Wow hey look it's another perfect 10 for one of the most beloved manga series of all time, what are the chances? Shouldn't I be rating this low so I can be a cool delinquent contrarian?

Whatever, I still want to get my thoughts down, because not only is Berserk the best manga I've ever read, it's one of the best pieces of media I've ever consumed. I've read this damn thing 4 or 5 times all the way through (it's not even finished), and I'm always reminded as to why it's my favorite. Let's go down the list.

Story - 9.5 to 10

What a fucking ride. Most authors could look at the Golden Age arc alone and call that their magnum opus, but with Berserk it's simply an (albeit large) drop in the proverbial bucket.

Arc after arc I find myself truly impressed at the way Kentaro Miura is able to keep the plot feeling fresh and active despite the story continuing for ~350 chapters. The twists and turns the plot speeds through are breakneck and oftentimes devastating. If you like your fiction light and happy this is not the manga you'll want to be reading.

At its core I think Berserk is a character study on how constant and unrelenting torture and suffering can shape a character. Berserk is ugly, it's exhausting, it paints a picture of a cruel and uncaring universe where the very laws of causality fight against you, driving you to the edge of madness. Without that suffering, though, the beauty of this work would never be able to shine as brightly as it does. Those moments of reprise, where the characters can look around among themselves and breathe that well earned sigh of relief, even if it only lasts one night? That's what real beauty is in the world of Berserk. There's a scene a bit farther into the series where the characters are plodding along the shore of the ocean with a sunset painting the background. In fiction that's a rather common scene, it's beautiful, sure, and the picture it paints in your mind is relaxing. But in Berserk? In Berserk that scene might as well be the gates of heaven. The fact that fans reading this can point out this exact page and nod knowingly is the very reason Berserk is so special.

As you might have noticed, I'm taking a tentative 0.5 points off in this section, and the reason for that is the PAINSTAKINGLY slow rate at which Miura works. This manga has been going on for 27 years and 4 months, and is currently still in hiatus until "early 2017(tm)".

Art - 11? 12? More?

For this section I could rant and rave about what a fucking incredible artist Miura is, or, I could save you a paragraph of writing and have you google "Berserk full page art". Scroll through Google Images until I've made my point.

Characters - 10

Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Guts is my favorite protagonist ever written. The characters here in Berserk are fully realized people with their own dreams, quirks, aspirations, regrets, and motivations. They're so much more than your average shonen protagonist who just wants to be "the best".

Without its characters a story is nothing. That goes without saying, but Berserk delivers in spades. This manga had to have been written by an incredibly empathetic man who understood the essence of what makes a person a person.

One of my favorite subtle examples of this is, is that sometimes, when Guts talks about Casca he starts to look more youthful, like you can see the shadow of how he once looked and carried himself. Like the past peeks out through his expressions. Words just can't describe how heartbreaking and beautiful it is to watch.

Enjoyment - 10

I love it, I will probably always love it. I may die before it's ever completed, or maybe Miura will kick the bucket first, I don't know.

The point is: Berserk is a man's life work. It's something Kentaro Miura will and should always be remembered for. I really don't even know what else to say.

Read it, even if you end up hating it. At least, if you enjoy manga as a medium, do yourself the service of reading up through The Golden Age arcs. Just do it, man. What else do you want me to say?