Manga Review – Berserk Vol 12 by Kentaro Miura (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Manga
Length: 232 pages
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Release Date: July 25, 2006
ISBN-13: 978-1593074845
Stand Alone or Series: 12th volume in the Berserk series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

“The Band of the Hawks’ rescue of their leader, Griffith, has brought them no ease. Broken beyond healing, a frail ghost of his former glory, Griffith is now more an object of pity than a man, and the Hawks, who’ve grimly hung together under duress and death during his absence, are now on the verge of splintering to the winds. But Griffith’s dreams and ambitions, built on the bodies of his troops and the countless enemies they have slain, have not gone unnoticed in the spirit realm, and though Griffith has nowhere to go as a man, he may yet have a future . . . a future borne on jet-black wings in the company of the demon lords of the Godhand!”

This is the twelfth volume in the Berserk series. This book is takes you almost to where the original anime series ends. It was incredibly well done and engaging and continues to be very gory and violent.

In this volume Griffith regains the Egg of the King and the Band of the Hawk is transported into a hellish dimension to meet the Godhand. Griffith is forced to face the road of bodies that lead to his position of power in Midland and gives up the Band of the Hawk as sacrifice for his ascension to demonic power.

Illustration continues to be amazing. The story didn’t make quite as much progress as vol 10 and earlier; but what does happen is very epic and I enjoyed it. The story takes a huge turn in tone in this volume and we get a large hint as to how Guts ended up where he was in the first volumes of this series.

We also meet Puck and find out what he was doing before he joined up with Guts.

Overall a very well done continuation of the Berserk series. Some seriously epic things happen in this volume and I enjoyed it a lot. Since I watched the anime I know where the next volume is leading as well, but I am still eager to see it played out and see what the anime left out that the manga includes. Again, this manga is for mature readers only.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge