And what a beauty that was. The art is absolutely gorgeous and one of those few things that actually match the definition of 'flawless'. It is purely lossless quality, best retro art release since Cowboy Bebop bluray. After seeing so many series getting bluray's recently and many of them looking worse than DVD releases (such as Death Note with upscale and terrible filters) I am happy to say that one of the most timeless anime series of all time looks now better than ever.Golden Age arc is simply one of the better story arcs in the history of literature and entertainment. I have seen it in the movie remakes, in this series twice and read it once as a manga. It never gets old. You will not have to look it thru nostalgia glasses to appreciate it even after all these years. There is no story quite like this one. If you haven't seen Berserk yet, consider yourself lucky. You can now pick up the Bluray and see it for the first time in the way it was originally meant to be seen. It is one of the best series about friendship and betrayal and you should give it a try asap. And for those who already saw it in inferior quality, there is no better time to rewatch it than now!

The first episode is a total waste of time as it really does have no baring on the rest of the series and is very out of place.The story unfolds pretty much as you'd expect there. Despite everyone claiming this is a classic and that the characters are interesting, the plot is great and everything leaves you guessing. I have to disagree.I can't say the characters are bland or boring but you find yourself only caring for 4 characters (if that the entire way through) which is never good and even then you have seen the personality types all before.I have also heard a lot of people praise the animation which really is nothing impressive if you have ever watched anime before. Its by no way a good story like Death Note or Code Geass and it isn't anything in the way of action compared to a Bleach.It really just sits right in the middle of average anime. I wouldn't recommend to anyone but that being said if you want to check out this anime because of the high rating don't say i didn't warn you.

I've seen quite a bit of anime, and as far as series go, this is by far the best one I've seen.Episode one starts you off with some good action and lots of questions, and by the time you're at episode 3, you're hooked. Each episode advances the story with gripping action, fantastic dialogue and golden character development, leaving you itching to watch the next episode. The overarching suspense is remarkable, you absolutely never know for certain what is going to happen next, and often times when you think things are going a in a specific direction, you are dead wrong. All of this leads to what is in my opinion one of the best endings to any production in film or television I have ever seen, the finale is intense and leaves nothing to be desired. I strongly urge not just anime enthusiasts, but absolutely anybody who is interested in action or psychological-centered cinema.

This series follows Guts; a mercenary who wields a huge sword. Normally he doesn't work with others but after meeting the enigmatic Griffith he joins his mercenary group; the Band of the Hawk. They fight alongside each other and the Hawks have more and more success in battle. This makes Griffith one of the king's favourites which upsets the aristocracy who believe he is getting above himself. Over the course of the series the group fight numerous battles and much blood is spilt. We also learn more about Guts and Griffith's pasts. Obviously it isn't all fighting; there is an element of romance involving Casca; the second in command of the Hawks.If you like your anime packed with lots of bloody violence then this is the series for you. Guts might not be a jolly protagonist but the way he swings his huge sword means he is entertaining. The other main characters are entertaining; especially Griffith and Casca. The numerous battles and skirmishes are all exciting even though they aren't all fully animated. Occasionally things do get a little disturbing; most notably when a group of enemies try to rape Casca and towards the end of the series when the band find themselves in a demonic landscape; these scenes mean it isn't really a suitable series for younger viewers. The story, which is actually shown in flashback is gripping and at no point did I feel bored or feel that the story was dragging and at the end I just sat stunned; to say it is shocking is an understatement… to figure out just who survived I may have to watch the opening episode again!These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.