Is the 'Berserk' Manga Continuing? What We Know About the Series After the Author's Death

The manga world was shaken to its core by the death of influential manga author Kentaro Miura. The author was best known for his work on the critically acclaimed manga Berserk. While the story of the manga has yet to be completed, Kentaro Miura passed away from acute aortic dissection on May 6, 2021. Many notable manga creators and animators who were influenced by Kentaro's work grieved his death. After his passing, the ongoing Berserk manga was placed on an indefinite hiatus.

But a year after his death, plans are being set for Berserk to make an enormous comeback. Here's everything we know about the continuation of the Berserk manga.

Berserk is a dark fantasy manga series that follows a mercenary named Guts and his quest for revenge. After his former companion Griffith makes a demonic deal, Guts and his fellow mercenaries are offered up as ritualistic sacrifices in a horrible ceremony. Guts is one of the only remaining survivors of Griffith's quest for godhood. After recovering from the ordeal, he travels the land in search of Griffith to exact his revenge.

Since the series' debut in 1989, Berserk has garnered critical acclaim for its unique medieval setting, gothic aesthetic, and intense drama, as well as the impeccable detail in its illustrations. The series has won several awards and gained international recognition during its run. Many manga authors like the creators of Attack on Titan and Black Clover credit both the manga and its author Kentaro Miura as a major influence on their work.

With a legacy like this, it's no wonder that fans and creators were devastated by the loss of its author. Following Kentaro's death and a major cliffhanger in the last chapter he illustrated, the series was placed on an indefinite hiatus.

Fortunately for Berserk fans, that wasn't the end of the series. In June 2022, it was confirmed that the manga will continue toward the end of the month (June 24, specifically). New chapters will be illustrated by Kentaro's studio, Studio Gaga, and supervised by Kouji Mori.

Kouji was a childhood friend of Kentaro and worked closely with him on the manga. In a statement translated by Anime News Network, Kouji says that he'd discussed the ending to the series extensively with Kentaro. He assures fans that while the series will not have exactly the same feel moving forward, he and the team at Studio Gaga "can almost tell the story that Miura wanted to tell."

The coming chapters seek to end the "Fantasia Arc/Elf Island Chapter" and start a new arc from there.

It will undoubtedly be difficult for fans to imagine what the series will be like without Kentaro Miura. While it most certainly won't be exactly the same as before, there's every reason to believe that the series' spirit will live on in spectacular fashion.

New chapters of Berserk will debut in Japan starting on June 24, 2022.