Post by jesse on Oct 10, 2005 7:06:49 GMT
Okay, I know that manga seems to be pretty divisive on these boards, but let me glow about a series I just recently completely caught up on.
Berserk.
I read the first two volumes of it a long time ago, and thought it was pretty uninspired, very violent and shocking, but not much beyond that. Until I just bought up to volume eight on a whim.
This is an amazing series if you can handle the subject matter. Very grim fantasy stuff without all the lame stereotypes of most fantasy writing. (Okay, there's a loveable elf, but that's the only stereotype I can think of.)
Thanks to the beauty of scanlations I'm way ahead of where Darkhorse has released, but am still supporting the trades. That's how much I enjoy this.
Here's a list about what makes this series so cool and different.
1.) The main character IS NOT your average chivalrous, knightly character. He's a single-minded jerk without regard for human life. He wields a big ass sword bigger than his body, and he's not afraid to use it. Also, once you find out more of his history, he becomes a layered, interesting, complex, character.
2.) Forget all the Lord of the Rings ripoffs out there. The setting here is unique. It's a dark, brutal world, with war and battle scenes unlike anything I think I've read in a comic book. Visceral and uncompromising, Miura refuses to leave the results to your imagination.
3.) The art, especially in the later volumes, is detailed stuff. It's all very impressive, with the big eyes and cartoonish features kept to a minimum. (Still slightly pervasive, but much more tolerable than most manga.)
4.) The monsters in this book are truly horrifying to look at. Miura could easily put alot of horror comics to shame with some of the ghastly crap he comes up with for his monsters in this series.
*Phew*
So now that I've thrown all the praise at you, here's some stuff that MAY turn you off. (Gotta be fair and balanced.)
1.) The violence is pretty violent. Not sure I'd rate it worse than Battle Royale, but it's pretty tough to read sometimes. Make sure you've got a stomach.
2.) The sex. Although Miura doesn't hit you over the head with nonstop sex scenes, when he does show them, they tend to be pretty graphic. They are fairly rare, though, there's only a few through the first eight volumes, and they aren't long. Also, there's some nudity. (Male and female.)
3.) Griffith. He annoys the crap out of me, and I know that he's supposed to, but still... Gah.
4.) Volume 13. Advance warning before you start thinking about buying this series. This volume isn't yet available in stores, but it soon will be. It is the most gut-wrenching, disgusting, holycrapIcan'tbelievethis moment in any comic I've ever read. Seriously. Words can't describe the events of this volume. I won't spoil it, but I'd advise that you be fully prepared for what this volume brings to the table. It is also the most horrific moment in the series, so if you can handle this, you can probably handle the rest.
Okay.
Have I swayed anyone? ....Anyone?
Berserk.
I read the first two volumes of it a long time ago, and thought it was pretty uninspired, very violent and shocking, but not much beyond that. Until I just bought up to volume eight on a whim.
This is an amazing series if you can handle the subject matter. Very grim fantasy stuff without all the lame stereotypes of most fantasy writing. (Okay, there's a loveable elf, but that's the only stereotype I can think of.)
Thanks to the beauty of scanlations I'm way ahead of where Darkhorse has released, but am still supporting the trades. That's how much I enjoy this.
Here's a list about what makes this series so cool and different.
1.) The main character IS NOT your average chivalrous, knightly character. He's a single-minded jerk without regard for human life. He wields a big ass sword bigger than his body, and he's not afraid to use it. Also, once you find out more of his history, he becomes a layered, interesting, complex, character.
2.) Forget all the Lord of the Rings ripoffs out there. The setting here is unique. It's a dark, brutal world, with war and battle scenes unlike anything I think I've read in a comic book. Visceral and uncompromising, Miura refuses to leave the results to your imagination.
3.) The art, especially in the later volumes, is detailed stuff. It's all very impressive, with the big eyes and cartoonish features kept to a minimum. (Still slightly pervasive, but much more tolerable than most manga.)
4.) The monsters in this book are truly horrifying to look at. Miura could easily put alot of horror comics to shame with some of the ghastly crap he comes up with for his monsters in this series.
*Phew*
So now that I've thrown all the praise at you, here's some stuff that MAY turn you off. (Gotta be fair and balanced.)
1.) The violence is pretty violent. Not sure I'd rate it worse than Battle Royale, but it's pretty tough to read sometimes. Make sure you've got a stomach.
2.) The sex. Although Miura doesn't hit you over the head with nonstop sex scenes, when he does show them, they tend to be pretty graphic. They are fairly rare, though, there's only a few through the first eight volumes, and they aren't long. Also, there's some nudity. (Male and female.)
3.) Griffith. He annoys the crap out of me, and I know that he's supposed to, but still... Gah.
4.) Volume 13. Advance warning before you start thinking about buying this series. This volume isn't yet available in stores, but it soon will be. It is the most gut-wrenching, disgusting, holycrapIcan'tbelievethis moment in any comic I've ever read. Seriously. Words can't describe the events of this volume. I won't spoil it, but I'd advise that you be fully prepared for what this volume brings to the table. It is also the most horrific moment in the series, so if you can handle this, you can probably handle the rest.
Okay.
Have I swayed anyone? ....Anyone?
