Berserk

Berserk (2016 TV series) is a Japanese dark-fantasy anime television production based on Kentaro Miura's manga series Berserk. It was conceived as a continuation of the animated Berserk adaptations associated with the Golden Age Arc film trilogy rather than as a remake of the 1997 television series. The series follows Guts in his later identity as the Black Swordsman, continuing the story after the catastrophic Eclipse that transformed Griffith into a member of the God Hand and devastated the Band of the Hawk. The production was announced in late 2015 through Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine, the manga's publishing venue. Promotional material initially appeared at Comiket before the project was confirmed as a television series in early 2016. The first season premiered in Japan in July 2016 and comprised 12 episodes. A second season began in April 2017, with an hour-long two-episode premiere, and continued through June of that year. Together, the two seasons adapted material from the manga's Conviction arc and the early portion of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc. The narrative begins with Guts travelling as a branded and hunted warrior. He pursues supernatural Apostles and seeks revenge against Griffith while attempting to protect Casca, whose mind and memory were shattered by the Eclipse. Puck, an elf who accompanies Guts, provides an important counterpoint to the protagonist's violence and isolation. Other recurring figures include the blacksmith Godo, Godo's adopted daughter Erica, Rickert, and later characters connected to Guts's expanding group and the Berserker armor storyline. The series emphasizes vengeance, trauma, religious and political conflict, supernatural horror, and the struggle between human agency and seemingly predetermined fate. Liden Films produced the project, with GEMBA and Millepensee involved in animation production. Shin Itagaki directed, while Makoto Fukami and Takashi Yamashita handled series composition and scripts. Hisashi Abe supplied character designs. Miura served as executive supervisor, connecting the television adaptation more directly to the original manga's creative authority. Music was composed by Shirō Sagisu, who had also worked on the Golden Age Arc films, while Susumu Hirasawa returned to contribute songs associated with the broader Berserk animated franchise. The opening and ending themes included performances by 9mm Parabellum Bullet, Nagi Yanagi, and Yoshino Nanjō. A notable production characteristic was its hybrid use of traditional two-dimensional animation and cel-shaded three-dimensional computer graphics. The production team described the approach as a scene-by-scene choice between 2D, full CG, and mixed techniques. Hatching effects and stylized shadows were used to make computer-generated models visually closer to drawn animation. This method allowed the series to depict large-scale action, weapons, and monsters, but the visual execution became the central subject of critical debate. In Japan, the first season aired on Wowow before moving to the Animeism block on MBS, with broadcasts also carried by TBS, CBC, and BS-TBS. Crunchyroll provided international simulcast distribution, while Funimation distributed an English-dubbed home-video edition produced by Bang Zoom! Entertainment. The series attracted praise for its source material, dark atmosphere, action direction, and continuation of the Berserk story, but reviewers frequently criticized the CG character animation, compositing, music choices, and camera work. It remains a significant screen adaptation within the Berserk franchise, although no third season is identified in the supplied reference material.

Berserk (2016 TV series) was developed as a new animated continuation of Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga and the screen continuity associated with the Golden Age Arc film trilogy. The announcement appeared in Young Animal in December 2015, followed by a short preview at Comiket. Further promotional material established that the project would be a television production, and the official website released additional trailers before the first broadcast. The first season premiered on Wowow on July 1, 2016. It subsequently aired on MBS's Animeism programming block and on TBS, CBC, and BS-TBS. The season contained 12 episodes and presented Guts as the Black Swordsman, a figure defined by the aftermath of the Eclipse and his campaign against supernatural Apostles. The story assumes the history of Guts's relationship with the Band of the Hawk, Griffith's transformation, Casca's psychological collapse, and the branded survivors' continuing vulnerability to evil spirits and related entities. At the conclusion of the first season, a short teaser confirmed a second season for April 2017. The preview highlighted Schierke and the Berserker armor, signaling a transition toward the early part of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc. The second season began on April 7, 2017, with an hour-long two-episode premiere, and aired through June. The production was directed by Shin Itagaki and written by Makoto Fukami and Takashi Yamashita. Hisashi Abe designed the characters. Liden Films was the principal studio, with GEMBA and Millepensee involved in the animation work. Miura served as executive supervisor, while Reo Kurosu was identified as a producer in production discussions. Shirō Sagisu composed the score, returning from the Golden Age Arc films. Susumu Hirasawa, who had composed music for the 1997 adaptation and the films, contributed two songs. The first season used 'Inferno' by 9mm Parabellum Bullet as its opening theme and 'Meimoku no Kanata' by Nagi Yanagi as its ending theme. The second season used 'Sacrifice' by 9mm Parabellum Bullet and 'Issai wa Monogatari' by Yoshino Nanjō featuring Nagi Yanagi. The adaptation used a hybrid animation pipeline. Conventional 2D animation, full 3D computer graphics, and mixed scenes were selected according to the demands of individual sequences. Cel shading, linear hatching, and stylized shadow treatment were intended to make the 3D elements resemble drawn artwork. This approach was technically distinctive but became controversial among reviewers, many of whom found the character models, compositing, camera movement, and action presentation visually distracting. Other reviews argued that Miura's narrative, the setting, and the emotional force of the characters remained compelling despite the production weaknesses. International distribution expanded the series beyond Japan. Crunchyroll simulcast the program and announced an English-dubbed Blu-ray and DVD edition. Funimation handled the English-language distribution, with the dub produced by Bang Zoom! Entertainment. The primary cast largely reprised roles from the Golden Age Arc films, and Unshō Ishizuka returned as narrator from the earlier television adaptation. The supplied reference material documents two seasons, their broadcast and distribution history, production personnel, music, and critical response, but does not establish a later season, a commercial owner, or financial performance.

• 2017

  Second season broadcast begins

  [1]Berserk (2016 TV series)en.wikipedia.org

  The second season premiered in April with a two-episode opening broadcast and continued the story into the Hawk of the Millennium Empire material.

• 2017

  English dub distribution begins

  [1]Berserk (2016 TV series)en.wikipedia.org

  Funimation distributed the English-language edition, with dubbing handled by Bang Zoom! Entertainment.

• 2016

  Television format confirmed

  [1]Berserk (2016 TV series)en.wikipedia.org

  The project's official website confirmed that the adaptation would be a television series.

• 2016

  First season broadcast begins

  [1]Berserk (2016 TV series)en.wikipedia.org

  The 12-episode first season premiered on Wowow in July and later reached additional Japanese networks.

• 2015

  New anime project announced

  [1]Berserk (2016 TV series)en.wikipedia.org

  Hakusensha announced a new Berserk anime project in Young Animal magazine, with a preview later presented at Comiket.

A mature, dark-fantasy anime continuation aimed at viewers of the Berserk manga, earlier animated adaptations, and action-oriented seinen animation. Its positioning combines violent medieval fantasy, psychological trauma, supernatural horror, and serialized character drama.

• Anime television season · 2016

  Berserk season 1

  The first 12-episode season premiered in July 2016. It follows Guts as the Black Swordsman and adapts material centered on the Conviction story arc, including his pursuit of Apostles, his continuing relationship with Casca, and the supernatural consequences of the Eclipse. The season was broadcast in Japan and made available internationally through simulcast distribution.

• Anime television season · 2017

  Berserk season 2

  The second season aired from April to June 2017. It moved beyond the principal Conviction material toward the early portion of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc. Promotional material emphasized characters and elements including Schierke and the Berserker armor, reflecting the expansion of Guts's supernatural conflict and traveling group.

• Home video · 2017

  English-dubbed home-video edition

  An English-dubbed edition was distributed for Blu-ray and DVD. Funimation handled distribution, while Bang Zoom! Entertainment produced the dub. The release extended the series beyond its Japanese broadcast and international streaming window.

• Anime music · 2016

  Berserk soundtrack and theme music

  The series combines a score by Shirō Sagisu with songs connected to returning Berserk composer Susumu Hirasawa. Theme performers include 9mm Parabellum Bullet, Nagi Yanagi, and Yoshino Nanjō, with separate opening and ending themes used for the two seasons.

• 2017Second-season teaser campaign

  Japan · International

  A teaser shown at the end of the first season confirmed a second season and highlighted Schierke and the Berserker armor to signal the next manga storyline.

  Outcome. The second season began broadcasting in April 2017.

  Source
• 2016International simulcast and English-dub promotion

  International

  Crunchyroll promoted international simulcast access, while the English-language distribution plan was presented through Funimation and home-video announcements.

  Outcome. The series received international streaming exposure and an English-dubbed physical release.

  Source
• 2015Initial announcement and Comiket preview

  Japan

  The new anime project was revealed through Young Animal and supported by a short promotional preview shown at Comiket, establishing the production as a major continuation of the Berserk screen franchise.

  Outcome. The project proceeded to formal television-series promotion and a 2016 broadcast.

  Source

• 2017

  Continue the adaptation with a second seasonProduct launch

  Background

  The first season concluded with a teaser indicating that the adaptation would continue into the Hawk of the Millennium Empire material.

  Action taken

  A second television season premiered in April 2017 with a two-episode opening broadcast.

  Aftermath

  The documented television run continued through June 2017 and expanded the adaptation beyond the first season's principal storyline.

  Source

• 2016

  Adopt a hybrid 2D and 3D animation pipelineStrategy

  Background

  The production sought to present a large-scale dark-fantasy action series while combining the director's 2D storyboarding with the capabilities of CG animation studios.

  Action taken

  The team selected traditional 2D, full CG, or hybrid techniques from scene to scene and applied cel shading and hatching to integrate the visual styles.

  Aftermath

  The approach became a defining production feature, but critics were divided and frequently objected to the appearance and movement of the CG elements.

  Source

1. 1Berserk (2016 TV series)en.wikipedia.org