Berserk Chapter 377 and 378 Review 3/5 “The Kushan Make their Decision!”
Berserk, Chapter 377, reveals a giant elephant, preparing the arrival of all the Kushan leaders.
The group is concerned, because they are strangers in the Bakiraka land. Silat takes them, but they are guests and guests alone. The Elfham inhabitants see “no spirits” and they are reminded by asdff “never forget, Elfham lives and breathes in our hearts.” Lady Farnese is “worried about teacher” as she is still asleep, from a few previous chapters ago. The parade is held for the Kushan Emporer, as they meet in the “Kurultai” as it’s the “name of the highest summit” in the Kushan Empire.
The Kushan believe that Ganishika lost because he neglected “kurultai with his dictatorship.” They don’t know that Ganisika devoured the large Behlet balloon of demons to try and stop Griffith. But Silat’s not worried if it works out or not “That suits me well.” But Silat is even distrusted by different clansman, “assassin” is being whispered throughout the room. But the room is calmed down, “please refrain from any comments that might delay the discussion” and the Bakiraka are allowed to stay.
Silat urges a new rank to fight the falcon of light “grant me the rank of general and the right to command the entire Kushan army.”
But Silat’s too confident. It’s almost like Silat wants to be able to lead himself. But they are attacked, as a Kushan warrior explodes.
Only Farnese senses “a disturbance in the od” as she runs to Guts. Only Guts, in one panel, is smiling, as his brand of sacrifice is bleeding.
He’s almost smiling because he realizes the pain caused by the arrival of Rakshas.
Chapter 378 arrives, and everyone is distraught. Horrified and shocked by his presence. But with that we get a little snippet into his life before he became Rakshas. Almost too short of a peek, but it’s a peek into Rakshas life nonetheless.
When he arrives, he brings with him an astral portal, and the city becomes overrun with demons.
Lady Farnese is nearly attacked by “trolls” as Serpico saves her, as she assures him, “they may look different, but they are most likely trolls.” As Farnese exclaims, “the Qlipoth domain is manifesting itself again.” As the “od is not that far away.”
Now this seems like a retread of the Qlipoth scenario, as they fought them in the forest, where Schierke had to exorcise its od, and where Guts faced off against the God Hand, Slan, in Episode 215. It seems like a retread, but it’s Studio Gaga working with the tools Miura left them. Again, a retread, but I might complain if this wasn’t just a nice little call back. Plus the team didn’t want to recreate the wheel, so I get why they see it.
Only the elephants they saw at the beginning are turning mad, and attacking the Kushan warriors. But Silat and Rakshas fight, as they leap toward one another. Only the last panel ends with Guts fainting in his cell, as someone says, “this will do,” as it looks like Guts is barely holding on.
Post synopsis analysis
This ending to me makes me curious, because it’s too early to see if Griffith might arrive again, because it seems like too early for that to happen.
Slan, the Uterine Whore of the Sea, one of the member of the Godhand who fell to Guts Dragon Slayer, might be out of the running, but it doesn’t feel like it. But it sounds sexy enough, when reading it. Because Guts collapsing now, only means that he’s going to face off against a major character.
Because when Griffith was moving toward “the east” this was the plan, all along. Griffith, as much as the reader, might just want the story to end, and to me, it’s holding its own. Studio Gaga has a good handle on where to pick the story beats. While I would have liked to seen a whole chapter devoted to Rakshas, and his origin story, Studio Gaga and the team are honoring the idea of “less is more.” But personally, finishing the story seems to be the end goal. But I would like to know more about Rakshas, but it seems the team doesn’t want to delay the inevitable.
But it’s not like Studio Gaga has its problems. It wants to make sure each scene is carefully calculated, and the characters, themselves, feel more constrained. But overall, the Kushans were as susceptible as Midland was, as Griffith’s forces are closing in on Guts, forcing him to make a decision. Guts has had his rest, and now it’s time for him to show Silat why he earned the title, One Hundred Man Killer, and the Black Swordsman, the only one who fights more Demons than Batman on a good day.