Berserk is one of the most beloved dark fantasy manga. But for those who are thinking of giving it a try just now, is the Berserk manga finished or ongoing?
Many dedicated fans have followed Berserk since it first commenced serialization in 1989, while others binged all the available chapters some time along the way.
In the past year, however, there has been a lot of uncertainty about the manga's status. Here's what we know so far.
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Is the Berserk Manga Finished or Ongoing?
The Berserk manga is ongoing. Until recently, the manga series was on hiatus until the team that used to work with its author could make a decision about Berserk's future.
Following the premature death of the legendary author and illustrator Kentaro Miura, the fate of Berserk has been uncertain.
His passing is a loss for the world of manga art, where he paved the way for many elements that became integral in later manga.
But does Miura's death mean that Berserk will remain unfinished?
Finally, in June 2022, it was confirmed that Miura's team will pick up the manga again, with supervision from Miura's close friend who knows Berserk well.
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Will the Berserk Manga Continue After Kentaro Miura's Death?
Miura left behind his personal manga studio, known as Studio Gaga. It has finally been confirmed that his assistants at Studio Gaga will write Berserk moving forward.
The project will be supervised by Miura's friend, Kouji Mori, whom Miura often consulted about plot details.
Berserk Chapter 364, the last one Miura worked on, was published posthumously on the 10th of September 2021 in Young Animal, along with a memorial to Miura that included iconic scenes from the manga.
The decision to continue the manga without Miura has not been an easy one.
Hakusensha, the publishing company, stated in the last issue that the staff's priority will be to honor Miura's memory with their decision regarding Berserk, whatever might that be.
In December 2021, the 41st Volume of Berserk was published, including a note by the Young Animal editorial team, according to which a decision had yet to be made.
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As much as fans long to read more Berserk, some might be worried about the fact that the manga is now created by someone else.
This, of course, has happened before with works such as RWBY which is still being produced following the death of its main creator, Monty Oum.
In books, this has been successfully achieved with The Wheel of Time, which Brandon Sanderson completed after the death of its original writer, Robert Jordan.
Other works, such as Highschool of the Dead, were cancelled after the creator's death, showing that there's a diversity of opinions as to whether another collaborator should pick up the unfinished work of an artist who passed away.
In a sense, this is easier to achieve in high-profile manga and anime, as these will often have an entire team working alongside the main writer. This, of course, doesn't mean that the original creator won't be missed.
Some might suggest that a huge, greatly beloved work such as Berserk should continue and eventually end since people who already worked with it would most likely treat the material with respect to Kentaro Miura's memory.
Others argue that a work of art would never be the same if the main creator stops being part of it for any reason.
Admittedly, there can still be beauty in unfinished works, and the lack of an ending doesn't undermine their quality so far, nor the audience's ability to come up with their own conclusions.
That being said, it's exciting that Miura's work will continue to live and expand, especially since the team seems committed to staying true to his memory.