Berserk Volume 19: A Deeply Satisfying Volume

We start this volume off with some light comedy as people keep trying to offer Luca and her girls jewelry and expensive things. This switches though as one of Luca’s girls gets at the hand of a rude officer who tries to whip her, but Guts is in the nick of time to prevent that and shake up the groove of things. And he’s so close. He’s with Luca now who just left Casca with Nina, and never mind this is gonna take a while.

Nina does what she consistently does, which is bog down the plot and takes Casca with her to runaway, as to not be alone. While Nina is not a bad character, the narrative makes her hard to endure. She is well-written as she works as the real person of Luca’s gang, someone you hate to relate to since she is the person most of us would be. A surface-level coward who flocks to others like gospel, and can’t stop searching for others. She’s the person who hates solitude, but can only find peace in it. But eventually, will get bored and search out others, and then abandon them when it the benefits are no longer present. She lives how she was raised, so it is hard to pass her any blame. But it is equally hard to tolerate this wasteful character as being realistic is not a pro to writing, it can be disadvantage. And Nina is an example. No matter how real her character is, Miura never makes more out of it. Like Wylad, she is too one-note. If I put Farnese in a situation, I could have limitless possibilities. With Nina, it would be all-too expected the move she would play.

Expectedly, Nina and Casca are caught, and we turn to Isidro which actually surprised me for how much I would’ve preferred his and Puck’s mishaps to whatever was going on before. We are then pushed into Farnese’s world as she is burning another heretic as her guards watch her with curiosity, catching on as to her enjoyment of such events. Before long, they are informed multiple troops have recently died, putting Farnese unknowingly on the chase for Guts.

Isidro is busy trying to help Casca and Nina, and before long that guy that fell off the cliff comes to help Farnese and the crew spot the area Casca and Nina are at, and to everyone’s horror, they are surrounded by monsters. From the chaos, Casca gets assaulted by a demon but is saved by Guts at the last minute, delivering one of the greatest two-paged spreads in manga.

If this panel doesn’t drop your jaw right off the floor, this story got you there. We see Farnese remain speechless and trembling upon learning the struggler is here, and attempts to command her squad but it’s clear Gut’s is all that is on her mind. Gut’s mind gets picked at toward the end of this chapter, with him outright stating he is here for Casca and Casca alone. He won’t forget her this time. After saying this, he continues to take on a horrifying demon span as Farnese is lost the chaos. Guts is far off fighting his own demon and demons, her soldiers are dying and killing demons one by one, and she is trying to wrap her head around it all.

Pretty soon, Guts is able to escape the chaos but not without Serpico on his tail, who prepares battle. But Guts makes clear his motivation when he tries to just shoot at him and let it be done. With this failing, Guts and Serpico play their little game while attempting to maintain balance or die trying. Meanwhile, to Guts agitation, Isidro and Nina are struggling to get Casca down, to a demon’s interest. It is wholly impressive how Miura did all this in a manner of like two-chapters. If you haven’t heard it yet, Berserk is a masterpiece for good reason.

We later see Nina and Joachim finally meet again, but reasonably it goes unexpectedly as Joachim in shock, sends the officers after her and she is taken in. Meanwhile Casca, seemingly recalling her training in the old days, is able to jump down perfectly fine. Now, the fight with Serpico comes to an end as Guts brings another fantastic panel for eye. He seems to really love grabbing and biting people’s swords.

We see Serpico a bit more in his head, and it’s clear why he is fighting Guts like he is. Jealously from him being on Farnese’s mind, how he has infected Farnese, and a sense of justice to correct the mistake Guts represents. It would not be hard to deduce he has been infected by the Priest’s teachings. Additionally, Guts is the only danger to Farnese. If he was to die now, Farnese would be protected in the world. If he was to live, Farnese could be become like him. Later, we see Isidro tell Guts they got captured to Guts understandable torment.

Now, the mission has changed. With Luca and Isidro, the mission has changed to saving Casca and Nina from what awaits them in that castle. We see Farnese who is now being sent off, to her dissatisfaction. Berserk makes clear this scene-stealer isn’t leaving anytime soon, and she asks Serpico a fascinating question, if he hates her. It seems he is going to humor or relive her of guilt but she deletes the question from memory soon after as they arrive to Mozgus’s place of torture, where Casca is being held. To our happiness, before any torture can come through, her scar saves her. Really appreciate how subtle Miura is balancing Farnese’s life mid Guts search for Casca. I think most of us expected everything about her to bleed earlier, but the way he slowly splits each part of her is really compelling.

As the torture chamber becomes an plague for demons, we see Farnese leave to Guts hilarious annoyance as she is unhelpful in finding Casca. Miura creates the most exhilarating emotion when two characters, such as Farnese and Guts, who met so long ago have a reunion and it’s as you would expect. Very bizarre. You later see Nina feeling guilt for being the world’s worst best friend, and sulks in the darkness. She is soon saved as Luca arrives. Then we hone in on Farnese as she tries to follow Guts but is left right in the dust. And Mozgus is still standing, ready to fight anyone who gets in his way.