List of Berserk (1997) episodes

The 2003 Box of War contains all 25 episodes of Berserk

The 1997 Berserk anime series is based on the manga series of the same name by Kentaro Miura. The episodes are directed by Naohito Takahashi and produced by Oriental Light and Magic. The first thirteen volumes of the manga are covered, including the first arc: Golden Age. The 25-episode anime adaptation Berserk: Kenpū Denki (剣風伝奇ベルセルク Kenpū Denki Beruseruku, lit., "Berserk: Sword-Wind Tales") aired between October 7, 1997 and March 31, 1998 in Japan on Nippon Television.^[1]

The series focuses on the life of Guts, an orphaned mercenary warrior who calls himself "The Black Swordsman" looks upon his days serving as a member of a group of mercenaries, the Band of the Hawk (鷹の団 Taka no Dan). Led by an ambitious, ruthless, yet intelligent and graceful man named Griffith, together they battle their way into the royal court, and are forced into a fate that may change their entire lives. Each episode uses two pieces of theme music, one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Tell Me Why" by Penpals. The ending theme is "Waiting So Long" by Silver Fins.

Episode list

No.	Title	Original airdate
1	"The Black Swordsman" "Kuroi Kenshi" (黒い剣士)	October 7, 1997
A girl is being assaulted in a bar when Guts walks in. He kills all the assailants but one and orders him to tell his master, the Baron, that the Black Swordsman is coming. Guts later finds and kills the Baron and removes a demonic relic called a Behelit from around his neck. At the end of the episode, a flashback is shown, in which Guts kills Bazuso and meets Griffith.
2	"Band of the Hawk" "Taka no Dan" (鷹の団)	October 14, 1997
In a flashback, Corkus attempts to rob Guts, and Casca is drawn into the battle. Guts defeats her, but is then grievously injured by Griffith. Griffith orders Casca to lie with Guts during his convalescence, but when he recovers, he challenges Griffith.
3	"First Battle" "Uijin" (初陣)	October 21, 1997
Griffith defeats Guts, and makes him a member of his mercenary band, the Band of the Hawk. The Hawks go on a midnight raid and Griffith chooses Guts for the most important position of rear guard, Guts succeeds and the band hails him as a hero.
4	"The Hand of God" "Kami no Te" (神の手)	October 28, 1997
Three years pass as Guts and the Band of the Hawk gain in skill. In a flashback, Guts is shown being raised by his adoptive father Gambino. He teaches him to be a warrior, but one night he tries to kill Guts because he blames him for his wife's death. Guts kills him.
5	"A Wind of Swords" "Kenpū" (剣風)	November 4, 1997
Guts is now a commander in Griffith's army. Guts is taking risks in battle, and although he succeeds, Casca takes him to task for it. Griffith is knighted, and the nobles become jealous. Guts saves the Hawks in battle, to Casca's chagrin.
6	"Zodd the Immortal" "Fushi no Zodd" (不死のゾッド)	November 11, 1997
When Guts leads his men to raid a castle under Chuder occupation, Judeau reveals the keep to be overseen by a legendary warrior known as Nosferatu Zodd who is said to be immortal. When only one of Guts's men barely made it out alive before dying from his horrific injuries, Guts decides to enter the keep. Guts finds what remained of his men before he finds and fights the inhuman figure that is Zodd. When Guts manages to actually hurt him, an excited Zodd decides to stop holding back and transforms into a monster that nearly kills Guts before the entire Band of the Hawk comes to his aid. While the monster is distracted, Griffith attempts to get Guts to safety before Zodd notices them and blocks their escape route and defeats them. Zodd was about to kill Griffith until he sees the Behelit around Griffith's neck, ceasing his attack. Zodd than sprouts wings and flies off while telling Guts that Griffith will be his doom should his dream die.
7	"The Sword's Owner" "Tsurugi no Aruji" (剣の主)	November 18, 1997
Griffith and Guts are injured. Griffith uses this in his political machinations; getting closer to the nobles and the King. He also flirts with the King's daughter. Guts and some of the Hawks feel that Griffith is pulling away from them.
8	"Conspiracy" "Inbou" (陰謀)	November 25, 1997
Griffith and Guts continue to have success in battle and Griffith is made a count. General Yurius is furious about this, and the minister Foss plants the idea of murder in his mind. The plan is to shoot Griffith with a poison arrow during an upcoming hunt.
9	"Assassination" "Ansatsu" (暗殺)	December 2, 1997
Griffith and the Princess are growing closer during the hunt when Griffith is shot in the chest with a poisoned arrow. The arrow strikes his Behelit, and he is unharmed. Griffith finds that Yurius is behind the plot, and sends Guts to kill him.
10	"Noble Man" "Toutoki mono" (貴きもの)	December 9, 1997
Guts assassinates Yurius, but is emotionally scar when forced to kill Yurius's son Adonis to conceal the deed. Later, he hears Griffith say that a true friend would have to stand for his own ethics, and not follow Griffith blindly.
11	"The Battle" "Kassen" (合戦)	December 16, 1997
Griffith and the Hawks lead the march into battle. Casca has a fever, and when she falls unconscious off a cliff, Guts goes with her. They are washed downriver, and Guts finds a cave where he must keep Casca warm with his body.
12	"Together" "Futari" (ふたり)	December 23, 1997
Casca tells her story: Griffith helped her save herself from rape, so she followed him. She watched him with a pederast lord to earn money to create an army. When Guts came, she knew that she would not be Griffith's chosen friend.
13	"Prepared for Death" "Kesshikō" (決死行)	January 6, 1998
The commander of the Blue Whale Knights and his crew find Guts and Casca. Though completely outnumbered, Guts tells Casca to run and stays to fight. Some men go after Casca, catching her and holding her down in order to rape her. Guts continues fighting.
14	"Bonfire of Dreams" "Yume no kagaribi" (夢のかがり火)	January 13, 1998
Casca defeats her attackers, and she and Guts end up back at the camp. Guts and Casca share a tender moment, where Guts explains that everyone in the camp has a dream but all he has is his sword, causing Casca to think he's leaving.
15	"The Decisive Battle" "Kessen" (決戦)	January 20, 1998
An impossible battle must be fought, and Griffith volunteers the Hawks. They are attacking the pederast Lord's castle, and Griffith has the Hawks attack and then pull back. Their boats are burned and there is nowhere to retreat to.
16	"The Conqueror" "Shourisha" (勝利者)	January 27, 1998
The retreat was a ruse and Casca takes the castle. Guts fights with the opposing general and his weakened sword breaks. Zodd, from a great distance, throws his sword to Guts. Guts defeats the general and the Hawks have another victory.
17	"Moment of Glory" "Eikō no Shunkan" (栄光の瞬間)	February 3, 1998
The Hawks won the battle and the war. The King holds a ball for them, and they dress up like nobles. The Queen and Foss hatch a plan to poison Griffith, and he drinks from the cup. Earlier, Foss receives a letter from Griffith.
18	"Tombstone of Flames" "Honoo no Bohyou" (炎の墓標)	February 10, 1998
Griffith and Foss have double crossed the Queen and her co-conspirators. Griffith has them locked in a castle, which is set on fire, killing all. Guts decides to leave and Casca runs after him. He tells her that he does not want to be caught up in Griffith's dream anymore.
19	"Separation" "Wakare" (別れ)	February 17, 1998
As Guts leaves, he is challenged by Griffith. Guts defeats Griffith by breaking his sword. Psychologically damaged by the encounter, Griffith goes to the Princess' chambers and makes love to her. As he leaves the next morning, he is apprehended.
20	"Sparks" "Hibana" (火花)	February 24, 1998
A year has passed and Guts is living with Godo, a swordsmith, and his granddaughter Erica. Guts learns that the Band of the Hawk are now wanted outlaws and Casca is the captain. Guts goes to them and finds them battling mercenaries.
21	"Confession" "Kokuhaku" (告白)	March 3, 1998
Together, they drive off the mercenaries. Casca has a plan to rescue Griffith from the dungeon where he is held. Casca blames Guts for Griffith's problems, but realizes it isn't his fault. They make love and Guts asks her to go away with him after the rescue.
22	"Infiltration" "Sennyuu" (潜入)	March 10, 1998
Casca and Guts go into the dungeon to rescue Griffith, finding him now mute and horribly crippled. Meanwhile, the Hawk members at their camp are slaughtered by monsters led by a green fairy.
23	"Eve of the Feast" "Zenyasai" (前夜祭)	March 17, 1998
Casca feels she must take care of him, and tells Guts to leave. But Griffith, horrified at what he has been reduced, takes a wagon and runs off. But seeing the Band of Hawk following him, Griffith finds his Behelit and unintentionally activates it as a group of people were watching, bringing everyone present to the Astral Realm where four demons awaken.
24	"The Eclipse" "Shoku" (蝕)	March 24, 1998
The four demons of the God Hand have awaked and inform Griffith that he has been chosen to be their final member. But for his baptism, Griffith must offer his friends to the group of people who gathered, revealed to be the God Hand's Apostles. Guts climbs a mountain of flesh to try and stop Griffith from becoming a demon.
25	"Time of Eternity" "Eien no Koku" (永遠の刻)	March 31, 1998
Despite Guts's attempt to reach him, Griffith accepts the God Hand's offer with the Apostles assuming their true forms to commence the Eclipse feasting by devouring those branded as offerings. In the end, only Guts and an unconscious Casca were momentarily spared as Griffith, reborn as the God Hand demon Femto, sexually violates Casca in front of Guts as he was forced to cut off his left forearm to stop his former friend while his right eye was gouged out. Guts manages to escape back to physical world with Casca, having his wounds healed as he eventually leaves Godo's house to have his revenge on Griffith and the Apostles.

See also

• List of Berserk chapters

References

1. "Berserk (OLM)". Oriental Light and Magic. October 7, 1997. Retrieved February 23, 2009.

External links

Official website(Japanese)