Warning: contains some discussion of sexual assault!
Following the tragic death of creator Kentaro Miura, the final collection of his masterwork Berserk is going to print this Fall. Considered a groundbreaking manga for its bold approach to violence and grim subject matter, Berserk will never be replaced, but its fans can find a rightful successor in Goblin Slayer, another dark fantasy manga that seemingly takes a lot of inspiration from Miura's masterpiece.
Berserk was first published in Japan in 1989, but it took a while to reach international audiences. European editions were the earliest ones (the Italian translation was published as early as 1996), while American fans had to wait until Dark Horse licensed it in 2003. The series was instrumental in changing the perception that Western audiences had of manga, which was considered until that point mostly aimed at kids. When Guts arrived on the scene, swinging his giant sword and splitting monsters in two, everything changed. Manga started to be taken more seriously, as more and more adult fans were tempted in. Berserk spurred controversy too, especially for the infamous scene of sexual violence that was also included in the first anime adaptation, but its popularity never waned over the years.
Berserk is regarded as one of the most influential dark fantasy works, which left its mark not just on anime and manga, but on literature and video games too (for instance, in games like the Dark Souls series.) Many popular manga have been openly inspired by Berserk, including Fullmetal Alchemist, Attack on Titan, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. However, all of these series have also concluded. Goblin Slayer is a popular manga and anime franchise, inspired by a series of light novels. It gave new life to the dark fantasy genre and shares many qualities with Berserk. The protagonist is also a lonely warrior who is hellbent on revenge and dedicates his whole life to fighting monsters (in this case, just goblins.) The titular Goblin Slayer is a merciless killer but given his well-developed backstory, readers can't help but empathize with him, just as with Guts.
There are of course differences between the two works. Berserk's world is inspired by medieval Europe and its depiction is gritty and realistic, while Goblin Slayer is more in line with a more general, classic fantasy aesthetic. However, Berserk's tone did shift in the final part of the series towards classic fantasy tropes. Goblin Slayer does not showcase the same baroque and intricately detailed art that was Miura's trademark, but it compensates with the same amount of gory detail during the fight scenes. Both manga also experienced controversy and backlash, as Goblin Slayer was also criticized for its depictions of sexual violence. Since then, however, the manga has moved away from such gratuitous displays and focused more on character development, just like Berserk did in its later phase.
Goblin Slayer felt like a breath of fresh air when it came out, considering that the US manga scene was shifting towards more escapist tones that are typical of the popular isekai genre. Just like Berserk did, it reminded Western audiences that manga is a complex and varied art form that can be aimed at a wide range of audiences. Fans of dark fantasy stories who already miss Berserk should give Goblin Slayer a try for a work that, while by no means identical, plays with the same structure and themes to fascinating effect.