Are you ready to journey into a world of fantasy, demons, warfare, and mercenaries? Berserk is more than an anime, it’s an experience. Meet Guts, a warrior with one of the most tragic backstories you’ve ever seen. As a newborn baby, he was found lying under the corpse of his hanged mother, and that’s just the beginning. Once he comes of age, Guts becomes a force to be reckoned with, earning the title the Hundred Man Slayer.
Berserk is based off a popular and long-running manga series. It’s been adapted several times, with some of the adaptations covering the same ground. If you’re looking to begin your Berserk experience, but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Here is everything you need to know before starting Berserk.
How to watch Berserk in release order
Image credit: Liden Films
If you want to watch the complete Berserk franchise in release order, here is how you would do it.
If you prefer watching the Berserk franchise in chronological order, here is how to do it. It’s important to note that some of the adaptations take place in separate continuities. Don’t worry, we’ll divide that up on this list, and explain the differences later in this guide. Just follow this watch order, and you’ll be all set.
Original series
Berserk (1997)
Rebooted series
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg of the King (2012)/ Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022)
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 2 – The Battle for Doldrey (2012)/ Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022)
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 3 – The Advent (2013)/ Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022)
Berserk (2016)
Is Berserk 1997 the same as Berserk: The Golden Age Arc? What about The Golden Age Arc- Memorial Edition?
Image credit: Studio 4°C
If you watch the 1997 Berserk anime and then watch Berserk: The Golden Age Arc, then you might notice some similarities. That’s because both are adaptations of the Golden Age storyline from the original Berserk manga. They cover the same ground when it comes to narrative, while adding their own stylistic choices.
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition is a re-edited version of the anime film trilogy. Each film has been broken up into multiple episodes. The footage has been remastered, and in some cases new scenes have been animated.
In other words, if you’re a fan of the Golden Age storyline from the Berserk manga, you can watch three adaptations of it.
Is Berserk 1997 connected to Berserk 2016?
Image credit: OLM Team Iguchi
The 2016 Berserk anime is not a sequel to the 1997 Berserk anime. The 2016 series is a continuation of Berserk: The Golden Age Arc, a trilogy of films. The trilogy is a retelling of some of the events from the 1997 anime, but they don’t take place on the same timeline. If you watch the 2016 series, you might notice references to events that seem to come from the 1997 series, but they’re actually talking about The Golden Age Arc.
Should I ignore Berserk 1997?
Image credit: OLM Team Iguchi
The 1997 Berserk anime exists in its own timeline, separate from The Golden Age Arc and the 2016 anime. This means you can skip the 1997 series and let The Golden Age Arc serve as your introduction to the Berserk saga.
But where’s the fun in that?
The 1997 anime is only 25 episodes, so it doesn’t take much time to binge. The series is a great way to meet Guts and explore Midland. It’s also interesting to watch the original series and then compare the anime film trilogy that retold some of the same events. Besides, who doesn’t love a good ‘90s anime?
For an even better experience, watch the 1997 series along with Berserk Abridged, an online parody that comedically recaps each episode.
Where can I watch Berserk?
Image credit: OLM Team Iguchi
Are you ready to begin your journey to Midland? Now that you know how to watch Berserk, here is where you can watch it. As of this writing, the 1997 anime isn’t available on any streaming service, but all 25 episodes have been uploaded to YouTube. Berserk: The Golden Age Arc and the 2016 Berserk anime are both available on Crunchyroll. You can choose either subbed or dubbed. If you prefer owning your digital copies, The Golden Age Arc and the 2016 anime are both available to rent or buy from a variety of video-on-demand services, including Google Play, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu. As of this writing there are no digital versions of the 1997 anime available to purchase.
