The BlackSwordsman - A Berserk Fansite

Berserk Manga Volume 23

Contributed by: Verses

Book Description
“Desperate as Guts, the Black Swordsman, has been to reunite with his former captain and lover, the now-mad Casca, he’s quickly learning that being together is as dangerous as being apart. What should be a simple journey to the safety of Puck’s homeland proves to be a gauntlet of perils, as the Mark of Sacrifice each bears brings the fury of Hell down upon them, and Guts discovers that in his darkest moments he himself is the greatest danger to the woman he loves.”

Review
Continuing where the last volume left off, volume 23 does not reveal any major important factor about the story nor about the characters, an interesting chapter none the less. It still does offer what we’d expect from Miura, violence, sex, character development, and comic relief... And we all know that’s what makes the series so awesome.

Guts’ party, currently just Casca and Puck, travel by day and fight off myriads of demons at night, slowly heading to the safety of Puck’s homeland, Elfhem. Guts’ nerves are wearing thin under the strain of protecting Casca. Overwhelmed by demons, Guts is possessed by a small horde of spirits and turns against the innocent Casca. Finding himself again, he regains consciousness only to realize that Casca's being choked in his own hand. Terrified from the sudden attack, she refuses to cooperate with him. She disappears one day while Guts dosed off, and finds her shortly after, covered in the blood of the bandits she had killed. Casca no longer trusts in Guts, and he begins to think of the limited options he has. Just when he needs any help he can get, that’s when new members join Guts’ party.

The story then switches to the newly reincarnated Griffith as the new Band of the Hawk decimate a Kushan army with ease. Attracting warriors every which way with his divine presence, his latest recruit is the adolescent noble Mule, saved the Kushan. Mule tours the camp by the psychic Sonia, finding that the soldiers of the band are more than just ordinary humans. At the end of the excursion, he is stun by the striking and charismatic Griffith.

Ultimately, what I found most interesting in this chapter is when Guts’ ego appears to him as a demonic dog. First confronted when Guts appears to have a nightmare, being under the useful watch of Puck, who eventually fell asleep on the night watch. Good old Puck, ?.

In this issue you will see the following:

• Casca getting bang raped by bandits
• Guts confronting his inner demon
• New members joining Guts’ party
• Puck teaching his fighting techniques
• Arrows ripping heads of shoulders

Final Score: 5 of 5 stars

Comments(4)