Volume eighteen kicks off by introducing Isidro, a cheeky new character who initially really annoyed me. Eventually I grew to like him but the first time I read this book I honestly thought Kentaro had made a huge mistake. However, this time around I really enjoyed seeing his antics as he doggedly purses Guts across the wasteland. There are also a couple of very nice cameos from Silat and the Skull Knight that really lift this volume for me.
I like how Kentaro manages to juggle several plots at once and skillfully explains the general situation without ever relying on exposition. Currently there is an army invading Midland that has created a huge amount of refugees to congregate at the temple of Albion. This temple happens to be the home to both the over zealous priest Mozgus and the Holy Iron Chain Knights led by Lady Farnese plus it is also the location of Casca who is living with some prostitutes. Compared to the wonderful simplicity of the Golden Age arc the Conviction arc is brilliant in its complexity.
Even by Berserk's standards this volume is very graphic, there are orgies, scenes of sexual violence and torture. Personally I found this volume more disturbing that the Eclipse which is due to the fact this the perpetrators of these act are humans and not monstrous demons. Once again Kentaro asks the question 'How do you define a monster?'. Lady Farnese's back story was really messed up too!
I love berserk and I love the Conviction arc. Rereading it knowing how it ends is giving me a whole new experience and one I'm thoroughly enjoying.
No comments:
Post a Comment