Berserk: Memorial Edition (2022)
The Golden Age Reforged
Berserk: Memorial Edition is a remastered television re-edit of The Golden Age Arc Trilogy, created to honor the legacy of legendary mangaka Kentaro Miura. Rather than being a new story, it presents the tragic rise and fall of the Band of the Hawk in an expanded, emotionally refined format with upgraded visuals, added scenes, and improved pacing.
This edition serves as both a tribute and a definitive way to experience Berserk’s most iconic arc — the Golden Age — chronicling the friendship, ambition, betrayal, and catastrophe that shaped the series’ dark world forever.
For newcomers, Memorial Edition is the ideal entry point. For longtime fans, it is a painful but beautiful return to Berserk’s emotional core.
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Series Overview
Title: Berserk: Memorial Edition
Japanese Title: ベルセルク 黄金時代篇 MEMORIAL EDITION
Episodes: 13
Air Date: October 2, 2022 – December 25, 2022
Studios: Studio 4°C
Original Manga: Written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura
Streaming Platforms: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video (region-based), DVD / Blu-ray
Opening Theme: “Aria” by Susumu Hirasawa
Ending Theme: “Wish” by Mika Nakashima
Story Summary
Set in a brutal medieval world, Memorial Edition follows Guts, a lone mercenary whose life changes when he encounters Griffith, the charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawk. Drawn into Griffith’s dream of ruling his own kingdom, Guts rises from a nameless swordsman to a legendary warrior.
As the Hawks achieve fame and glory on the battlefield, cracks form beneath the surface. Guts begins questioning his purpose, while Griffith’s ambition spirals into obsession. Their bond — once forged in blood — becomes strained by pride, desire, and fate.
Everything culminates in the Eclipse, one of anime’s most infamous moments. Betrayal, sacrifice, and despair reshape the world, giving birth to monsters and leaving scars that will never heal.
Memorial Edition restores emotional nuance to this tragedy, emphasizing character psychology and the inevitability of destiny.
Major Arcs Covered
- Mercenary Arc — Guts’ early life and survival through violence.
- Band of the Hawk Arc — Brotherhood, loyalty, and battlefield glory.
- Ambition and Fracture Arc — Dreams collide as friendships unravel.
- Eclipse Arc — Sacrifice, betrayal, and rebirth into darkness.
Main Characters
- Guts — A warrior seeking purpose beyond the sword.
- Griffith — A dreamer whose ambition eclipses morality.
- Casca — A fierce commander torn between loyalty and love.
- Judeau — A compassionate fighter and emotional anchor.
- Rickert — The innocence lost amid tragedy.
Themes and Style
- Dreams vs. Reality — The cost of ambition.
- Friendship and Betrayal — Bonds tested by fate.
- Free Will vs. Destiny — Can choice exist in a cursed world?
- Sacrifice — Power gained through loss.
- Human Fragility — Strength masking vulnerability.
Memorial Edition emphasizes emotional storytelling over spectacle, allowing character relationships to breathe.
Animation & Music
Produced by Studio 4°C, Memorial Edition enhances the original trilogy with improved color grading, reworked CGI integration, refined action choreography, and newly animated scenes.
The iconic music by Susumu Hirasawa returns, with “Aria” amplifying the tragedy and inevitability of the Eclipse. The soundtrack remains one of the most haunting in anime history.
Where to Watch
You can watch Berserk: Memorial Edition (2022) on:
Amazon Prime Video (region-based)
Popularity & Reception
Memorial Edition was widely praised for respecting Miura’s legacy while fixing pacing and emotional gaps from the original films. Fans welcomed the restored scenes, improved presentation, and episodic structure, calling it the definitive Golden Age adaptation.
Final Thoughts
Berserk: Memorial Edition (2022) is not just a remaster — it is a memorial.
A farewell to the Golden Age.
A tribute to Kentaro Miura.
And a reminder that dreams can destroy as easily as they inspire.
In Berserk, nothing beautiful survives unscarred.
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