Berserk Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 – Kentaro Miura Oversized Hardcover (Collects Vols. 1–3)

Berserk Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 collects volumes 1–3 of Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy in the oversized 7 x 10 in. format the series was drawn for: leatherette hardcover, red foil, ribbon bookmark, 696 pages. It's the Black Swordsman arc, where Guts first appears, and it's consistently a top-10 comic-shop graphic novel.

Quick Facts

• Creator: Kentaro Miura
• Collects: Berserk vols. 1–3
• Format: Hardcover, 696 pages, 7 x 10 in, leatherette with red foil and ribbon
• Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
• Published: March 26, 2019
• Series: 14 Deluxe volumes cover vols. 1–41
• Rating: Mature (18+)

The Story

A lone swordsman with a prosthetic arm and a sword the size of a door hunts demons marked by a brand on his neck. Volume 1 doesn't explain who he is or why; it shows the Count, the Snake Lord, and the God Hand, and ends on the flashback that becomes the Golden Age arc in Deluxe Vol. 2.

Why Read It

Miura's art is the most detailed in manga and the standard paperbacks shrink it. The Deluxe editions are the right size, and three volumes per book means the Golden Age is readable in two. Vol. 1 is the one to test whether Berserk is for you.

Should I start with Deluxe Vol. 1 or the paperbacks?

Deluxe, if you can. Same content, correct size, better binding.

Content warning?

Extreme violence, sexual violence, body horror. Adults only.