsman, later the Black SwordsmanJapanese voiceNobutoshi Canna
- GriffithLeader of the Band of the HawkJapanese voiceToshiyuki Morikawa
- CascaCommander of the Band of the HawkJapanese voiceYuko Miyamura
- Puck (Berserk)Elf companion (films and 2016 series; cut from the 1997 series)Japanese voiceKaoru Mizuhara
- SchierkeYoung witch (2016 series)Japanese voiceChiwa Saito
- FarneseFormer Holy Iron Chain Knights commander (2016 series)Japanese voiceYoko Hikasa
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Kentaro Miura
- Animation Studio
- OLM (OLM Team Iguchi)
- Director
- Naohito Takahashi
- Music
- Susumu Hirasawa
Manga & Source Material
Berserk began as Kentaro Miura's manga, one of the most influential dark fantasy comics ever drawn. The 1997 anime covers roughly its first thirteen volumes.
- Written and drawn by Kentaro Miura; a prototype appeared in 1988 and the series began in Hakusensha's Monthly Animal House in 1989, moving to Young Animal in 1992
- Miura died in May 2021. The manga resumed in June 2022 under the supervision of his friend Kouji Mori, drawn by Studio Gaga, Miura's own studio of assistants and apprentices
- 43 collected volumes had been released as of 2025, and the manga is still ongoing
- Miura's friendship with Kouji Mori partly inspired the bond between Guts and Griffith
- The 1997 anime adapts the Golden Age arc, roughly volumes 1 to 13, and leaves out some manga material, including the elf Puck
Music
Susumu Hirasawa's score mixes synthesisers, chanting and folk instruments into something ritual and unsettling. His track Forces became so linked to the series that it returned in later adaptations.
Opening Themes
- “Tell Me Why”by PENPALSThe 1997 opening, an English language indie rock track that contrasts sharply with the show's darkness
Ending Themes
- “Waiting So Long”by Silver FinsThe 1997 ending theme, a quiet English language song played over still artwork
Series Timeline
- 1989
Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga begins serialisation in Monthly Animal House.
- 1997 to 1998
The 25 episode television anime by OLM airs on Nippon TV, adapting the Golden Age arc.
- 2012 to 2013
The Golden Age Arc film trilogy retells the same story with a new cast, led by Hiroaki Iwanaga as Guts.
- 2016 to 2017
A new television series continues past the Eclipse in 24 episodes, covering the Conviction arc and the start of the next.
- 2021
Kentaro Miura dies in May. His final completed chapter is published posthumously in September.
- 2022
The manga resumes under Kouji Mori and Studio Gaga. The Golden Age Arc Memorial Edition, a 13 episode television edit of the films, airs in the autumn.
Release Schedule
- Premiere
- 8 October 1997 on Nippon TV (Japan)
- Broadcast
- Nippon TV, October 1997 to April 1998
- Streaming
- Netflix in many countries for the 1997 series (not the US, UK or Canada); Crunchyroll carries the 2016 series and the Memorial Edition in many regions
- Episodes
- 25 episodes (this series). Franchise: 3 Golden Age Arc films, a 13 episode Memorial Edition and 24 episodes in 2016 to 2017
Streaming availability changes by country and over time. Details as of 10 November 2026.
Quick Answers
Is Berserk finished?
Yes. Berserk has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Berserk?
Berserk is a Action and Horror and Drama anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Berserk release?
Berserk first released in Fall 1997. It is a TV series.
Where can I watch Berserk (1997)?
Netflix streams the 1997 series in many countries, though not in the US, UK or Canada, where the Discotek Media Blu-ray is the reliable legal option. Crunchyroll carries the 2016 series and the Golden Age Arc Memorial Edition in many regions. Check your local catalogue, because Berserk's rights are split by version.
How many episodes does Berserk have, and is it finished?
The 1997 series has 25 episodes and adapts only the Golden Age arc. The 2016 series adds 24 more and continues the story, but no anime version finishes it. The manga is the complete story and is still ongoing under Kouji Mori and Studio Gaga.
What is the Berserk watch order?
Start with the 1997 series (25 episodes) or the Golden Age Arc films, which tell the same Golden Age story. Then watch the 2016 series, which continues after the Eclipse. The Memorial Edition (2022) is a television edit of the films, so pick it instead of the films, not as well as them.
Is there a Berserk remake or sequel?
There is no full remake. The Golden Age Arc films (2012 to 2013) retell the 1997 story, the Memorial Edition (2022) re-edits those films for television with new scenes, and the 2016 series is the sequel that moves the story forward. A complete adaptation of the manga has never been made.
Who voices Guts?
In the 1997 series Guts is voiced by Nobutoshi Canna in Japanese and Marc Diraison in English. From the Golden Age Arc films onward, Hiroaki Iwanaga voices him in Japanese. Marc Diraison returned in English for the films and Memorial Edition, while Kaiji Tang voices Guts in the 2016 series dub.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Berserk and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Berserk (1997)Television series, 25 episodes: this series. The Golden Age arc, and the best starting point.
- 2Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I to III (films)Film trilogy (2012 to 2013): The Egg of the King, The Battle for Doldrey and The Advent. An alternative retelling of the same story as the 1997 series, not a sequel.
- 3Berserk: The Golden Age Arc, Memorial EditionTelevision edit of the films (2022), 13 episodes with added scenes. Watch this instead of the film trilogy if you prefer episode form.
- 4Berserk (2016)Television series, 24 episodes (2016 to 2017): the sequel. Guts travels after the Eclipse, gathering the companions the 1997 series left out.
Where to Watch
Berserk is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.