Berserk (2016 TV series)

The Berserk (2016 TV series) is a Japanese anime television series based on Kentaro Miura's manga series of the same name. It serves as a continuation of the Golden Age Arc film trilogy and adapts the Conviction Arc and the Hawk of the Millennium Empire Arc of the manga. The series was produced by GEMBA and Millepensee, marking the first television adaptation of Berserk since 1997.

The first season, comprising 12 episodes, aired from July 1 to September 16, 2016. It focuses primarily on the Conviction Arc, specifically the Lost Children Chapter and a portion of the Binding Chain Chapter.

The second season, also consisting of 12 episodes, aired from April 7 to June 23, 2017. This season largely adapts the Hawk of the Millennium Empire Arc, following Guts and his companions as they journey to Elfhelm.

The series is notable for its heavy use of CGI animation, a stylistic choice that drew significant criticism from viewers due to perceived awkwardness and stiffness in character movements. Despite the criticism of its animation, the series retained many of the manga's core themes, including themes of trauma, vengeance, survival, and the struggle against fate. The soundtrack, composed by Shiro Sagisu, was generally well-received.

The Berserk (2016 TV series) can be streamed on various platforms, including Crunchyroll and Funimation. It is available in both Japanese with subtitles and in English dub.

Reception:

Reception to the Berserk (2016 TV series) was mixed to negative, largely due to the aforementioned CGI animation. While some viewers appreciated the attempt to continue the story and adapt later arcs of the manga, the overall consensus was that the animation quality detracted significantly from the experience. The series' adaptation of the source material was sometimes criticized for pacing issues and omissions.