What was the point of it? Guts is in the belly of the Loch Ness monster, so how does this "betrayal" and Gambino's advice fit into the picture. It would've made more sense in a future event were it would've been relevant.
Don't get me wrong, the chapter in itself was great. But then again, that was when the manga was at its peak. Berserk as it is now is saturated with monsters and fairy tale elements has declined terribly. It's not as bad as Naruto and Bleach, but then again I expect more of Berserk than I do of Naruto and Bleach.
Guts is already out the sea monsters belly IIRC. I thought they were on their way to Puck's home to cure Caska but then this flashback came into play.
Well maybe the monsters and fairy tale stuff were used to make Berserk lighter? I don't know but considering how ****ed up eclipse was, I'd just figure that the auther would try to make it a little less dark; once again don't really know.
The apostles all had very unique designs. Grunbeld was a dragon, but he was still very different from the traditional dragon and in some sense more grotesque and frightening, and that's how Berserk should be.
But at Griffith's ascension we saw an actual dragon assaulting a tower and it looked like something you'd encounter on your jolly journeys in Dungeons and dragons.
Really? I thought those were just more apostles and not actual "fairy-tale" dragons. Well I'm not as displeased by the decline in Berserk quality since I only just recently began to follow the series.
I really like this flashback stuff. It has been very interesting. This latest chapter, though not much happened, it gives us a glimpse into Guts' mind as he transformed into a man.
The previous chapter, he was taught a lesson in trust: not to trust.
This chapter, he was taught another lesson in trust: to trust.
These two chapters strongly contradict each other and should create a very strong cognitive dissonance in Guts. We already know the outcome: Guts becomes an overwhelmingly loyal and trusting person. He becomes so to such a point that it is a fault. So what happens between now and his band-of-the-hawk encounter that causes him to still trust and be loyal despite his child-hood being heavily laden with trust-problems?
This chapter had nothing to do with trust. In fact I'm not even sure what this chapter was about other than to show that Guts' near-death experience allowed him to communicate with spirits early on. Which I'm not sure will even have any relevance.
The chapter wasn't even mediocre, and the it ruins the grim nature of a good series makes it even worse.
Maybe we are talking about two different chapters.
The latest two chapters directly covered the topic of "trust".
This chapter was to function as a contrast between the last one: Guts learned not to trust and be naive (the word "naive" was even used in this latest chapter as he felt the fairy was the hallucinatory embodiment of his naive trusting self that got him into this situation in the last chapter...as seen here: http://www.mangareader.net/berserk/329/20).
So being on the verge of death due to injuries and beatings, rotting in a cell with only hay for shelter from the cold, almost freezing to death, and then having to duel a healthy noble male the next day is not a "grim enough plight" for you? The only thing more grim about his situation, that I can think of is having his limbs severed and cauterized so he wouldn't bleed to death.
"Guts learned not to trust and be naive [in chapter 328 due to the deception and betrayal of his fellow prisoner]. [T]he word "naive" was even used in this latest chapter as he felt the fairy was the hallucinatory embodiment of his naive trusting self that got him into this situation in the last chapter...as seen here: http://www.mangareader.net/berserk/329/20)."
I actually liked this chapter and how it gave us a little more detail as to how he can see fairies like Puck. Though this could've been done much earlier and not when Guts and co. are just about to reach the Elf village.
It might've not have been as dark but I'll take this over the unicorns and mermaids...just saying
The material in these recent chapters is certainly more "heady" and philosophical than much of the manga out there...for sure. And I am glad that it took a break from Fantasy Universe.
KMC Community Forums
Jun 13th, 2012 04:16 AM
