Naohito Takahashi
Director
Berserk (1997)
Season 1
The Black Swordsman has flash backs to years past and his trials and tribulations in the Band of the Hawk.
Released Oct. 8, 1997
Episode 23 min
17+
Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Anime, Anime: Military, Anime: Psychological, Anime: Seinen, Science Fiction
Keywords: tmdb.mercenary, tmdb.gore, tmdb.woods, tmdb.sword-fight, tmdb.slaughter, imdb.torture-chamber, tmdb.torture + 358 more, tmdb.corpse, tmdb.based-on-manga, tmdb.massacre, tmdb.eclipse, tmdb.demon, tmdb.self-mutilation, tmdb.dark-fantasy, tmdb.anime, mdblist.has-trailer, imdb.sword-fighting, imdb.cruelty, imdb.covered-in-blood, imdb.emotional-shock, imdb.solar-eclipse, imdb.younger-version-of-character, imdb.horseback-riding, imdb.split-diagonally-in-two, imdb.large-sword, imdb.angst, imdb.female-frontal-nudity, imdb.snowing, tmdb.suffering, tmdb.waterfall, imdb.demon, imdb.based-on-manga, imdb.duel, imdb.horse, imdb.monster, imdb.despair, imdb.evil, imdb.good-versus-evil, imdb.torment, imdb.king, imdb.fight, imdb.mercenary, imdb.swordsman, imdb.battle, imdb.bloodshed, imdb.swordplay, imdb.sexual-abuse, imdb.military, imdb.rape, imdb.sinister, imdb.rain, imdb.dark-hero, imdb.violence, imdb.sword-fight, imdb.dark, imdb.existential, imdb.tears, imdb.blood-splatter, imdb.surrealism, imdb.mature-animation, mdblist.ext.2k-blu-ray, imdb.throat-slit, imdb.female-topless-nudity, imdb.for-grown-ups-animation, imdb.anime, tmdb.male-friendship, tmdb.seinen, imdb.scream, imdb.loss-of-friend, tmdb.middle-ages-476-1453, imdb.dark-fantasy, tmdb.horror, tmdb.supernatural, tmdb.travel, tmdb.survival, tmdb.gay-subtext, mdblist.anime-dub, tmdb.sexual-abuse, imdb.hallucination, imdb.falling-in-love, imdb.dying, imdb.bitterness, imdb.sword-and-fantasy, imdb.suffering, imdb.revenge, imdb.rage, imdb.loss-of-virginity, imdb.joy, imdb.hostility, imdb.hatred, imdb.first-time-sex, imdb.female-warrior, imdb.female-nudity, imdb.death, imdb.dark-past, imdb.crying, imdb.blacksmith, imdb.axe, imdb.ambition, imdb.vengeance, imdb.existentialism, imdb.torso-cut-in-half, imdb.gore, imdb.blood, imdb.talisman, imdb.swordsmen, imdb.sword, imdb.emotionally-disturbed-person, imdb.open-ended, imdb.tragedy, imdb.middle-ages, imdb.macabre, imdb.hero, imdb.giant-monster, imdb.nihilism, imdb.medieval-times, imdb.laughter, imdb.mysticism, imdb.poisoned-drink, imdb.arm-amputation, imdb.athlete, imdb.bare-chested-male, imdb.bloodthirsty, imdb.carnage, imdb.close-up-of-eye, imdb.emaciation, imdb.fiend, imdb.grudge, imdb.mercilessness, imdb.tavern, imdb.viciousness, imdb.female-rear-nudity, imdb.female-full-frontal-nudity, imdb.anime-animation, imdb.seinen-anime-animation, imdb.contemporary-fantasy, imdb.alternative-history, imdb.dystopia, imdb.epic-fantasy, imdb.seinen, imdb.rotten-world, imdb.swordfighting, imdb.sword-and-sorcery-fantasy, imdb.supernatural-horror, imdb.splatter-horror, imdb.epic-action, imdb.epic-adventure, imdb.epic-drama, imdb.hand-drawn-animation, imdb.action-epic, imdb.cosmic-horror, imdb.adventure-epic, imdb.body-horror, imdb.psychological-drama, imdb.psychological-horror, imdb.folk-horror, imdb.force, imdb.based-on-comic-book, imdb.high-fantasy, imdb.spirit, imdb.stabbed-in-the-stomach, imdb.pride, imdb.memory, imdb.flashback, imdb.falling, imdb.trap, imdb.supernatural-power, imdb.muscleman, imdb.fight-to-the-death, imdb.escape-attempt, imdb.dangerous-mission, imdb.attempted-poisoning, imdb.wings, imdb.tree, imdb.transformation, imdb.torture, imdb.tentacle, imdb.suicide-attempt, imdb.stabbed-in-the-head, imdb.stabbed-in-the-eye, imdb.stabbed-in-the-back, imdb.stabbed-in-the-arm, imdb.sleep, imdb.slaughter, imdb.sexual-perversion, imdb.severed-arm, imdb.self-mutilation, imdb.self-injury, imdb.running, imdb.cape-the-garment, imdb.rescue-attempt, imdb.rampage, imdb.question, imdb.perversion, imdb.one-eyed-man, imdb.no-ending, imdb.nightmare, imdb.needle, imdb.message, imdb.massacre, imdb.man-eaten-by-a-monster, imdb.magic, imdb.loss-of-faith, imdb.loss-of-dream, imdb.long-hair, imdb.head-blown-off, imdb.green-hair, imdb.forces-of-evil, imdb.eye, imdb.exploding-head, imdb.evil-power, imdb.escape, imdb.eclipse, imdb.dying-words, imdb.dream, imdb.breaking-down-a-door, imdb.desperation, imdb.demoness, imdb.death-of-horse, imdb.dead-body, imdb.darkness, imdb.dark-power, imdb.curse, imdb.corpse, imdb.cemetery, imdb.cart, imdb.broken-dream, imdb.broken-door, imdb.visual-impairment, imdb.black-magic, imdb.biting, imdb.arrest, imdb.wood, imdb.woods, imdb.wine, imdb.water, imdb.waterfall, imdb.warrior, imdb.victory, imdb.venom, imdb.valley, imdb.teenage-girl, imdb.teenage-boy, imdb.tall-man, imdb.sword-wound, imdb.surprise, imdb.strength, imdb.stairs, imdb.stabbing, imdb.stabbed-to-death, imdb.stabbed-in-the-chest, imdb.spear, imdb.snow, imdb.sickness, imdb.shot-with-an-arrow, imdb.shield, imdb.servant, imdb.saga, imdb.sadness, imdb.sadist, imdb.sadism, imdb.river, imdb.rivalry, imdb.rescue, imdb.queen, imdb.punch, imdb.princess, imdb.precipice, imdb.power, imdb.poison, imdb.party, imdb.palace, imdb.palace-intrigue, imdb.pain, imdb.nudity, imdb.nude-bathing, imdb.noble, imdb.nipples, imdb.murder, imdb.murder-plot, imdb.murder-attempt, imdb.mountain, imdb.moonlight, imdb.minister, imdb.maid, imdb.lord, imdb.lake, imdb.lady, imdb.knight, imdb.knife, imdb.kiss, imdb.kingdom, imdb.jumping, imdb.impalement, imdb.helmet, imdb.hall, imdb.goodbye, imdb.glory, imdb.friend, imdb.friendship, imdb.forest, imdb.flag, imdb.fire, imdb.fear, imdb.fate, imdb.farewell, imdb.falling-into-water, imdb.falling-from-height, imdb.expose, imdb.evil-queen, imdb.evil-man, imdb.epic, imdb.envy, imdb.enemy, imdb.dress, imdb.doubt, imdb.dismemberment, imdb.desire, imdb.defeat, imdb.dead-man, imdb.dead-child, imdb.danger, imdb.cut, imdb.crowd, imdb.crossbow, imdb.coward, imdb.courage, imdb.clothes-ripping, imdb.cave, imdb.cavern, imdb.castle, imdb.cabin, imdb.brutality, imdb.broken-sword, imdb.betrayal, imdb.bed, imdb.bedroom, imdb.beating, imdb.bandage, imdb.attempted-rape, imdb.attempted-murder, imdb.arrow, imdb.arrow-in-chest, imdb.armor, imdb.aristocrat, imdb.aristocracy, imdb.applause, imdb.anger, imdb.abyss, imdb.sacrifice, imdb.royalty, imdb.destiny, imdb.split-in-two, imdb.decapitation, imdb.amputation, imdb.sword-and-sorcery, imdb.death-of-friend, imdb.death-of-child, imdb.bleakness, imdb.religion, imdb.pedophilia, imdb.pedophile, imdb.tragic-hero, imdb.arrogance, imdb.corruption
Production Companies: OLM, VAP, Hakusensha, Nippon Television Network Corporation, Media Blasters
Network: Nippon TV
7.2
S1E1 - The Black Swordsman
A blacksmith is forging an enormous sword while a dark man with only one eye and one arm stands back and watches.
Oct. 8, 1997, midnight
7.3
S1E2 - Band of the Hawk
There is a great battle taking place at a fort. The attackers are doing well, except one thing stands in their way - a grey knight and he states that none shall pass him.
Oct. 15, 1997, midnight
7.3
S1E3 - First Battle
Guts and Griffith begin their sword fight.
Oct. 22, 1997, midnight
7.4
S1E4 - The Hand of God
Guts reminisces about his childhood.
Oct. 29, 1997, midnight
7.2
S1E5 - A Wind of Swords
Guts is now a commander of Griffith's army, taking many risks in battle, Casca takes him to task for it. Griffith is knighted in the Midland court much to the nobles' dismay.
Nov. 5, 1997, midnight
7.8
S1E6 - Zodd the Immortal
In another raid, Guts and Griffith come across a demon known as Nosferatu Zodd.
Nov. 12, 1997, midnight
7.1
S1E7 - The Sword`s Owner
Princess Charlotte of Midland strikes up a friendship with Griffith.
Nov. 19, 1997, midnight
7.2
S1E8 - Conspiracy
Griffith and Guts continue their success in battle and Griffith is made a Count.
Nov. 26, 1997, midnight
7.3
S1E9 - Assassination
Griffith saves Charlotte when her horse bolts during a fox hunt. Yurius, the king's younger brother, attempts to have him assassinated.
Dec. 3, 1997, midnight
8.0
S1E10 - Nobleman
Guts, sent by Griffith, assassinates Yurius and his son Adonis. Griffith gets closer to Charlotte. The Hawks depart for yet another mission.
Dec. 10, 1997, midnight
7.2
S1E11 - The Battle
On a stormy battlefield, Casca, Griffith's second in command, is wounded while fighting the leader of an enemy army. Guts runs to her rescue but when she passes out at the edge of a cliff, he cannot catch her in time and they both fall into the river below.
Dec. 17, 1997, midnight
6.6
S1E12 - Together
Casca is still unconscious, so Guts shelters them in a cave while the rain pours down. She comes to and tells Guts about her past and about Griffith's.
Dec. 24, 1997, midnight
7.7
S1E13 - Prepared for Death
Guts and Casca try to fight their way back to the Hawks while the enemy army they were fighting from before try to stop them.
Jan. 7, 1998, midnight
7.8
S1E14 - Bonfire of Dreams
Casca finds Judeau's division of Hawks and leads them back to where Guts was fighting alone. Although injured, he defeated all the enemy soldiers by himself. They return to the Hawks' camp and Casca tends to Guts' wounds.
Jan. 14, 1998, midnight
7.3
S1E15 - The Decisive Battle
The King of Midland and his various generals confer about Doldrey Castle, long since captured by the Chudan Empire. Griffith plans an attack and the King agrees despite the protests of his other officers. Only one other general supports Griffith's actions. The Hawks attack Doldrey.
Jan. 21, 1998, midnight
7.6
S1E16 - The Conqueror
With the help of Nosferatu Zodd, Guts defeats the defender of Doldrey Castle.
Jan. 28, 1998, midnight
7.5
S1E17 - Moment of Glory
With the victory at Doldrey, Griffith is promoted to White Phoenix General, an aristocratic title. The Queen of Midland and other court conspirators try to poison Griffith.
Feb. 4, 1998, midnight
7.5
S1E18 - Tombstone of Flames
Griffith has his revenge by having the Queen's castle burned down.
Feb. 11, 1998, midnight
8.2
S1E19 - Separation
Griffith will not let Guts simply leave. He says that Guts belongs to him.
Feb. 18, 1998, midnight
7.4
S1E20 - Sparks
Guts arrives at the home of Godo the swordsmith and stays there for a while while Godo crafts a new sword for him. Guts practices more on his sword techniques with the help of Godo's little daughter Erika.
Feb. 25, 1998, midnight
8.1
S1E21 - Confession
Guts returns in time to save the remaining Hawks from annihilation.
March 4, 1998, midnight
8.0
S1E22 - Infiltration
With Guts help, Casca and the Hawks hope to rescue Griffith.
March 11, 1998, midnight
7.7
S1E23 - Eve of the Feast
Breaking away from the King's pursuing armies, the few Hawks left contemplate their future. Guts comforts Casca, who is despondent over Griffith's condition. Griffith begins to dream.
March 18, 1998, midnight
6.9
S1E24 - The Great Eclipse
Seduced by the promises of demons and his dreams from his childhood, Griffith agrees to fulfill his destiny and become one of the God Hand demons.
March 25, 1998, midnight
7.3
S1E25 - Time of Eternity
Griffith's men are sacrificed to the demon's appetites. Guts fights on, at first to save Griffith, then to save himself from the result of Griffith's ambition.
April 1, 1998, midnight
Network: Nippon TV
Episode Runtime: 23 min.
Season Runtime: 597 min.
Released: Oct. 8, 1997
Last Air Date: April 1, 1998, midnight
Status: Ended
Certification: TV-MA
Common sense age: 17+
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