I am sure there would be many people who would be put off by Berserk. Its strong frequent violence, disturbing plots and often gruesome imagery are not for everyone but it would be wrong to dismiss it as a gratuitous exploitation piece. Despite its explicit content at its core there is a very strong story with a rich mythology and a wonderful cast of characters. Volume two continues the 'Guardian's of Desire' storyline which gives us greater detail about the world and showcases Guts' fighting skills. This part of the story was skipped in the original anime series which is a shame because I think it is superb, hopefully it will features in the forthcoming anime film adaptations.
Kentaro is a master at conveying a sense of movement and speed. There are plenty of fight scenes in this book and he excellently arranges the panels so that the action flows seamlessly. Each swing of Guts' enormous sword is beautifully rendered and already its clear that Kentaro's art is improving. I love how we are shown that Guts himself isn't just a mindless brute but is in fact a master swordsman who is also skilled with other weapons too.
The characters in this volume are great, I really liked Vargas who is central to the plot of this book. His back story is tragic but is nicely used to help develop our understanding of Guts who appears more complicated than he did in volume one. Through Vargas we explore the mythology of the Behelit and the Godhand are mentioned for the first time. There are some great monster designs, some very shocking moments and the art is very good. I loved the ending too but that's probably because I know what's about to happen next...
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