The year 2026 marks a major milestone for the dark masterpiece manga Berserk. After nearly a year of anticipation, author Kouji Mori and the talented artists at Studio Gaga have officially brought the series back to Young Animal magazine with chapter 384, and chapter 385 is set to release this week.
As the journey of the Black Swordsman speeds toward its conclusion, let’s highlight the five most thrilling battles fans are eager to witness.
5. Skull Knight vs. Nosferatu Zodd
Ever since Guts and Casca were rescued from the horrific Eclipse sacrifice, a deep-seated grudge has been set between Skull Knight and Zodd.
Zodd is a battle-crazed warrior with instincts and fighting style somewhat similar to Guts. However, Nosferatu Zodd seems to have a personal blood debt to settle with Skull Knight.
Fans are eager to see Skull Knight unleash his full power to crush this winged giant. This battle also offers a great chance for the author to reveal more about Skull Knight’s mysterious origins, which have only been hinted at in brief glimpses over the decades.
4. Falconia Kingdom vs. Kushan Empire
In terms of scale and army size, the war between Falconia, Griffith’s stronghold, and the Kushan Empire promises to be the largest full-scale battle in Berserk’s future. In the past, Kushan was ruled by the tyrant Ganishka, an Apostle with terrifying power rivaling the Godhand, forcing Guts and Griffith into an uneasy alliance to fight him.
After surviving deadly encounters in eerie caves, Guts and his comrades have reached a fragile truce with the Kushan remnants. With these two forces gearing up to clash again, this promises to be the most spectacular, bloody, and brutal chapter yet.
3. Humanity’s Alliance vs. The Godhand
This may be the most unimaginable yet exciting scenario for Berserk fans. The Godhand possess supreme powers that distort reality, making them nearly invincible to mortals and putting Guts and his allies in a perilous position.
Hope has sparked with Griffith’s return to the physical world in a flesh-and-blood form. Having a physical body means he can be harmed. In the past, Guts managed the impossible by wounding Slan in the spirit world.
While the Godhand’s immortality remains intact, fans are praying that Guts’s massive Dragon Slayer sword will get a chance to strike Void and the other dark entities.
2. Casca vs. Griffith
While the showdown between Guts and Griffith always takes center stage, Casca reclaiming her past debt herself is the moment fans most eagerly await. The former vice-captain of the Band of the Hawk may lack the Berserker armor or the Dragon Slayer sword, but she is a fierce and resilient warrior.
For half the series, Casca lost her sanity due to the severe trauma from the Eclipse tragedy. Just as she regained her clarity with help from the witches of Elfhelm, Griffith and his army kidnapped her again.
Fans don’t expect Casca to kill Griffith herself, but even if she manages to tear a rip in his cloak or deliver a slap like Rickert once did, it would be a deeply satisfying revenge for all she has endured.
1. Guts vs. Griffith
It’s no surprise that the number one spot belongs to the blood-soaked battle between the Black Swordsman Guts and the White Hawk Griffith. In his relentless quest for a throne and kingdom of his own, Griffith has caused Guts the deepest pain, both directly and indirectly.
Although Guts emerged victorious in their rematch during the Golden Age arc, Griffith has since ascended to godhood after awakening as Femto. Berserk has yet to reveal its official ending date, but this is the century-defining battle fans have waited over three decades to see. Their fates are bound by blood and hatred, and the day Guts swings his Dragon Slayer to take Griffith’s life will shake the entire manga world.