This DVD is the first in a series taken from a Japanese television show. If only we had things this good on TV here in the USA, we might well put the video rental stores out of business. The first episode starts at the end of the story in a town controlled by some kind of demon king. Gutts, the hero whose development is followed throughout the rest of the series comes into the town, challenging the demon's men in a small pub where they are abusing a child. He easily defeats them, leaving one alive to take a message to his master.

The following scenes present the questions that are to be answered through the rest of the series. Who is this man and how did he get so strong? Where did he learn to fight so well? What is the brand on his shoulder, and why is he haunted in dreams by demons that claim him as their own? Why is he fighting and who is he fighting for? And what in the world is that green stone he picks up off the ground? Why is it so important that he would risk his life to win it? In order to examine his life, the series shoots into the past, evidenced by the return of an eye that was shown to be injured in the prologue and a smaller, younger looking Gutts about to fight with his enormous sword against a fierce, undefeated opponent who is covered in armor and chops off the heads of his enemies with an axe. Gutts defeats him.

Unlike many other anime series, Berserk stays with the timeline, slipping into the past only for memories that add definition to Gutts' character. The film also stays rather strictly within the confines of third person limited point of view. This makes for an easy to follow, fast moving story, and the excellent english dubbing allows it to be viewed without subtitles and without missing some of the story due to poor translation or bad voice actors.

As Gutts turns down a paid position in the midland army, desiring instead to live the life of a mercenary, even more questions are raised about his character. On his way from the battlefield where he took his celebrated victory, he is attacked by a group of young mercenaries, who he is easily able to combat until their leader, Griffith, comes forth and defeats him in a seemingly effortless battle. Griffith is not the usual anime mercenary. He is a soft-spoken white-haired young man with an elegant, fluid fighting style and enough charisma to hold his growing band of mercenaries together. Instead of leaving Gutts to die there, Griffith and Caska, a high ranking member of his group, care for his wounds.

Gutts then joins Griffith's Hawks, known as "death on the battlefield" after a few strange turns of events and over the objections of several members who were witness to the initial fight where Gutts killed one of the Hawks and maimed another. Through Griffith's observation and a few dream or memory sequences that are soundly tied into the story, Gutts' character begins to reveal itself as he becomes one of the best fighters among the Hawks.

This first DVD is an excellent start for this series. Each scene is fluidly tied together, easy to follow, and yet the story maintains an air of suspense as the questions raised in the first few scenes begin to be examined. The dubbing is done so well it seems as though the movie was made for translation to English, and the art maintains good quality throughout the film. If you like anime, this film is a must-see, and if you have had bad experiences with anime in the past, I think it is worth giving this series a try. You may be in for a pleasant surprise!

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12