Guts
main character
TV
8.4
My TrackerPLANNING
Episode: 0 / 25
My Score:
Anime DetailsFINISHED
Estimated watch time
10h 25m
⚡ 5 days at 5 eps/day
Tags & Tropes
Seinen94%Swordplay92%War89%Male Protagonist88%Gore86%Medieval86%Military83%Anti-Hero83%Found Family83%Primarily Adult Cast83%
TVFINISHED1997 FALL8.4 / 10 AniList score
Berserk
剣風伝奇ベルセルク• Kenpuu Denki Berserk
Synopsis & Story
Set during a time that very much resembles Europe during the Middle Ages, Berserk is a story of revenge set in the castle town of Midland. Recently, the town has seen the rise of a wicked king, who uses demonic minions to control and victimise his subjects. However, when a lone soldier enters the town calling himself the Black Swordsman and armed to the teeth, many sense that the king's days of unchecked oppression are over. Soon, the Black Swordsman is plying his trade by hunting down the king's evil servants, giving no quarter, and preparing to exact his vengeance on the king. (Source: MVM Entertainment)
Trailer
Watch on YouTubeSource Material Continuity
Continue in Manga at Chapter 1 (Volume 1)
1997 anime adapted the Golden Age Arc (roughly Volumes 3 to 14) with significant narrative cuts. The 1997 anime is revered for its atmosphere and Susumu Hirasawa OST, but cut foundational characters.
Where to Watch Officially
Availability, audio and subtitles vary by region and service.
Featured Cast & Voice Actors
Franchise Universe & Related Entries
Fans Who Watched This Also Loved
Aniphoria guide
Berserk: should you watch it?
At a glance
Berserk has been very well received, with an average AniList score of 84/100 — 83% of 67,895 ratings are 8/10 or higher.
It ranks #1 highest-rated anime of 1997, and #1 most popular anime of 1997 on AniList.
Of the 124K AniList users who started it, 2.7% dropped it, so it is rarely abandoned; 102.2K have finished it.
At about 10 h 25 min in total, plan on one to two weeks at a couple of episodes a day.
Best for viewers who enjoy Action, Adventure, Drama — especially seinen, swordplay, war, male protagonist.
Where it fits in the series
Episodes
25 episodes are listed.
Main cast & creators
- Original creator
- Kentarou Miura
- Director
- Naohito Takahashi
- Character design
- Norihiro Matsubara
- Music
- Susumu Hirasawa
Opening & ending themes
Openings
- OP1“Tell Me Why” by PENPALS
Endings
- ED1“Waiting So Long” by Silver Fins
Theme data from AnimeThemes.moe.
Berserk FAQ
- How many episodes does Berserk have?
- Berserk has 25 episodes of about 25 minutes each, roughly 10 h 25 min in total.
- How long does it take to watch Berserk?
- About 10 h 25 min back to back. At two episodes a day it takes 13 days; at one hour a day, about 11 days.
- Is Berserk finished?
- Yes. Berserk has finished airing — the final episode aired March 31, 1998.
- Is there a season 2 of Berserk?
- No sequel is listed for Berserk as of October 2026. You can continue the story in the original manga.
- Is Berserk based on a manga?
- Yes. Berserk adapts the manga by Kentarou Miura. See the continuation guide on this page for where the anime ends in the source.
- Who animated Berserk?
- Berserk was animated by OLM and directed by Naohito Takahashi.
- Who sings the opening of Berserk?
- The opening, "Tell Me Why", is performed by PENPALS.
- Where can I watch Berserk?
- Berserk is listed on Netflix. Availability varies by region — check the streaming links on this page.