Kentaro Miura made a masterpiece of a dark manga with Berserk. Along with the pain and cruelty-filled world, he also added an equally wounded protagonist. And in order to suit the nature of the world, Miura came up with the perfect weapon that Guts could use.
The Berserker Armor is one of the most powerful suits and is aptly named due to the intense ferocity it bestows on its user. It has its own set of drawbacks but it has been an instant hit amongst fans. However, many readers have a wrong perception regarding its origin.
Berserk’s Kentaro Miura Discloses Information on the Berserker Armor
In the interview, Kentaro Miura was asked about the inspiration behind his Berserker Armor. At the time of the armor’s debut, no one really knew what the inspiration behind it was. It was a popular rumor that the name came from a particular tribe in the Icelandic region, the Berserkers. It is a small group of warriors within the Norse society who were known for their ferocious battling skills.
Miura admitted that information on Berserker was absolutely scarce at the time.
At the time, information about the berserker was almost non-existent. There was indeed an appearance of the word “berserga” in the novels of the Botomuzu gaiden series, but almost no one in Japan knew what it was referring to.
The Botomuzu Gaiden refers to a military sci-fi manga and anime series that was popular in Japan. However, no one could catch the reference while trying to unearth the armor’s origin.
The Berserker Armor is easily the second most iconic weapon in Berserk, while the first place is reserved for Guts’ Dragonslayer sword. The armor gives Guts immense power, but the physical and mental strain it puts on the user is massive. It can consume the wearer’s psyche and turn them into a bloodthirsty monster who cannot differentiate between friend and foe.
Why Kentaro Miura Gave the Berserker Armor to Guts
In the interview, Kentaro Miura was asked if he had thought of introducing the Berserker Armor from the beginning of the story. The author answered that not everything was in place when the manga debuted. He also explained inflation in manga, a frequent situation in Shonen manga, where enemies and powers constantly become more and more potent. If one cannot control the inflation, it gallops to a point of no return.
Thus, the Berserker armor was also an element that rose from the demands of inflation in Berserk. The first leap of power happened with the arrival of the Falcon troops, and the second change of scale happened when the magic aspect was developed in the story.
With the arrival of magic and supernatural beings, I was forced to give him something supernatural, too.
The author found the perfect solution to strengthen Guts against magic and the supernatural.
I found the solution, you know. Armor that drives you crazy. It’s perfect for a berserk. It is said that the ancient berserker was taking drugs to get angry. As in a way, pain is Guts’ drug, the whole thing formed a coherent whole.
Thus, the rage-inducing Berserker Armor was the perfect fit for a manga in which pain has always taken the forefront. While it provided Guts with supernatural strength, it is slowly chipping away at his mental defenses.
You can watch Berserk anime on Crunchyroll.
