When news broke in May 2021 that Kentaro Miura, the creator of Berserk, had passed away at the age of 54 due to acute aortic dissection, the manga and broader fantasy community was shaken. It wasn’t just the loss of a legendary artist—it was the pause of a deeply influential work that had redefined what dark fantasy could be. For over three decades, Berserk stood at the pinnacle of manga storytelling, its raw emotional intensity, brutal yet beautiful art, and philosophical depth captivating generations of readers.
So the inevitable question loomed: what happens to a story so intertwined with its creator’s soul when that creator is gone? In the years since Miura’s death, we’ve slowly gotten answers—and they’ve stirred as much emotion as the series itself.
Miura’s Legacy: More Than Just Panels on a Page
To understand what happened to Berserk after Miura, you have to grasp what he meant to the manga world. Miura wasn’t just telling a story; he was crafting an epic that blended medieval fantasy with existential horror, psychological trauma, and intimate character arcs. His artwork pushed the boundaries of detail and grit, while his characters—especially Guts, the Black Swordsman—represented archetypes rarely explored in traditional fantasy.
Fans had followed Berserk since its debut in 1989, some for over 30 years. With each chapter, Miura pulled readers deeper into a world that felt as emotionally real as it was visually surreal. His passing felt like a breach in that world, an end not just of a story, but of an emotional journey many readers had committed decades to.
Kouji Mori Steps In: A Close Friend and Confidant
After months of silence and mourning, the publisher Young Animal made an unexpected announcement in June 2022: Berserk would continue under the supervision of Kouji Mori, Miura’s longtime friend and fellow mangaka. This decision was met with a mix of relief, apprehension, and skepticism. How could anyone else possibly capture the depth and complexity of Miura’s vision?
But this wasn’t just a studio hire. Mori wasn’t a random collaborator or commercial replacement—he was someone Miura had confided in for years. According to Mori, the two often discussed the future of Berserk, not just in vague terms but in detailed story arcs, character developments, and major plot revelations. In a heartfelt message to fans, Mori shared how Miura had entrusted him with the entire outline of the story.
Importantly, Mori emphasized that he would not be writing or drawing Berserk himself. The actual production was to be handled by Studio Gaga—Miura’s team of assistants—under his narrative guidance. The idea wasn’t to “continue Berserk” in the traditional sense, but to faithfully conclude the journey Miura had envisioned.
Studio Gaga’s Role: Honoring Miura’s Style
Studio Gaga had long worked alongside Miura, especially in his later years as health issues slowed his output. They were intimately familiar with his art style, panel compositions, and storytelling cadence. Their involvement helped reassure fans that the manga would not turn into a watered-down version of itself.
The post-Miura chapters—beginning with Chapter 365—were visually consistent, respectful of tone, and emotionally resonant. While no replacement could ever match Miura’s intricate cross-hatching or godlike page compositions, Studio Gaga’s work reflected not only technical mastery but heartfelt dedication. You could tell they were continuing Berserk not out of obligation, but out of love.
Fan Reactions: A Community Divided, Then United
It would be disingenuous to say the community universally embraced the decision. Some purists felt that Berserk should have ended with Miura’s death. Others were concerned the story might veer off course or that the emotion behind key moments would be lost.
But something remarkable happened as the new chapters were released. Fans started seeing the echoes of Miura’s voice in the pages. Guts still felt like Guts. Griffith still radiated his chilling divinity. The emotional intensity remained intact. And perhaps most importantly, the core philosophical questions of the series—about fate, rage, love, and sacrifice—continued to unfold in meaningful ways.
As more chapters came out, sentiment shifted. What began as cautious optimism became emotional investment. The knowledge that these final story arcs were based on Miura’s actual plans gave readers a sense of closure and trust. Berserk, it turned out, still had something to say.
Fantasy and Manga: Why Berserk Matters So Much
Berserk doesn’t just matter because it’s old, or long, or violent. It matters because it redefined fantasy in manga. Before Berserk, fantasy manga tended to follow lighter, more conventional hero’s journey arcs. Miura blew those conventions apart.
He introduced a world where heroes don’t always win, where gods are cruel, and where love and trauma can coexist in the same heartbeat. His portrayal of Guts—a man torn between vengeance and vulnerability—was something the genre hadn’t really seen. That complexity, especially when paired with fantasy elements like apostles, the Brand of Sacrifice, and the enigmatic God Hand, made Berserk both a character study and a cosmic allegory.
It also influenced an entire generation of creators. From manga like Attack on Titan to video games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, the DNA of Berserk is everywhere. The blend of grotesque beauty, moral ambiguity, and despairing hope is something only Miura could have created—and something countless others now aspire to.
The Path Ahead: Is an Ending in Sight?
Mori made it clear that he doesn’t intend to keep Berserk going forever. The chapters being published now are meant to guide the series to its natural, Miura-intended conclusion. While no firm timeline has been given, many fans speculate that the story could wrap up within a few volumes—though with Berserk, nothing is ever certain.
As of now, we’ve seen pivotal character moments that hint at resolution. Guts is more emotionally fractured than ever. Griffith’s machinations are reaching their apex. Casca continues to wrestle with her trauma and recovery. The philosophical conflict between free will and destiny remains central, and it’s clear that whatever ending Miura imagined was going to address these themes head-on.
For longtime fans, this progression offers a bittersweet gift: closure. The idea that Berserk will not fade out with Miura’s death, but will instead conclude in alignment with his vision, provides a rare sense of narrative and emotional continuity.
Personal Reflection: Mourning and Moving Forward
As someone who grew up with Berserk, Miura’s passing felt like losing a friend. His characters had been with me during formative years, offering insights into pain, perseverance, and the complexity of human emotions. Reading the new chapters under Mori’s guidance has felt like attending a wake where the stories keep flowing—not because we refuse to let go, but because Miura left them for us to finish together.
Fantasy, at its best, gives us ways to understand the real world through imagined ones. Manga, at its best, puts our emotions in motion through ink and paper. Berserk—uniquely—did both. And that’s why its continuation matters. It’s not just about finishing a story; it’s about honoring a legacy that changed how we think, feel, and dream.
Kentaro Miura may be gone, but the world he created lives on. Not as a shadow of what once was, but as a tribute to what always will be—a masterwork of fantasy manga that dared to show both the darkness and the light inside us all.
