If you know anything about the world of manga, Berserk is probably a title that has come up at one point or another. Now, Berserk is a classic, but with all the hiatuses and Miura’s untimely death, the series’ future had been in jeopardy for years. Still, in 2022, it was confirmed that Berserk would continue under the supervision of Koji Mori, Miura’s friend, and colleague, and reach the end that Miura intended. While waiting for the manga to develop the story further, we have decided to tell you how to read the chapters that have already come out by giving you a detailed reading order for the Berserk manga.
Editor’s Note: This reading order was updated in October 2023 with the latest chapter, 374, titled Is the Sleeping Dark Beast Just Standing Quietly?
How many Berserk chapters and volumes are there?
The structure of the Berserk manga is not overly complex, but it is a big work. As of the time of writing, there are – in total – 374 published chapters, 373 of which have been collected in 42 volumes. But, seeing how Mori will continue the manga after Miura’s death, we know that the number of chapters and volumes will increase, so we don’t know how many we’ll have when it all ends.
In what order should you read Berserk?
Although there are suggestions that you should start with Volume 3 up to Volume 14, then go back to Volumes 1 and 2 before continuing after Volume 14, we think that this is not a great decision and that you should respect Miura’s original publication order, meaning that you should start with Chapter 1, Volume 1 of the Berserk manga and continue from that point onwards.
All 5 Berserk Arcs in the correct reading order
As we’ve mentioned before, Berserk doesn’t really have a complicated structure and can be broken into the following arcs:
- Black Swordsman Arc (Chapters 1-8)
- Golden Age Arc (Chapters 9-94)
- Conviction Arc (Chapters 95-176)
- Millennium Falcon Arc (177 – 307)
- Fantasia Arc (307 – ongoing)
1. Black Swordsman Arc
Volumes: 1-3, Chapters: 1-8
A mysterious swordsman, known as the Black Swordsman, arrives in the town of Koka and leaves a trail of bodies, catching the attention of the ruthless Snake Lord. In his journey, he befriends an elf named Puck and confronts an apostle, the Snake Lord, extracting information about the “God Hand.” Later, during a confrontation with the Count, another apostle ruling a different land, the Black Swordsman, named Guts, allies with a man named Vargas and obtains a mysterious benefit with a dark history.
2. Golden Age Arc
Volumes: 3-15, Chapters: 9-94
Over three years, Guts rose to the position of Falcon’s Raiders Captain within the Band of the Falcon, contributing significantly to their military successes. The band’s fame leads to an alliance with the King of Midland, who seeks their aid in the Hundred-Year War against Tudor. During a siege on a Tudor fortress, Guts and Griffith face the legendary swordsman Zodd, surviving the encounter when Zodd takes notice of Griffith’s mysterious Crimson Beherit and withdraws ominously.
3. Conviction Arc
Volumes: 14-21, Chapters: 95-176
While traveling with Puck, Guts encounters bandits holding a girl named Jill captive in a forest. Battling an evil spirit-infused tree until sunrise, Guts and Puck follow Jill to her village, where they discover the mysterious “Misty Valley” and the elf-like creatures responsible for attacks and child abductions. Guts’ branded sword bleeds, signaling an attack by the elves, who are revealed to be the abducted children led by apostle Rosine. After a confrontation, the village blames Guts for the chaos, and he sets out to eliminate Rosine to stop the atrocities.
4. Millennium Falcon Arc
Volumes: 22-35, Chapters: 177 – 307
After escaping the ruins of Albion, Guts returns to Godot’s hut with Casca, only to discover that the blacksmith has passed away. Troubled by guilt, Guts decides to stay and encounters Griffith at the Hill of Swords, where Griffith expresses indifference and a lack of remorse for his deceased comrades. A tense confrontation ensues as Guts faces Zodd, battling to get closer to Griffith, and Griffith begins to feel a sense of longing for Guts during the fight.
5. Fantasia Arc
Volumes: 35- ongoing, Chapters: 308 – ongoing
The ominous Great Roar of the Astral World sets the stage as the Seahorse sails toward Skellig Island. Roderick and the crew spot Bonebeard’s damaged ship approaching, and a fierce battle ensues with the undead crew and monstrous creatures summoned by Bonebeard. Sensing a monstrous menace, Schierke warns of the non-human nature of Bonebeard’s crew. Guts, awakened by the disturbance, joins the fight, swiftly dispatching the creatures and ultimately defeating a larger monster unleashed by Bonebeard before the latter retreats with a vow to return.
Will there be more Berserk manga chapters?
Berserk manga continues even after Miura’s death, under the supervision of Koji Mori. We’re currently awaiting the arrival of the 375th chapter, which is supposed to be part of the 43rd Volume overall. However, it’s unknown how many chapters the work will have in total.
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