Summary
- The impact of Berserk on manga, video games, and shows is undeniable, showcasing Miura's groundbreaking genius.
- Guts' tragic backstory in Berserk is heart-wrenching, making him one of the most sympathetic protagonists in manga.
- From betrayal to loss, Guts' journey in Berserk is a harrowing tale of resilience in the face of unspeakable horrors.
Berserk is one of the greatest manga ever made. Kentaro Miura has influenced a generation of video games, manga, shows, and everything else along the same lines. The sheer number of revolutionary things in Berserk that are still referenced to this day shows just how groundbreaking this manga really is, and Miura's genius is something that is sorely missed in the realm of manga. Thankfully, his legacy persists to this day, and fans can always read through his amazing artistry and see how much he grew over the course of drawing Berserk.
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At the heart of Berserk is Guts, one of the most engaging and exciting protagonists in manga history. He seems like an unnecessarily angsty warrior until his backstory is revealed to show the horrors he had to go through. Some of the worst things that have happened to Guts in Berserk are genuinely painful to watch and make many people sympathize with a character who's been dealt a bad hand by fate ever since he was born.
Updated on July 17, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Berserk is one of the most popular and beloved manga of all time. The late great Miura has penned one of the most inspirational pieces of fiction to date, with numerous video games, anime, and other such mediums taking inspiration from his imaginative works. The story of the Black Swordsman as he seeks revenge on the apostles for ruining his life is a tantalizing tale where fans can't help but wish for Guts to succeed, even if the odds are stacked against him. The worst things that have happened to Guts in Berserk over the course of the manga can be hard to digest but it fuels the protagonist's motivations and makes him one of the sympathetic characters on the show despite the brutal nature of his killings.
20 Being Born From The Remnants Of A Corpse
Turned Him Into A Derided Figure In The Mercenary Band Where He Spent His Formative Years
Guts' life was destined to be miserable from the get-go. After all, a mercenary band found him under the corpse of his mother, who had given birth to him after he had presumably died.
While he was adopted by one of the women in the group, she also died of the plague shortly after. As a result, Guts never got to know either his true mom or his adoptive one.
19 Treated Poorly As A Bad Omen
Verbally And Physically Abused By The Gruff Men Around Him
In the world of Berserk, a child that was born from the womb of a corpse was considered a death omen. As a result, Guts was on the receiving end of the ire of everyone around him.
Everything bad that happened in the mercenary group was blamed on him. It was clear that he was the focus of all hatred from the get-go, which is not something a young child should go through at all.
18 Growing Up Surrounded By Death And Cruelty
Caused Him To Become A Cruel, Unfeeling Human Incapable Of Love For The Longest Time
Guts obviously didn't have the happy childhood that most children enjoy. He was taken in by a band of mercenaries that were brash, unloving, and didn't even really like Guts in the first place because of how he entered the group.
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He grew up with death and murder being the norm, finding respite only in the sword that he held by his side at all times. It's a sad upbringing for a child and places Guts on a path of constant warfare and strife for a child, which is not healthy.
17 Abused When He Was Just Nine Years Old
Traumatized Him For Good
Donovan, one of the members of the mercenary group that Guts was taken under, took a liking to the young boy. However, his affections were quite sinister in nature, and this was revealed during one horrible night that changed Guts' life.
Even though Guts got his revenge the next day, the scars from this traumatic night haunted him for the longest time.
16 Realizing That His Own Adoptive Father Didn't Care About Him At All
The One Relationship He Thought He Had Was Based On Lies
During Guts' childhood years, there was only one source of stability that he had in his life, or so he thought. This person was the leader of the mercenary group, Gambino, who treated Guts like dirt even though the boy considered him to be a father figure of sorts.
However, it turned out that Gambino was nothing more than the scum of the earth. He was the man who sold Guts to Donovan for a meager three coins and even tried to kill Guts in his sleep after getting jealous of the latter's competency on the battlefield.
15 Being Forced To Kill The One Man He Could Call Father
Gambino Tried To End Guts' Life, Forcing Him To Retaliate
After an injury took him out of commission and forced him to sit on the sidelines, Gambino started getting jealous of Guts' proficiency on the battlefield. He never had any kind of parental love towards Guts and treated him like trash. It's one of the worst things to happen to Guts in Berserk and ends on a horrible note when Gambino eventually loses it and tries to kill this kid when he comes over to check on the man he considers to be his father.
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Guts was forced to defend himself, sticking his sword up and unwittingly impaling Gambino when he fell on his blade. The mercenary had a death wish ever since he lost the use of his legs, but no one in the camp was going to read between the lines. In their mind, Guts was a demon child who'd bit the hand that fed him and chased him out of the group.
14 Betrayed By Martino During An Escape Attempt
Assumed That They Both Would Collaborate To Run Away
During his time as a mercenary, Guts was on the losing side of a battle and was imprisoned. He was forced to work as a laborer for his captors along with other captives, including an old man named Martino. Despite Guts' cautious nature, he stuck up a partnership with Martino, assuming that he was looking out for his best interests. It surely seemed like it when Martino picked Guts' lock and allowed him to run away from his imprisonment.
However, Martino was acutely aware of Guts' injuries at the time and how they would impede his attempts to escape. He made a calculated attempt to get on the kid's good side before using him as a distraction. While the guards were busy chasing Guts, Martino freed himself from his shackles and escaped, leaving Guts to be thrown to the wolves. It's far from the worst thing to happen to Guts in Berserk, but it was a sobering moment that proved just how heinous and unforgiving the world really was.
13 Witnessing A Flower Spirit's Sacrifice Who Nursed Him At The Cost Of Her Life
The Only Reason Why Guts Won Against His Captor's Son
After being recaptured following Martino's betrayal, Guts was put in an isolated cell where his wounds were festering. He was supposed to fight against his captor's son for their amusement, knowing that the injured Black Swordsman would be quickly done away with for a spectacular ego boost. However, fate was smiling at Guts in the form of a flower spirit who nursed the swordsman back to health and ensured that his wounds would not get in the way during this fight.
However, what Guts didn't know is that Chitch was actively sacrificing her life to ensure that Guts regained his health. She passed away in front of him, prompting Guts to thank her for her selflessness and promise that he'd scatter her ashes in a valley of flowers to pay respects to her sacrifice. It's a solemn moment that shows what Guts has been through during his tumultuous and rocky journey.
12 Feeling Guilty About Abandoning Griffith And The Band Of The Hawk
Blamed Himself For Griffith's Incarceration And Imprisonment
After overhearing a conversation that Griffith didn't take people seriously if they weren't his equal, Guts makes the bold decision of leaving the Band of the Hawk to stand on his own two feet. By this point, he was strong enough to defeat Griffith in battle, which broke the man with lofty ideals and caused him to make a costly mistake.
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After jumping the gun and taking the innocence of the princess he'd been wooing for the longest time, her twisted father ordered Griffith to be sent to the dungeons and tortured, while the Band of the Hawk were labeled as common criminals. When Guts finds out about this development, he's devastated and feels that he's to blame for Griffith's fall from grace, even though this wasn't his fault in any way, shape, or form.
11 Getting Betrayed By Someone He Considered To Be His Closest Friend
Griffith's Decision To Let The Eclipse Happen Led To A Chain Of Traumatic Events
It seemed that Guts' life was changing for the better after joining the Band of the Hawk. The bond he formed with Griffith, Casca, and the rest of the group was a much-needed source of happiness in his life.
However, after Griffith was tortured and lost everything he had, the man went down a dark path and decided to sacrifice the people closest to him in the fifth Eclipse. This included Guts as well, who couldn't believe that someone like Griffith could've betrayed him in such a vicious manner.