Kentaro Miura (1966-2021)
-For the Uncensored!
This is an article that I never expected to write. I had made an eerie prediction that if Kentaro Miura had died, Attack on Titan would be the sole sequel to Berserk. I prayed that would never happen, but unfortunately, I wish I could have been wrong about this. Kentaro Miura, creator of the Berserk series, and other works, passed away, according to Dark Horse twitter page, to “acute aortic dissection” on “May 6th, 2021” which to many that would mean heart troubles. I didn’t want to confirm this until the family or the publisher would reveal the information. (I don’t want to say if this is a farce created to sell more mangas, but I highly doubt it, considering the fact Miura was a very private person).
According to the Guardian, Miura’s editor describes the series “a harrowing dark fantasy of monumental depth, complexity and audacity”, whose “astonishing visual tapestry is like nothing else in graphic fiction … While the horror and violence are at times disturbing and unquestionably adult, Miura still manages to produce genuine emotion and plenty of humour,” with over “1.2 million copies sold in America” (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/20/kentaro-miura-creator-of-bestselling-manga-berserk-dies-aged-54). It was also adapted to anime, and video game formats.
I wanted to wake up this morning and find out more news about when a new chapter of Berserk, or finding out that the plot of Berserk was going to take us in an exciting new direction. I really wanted to see an ending to Berserk, and see it come to a close.
I really didn’t want to wake up to this news, but the sad thing is, we are all going to die. Just a matter of time. I don’t really want to blame Covid, because not everything can be blamed on Covid.
Maybe Miura knew a long time ago time was against him, because everyday, the world is going to make sure our dreams don’t come true. Kentaro Miura was later known for taking long hiatuses from Berserk, which didn’t help him create a final ending to Berserk. What makes this bittersweet is that maybe Berserk was over anyway.
Many great works of art are never finished in there lifetime. Kafka’s “Amerika” was.” Truman Capote’s “Answered Prayers” are a few literary examples.Osaumu Tezuka’s “Phoenix” and Takehiko Inoue’s “Vagabond” are a few that were never finished (https://www.cbr.com/manga-unfinished-story/).
What makes this harder to write is, where will the series go from here? It’s a fact that people will never get to see there work finished, but at least Miura was celebrated and given the respect he deserved. While many would disagree with the length of Berserk almost pushing the ending to its final brink, where the story leaves off almost feels fitting.
I won’t spoil the story here, but leave this as an opportunity for many readers to check out Berserk, but it’s a fond farewell to the “struggler” and a life worth lived. RIP Kentaro Miura.
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 15 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline, Apocalypse Soldier, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/, and Parler https://parler.com/profile/therealLouistbruno/posts. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. Also, he writes on https://louisbruno.substack.com, where you can support him directly, and where he will post one article a day (the bulk of his work will appear on substack officially). Also he can be found on Our Freedom Book https://www.ourfreedombook.com/thereallouistbruno17 His latest, Come Home, Young One, a dark fantasy novel is out now at Lulu.com. Link is here: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louis-bruno/come-home-young-one/hardcover/product-pw8q7z.html?page=1&pageSize=4. His next series, City of Sand, will be available at the end of May 2021.