Berserk Volume 36: Milquetoast

While Miura is able to show his artistic skill further, now using the sea as a gimmick to unlock new creatures, it’s underwhelming. This is how I generally feel from the couple of chapters of Berserk volume 36. Bored.

This volume tries to entertain by having Schierke attempt to unlock Guts subconscious again, but I can’t help but find that repetitive, since it goes how you would expect. Schierke is able to save him, cheering everyone up, but the reader who feels like the story is stagnating with more filler. Though credit where it’s due, this panel is fabulous.

We then see that the Moonlight Child is back. It seems like he’s someone important, and it’s hinted that it’s Guts child which would make it even more tragic. Like Casca, he seems aloof to the world around him.

And finally Farnese gets something to do: she will use magic. Something I will keep saying is how far Farnese has come as a character. At the present, her problems are minor. She’s scared she isn’t ready to do magic, but it’s clear Farnese can do it. This really is the perfect place for her, on a ship. She is able to be peaceful and struggle in small forms, but she has her family now backing her all the way. A charming scene occurs when Farnese, after helping our group by using magic, is sorta-complimented by Guts, causing her to shed a tear and gain further confidence. In these moments, I love the volume. It’s letting the characters bloom with no fighting, just talking. And Miura creates some of the loveliest interactions. Sadly, this is spliced with boring sea creature fighting and more pulsing art. Even worse, these awful sea battles are long from over. The next volume, from the first chapter, still takes place on the boat.