| |
Like other
websites based on an anime series, the Black Sun Over Midland
webpage relied heavily on information found in sources other
than the show itself. This website contains a listing of sources
of information regarding the series Berserk. However, keep in
mind that none of the items listed below are in English. All
of them are in Japanese.
Berserk:
The Manga
If
you want to discover the complete story of Berserk and other material
cut out from the TV series, then your only recourse is to get hold of
the manga volumes. There are currently 22 separate manga volumes and
their ISBN numbers are listed below:
| Vol. 1 - ISBN 4-592-13574-1 |
Vol. 12 - ISBN 4-592-13694-2 |
| Vol. 2 - ISBN 4-592-13575-X |
Vol. 13 - ISBN 4-592-13695-0 |
| Vol. 3 - ISBN 4-592-13576-8 |
Vol. 14 - ISBN 4-592-13696-9 |
| Vol. 4 - ISBN 4-592-13577-6 |
Vol. 15 - ISBN 4-592-13697-7 |
| Vol. 5 - ISBN 4-592-13578-4 |
Vol. 16 - ISBN 4-592-13698-5 |
| Vol. 6 - ISBN 4-592-13579-2 |
Vol. 17 - ISBN 4-592-13699-3 |
| Vol. 7 - ISBN 4-592-13580-6 |
Vol. 18 - ISBN 4-592-13716-7 |
| Vol. 8 - ISBN 4-592-13690-X |
Vol. 19 - ISBN 4-592-13717-5 |
| Vol. 9 - ISBN 4-592-13691-8 |
Vol. 20 - ISBN 4-592-13718-3 |
| Vol. 10 - ISBN 4-592-13692-6 |
Vol. 21 - ISBN 4-592-13719-1 |
| Vol. 11 - ISBN 4-592-13693-4 |
Vol. 22 - ISBN 4-592-13720-5 |
Berserk:
The TV Series
For those
who can afford to buy the original Japanese laserdisc releases,
here is a listing of their catalog numbers. Since this show is
not available here in the US, getting the original Japanese-language
video is the only way to see the animated version. While it is
true that the TV show has been toned down several notches compared
to the manga where scenes have been altered significantly or
even excluded, the show is still remarkably faithful to the original
comics that the viewer doesn't come away with a feeling that
it is diluted since the "feel" of the story has remained
intact.
| Vol.1: VPLY - 70669 |
Vol.6: VPLY - 70674 |
Vol.11: VPLY - 70679 |
| Vol.2: VPLY - 70670 |
Vol.7: VPLY - 70675 |
Vol.12: VPLY - 70680 |
| Vol.3: VPLY - 70671 |
Vol.8: VPLY - 70676 |
Vol.13: VPLY - 70681 |
| Vol.4: VPLY - 70672 |
Vol.9: VPLY - 70677 |
|
| Vol.5:
VPLY - 70673 |
Vol.10:
VPLY - 70678 |
|
The LD covers,
as well as their color inserts, are featured in the exhibit halls
of the Gallery section. Note that the insert for Volume 7 is
done by Miura himself.
Berserk
Illustration File (ISBN4-592-73138-7)
 |
If you don't have the patience to go over 17 volumes
of the manga, then this book is the answer. While half of this
volume consists of color and black-and-white sketches by Miura,
the other half offers a wealth of information about the story
in a concise manner. Included are the profiles of the major characters
in the story, a description of how Griffith rose from a mere
highway robber and mercenary to a general in the Midland army
and many other nifty stuff. As an added bonus, the publisher
has included a lengthy interview with Miura as well as his bibliography.
Note, however, that the File only covers the first thirteen volumes
of the manga so you still need to get and read the last five
volumes. |
Berserk
Perfect Guide Book (ISBN4-592-73157-3)
 |
Aptly
titled, this is definitely the best source of information about the
anime series. This book contains just about everything that any one can
think of: episode summaries, character profiles for all (and I mean
*ALL*) the characters that appeared in the show, lots of side notes, a
feature on Berserk merchandise, a section on character study sketches
(pencil and color) by the show's animation directors and designers and
an interview with the director Naohito Takahashi. There is even a
two-page comic panel that features a caricature of Miura whose life is
made miserable by a super-deformed Puck. But perhaps the crowning glory
of this 96-page book is that most of its pages are adorned with cel
reproductions from the show. To say that the book is beautiful is a
gross understatement. Keep in mind, however, that since this book is
devoted only to the anime series, some of the characters found in the
manga, like Puck and the Skull Knight, will not be found here. |
Berserk
Visual and Story File (ISBN4-592-73169-7)
 |
Released on 27 Dec 1999 in Japan, this volume is
the companion book for the Dreamcast game Berserk: Millennium
Falcon. Its best feature is that it contains the complete script
of the game! In addition, it has an extensive character profile
listings, sketches and studies, even of the ones that never made
it to the game. As an added bonus, the book includes the synopses
for the manga volumes up to Volume 18 and a glossary of terms,
which it refers to as "Word Check", covering both the
manga/anime series and the game. Sorry but Skull Knight's true
origins are not revealed here either. Surprisingly, except for
the four pages of full-color illustrations and a couple of watercolor
drawings, the entire book is in black and white. This is quite
disappointing since the game is completely rendered in realtime
and without pre-rendered CG animations, a testament to the immense
power of the Dreamcast platform and color pictures from the game
would have been the icing on the cake. Despite this, this book
is still a good addition to your collection of Berserk paraphernalia. |
Retail
Outlets
What good
is a listing of goods if you don't know where to buy them? Below
are a few places where one can buy Berserk items. Depending on
the store, these places usually carry a fair number of LD's,
CD's, manga and other trinkets and in stock at any given time.
If they don't have the item that you are looking for, ask if
they do special orders or better yet, check out the other stores
on the list.
|
