There is a question that has been asked in anime and manga communities for over two decades, and it doesn't have a clean answer. "Should I read Berserk?" The answer used to be simple: yes, obviously, it's one of the greatest manga ever made. Then Kentaro Miura passed away in May 2021, with the story unfinished. Then Studio Gaga announced they would continue the manga using Miura's notes. And now, in 2026, with the story progressing and a narrative milestone in sight, the question has become complicated again — but the answer, carefully considered, is still yes.
Here is everything you need to know before you start.
What Is Berserk?
Berserk is a dark fantasy manga by Kentaro Miura, serialised in Young Animal magazine since 1989. It follows Guts — a man literally born from a corpse, raised as a child soldier, forged by violence into something barely human — as he pursues a singular goal: revenge against Griffith, a former comrade who sacrificed the entire Band of the Hawk in a supernatural ritual to obtain demonic power. That event — the Eclipse — is one of the most disturbing sequences in manga history, and it functions as the story's moral anchor for everything that follows.
Guts wanders a dark medieval world infested with demons, apostles, and the remnants of a faith that has become complicit in atrocity. He carries a sword so large it should be impossible to lift and a mechanical left arm with a built-in cannon. He fights. He survives. He keeps moving.
Why Berserk Is Considered One of the Greatest Manga Ever Made
The quality that sets Berserk apart from almost everything else in the medium is Miura's artwork. The level of detail in Berserk's pages — particularly in the action sequences and environments — is simply without peer in manga. Miura spent weeks on single pages. The result is a visual world that feels genuinely inhabited, where every background has texture, every crowd scene contains individuals, and every monster reflects a specific philosophical conception of evil rather than generic monstrousness.
Beyond the art, Berserk is exceptional because of Miura's moral seriousness. This is a story that looks directly at violence, trauma, and cruelty without aestheticising them — and that simultaneously holds space for beauty, friendship, and the possibility of meaning. The arc of Guts' character across the story is one of the most carefully constructed in manga: a man who has been shaped entirely by damage, slowly, painfully learning to open himself to something else. The Golden Age arc — a flashback that forms the first major narrative block — is widely considered the finest arc in the series, and it stands alone as an essentially perfect tragedy.
What Happened After Miura's Death?
Kentaro Miura passed away on May 6, 2021, at the age of 54. The manga was on one of its frequent hiatuses at the time. The announcement devastated the global manga community. Chapter 364 — which had been published just weeks earlier — was, for a period, considered the story's de facto ending.
In June 2022, Young Animal announced that Berserk would continue. Studio Gaga — the group of artists who had assisted Miura for years — would carry the story forward using materials Miura had left: character notes, story outlines, and plot direction. Kouji Mori, Miura's oldest friend and a manga author himself, would serve as the authorising presence, confirming that the continuation reflects what Miura wanted for the story.
The continuation has been handled with notable care. Studio Gaga's art is not identical to Miura's — it is, inevitably, somewhat cleaner and less obsessively detailed — but it is respectful, competent, and emotionally coherent with what came before. The story has continued to progress meaningfully.
Where Is the Story in 2026?
As of May 2026, Berserk is in a significant narrative phase that manga readers have been waiting years to reach. The current arc is advancing toward a confrontation that Miura set up as the story's central dramatic destination. Specifics would constitute major spoilers, but the trajectory is: this is no longer the beginning. We are, for the first time in the manga's history, watching the story move purposefully toward resolution.
Chapters continue to release in Young Animal magazine, with international digital access through Dark Horse's digital storefront. The pace is slower than Weekly Shonen Jump — this is a monthly-ish publication — but each chapter is substantive.
Should You Read It? The Honest Answer
If you are considering reading Berserk in 2026, here is the honest calculus. The first 40 volumes — Miura's work — are among the most artistically significant comics ever published in any medium. The continuation by Studio Gaga is conscientious and is moving the story forward. The Golden Age arc (volumes 3–14) is as close to a perfect tragedy as manga gets. The question of whether the story will reach a satisfying conclusion under new authorship is genuinely unanswerable — but the journey to wherever it ends is worth taking.
Start from Volume 1. Read through the Golden Age arc without stopping. If you are not fully committed by the end of it, Berserk may not be for you. If you are — and most readers are — you'll understand why this question keeps getting asked.
Where to Read Berserk
Physical volumes are published in English by Dark Horse Comics and are available from major booksellers. Digital volumes are available from Dark Horse's digital platform, Comixology, and other digital comics retailers. As of 2026, 43 volumes have been published in English.
FAQ
Is Berserk still ongoing in 2026?
Yes. Berserk is ongoing, continued by Studio Gaga following Kentaro Miura's passing in 2021. New chapters release in Young Animal magazine, published by Hakusensha.
How long is Berserk?
Berserk currently stands at 43 English volumes as of 2026. Each volume is approximately 200 pages. The series is not close to completion.
Is the Berserk continuation by Studio Gaga good?
Community opinion is divided, as with any continuation of a work after its creator's death. The majority consensus among dedicated readers is that Studio Gaga has handled the continuation responsibly and that the story's direction reflects Miura's intentions. The art quality, while slightly different in character, is well above average for any manga. Readers who approach it with appropriate context — understanding it is a continuation, not a perfect simulacrum — generally report a positive experience.
Where should a beginner start Berserk?
Volume 1, Chapter 1. Some readers suggest skipping the initial "Black Swordsman Arc" and starting directly with the Golden Age flashback, then returning. Both approaches work. Starting from the beginning gives important context for the emotional stakes of the Golden Age; starting with the Golden Age gives you the series at its most immediately accessible and beautiful.
