that's just fucking beautiful.
Take special note here that in many of the answers, he responds "I" or "for me", which implies that Miura himself gave us these responses, and they weren't an interpretation of the editor. I was worried for a bit with our babelfish translation seeming like he got them from a previous interview or something. Good to know he took time to respond as personally as was feasible.puella said:I’m transferring you Miura Kentarou's answers to your questions.
I actually flubbed the question here, since I end up asking two different things. I meant to ask how much time has passed since Lost Children, during which we saw the last time shift, and Guts was 21. But what I think he ended up responding to was "how long since the Golden Age ended," which we already know has been at least 2 years (1 between Golden Age and Black Swordsman and 1 between that and Lost Children). So, 3-4 years would mean that it's 1-2 years more than we thought. Still, some time has clearly passed, and that's all i was trying to get at.I’d say it’s been 3-4 years, though it’s not been clearly decided.
This answer seems inconclusive to me. We already knew Taka could mean Falcon and Hawk, and I even mentioned that in the question. But in this answer, he does seem to lean more toward Falcon, but I'm not sure we can definitively say that it's "always" been Falcon. Hmm...“Falcon” or “Hawk”, both mean [鷹] in Japanese. In some dictionaries, “Falcon ” is translated as [隼(はやぶさ)] but there’s almost no difference. I used "Falcon" from the great name of the “Millennium Falcon" ship in Star Wars.
I can't believe we got an answer on this one. It's amazing.I think we are at about 60-70%. However, I myself don’t know anything for sure when it comes to the future.
That is really too bad... there's so much gorgeous material I'd like to have in a good bound edition. But I imagine these things take time to work on.No, I don’t [plan to make more art books]
Admittedly, this was kind of a throwaway question, but I was hoping he would elaborate more if I touched on something sensitive, like if one portion was especially difficult, we'd get some insight into why.No specific part was especially difficult or regrettable to me.
Amazing, a future after Berserk. So, I suppose by that time, SkullKnight.net will have to transmogrify into something else? Or maybe it will be for another generation of fans. Ah, so much to ponder with this thing...I don’t remember when I talked about my future plans after Berserk, but there's no doubt I’ll work on something else once it's over.
That's great, I had always hoped he hadn't regretted his life and the sacrifices he's clearly made to achieve his vision for Berserk, especially since it has affected his health and social life. It's good to know he's content with everything in spite of what others would perceive as impediments to a normal life.Yes, I feel a sense of achievement, since my work has been appreciated more and more over time in society.
Besides, I can’t think of living any other life.
I hope this revelation will shut everyone up that complains when Miura opts to take a break. I seriously might get violent if I hear it after this ...I start working at 2:00 PM and I finish at 7:00 AM. Of course, the time I spend eating is included. I work 15-16 hours everyday, without holidays.
So it's finally official: it limited the storyline options too much. We'd assembled that information ourselves, but it was pulled from such ancient interviews (~1996) that there was no telling it's accuracy. And he doesn't know if The Idea of Evil will be back... how haunting.It’s because I wanted Berserk's world to be revealed just that far, not any more than that. The appearance of god in the manga conclusively determines its range. I thought that might limit the freedom of the story development.
Argh, I'd prefer he just say it's an impossibility at this point. Now the SEAZON 2?!?! threads will continue until we're all dead.It’s possible.
It only took 3 weeks, I mean, I expected this would take MONTHS. So bravo on your expediency!I’ve forwaded all his answers to you, though it took a little time.
I tried my best to make the questions fair, and not to ask about unscripted events. I'm without words in my honor at being chosen for such a special reply. It's a day I'll remember for the rest of my life, and is so far the greatest achievement of the community here.It’s very rare for Miura to answer this kind of questions. It would be good if you could think of it as his service for foreign fans like you. And also please keep in mind we can’t tell you things for sure about future developments that haven’t been scripted yet.
do I understand this correctly that it is possible for the whole "Griffith->Femto->Griffith" theme to have another explanation that can even contradict to the "Idea of Evil" concept (since it was not present in the volume), meaning that its better to just forget about episode 83 and expect something new instead of IoE ;) ?I myself don’t know if the Idea of Evil will show up again in the manga or not.
Something new? Maybe ... but I really don't think so. He's just keeping his story possibilities open.Danat said:um...do I understand this correctly that it is possible for the whole "Griffith->Femto->Griffith" theme to have another explanation that can even contradict to the "Idea of Evil" concept (since it was not present in the volume), meaning that its better to just forget about episode 83 and expect something new instead of IoE ;) ?
oh yeah, you're right ;). but without 83 we dont know what he sees there, Griffith just says "God?...", soo as you said...Don't forget that we've already seen the Idea of Evil at the end of Episode 82 as well
which is good enough for me ;). it was kinda pessimistic autmosphere when you _know_ that its God (which can control fate and such) versus Guts, meaning that Guts cannot really do much to spoil his plans.It just keeps the possibilities open for how it will be portrayed in the future.
Well, there's no "fate" in Berserk, there is causality -- a sequence of events influenced by a higher power.Danat said:it was kinda pessimistic atmosphere when you _know_ that its God (which can control fate and such) versus Guts, meaning that Guts cannot really do much to spoil his plans.
Walter said:This answer seems inconclusive to me. We already knew Taka could mean Falcon and Hawk, and I even mentioned that in the question. But in this answer, he does seem to lean more toward Falcon, but I'm not sure we can definitively say that it's "always" been Falcon. Hmm...
Walter said:Anyway, let's reason this out to get a vague prediction of Berserk's future. Let's split the difference and say it's 65 percent through. That would mean the series would be complete at around volume 55 or so. Assuming that Miura gets back on a more consistent schedule like earlier in the 2000s, he'd produce enough work for 2 volumes a year, with ~21 more until it's end. All of that is to say Berserk COULD be completed by 2020. But, as he says, it's not set in stone.
Walter said:That is really too bad... there's so much gorgeous material I'd like to have in a good bound edition. But I imagine these things take time to work on.
Walter said:Amazing, a future after Berserk. So, I suppose by that time, SkullKnight.net will have to transmogrify into something else? Or maybe it will be for another generation of fans. Ah, so much to ponder with this thing...
Walter said:I hope this revelation will shut everyone up that complains when Miura opts to take a break. I seriously might get violent if I hear it after this ...
Aazealh said:the usual schedule to draw the episodes is just 2 weeks, with an average of 16 hours of work a day for at least 6 days a week from what I've read.
Walter said:It only took 3 weeks, I mean, I expected this would take MONTHS. So bravo on your expediency!
Danat said:um...do I understand this correctly that it is possible for the whole "Griffith->Femto->Griffith" theme to have another explanation that can even ontradict to the "Idea of Evil" concept
Danat said:@Walteroh yeah, you're right ;). but without 83 we dont know what he sees there, Griffith just says "God?..."
puella said:Q1: To the readers, Guts as a character has grown tremendously in the past few years, but how much time has elapsed in the Berserk world since the end of the Golden Age arc in Volume 14? (i.e. Lost Children - Millennium Falcon)
I’d say it’s been 3-4 years, though it’s not been clearly decided.
puella said:Q2: Regarding the kanji "Taka," do you intend that to be Falcon or Hawk? Was there ever a conscious change in its usage, such as after Griffith's reincarnation, or has it always been "falcon" to you?
“Falcon” or “Hawk”, both mean [鷹] in Japanese. In some dictionaries, “Falcon ” is translated as [隼(はやぶさ)] but there’s almost no difference. I used "Falcon" from the great name of the “Millennium Falcon" ship in Star Wars.
puella said:Q3: Just before the launch of the Millennium Falcon arc, you were quoted as saying now you felt you were truly on the starting line of the series. Is that accurate? If that is the case, how far along are we in the story at this point?
I think we are at about 60-70%. However, I myself don’t know anything for sure when it comes to the future.
puella said:Q4: It's been years since the last art book release. There may now be enough content for 2-3 additional books. Do you plan to release any more based on your sketches and paintings?
No, I don’t.
puella said:Q5: What portion of the story was the most difficult in terms of making hard decisions about where to take the direction of the series? Any regrets?
No specific part was especially difficult or regrettable to me.
puella said:Q6: You've talked of post-Berserk projects in the past. Do you still expect to do it, or will you be enjoying retirement after having spent so long working on Berserk?
I don’t remember when I talked about my future plans after Berserk, but there's no doubt I’ll work on something else once it's over.
puella said:Q7: Do you feel a sense of achievement at what you've accomplished over all those years? Was it worth the sacrifices to your life and health it has required?
Yes, I feel a sense of achievement, since my work has been appreciated more and more over time in society.
Besides, I can’t think of living any other life.
puella said:Q8: Could you describe an average day in your studio? How many hours each day do you work?
I start working at 2:00 PM and I finish at 7:00 AM. Of course, the time I spend eating is included. I work 15-16 hours everyday, without holidays.
puella said:Q9: Can we have some more details on why Episode 83 was left out of the collected volume? Do you consider the events in the episode to be canon? Can we expect to see or hear from the Idea of Evil again before the end of the series?
It’s because I wanted Berserk's world to be revealed just that far, not any more than that. The appearance of god in the manga conclusively determines its range. I thought that might limit the freedom of the story development.
I myself don’t know if the Idea of Evil will show up again in the manga or not.
puella said:Q10: Rumors of a second season, or new animation of Berserk have been persistent since the first animation's conclusion. These have all been proven false, in time. But to be perfectly sure, are there plans for a continuation of the animation?
It’s possible.
Griffith said:This is an odd negatory, you'd think it would be something like his answer to the last question. Maybe the art books are more personal and involved for him where another anime is more the licensing/business side of things handled by the companies. I'd still think that business side of his work would be pushing for more art books though, considering how fantastic his work is it would sell itself and the series. I guess one should keep in mind that he has been releasing stand alone artwork though, just not in a collected volume.
Griffith said:I think it's interesting that he confirmed Idea not just as a god, but just god at the time (at least of man), as many already interpreted it. I wonder how much that has changed, if at all, with the deeper introduction of magic and appearance of other highly powerful astral beings. I wonder if that's exactly why Miura took Idea out of the forefront and literally into the shadows, for the freedom to do those things, or if it wouldn't matter. To put it simply, Idea was intended to be god, but is it still?
DirectDK said:SK.net NAMBA WANNN!!!!!!