A new fan initiative, “Berserk: The Black Swordsman,” has been announced via a teaser, with the goal of animating the beloved Berserk stories in the true 2D animation style they deserve.
The late Kentaro Miura’s celebrated manga series, Berserk, has indeed inspired a myriad of games and TV series. However, it’s unfortunate that it never received a proper anime adaptation that truly honors its legacy.
Over the years, there have been three attempts by various studios to bring the Berserk manga to the anime world.
First off, Studio OLM took on the challenge of animating the series in 1997 but after only 25 episodes, the series concluded abruptly, leaving many questions unanswered.
In 2012, Studio 4C released a film trilogy named “Berserk Golden Age Arc”, employing a combination of 2D and 3D CGI to depict the Golden Age arc, similar to the 1999 series.
However, this series also failed to do justice to the legendary manga, omitting many significant scenes.
The most recent effort to adapt Berserk to the anime medium was in 2016, when studios GEMBA and Millepensee utilized full 3D CGI to produce two seasons, each comprising 12 episodes.
This series picked up where the original 1999 anime left off. However, due to the use of 3D CGI, it is the least favored adaptation among Berserk fans.
Also Read: Berserk Manga: The Story So Far and What to Expect in the New Arc?
Berserk: The Black Swordsman – Fan Project Details
The fan project, “Berserk: The Black Swordsman”, was announced by Studio Eclypse, with the aim to bring a proper 2D adaptation of the neglected stories in the anime, starting from the beginning.
If Studio Eclypse doesn’t ring a bell, you’re not alone. It’s a newly formed studio, established by fans passionate about creating a fan-made anime based on Attack on Titan no Requiem.
Attack on Titan no Requiem is a popular fan-made manga that explores an alternative ending to Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan manga.
Initially created for AoTnoRequiem (as mentioned in their YouTube channel description), Studio Eclypse is now also taking on the task of creating a fan-made Berserk anime.
For this purpose, Studio Eclypse has teamed up with Mark Rymer, a well-known YouTuber who animates different manga panels. You can check out some of their work below.
Now, the big question is: when can we expect to see “Berserk: The Black Swordsman”? Currently, there is no release date announced.
Given that this project is being undertaken by fans without formal funding, it might be some time before we hear more about it.
Another question might be about its legality. Yes, creating fan-made works, including fan art, fan fiction, and fan animations (or “fanime”), is a common practice among fans of various media, including manga and anime.
Also Read: Gigantomachia: The Forgotten Manga by Berserk’s Kentaro Miura
However, monetizing these fan-made works is another matter. While many anime franchises allow independent creators to monetize their fan-made works, the situation with Berserk is unclear.
Monetizing fan works increases the legal risk and is more likely to draw the attention of copyright holders.
