Berserk Logo PNG
The Berserk logo represents a world of dark fantasy where the main character has to battle supernatural entities. The dynamic lines of the emblem immerse the viewer in the atmosphere of an endless struggle. Still, it’s important to remember that the manga also has another side, exploring themes of morality and humanity.
Berserk: Brand overview
The origins of “Berserk” may be traced back to 1988, when teenage manga artist Kentaro Miura produced “Berserk Prototype,” a series prototype. The journal Gekkan ComiComi published this 48-page one-shot. Editors and viewers were drawn to the prototype because of its harsh plot and gloomy fantasy setting.
Miura began work on the full-fledged series in 1989. Hakusensha released the manga’s first chapter in Animal House magazine. The protagonist was a mercenary named Guts who traveled through a setting evocative of medieval Europe and carried a massive sword.
The series distinguished itself from other manga by its realistic, intricate artwork, rich world-building, and well-developed characters. Miura painstakingly studied historical writings and artwork to produce a genuine medieval feel.
Hakusensha released the manga’s first tankobon volume in 1990, which promoted the series’ increasing popularity by enabling readers to collect it.
The 1990s saw the story maintain its rise in popularity. Miura added new chapters regularly, advancing the story and disclosing the protagonist’s backstory. The “Golden Age” arc is particularly famous, narrating Guts’s past and his connections to Griffith and the Band of the Hawk.
The first anime adaptation, which included 25 episodes, debuted in 1997. By covering the “Golden Age” storyline, the anime greatly increased the manga’s readership and attracted new admirers.
The manga was still published throughout the 2000s, and several related products were also released. The first video game based on the series was released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2.
In 2010, three full-length anime movies were released, following the “Golden Age” storyline. The movies combined computer visuals with conventional 2D animation.
A new anime series was released in 2016, continuing the plot from the events of the “Golden Age.” The series continued in 2017.
Miura was well-known for his lengthy intermissions between chapters, which led to many fan jokes during the book’s publishing history. Despite this, the manga’s quality remained good continuously.
Regretfully, Kentaro Miura died on May 6, 2021, at 54, leaving the series unfinished. Fans worldwide were stunned by this incident, which sparked concerns about the show’s future.
In June 2022, it was revealed that Kouji Mori, a personal friend of Miura, and his Studio Gaga apprentices would continue the manga. This decision was made based on conversations between Miura and Mori over the plot’s evolution.
In the more than thirty years since its publication, the series has developed into a cult manga with a major global impact on the dark fantasy subgenre and Japan. The series’ intricate plot, nuanced cast of characters, and distinctive visual flair never fail to draw new viewers.
Meaning and History
What is Berserk?
This dark and grim fantasy manga has captivated readers with its deep psychological story and impressive artwork. Created by the late Kentaro Miura, the epic tells the tale of Guts, a mercenary with a tragic past who battles external demons and internal conflicts. The story touches on complex themes such as betrayal, ambition, freedom, and the nature of humanity, interwoven with brutal combat scenes and horror elements. Inspired by medieval Europe, the series is distinguished by incredibly detailed artwork emphasizing this world’s brutality and darkness, earning recognition for its plot and visual execution.
1989 – today
Berserk is filled with mystical symbols that convey philosophical ideas about the universe, protection, power, justice, revenge, good, evil, death, and immortality. They add layers to the manga’s world, elevating it above typical dark fantasy with magic, monsters, and battles. One of the most important symbols in the series is the Brand of Sacrifice, which first appeared in the late 1980s in the chapter “Berserk: The Prototype.” Over time, this occult pattern, consisting of several lines, became the logo of the entire franchise.
This symbol vaguely resembles the Anglo-Saxon runes Algiz and Gebo, used for protection and improving relationships. However, in the fictional universe of Berserk, the meaning is far from positive—the runic design foretells death by evil spirits. It appears on the body of those who become “payment” in deals between ordinary people and powerful beings from God’s Hand. According to the manga’s storyline, any owner of the Behelit artifact can summon demons and sacrifice someone to gain unlimited power. After the ritual, an unsuspecting victim’s skin develops a burning tattoo—the Brand of Sacrifice.
Branded characters almost immediately perish as supernatural forces hunt them to claim their soul and body as payment. Yet, there are exceptions among these “lucky ones,” including the manga’s main character, Guts. He managed to survive after the ominous symbol appeared on his neck, but since then, ghosts and Apostles, drawn to the demonic mark, relentlessly pursued him.
In the world of Berserk, it’s a mark of sacrifice, an unpaid debt for someone else’s deal. It influenced the fate of Guts and others affected by God’s Hand. It could be said that the Brand of Sacrifice plays a key narrative role, which is why it was chosen as the logo of the Japanese manga. It is typically depicted in red, symbolizing fire and blood. Red recalls how the tattoo is applied—burned or cut into the skin. A black background creates contrast and is associated with otherworldly forces.
The symbol looks like a runic drawing composed of simple geometric shapes. At the bottom, there is a diamond divided in two. From it, several long lines stretch two diagonally and one vertically. The sidelines end in sharp points directed inward, while the central part is adorned with three small triangles forming a crown-like shape. This form was chosen for several reasons:
- The rune-like style hints at the ancient, powerful forces ruling the world of Berserk;
- The upper points resemble horns, as the Brand of Sacrifice is a mark of demonic beings;
- A diamond crossed by a vertical line creates a sense of an inescapable trap;
- The sharp spikes symbolize the pain and suffering awaiting the mark’s bearers.
At the same time, the Berserk logo is symmetrical: the left half of the symbol looks like a mirror reflection of the right. The visual balance suggests that a branded person lives on the border between the astral and the physical worlds. No one knows the true meaning of this sign, but it is believed to have been inspired by Viking runes or medieval sigils used by alchemists and magicians to control otherworldly entities.
2016 – 2017
This logo belongs to the multi-episode anime Berserk, aired from 2016 to 2017. The international version includes two inscriptions: Japanese, because the animated series was released in Japan, and English, aimed at foreign viewers. The designers combined two dissimilar words successfully, creating a memorable emblem with deep meaning.
The logo is dominated by large, sweeping characters forming an arch. They consist of careless strokes as if someone were hurrying to draw lines on a white surface. This haste conveys the tense atmosphere of *Berserk*, where the main character constantly fights otherworldly entities.
The outermost characters are elongated downward, resembling two fangs, giving the inscription a predatory grin connected to the theme of mystical monsters. The numerous straight and sharp angles symbolize the unyielding resilience of the characters who masterfully wield combat skills.
The word “BERSERK” is in the lower half of the emblem, intended for an English-speaking audience. Designers chose a capital sans-serif font to match the minimalist style of the Japanese characters. The edges of the letters are slightly blurred, but the anime’s title remains clear due to expressive strokes and wide spacing between the letters.
All logo elements are red except for one “R,” which aligns with the extended part of the right character. This English letter had to be made white, giving it the appearance of a hollow space. The red color symbolizes blood, fire, revenge, magical rituals, dynamic battles, and emotional tension—all in the spirit of dark fantasy. White is used for contrast to emphasize the expressiveness of the inscriptions.
