Berserk is one of the supreme manga that belongs to the seinen or dark fantasy genre. Kentaro Miura created a tale of pain and thrilling action sequences that often blur the lines between good and evil. Guts serves as a layered protagonist for the manga, but fans are of the opinion that his character carries some cliches that halt the manga from going beyond what it is now.
The manga is often compared to Vagabond, another manga from the same genre. Unlike Berserk, the protagonist of Vagabond is more complex and is not as protected by plot armor as Guts.
The Cliches Present in the Protagonist of Kentaro Miura’s Berserk
According to fans, Kentaro Miura overused many cliches in Berserk, especially pertaining to Guts. The portrayal of the character is such that he always overcomes every obstacle. Yes, he undergoes pain and suffering because of it, but Guts always overpowers his opponent. In fact, even the most impossible of feats in Berserk can be performed by Guts, making him a bit too perfect.
Of course, Guts’ actions have their own consequences. Every time he goes against a powerful being, it chips away at his sanity. Every achievement in Berserk comes at the cost of Guts’ well-being. Despite being extremely strong, his conquests have already begun to take a toll on him.
Guts’ goal is also superhuman. He needs to exact revenge on both Griffith and God Hand, which is next to impossible. He cannot rest after just saving his friends and family because he is too far into the path of revenge. This, too, makes him a cliched character because almost every dark fantasy hero has a goal bigger than anything that could be perceived by the common man.
Why Vagabond’s Musashi is a Strong Rival to Berserk‘s Guts
Miyamoto Musashi is the protagonist of Vagabond. He is considered one of the greatest swordsmen in Japanese history and has had to go through many perilous journeys to reach his destiny. But what sets him apart from Guts is the amount of defeats he has faced.
Musashi falters, learns, and grows to become stronger. He is defeated by superior swordsmen in his journey, and it fuels him to be better, and in return, it creates suspense among fans. No one knows if he will win the next battle or if it will be his last. Guts, on the other hand, has barely ever lost a battle, with the exception of Griffith, who is his ultimate enemy.
Vagabond‘s protagonist ultimately accepts that no matter the amount of peace he finds, his mind will always remain in a state of constant war. Every time Musashi fails, he admits the things he cannot do. But Kentaro Miura has created a protagonist who is too strong to be defeated, much like Jujutsu Kaisen‘s Gojo. At the end of the day, Guts will be the one to win a confrontation. Vagabond knows that victory is not so easy to achieve, and it’s better to lose at times.
You can watch Berserk anime on Crunchyroll. Both Berserk and Vagabond are unavailable to read online.
