While Berserk may not be something that has the same appeal as its fellow manga and anime series such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Sailor Moon. However, there is no denying that the series has survived the test of time, establishing itself as one of the greatest manga to be ever written. Therefore, it can be proclaimed Kentaro Miura’s magnum opus has greatly contributed to pop culture, with its dark atmosphere and an outstanding antihero.
While Kentaro Miura’s manga stands tall as a towering achievement in the world of manga, delving deep into the complex themes of power, philosophical concepts, and the darkness present within us all. While one might believe that the mangaka artist would have a serious source of recreation, that was not the case as he used to find joy in playing girl games when he was not crammed in his workspace.
Berserk’s Creator Has an Interesting Source of Recreation
Kentaro Miura’s Berserk begins with a complex and deeply flawed character whose journey is as chilling as it is absorbing. The readers were soon absorbed by the outstanding storytelling, unreal artwork, and the deep exploration of the human psyche. The series’ protagonist, Guts embarked on a journey to find faith in a world plagued by pain and suffering.
The series featured excellent pieces of fantasy and existential philosophy, and hard-hitting quotes like, “You have the strongest armor, because you are the weakest.” Kentaro Miura used to remain quite busy when he was working on his manga, but he had a laid-back persona when he was not tackling themes of trauma and the uncomfortable truth of the world in Berserk.
During an interview via Berserk fandom, Miura was asked if he preferred “reading manga and drama,” as it was closely linked to his work, and if he had any hobby that was unrelated to his line of work. The mangaka mentioned he was into playing games, to be precise “simulation games,” as they did not take much time. He said,
“As for my current hobby, it’s playing games, that’s all. Because I don’t have to spend a long time on it. I’m absorbed in simulation games these days. I also like Girl games and action games. Well, I usually like popular games.”
The interviewer was surprised by the answer of the mangaka artist, and asked if it was for “diversion?” Miura-san acknowledged that he preferred to play games for one hour a day, but sometimes he finished those games in two hours.
He said,
“Yes. I play games about one hour a day. But it’s good enough considering some games are finished in two hours. You know, that’s the way. I have piled some games. I plan to start playing them when my holidays come. Actually, I bought a Nintendo 64 recently.”
The mangaka artist went candid as he shared about his work, as he told the fans how he preferred following a flexible plan to stay on schedule.
Kentaro Miura Discusses His Work Style
In the same interview, the mangaka artist was asked about his work style and if there were some stages where he faced some trouble while drawing the manga panels. Miura-san was honest and answered “it’s drawing,” especially when it was about time to hit the bed because he used to get distracted and started to have other thoughts.
He said,
“I’d surely say it’s drawing. The hardest time is just before I go to bed. Precisely speaking, 19 hours before 6:00 AM (around 11:00 AM). Around that time I get distracting thoughts while I work. Sometimes my work doesn’t proceed. That’s why I set some extra days. However, it doesn’t happen when I sketch.”
He also added how he preferred to keep the television on, or sometimes played music in the background, which used to bring him some sort of luck.
“The latter is my type. I watch TV. I watch TV or listen to music. But I work on storyboards with no sound. All other off-work activities bring me some kind of luck.”
Well, safe to say Miura-san’s work style was outstanding throughout his lifespan, as he gave the world his art which stands tall in the world of manga, even eons after his demise.
Berserk (2016) can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
