Berserk, adapted from Kentaro Miura’s manga, one of the best manga of all time, has not been fully released on screen, but many of its arcs have received adaptations. As it currently stands, only the first three arcs—Black Swordsman, Golden Age, Conviction—and part of the Millennium Falcon Arc have been adapted into anime. Several releases from anime series to movies have been released over the years with the first being the 1997 anime series titled Berserk.
It wouldn’t be until years later that Berserk would grace our screens again with the release of three Berserk: The Golden Age Arc movies—subtitled “The Egg of the King,” “The Battle for Doldrey,” and “Descent”—released between 2012 and 2013, and later from 2016-2017, a two-season anime series also called Berserk. Most recently, the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition was released in 2022. It’s a 13-episode anime series that revisits the three Golden Age Arc movies and features some new content, in addition to updated animation, music, and more.
These are the current ways you can watch Berserk with the 1997 series covering the manga’s first two arcs, the Black Swordsman and Golden Age arcs. The three films are a more modern remake of the Golden Age Arc. The 2016 series, with its two seasons, covers the series’ third arc, the Conviction Arc, and part of the fourth arc, the Millennium Falcon Arc. At the time of this post, the rest of the Millennium Falcon Arc and the manga’s latest, the Fantasia Arc, have yet to be adapted into an anime.
In addition to being caught up on all of the chapters of Berserk‘s manga that have been released so far, I have watched all of the seasons and films that have been released. Having seen all of them and the arcs they cover, I recommend watching them in order of release. That said, here is my recommended Berserk Watch Order.
How to Watch Berserk in Order
- Berserk (1997) – 25 episodes
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg of the King (2012) – 1h 16m
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle for Doldrey (2012) – 1h 35m
- Berserk Golden Age Arc III: Descent (2013) – 1h 50m
- Berserk (2016-2017) – 2 seasons with 25 episodes
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022) – 13 episodes
Note: If you would rather watch Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition since it is an anime series that is essentially a remake of the three films and it is more readily available to stream on Crunchyroll, you can do so. If you choose to do this, I recommend watching the 1997 series first, then the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition, and finally, the Berserk series from 2016. If you would like to watch them all, however, I recommend watching them in the order listed above.
Where to Watch Berserk
As far as what is available to stream right now, the Berserk (2016-2017) and Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022) are available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Right now, Berserk (1997) is not available to watch on any anime streaming services, but you can collect it via the Berserk Blu-ray released from Discotek. The Blu-ray collects all 25 episodes and it is a great way to watch the series.
The three Golden Age Arc films are not available to stream anywhere either, but hopefully this changes soon. There are Blu-ray releases, but if you are someone who prefers to stream your anime, you may opt for watching the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition on Crunchyroll instead. It is an anime series that is essentially a remake of the three films. If you choose to do this, I recommend watching the 1997 series first, then the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition, and finally, the Berserk series from 2016.
If any new series are announced or released, I will update this post as needed, so stay tuned for updates. Until then, this is my recommended watch order for Berserk! Interested in reading the manga as well? Check out my review of the Berserk Deluxe Editions where I compare them to the singles and more.
