Berserk is among the most compelling dark-fantasy manga epics, and Kentaro Miura’s artwork comprises some of the best panels in the medium. Many longtime fans are elated that the series is finally back on track to finish Miura’s vision following his untimely passing, but his artistry isn’t easily replicated.
Miura had the talent to display not only action but practically every emotion on the spectrum. From the intense, high-octane violence of Guts cleaving through monsters or looking up peacefully at the stars, Berserk is a consistent feast for the eyes.
10 A Moment Of Respite
Berserk is an excellent manga for fans of drama and action, but it wasn’t without its moments of serenity. Guts, Casco, and co. are consistently in dire straits, but seeing the Black Swordsman rest up against a tree by the sunset is just as impactful.
Moments of respite are rare, but Miura illustrates them so the reader can feel relief. He was always fantastic at setting a scene, with the setting sun framed perfectly next to Guts’ side profile. The panel conveys the feeling of taking in the peaceful moments as they come.
9 The Human Bullet
The morally ambiguous Nosferatu Zodd is a fan-favorite Berserk character, motivated solely by finding worthy combatants, whose origins are shrouded in mystery. Some of the series’ highlights have been seeing his and Guts’ rivalry play out, but the time they allied to fight a greater threat was a momentous occasion.
Miura didn’t disappoint when illustrating the decisive blow in their victory, as Guts rides atop a soaring Zodd to pierce through Apostle Ganishka’s weak point. It’s undoubtedly one of the best-illustrated scenes, showing how kinetic Miura’s art can be.
8 Dawn Of The Great Roar
The climactic battle against the Apostle and Kushan Emperor brought several standout moments and panels. After Guts and Zodd struck the blow they needed to land, Griffith assumed his God Hand form to finish the job, but not without a special appearance.
The inevitable Skull Knight makes a dramatic entrance and completes a stunning portrait. From the Skull Knight and his horse’s imposing presence, piercing eyes, and brandished sword to Femto’s foreboding figure, this is an exceptional use of a double-page spread. The three characters depicted in the panel are positioned well to give the scene depth.
7 The Many Horrors Of The Eclipse
Manga like Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece have iconic panels filled with environmental detail. Miura does the same for Berserk, using it to depict scenes of horror and tranquility simultaneously. The Eclipse is naturally the greatest in-universe example for the former, with Miura doing a terrifyingly excellent job portraying this event’s scope.
Especially so due to its sense of verticality, with every descending layer showing more and more unique monstrosities crammed together. It’s the vilest course of events in the Berserk universe, and Miura knew how to drive that oppressive atmosphere home.
6 Under Starry Skies
One of Berserk’s quieter moments, Guts sitting in the ship gazing out at the starry sky, is among the series’ most memorable panels. It’s another scene that shows the importance of relishing life’s stretches of peace, no matter how fleeting.
On top of that, it also seems to portray a moment of calm introspection. Even so, in classic Berserk fashion, Miura illustrates this scene with a tinge of somberness. The tranquility isn’t lost or wasted, but seeing Guts’ heavily battle-scarred body and missing arm are sobering reminders of the cruel world around them.
5 A New World
Miura could emphasize jaw-dropping spectacle even when he wasn’t working with any true characters. Another of Berserk’s most recognizable panels is the dragon that suddenly appears, coiled around a castle as knights and citizens watch in awe.
It isn’t a significant character-driven moment, but it’s another showcase of meticulous artistry and worldbuilding for the manga. With the Roar of the Astral World, reality and fantasy are merged whether anyone is prepared for it. Likewise, the panel looks like it was brilliantly ripped from the artwork of medieval folklore of classic European dragons.
4 Duel At Dawn
As far as landmark plot moments go, Guts and Griffith dueling at dawn are among the most important. Its narrative significance can’t be understated, as it’s when the Black Swordsman grows into his identity and the Hawk of Light begins to unravel.
That moment is captured beautifully in another double-page spread as the sun and the pair’s drawn swords shine on a winter morning. The side profile depicts a picturesque scene of drama while also showing how well Miura can compose landscapes with a sense of vastness.
3 The Berserker Armor
Some of Berserk’s most visually exciting parts see the main cast getting combat upgrades. This is especially so for Guts, since the Berserker Armor is now an iconic part of Miura’s art and the protagonist’s grueling character arc.
Countless fantastic panels in this acclaimed seinen manga depict its overwhelming power, but the scene showing Guts perched atop a monster he’s slaying is perhaps the biggest standout. The Berserker Armor is monstrous and aesthetically striking by design, and this panel masterfully conveys Guts’ almost casually barbaric and haunting strength in the suit.
2 Guts’ Saving Grace
Berserk evolves as a story once Guts starts to form his surrogate family, even if it wasn’t his intention. Shierke is one of its most important members, proving to be both a compassionate character and a supernatural guide.
Namely for Guts, as their bonding friendship is vital to keeping the traumatized protagonist from being consumed by the Berserker Armor’s vengeful temptations. The panel showing the two reaching for each other is perhaps the most emblematic of this. It’s both a stunning show of ethereal spectacle and dramatic urgency, with the contrasting colors speaking louder than words.
1 Regained Memories
Berserk’s main cast has gone through indescribable pain individually and together. That makes one of Casca’s most recent panels all the more satisfying, especially considering the manga’s troubled hiatuses and Miura’s tragic passing.
She’s had some of the worst things a person can suffer from happen to her, so seeing her teary-eyed reaction to remembering Guts is deeply resonating. There are countless jaw-dropping panels in Berserk to behold, but Casca’s intimate scene here was a rewarding, expressive, and cathartic moment decades in the making.