tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post1146168563789829102..comments2023-08-11T05:49:23.366-04:00Comments on Exploring Believability: Analysis: BerserkJ. Sheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10652255892382558843noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post-85000569422567436182016-03-15T21:22:17.472-04:002016-03-15T21:22:17.472-04:00Puck certainly exists for a "meta reason"...Puck certainly exists for a "meta reason" but so does, say, Jar Jar Binks. The fact that "comic relief" is an existing concept does not automatically make comic relief characters tolerable.<br /><br />There's also plenty of ways to have light-hearted scenes in a serious story without relying on "kids and wacky characters". The Golden Age arc did fine without them, and the "main story" has two child characters and two fairy characters filling a role that, at most, needed *one* of those.<br /><br />And the fate stuff...I mean, I'm sure you could find bits and pieces of the plot to support your point, but that feels kind of hollow to me. I mean, that's true of most uses of "fate" in fiction. You can justify anything because "it was meant to be".J. Sheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10652255892382558843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post-10789723921904442432016-03-15T19:13:01.289-04:002016-03-15T19:13:01.289-04:00I'd have to disagree with a few points. I can&...I'd have to disagree with a few points. I can't remember what chapter it was exactly, but Puck said something self referential about how dark the world of Berserk is. Miura keeps Puck around because if there wasn't anything light hearted to draw upon,the story would take its toll on Miura, there's only so much grimdark you can write before it numbs you. <br /><br />As for the plot armour point, that is a central theme of the whole manga: destiny, people having a set time and place for the moment of their death. Every character in Berserk, perhaps excluding Skull Knight and possibly Guts, is governed by causality and the Idea of Evil (if 83 is to be believed). People exist and suffer for a reason, even if that reason is as mundane as carrying someone else to their predestination. When you look back at all the deus-ex-machina moments and happy coincidences, in retrospect you realise how everything seems to be orchestrated.<br /><br />In addition to this point, I find Guts' absence in the scheme of causality to be another thing that makes him vulnerable. His actions are independent of causality, not only is he not governed by it but his actions are invisible to it, meaning he can change the course of fate. However, this is equally as dangerous to him because he could die as a result of literally anything in the world, fate isn't there to protect him until his time comes.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09544955134577903921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post-53194795758639979932015-11-19T06:51:05.388-05:002015-11-19T06:51:05.388-05:00the realism in golden age is almost constant thoug...the realism in golden age is almost constant though<br />you really should spend more time analyzing thatAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159442105250298758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post-32831938390579545732012-05-26T19:18:14.131-04:002012-05-26T19:18:14.131-04:00I've never really taken issue with characters ...I've never really taken issue with characters who don't feel "realistically expendable" in Berserk. I guess it's probably because for me, the source of dramatic tension is more about tragedy than survivability and I've never really lost the sense that a) it's all going to end really terribly and b) it could start towards that end at any moment. None of the characters seem invulnerable to further tragedy, and most have already endured it.Fauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06951233867923300808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post-34820074473357388272012-04-10T12:42:00.951-04:002012-04-10T12:42:00.951-04:00Yeah, it's worrying, just like with any series...Yeah, it's worrying, just like with any series that changes concepts abruptly. You're so attached to this story and then things start getting goofy and it's like "should I keep reading just to see if this goes away?"<br /><br />On the other hand, Roderick of Ys is pretty great, so I can at least stay invested in him.J. Sheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10652255892382558843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493946997489326661.post-26983456445610418422012-04-10T04:34:07.180-04:002012-04-10T04:34:07.180-04:00I love Berserk. It starts out as a 70S Heavy Metal...I love Berserk. It starts out as a 70S Heavy Metal typical D&D derivative then drifts into this deep atheist/Lovecraft diatribe. See the philosophic chapter that got cut out of the English version. Not to mention the fantastic art.<br /><br />But I have to agree that, with the addition of the kids, misuse of Puck, and reappearance of the pirates, it seems to have lost direction a bit. Miura's been at it for a decade, taken loads of time off, felt pressure from the success of opposite genres like One Piece, and is putting out the Berserk movie now. I'd like to think he has an ultimate plan and will tie it up in an amazing way, but I fear we're in Lucas land here. Time will tell.Tedankhamenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00181643018957592969noreply@blogger.com