Berserk, as a series, is one of those anime that starts out--at least after the first episode--slowly, and in many moments, boringly. It's essentially a character introduction in a series. We are dragged along by the will of the creators as they show us this massive, angry man named Guts. During the series, we learn of his willpower, his skill with the sword, and of his penchant for murder. Also, we meet two people intricately tied to him, Caska and Griffith, one a future lover, the other a future enemy. Odd thing is, it isn't that clear between the two which is which until about halfway through.
Berserk is a dark fantasy, literally. It takes place in a fantasy setting, often drenched in blood and dread, and men are constantly hewing other men in half with swords, spears, axes, or halberds. There are few morals beyond loyalty and brotherhood in battle, a moral found in every anime, TV show, or movie that deals with war. But the themes are there, and all of the them are dark, dealing mostly with murder, vengeance, and greed (or just about every one of the Seven Deadly Sins). But what's clear is that Berserk never tries to be anything else. It doesn't mislead you with slapstick, or with constant, giggly characters. The atmosphere is thick, and it never lets up. If you don't like the first episode, then you won't like the series. It immediately tries to scare away the faint of heart early on.
Though at times the animation quality could be better, the style here is a little different in that they follow few of the regular anime guidelines. Some of the characters have big eyes, but beyond that they are proportioned perfectly, giving the animation a sense of reality, which of course only adds to the intensity of the story. The animation gets a little better during moments of single combat, usually when Guts is swinging his sword, making the action scenes worth watching. Though rarely, they do recycle animation (moments that's found earlier on in an episode, like firing a volley of arrows, repeated in a later scene or after a commercial break), which can be off-putting at times. Most of this, though, is done in the earlier episodes, so it's easy to forget about.
Beyond that, other bonuses include a decent fantasy soundtrack that matches well to the mood of the scenes in the anime. Most of the characters are unique in some way to anime. And, though this can't really be considered a bonus for some, it has plenty of violence, enough to spread across two or even three different anime. So, if you like this in your anime, then here it is.
It's hard to recommend this anime because Berserk doesn't compare to many other fantasy anime, besides Record of Lodoss War. It does compare to other anime outside Berserk's genre, however, so if you enjoyed 3 x 3 Eyes, Doomed Megalopolis, or are now enjoying Gantz or Elfen Lied, then pick this up. Berserk is a great series, not one of the best, but still close. It has a solid story, with interesting characters that drive the action and the plot.
