Berserk Reflections of the Witch In the world of Berserk, the character known as Griffith holds a significant role as the leader of the Band of the Hawk. Throughout the series, his actions and motives are often shrouded in mystery, leaving readers to wonder about his true intentions. One of the most intriguing aspects of Griffith's character is his connection to the witch known as Slan. Slan is one of the members of the God Hand, a group of powerful beings that reside in the Astral World. These beings hold immense power and influence over the world of Berserk, and their motives are often enigmatic. Griffith's encounters with Slan provide glimpses into his inner desires and the depths of his ambition.
Schierke resumes teaching Farnese magic at her request [20] , and assists in the mission to wipe out the Sea God, inhibiting several tentacle beasts and accompanying Guts on his expedition to its heart. Schierke mainly provides defense for Guts while he clears out the many internal monstrosities with the Sea God. [21]
5 Watching the group from afar as Guts and Serpico find them, Schierke assumes their ability to see her magic may stem from the overlapping of layers while noting the strange presence she senses from Guts and Casca. I don t know if I d go so far as to claim that Miura is using Cabbalic ideas about how the ten individual Sephira and the paths between them constitute a mystical understanding of human experience of life, but just maybe he s using the model of the Ten Sephiroth and the Tree of Life as a kick-start point for his own metaphysics in the plot.
Griffith's encounters with Slan provide glimpses into his inner desires and the depths of his ambition. In one particular instance, Griffith has a sacrificial ceremony in which he offers the lives of his comrades to the God Hand in exchange for acquiring the power he needs to achieve his dreams. During this ceremony, Slan appears before Griffith and engages in a seductive dance, symbolizing the temptations and dark desires that lie within him.
Berserk’s Occult Theme
Before I get into why I dropped Berserk, let me talk a little bit about a fantasy series I used to enjoy: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. I really enjoyed the struggles of Richard Rahl, the Mother Confessor Kahlan, and the Wizard Zedd. Like Berserk, it had some unsavory moments–some very unsavory moments indeed. Yet, I felt that the great storytelling outweighed the bad.
Then, I ran into Goodkind’s full-blown Objectivist philosophy in book eight, The Naked Empire . Few moments in my reading life have depressed me as much as Richard Rahl inveighing against self-sacrifice as an evil. Apparently, people should always act in their self-interest, and any sacrifice of one’s self-interest is immoral. Never mind that the heroes frequently risk their lives and suffer quite a lot. Also, many good people had sacrificed their lives for good causes by this point in the series, and the fantasy world’s universe includes God, who no doubt rewards the righteous. The idea of self-sacrifice being a moral evil simply did not compute in my mind. Despite having read 6,454 pages of Goodkind’s work–the equivalent of reading War and Peace about four and a half times, I put down the series and never picked it back up again.
A good friend brought around a similar change to the way I viewed Berserk (2017). (I highlight Berserk (2017) because the problem occurs here even if Berserk (2016) gives context to it.) He tends to research series minutely and discovers some very surprising things–like the black magic prayer in Your Lie in April. A while back, I wrote a post titled “On the Danger of Flying Witch and Its Ilk,” wherein I describe acceptable and unacceptable forms of magic in fantasy books. Essentially, I find all purely fantastic magic okay. However, if a story does describe a system of magic plainly related to the real world’s occult, that might be alright too, provided that the story shows it as evil.
The neophyte witch Schierke’s magic involves the common idea of the four elements with a supernatural ruler for each element. This is something a fantasy writer can easily concoct himself; however, that good friend’s research found that the manga involves an incantation with the Four Kings deriving from actual pagan magic. I even discovered one thread where a gentleman was looking for books about the magic Berserk describes, and someone gladly points the books out. So, I can not only add that watching or reading Berserk might lead someone to the occult, but it certainly has!
In this context, the portrayal of Berserk’s church is quite sinister. It’s one thing to use the motifs from the Medieval Catholic Church in order to give form to a fantasy religion. It’s another to make this religion cruel and wicked, have other evil forces gallivanting about, and then to show magic as the path to God. Yes, Berserk does have the concept of a supernaturally good Being called God, but it then says that magic is the way to God!
So, I’d say that Berserk (2017) might cause someone not grounded in faith harm. For that reason and to be consistent with my principles, I’m recommending that one avoid the new Berserk completely. I know two very enthusiastic fans of the series who are also ardent Catholics; so, the manga will not necessarily harm one’s understanding of the truth. Still, whether or not one goes into the new anime or the manga, it’s good to know that this occult bias exists so that one can be on one’s guard. As for the Berserk which came out in 1997, that lacks the occult propaganda discussed above. I’ll always consider that version a classic.
This encounter with Slan highlights Griffith's willingness to sacrifice anything – including the lives of those closest to him – in order to achieve his ultimate goal. It also showcases the dark and twisted nature of his ambitions, as he becomes entangled with the supernatural and forsakes humanity for power. Furthermore, the presence of Slan and the other members of the God Hand serves as a constant reminder of the supernatural forces at play in the world of Berserk. These beings manipulate the events of the story from behind the scenes, pulling the strings of fate and pushing the characters towards their destinies. Slan's interactions with Griffith hint at the larger cosmic struggle between forces of good and evil, as well as the blurred lines between them. Overall, the reflections of the witch in Berserk provide fascinating insights into the character of Griffith and his innermost desires. They showcase the destructive power of ambition and the allure of the supernatural, serving as a cautionary tale of the consequences of making deals with dark forces..
Reviews for "The Witch's Berserk Awakening: A Journey into Madness"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Berserk reyollecrions of the witch". The storyline felt disjointed and confusing, making it hard to follow and get invested in the characters. The pacing was also off, with parts dragging on for too long and others feeling rushed. The artwork was decent, but it couldn't make up for the lacking narrative. Overall, it was a lackluster experience for me.
2. Emily - 1/5 stars - I couldn't stand "Berserk reyollecrions of the witch". The character development was practically nonexistent, leaving me feeling disconnected from the story. The dialogue was cheesy and cringe-worthy, making it difficult to take the plot seriously. Additionally, the plot itself was predictable and uninspiring. Overall, I found this manga extremely disappointing and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
3. Alex - 2/5 stars - I had high expectations for "Berserk reyollecrions of the witch", but unfortunately, it fell short. The artwork was the only redeeming quality, with beautiful illustrations throughout. However, the story lacked depth and originality. The characters felt one-dimensional and the plot felt like a rehash of other similar manga. Additionally, the excessive fanservice was distracting and unnecessary. It's a shame because this manga had potential but ultimately failed to deliver.