The death of Kentaro Miura, the creator of Berserk, was a big shock to the anime and manga industry. His death was announced in May 2021, and the reason was listed as acute aortic dissection. Not only did his untimely death sadden his fans, but it also put an indefinite halt on his masterpiece.
No one knew what the future would hold for Berserk and its protagonist Guts, until a year later, Miura’s friend and manga artist Kouji Mori announced, along with Studio Gaga, that they would try to preserve Miura’s legacy by continuing Berserk without him. Although it was a tough decision, it surely worked in the favor of the series and the memory of Miura.
In an interview, Mori revealed how he and the studio came to the decision to continue Miura’s work and what kind of challenges they faced while making the decision. However, they were able to move through the challenges and were able to release Chapter 365 in 2022, which was also the first chapter without Miura’s involvement.
Kouji Mori Reveals The Reason Why He Continued Berserk After Kentaro Miura’s Death
A year after Kentaro Miura’s death, Studio Gaga released an official statement where they revealed that they will continue the Berserk manga along with Miura’s best friend and mangaka Mori. In an interview with Asahi Digital, which was later translated and shared by Comicbook, Mori explained why he decided to continue working on Berserk along with Studio Gaga.
Mori stated:
“I thought maybe I could do it. I thought Miura would be angry that I didn’t do anything, so I made the decision.”
Mori believed that if he had not done anything about the Berserk manga, Miura would have been angry with him. Since the death of Miura, Studio Gaga has released ten chapters, with the last chapter being Chapter 375, which was released in November 2023. They are going to release the next Chapter 376 on April 26, 2024.
Kouji Mori Discussed With Studio Gaga About Continuing Berserk
During the interview, Mori also talked about what kind of problems he and the artists at Studio Gaga faced when they decided to continue Berserk. They had a long meeting where they discussed the story of Guts in the manga, and while he only gave advice about the drafts, the major work was done by the staff of Studio Gaga.
Mori stated:
“During the three- to four-hour meeting, I explained the development to Studio Gaga staff. Afterward, I exchanged personal messages with the chief. I give advice on drafts, but the final drawings are the work of Studio Gaga. The drawing skills of our staff, including Chief Kurosaki-kun, are extraordinary. I believe that after they complete Berserk, they will become artists who will leave their mark on the manga world.”
Mori praised the artists and the staff from the studio as they helped him continue his best friend’s legacy further. With chapter 374, Berserk has started a new arc and is also getting an anime adaptation called Berserk: The Black Swordsman, which will re-adapt the entire Berserk series from the beginning.
You can read the Berserk Manga on Dark Horse.
