"The value of a work of art is not determined by whether it has a happy ending or not.Nietzsche hopes that we can value life as a work of art itself. To see life as something that does not need a happy ending to justify itself, because it's Beauty eternally justifies itself" This makes so much sense, when I think about Berserk.

Seeing the "In Memory of Kentaro Miura" now hurts so fucking bad. Didn't even know much about the man, but I feel so hurt by his passing.

I was once on a message board where people were hyping themselves up over how powerful and cool Guts would be once he became an apostle. I was baffled as to how someone could miss the entire point so intensely. The only possible ending for Berserk leads through Guts telling Fate to go fuck itself and soldiering on through life's pain, whatever comes.

Bro just made the greatest video on the entire internet explaining Nietzscheans philosophy and the parallels seen within Berserk and thought we wouldn't notice.

Just rewatched the Farnese segment. Thank you for reminding me why I loved her arc. Power is a closely held value to me because there are real issue in this world that require strength and effort to solve, issues that effect people in profound ways. Sometimes, when I fall short of what I think I need to be, I fall into pathological thinking similar to Farnese. That my powerlessness is an existential reality, that I don't deserve to be happy because I can't easy the burden of reality for anyone. It's easy to forget that beyond what impact I have on the world, my competence should be an expression of myself. I will try to carry myself forward by loving who I am today and who I can become tomorrow, instead of merely trying to negate myself for the sake of others.

Wow. I just finished watching... and I'm just amazed.... I honestly think this is your best work so far. I've started crying around the 53 minute mark, especially after Guts theme started playing alongside the footage.... just...Bravo and thank you so much for this video. RIP Kentaro Miura

This is the most appealing explanation of Nietzschean philosophy i have ever seen. Every video that talked about slave morality felt wrong until this video, now i want to read nietzsche books and learn his philosophy.

Listening to this made me come to a tangential realisation that the scene where Guts convinces Farnese to fight instead of pray is similar to when Griffith saved Casca not by killing her rapist, but giving her a sword and having her save herself.

Very cool to see you tackle Berserk and relate it to the writings of that Most Excellent Lad Friedrich. Miura's work is the "will to power" in manga form -- a saga about the refusal to allow oneself to be subdued by the changing winds of physical environment or social circumstance. No matter how trapped and alone you may feel, there is always hope for the future as long as you're willing to let people into your life, and as long as you keep struggling against even the most impossible odds.

It’s so funny to hear him go from talking about deep philosophical concepts at the end to reading off the supporters when they have names like “tendies123”

Not only did you teach me about Nietzsche flawlessly in the most appealing way I've seen, you've also made me appreciate Berserk even more. I'm honestly baffled, as Berserk is my absolute favorite piece of media, I had no idea I could even like it more. Thank you

There is a Brazilian song called "Aleluia" , it has a beatiful verse "Even with death awaiting for me i go to the sea , i go , all i know is to live and living is how i am going to die " it is joyful and sad how the constrasts of life show how the sublime can be painfull and pleasurable .

Holy shit. I got a notification from you and I get excited, and then I see, it is about Berserk and my heart skipped a beat because I'd never expect this collision between 2 high quality projects. Words cannot describe how excited I am to watch this video. Will definitely save it up to enjoy it along with some really nice food and stuff.

I've always maintained that Miura had no intention of "ending" Berserk. How could it be possible to end the eternal struggle of being? It continues through all of us. Life and art are not separate.

Nietzsche is so often misrepresented or under-summarized. Thank you for this video, and for doing justice to both my favorite philosopher and one of my favorite animes.

Today my 7-year old sister told me: "sometimes I like to feel sad, sometimes i like to feel angry and annoyed, sometimes - to feel lost and abandoned". I wouldn't have understood what she was talking about and would have panicked and thought of depression problems, if I hadn't watched your video, specifically about greek's affirmation of most tragic aspects of life. She also love to play little drama scenes with kids when she is holding on top of slide and asking other kids "save her from falling" only to reliesing her grip and sliding down as soon as some kid is trying to "save her" - and surprisingly other kids actually find excitment in these seemingly unhappy scenarios Kids actuallly fell this need for affirmation of tragedy

As a student of Classical History and a Berserk fan, your comparison of Guts and Dionysis blew my mind. Overall incredible video essay.

Weren't you writing a book on Nietzsche? This has been intensely captivating and I'd love to keep learning about him.

The fact that we will never see the ending of Berserk and it is safe to assume that Guts will forever struggle against his fate and will never see his happy endings, makes Berserk is too realistic, parallel with real life.

I’d love to see something on Max Stirner, especially now that you’ve delved so deeply into Nietzche, as Max is considered by many to be his predecessor although it cant really be known if Nietzche even read Stirner. Still, his ideas of Egoism, Ownness, and his proto-anarchist thought is very interesting and there is very little on youtube that does him any justice. Great video.

This is definitely one of the better Berserk analysis videos I have seen so far. Very well-written and intriguing. There is no dearth of manga/anime masterpieces out there for you to explore, enjoy and dissect. Looking forward to your work. Subbed.

This alongside "The many adaptations of berserk" and "Why you should STILL read berserk" are the trifecta of great berserk videos on youtube.

Tragedy as a celebration of life is something I've been looking to put words to for a while; because art that explores it has always been my favorite and until now and I've only been able to describe it as "bittersweet". So thank you for this, really made these most beautiful parts of Nietzshean philosophy approachable for me.

Even though I'm not a video-creator myself, my passion for Berserk has at times made me want to write a script about some of my thoughts on the themes it explores which to me seem deeply compelling. I will watch this video, but just in case it renders my hypothetical one absolute I do want to mention at least one of those themes first. Namely it is how Berserk is a story where we see *devotion* explored. Devoting oneself to a cause, and making it the driving force of ones existence. This is something that is critical to the story of Berserk at basically every stage, though changes from one arc to another. In the Golden Age it is most directly explored through the characters of the Band of the Hawk and their relationship with Griffith. Many of them have feelings of inadequacy, of dissatisfaction with their life, which they (in particular Corkus, but also Judaeu, Casca, and Guts) connect to being confronted with reality. The reality of being a normal person in an emotionless world, where there is no narrative or guarantee of success of meaning to their life. This reality is what shapes their relationship with Griffith. They see in him someone who actually appears to go beyond what is possible for mere mortals. He is like a figure in a legend, someone who wins at every step and seems destined to reach his goal. Seeing him, the characters in the Band make a choice to subordinate themselves to him, to make his dream theirs, or rather to make themselves tools for his will. They renounce their role as the masters of their own fates/lives, in exchange for seeing their lives gain this meaning, where they actually have meaning and their lives matter. As Corcus says to Guts, when Guts, having examined his life and determined to not simply accept, declares that he will leave the Band: "Griffith is exceptional and you are beneath him". To Corcus, the implication that it is possible to reject the role of minor character that they are all slotted into, to actually strive to become a main character yourself, with a destiny and validity of your own equal to Griffith, is both insulting and too freightening to accept. None of this is particularly original, I'm sure. But what's really interesting is how this theme becomes so crucial to the story when you look beyond the Golden Age, at Griffith's character after his resurrection into the material world at the Tower of Conviction. Griffith's powers of persuasion and his unnatural charisma are taken to a new, cosmic level. His special role of narrative significance is no longer just a story convention, a trope of the writing, but a *fact of the reality* he exists in. He is chosen by god, told to "do as he will", and the universe is subordinate to his fate and desires. The implication this holds for Guts are something that makes this part of the story so compelling. To basically all of the characters, and to the story itself, it's tone and how it shows events, Griffith is still the hero. At every moment he is on screen, he is shown as an angelic, heroic figure. He talks to the souls of the dead, he rescues princesses and receives the adoration of Popes. His every pose is majestic, with feathers flowing around him as he is bathed in white light. Griffith drags the focus of the story away from Guts to be about him, forcing it to show his victories in a positive light. He rescues mankind, and works to create his kingdom, all in a twisted and sinister recreation of the events of the Golden Age and the first Band of the Hawk. All the while Guts, the minor character of the story as far as the gods are concerned, has to struggle to keep feeling the hatred he has in his heart for Griffith. The first time he sees him after his rebirth, he thinks that he doesn't even feel rage anymore for a second. To me this is just one instance of the story denying Guts, denying his friends who died any recognition. His grievance against Griffith is not accepted, it is invalidated. Guts has to struggle to make the narrative about him, to assert that he has agency and isn't just a bit part. As Flora says of Griffith, he is "an existence that no one in the physical world can rival". At one point I believe she or Schierke even says that for a human to try to kill Griffith would be "like a character in a story trying to harm the storyteller". All this stuff and more I've always felt highlights how strong the emotional beats of the story are, how totally it portrays odds as against Guts. Devotion to Griffith and his destiny is made valid, made the only acceptable source of meaning in ones life for the people he meets, and eventually for the entire world as a consequence of his warping the universe into one of vibrant magic. And this is what Guts has to struggle against, much more than simply trolls and apostles.

I had a couple of artist friends that really hyped up Berserk and always praised its aesthetic qualities, so I never knew that it had such interesting themes or such potential for analysis. I'm definitely more interested in the series now. This video is fantastic.

Berzerk is a masterpiece. Not even just as an anime or manga standpoint.

This is probably my favorite video essays on youtube. The last bit gives me chills every time

Fantastic video. It made me realize that part of the horror of Griffith is his inextricable link with narrative and fate... He could only ever become less human because of it, like how narrative and meaning become more alien to human living the more honestly you look at it. If Guts is defined by his struggle to stay alive and gains the ability to affirm life on his journey because of it, Griffith mirrors this by being defined by wanting everything except life, and steadily losing the ability to appreciate anything in it except the radiance of his abstract goals, turning him more horrific the more he gains the ability to shape the world around that inhuman logic. You helped me put my finger on these things I've pondered about all these times I've read and reread Berserk. Thank you!

I'm Glad you talk almost 1 hour, Berserk always deserved an extensive analysis.

The original 1997 version is hands down my all time favorite anime. Your analysis makes it almost new again, thank you sir!

omfg, my fave KZfaqr, manga & philosopher in 1 vid I'm so stoked

Farnese is absolutely one of my favorite characters in berserk. And it's so funny because I hated her vehemently in the conviction arc as well as the telling of her back story in the beginning of the Millennium Falcon arc. But as she slowly overcame her short comings and cowardice, I grew to adore her and respect her journey even at it's early stages. This video is fantastic and the farnese section made me so happy.

Finally someone focusing on the Nietzschean aspects of this story. A true philosophical dissection. Thanks sir. RIP Miura

To anyone looking to get into Berserk personally I'd recommend just starting with the manga. The anime skips certain details and leaves out a few important characters, but it ends on such a huge cliff hanger that you're going to want to pick up the manga 12 volumes in. This means either a) you're going to lack context when certain characters and plot details show up or b) you're going to start from the beginning of the manga anyway to see what you missed. Just my opinion. I started with the manga and wasn't really impressed by any of the adaptations (1997 is good, though), but a lot of people were introduced through them and have a lot of love for these anime and I don't want to diminish or take that away from them. Also, never listen to anyone who says to skip the Black Swordsman prologue arc. They are evil spirits and cannot be trusted. (And you can read through it in a few hours, it's very short.)

Berserk touched me deeply when I was first exposed to it. It remains one of the most enthralling manga reading experiences I've ever had. Never been able to forget the emotions and the bond you develop for the characters as it unfolds. It really is a masterpiece both in terms of characters and the details in some of the drawn frames. I dread the thought that it may never be finished, but appreciate what we got to have up of. Thank you for everything Miura, your art will outlive you.

finally someone talks about farnese, shes such an amazing, well written character

Might as well make a " 'Berserk as a Nietzschean tragedy' as a Nietzschean tragedy" because shit got me crying

one must imagine Guts struggling

Every person who has experienced Berserk deserves to see this analysis.. I'm crying right now.

Thank you. The rejection of evil and sin as self fulfilling and the inherent compassion in it has always been the part of Nietzsche that I connected to, and this is such a good articulation of it.

This is the best Berserk analysis video on youtube, great work!

Affirming life can be exceedingly difficult, but running away or pretending you don't want what you really want or don't feel what you really feel is no life at all. I am quite unhappy day-to-day, but once every couple of months or so I reach a goal I struggled for or fate gifts me a sudden beautiful experience like seeing the swallows do their acrobatics in my yard or an appreciation for my efforts form my students and I do feel like those are more powerful due to the general melancholia I experience daily. In the same way as drinking water when you're not thirsty is a banal experience, but drinking water after a long hike in the sun feels like you're pouring liquid happiness into yourself. To affirm suffering is to affirm a joy that becomes only more meaningful the more elusive it grows, which it inevitably will as you age, but taking life as it really is and not hiding in your self constructed fantasies about what the world could be like instead will grant you the ability tom every now and then, experience a beautiful feeling that seems to use all your previous suffering as fuel for it's power.

Hit me to the core. I genuinely feel as if I’m been draped with knowledge I would not have come across otherwise. Thank you

It's worth mentioning, the Golden Age Arc ends in volume 13 of the manga and doesn't begin until volume 3.

I know very little of Berserk… but this video was beautiful to me. I am, in my own life, in a period of struggle. But I think Nietzsche’s ideas have given me a new perspective. To recognize my struggles without resigning to them. To understand my own weaknesses without self-flagellation. To accept the inevitable, but to never stop fighting. Thank you, you should be proud of your work.

Great look at the philosophy of this series, and while I don't know all that much about Miura's views on philosophy or what he might have been reading, I would say that German philosophy and Nietzsche in particular have been key influences in modern Japanese philosophy since early 20th century. And especially early on, I think also the Japanese existential philosophy drew more on the German tradition than French philosophers, so it would not be much of a surprise that Miura would be familiar with Nietzsche.

Farnese has one of the best character arcs in the entire story and this video helped me realize why I resonate with development into a more capable person

i love the deliberate use of the different berserk songs

The ending monologue with the berserk theme in the background moved me to tears

I'm excitingly joining to the comments below: the BEST analysis and essay on Nietzche's philosophy in Berserk, hell, the best I've felt connected so far. So many good points were made and so much quality. Thank you, Jonas, I had a great time and feeling even more connected, praising the life with all it's tragedies and hard times. Thank you! And thank you, Kentaro Miura. You've made it in the end

This has to be your best video yet; I have watched this several times since it released now a year ago. Incredible. Can’t wait to see what’s next since your Christmas special last year in 2022!

I am obsessed with this video. I've watched it several times.

I rarely read any comics or graphic novels, but I was looking for some philosophical/psychological anime to share with my daughter. This video essay lit up my curiosity, so we decided to watch the 97 anime; but since the Golden Age is just a flashback and the real story develops further, I dived into the manga. Found out Berserk is definitively a deeper master piece. The story and the art caught me, and it shook many things I took for granted, a reread of Nietzsche was necessary for me. He spoke louder and clearer to me now than it did 30 years ago; not only on a personal level, but to have a better grasp of what the western world has become. Berserk goes beyond character development. It really started to question modernist social structures and beliefs, and post-modernist stances. It’s a true shame the author passed away just when his work was about to reach its climax and conclusion. It would have been very interesting to see what new values Miura proposed as an artist.

I'm only 16 minutes in but *_By The Gods_* man, this is the most astute recounting of Nietzsche & Schopenhauer I've seen in quite a while. Not even those among us who are philosophically illiterate can miss it's gravitas and poignancy. Well done sir!

This is hard to compliment. I feel like this is the ultimate tribute to berserk and miura himself, and celebration as well. As i grow more and more interested in philosophy, i believe this is not only a great study, but its also a video everyone, be it interested in philosophy or not, in manga or not.. everyone can take so much out of. Fantastic work Jonas, i'm in love with this video, it gave me yet again one more layer, or even an entire octave, of apreciation for this masterpiece of a Manga; and i think the video is as well a masterpiece of its own! :D

I enjoyed EVERY SINGLE SECOND of this video! It, within itself is a materpiece! Thank you for simplifying and analyzing Nietche and Schopenhauer in a way that I could understand new depths of their thoughts and ideas, and thank you for showing how deep rooted they are within the master piece that is berserk.

My god, I've been watching Nietzsche work on KZfaq in the past 2 years. And no one ever explain to me with this brilliance. Your explanation is truly good dude, and select berserk as the media is truly magnificent idea. Keep up the good work!

This is one of, if not the best, philosophical analysis of Berserk. As someone who’s studied philosophy and has a passion for it, I can tell you too have such a passion. You don’t just expound ideas to sound smart, you truly care about “the truth”, to sound rather cliche. This video was a delight and I will be watching it many times in the future

Was really waiting for this one! The editing for the score was on point and very well-placed! You really did justice to this series!

My absolute favorite video. Rewatching it many months later and it's just as beautiful and inspiring as on my first watch, I'm brought to tears. Thank you for making this.

This is absolutely perfect timing. I’ve just finished an amazing audiobook on Audible about Greek Tragedies, and here you are providing a contemporary equivalent. If anyone is interested, the details of the audiobook are: Greek Tragedy by Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses. This has got to be your best video yet cuck.

Definitely your best video and the best video on Nietzsche in KZfaq.

BRAVO! incredible work, not only you have the gathered a great selections of quotes, gotten to the bottom of the most profound themes of the story. You have put it together beautifully. All of the conclusions that you arrived at are beautiful. This is probably the best video I've seen this year. Thank you very much.

This was an incredible video, grossly thought provoking and analytical while simultaneously being a beautiful love letter to the Miura. I'm floored.

I like the acknowledgement that Berserk ending this way, is in some way a thematic ending that continues the themes of the story. We must become like Guts, and soldier on, even when our greatest stories leave us alone and lonely, and find new meaning in the face of tragedy.

This might be the best video i have seen on KZfaq.

I watched this video 7 months ago and it convinced me to read Berserk. It's now my favorite manga and got me started reading a bunch of others. Berserk, in my opinion, is one of the best works of art out there and I gotta thank you for making this video and ensuring I watched this video in this current of Causality.

I'm glad you gave props to anime philosopher- they haven't been active in quite some time, but their essays were always short, extremely well edited, and wonderfully structured.

videos like this are why i still come to youtube. well done for putting this together

This is one of the best videos I have ever seen in my life mate, what a fantastic insightful way to bind the two philosophies together and really elaborate on the ideas they explore. Truly a masterful work. I hope you analyze shows like Attack on Titan, Death note etc as they are also deeply philosophical and thoughtful in nature.

Incredible video, man. This has been in my "watch later" for months now since I wanted to wait until I had caught up with Berserk before I watched it. So glad I waited. Well worth the wait.

I rewatched 3 times in a row, and that is still not enough. this stuff is great. it takes huge effort to compress so much knowledge and understanding into this easily digestible video. Guts, Kentaro Miura, Nietzsche and Dionysus will approved this.

4:56 *spoiler alert* Jordan Peterson: the tragedy of Christ is absolute, you can't imaging more tragic story Kentaro Miura: hold my beer

These ideas on life-affirmation resonate a lot with me. For a long time now, a critique of peace (that is, of peace as absence of conflict as a whole) has been growing within my personal way of thinking. I find this desire for an absence of conflict to be a strong denial of life, as life, just like art, is built upon the interplay of conflict and resolution. The idea that life is to be viewed in a more aesthetic way, therefore, has also been very interesting to me.

This was a wonderful video, and not just because you made it. I finished reading the Genealogy of Morals yesterday, so this analysis was much more interesting to me now than it might otherwise have been. Thanks for making this kind of content, you're awesome.

Love long essays on analysing some of the key characteristics that make a piece of art work the way it does. You help relay what makes this manga unique and how the philosophical views bind a well crafted character together. Well done!

I've watched this whenever I've felt a little down. Thanks man. This is by far the best youtube video ive watched in 15 years here. Amor fati!🥰

It´s my favorite manga, in all my years of being a manga reader, there are few that come close to the depth portrayed within Kentaro´s work. We have lost an amazing story teller, it is unfortunate, and yet it is so fitting within the paradigm of Berserk that he never got to finish it on his terms. It encapsulates the overarching narrative so ironically.

It's kind of amazing how you were able to so coherently convey all these ideas, very good video

An hour long CCK Philosophy analysis video on Berserk, what a blessed day.

I come back to this video again and again. It really speaks to me. When this video was released I knew almost nothing of Berserk, and now I have finished the 97 anime and started reading the manga. This analysis is very interesting. I'm really looking forward to learning more about Nietzsche from your book

This is the best video essay that i have ever seen! Congratulations on your effort in explaining Nietzschian philosophy in such an easy and entertaining way.

Like, the whole video is great, but I can't stress enough how amazing the "life affirmation" part is. I actually got goosbumps several times. Thank you for this

this video is pure philosophy. and now I am even more sure about being a philosophy student in college, thank you for this incredible work.

This was absolutely AMAZING and deserves MUCH more views! Havent seen such quality content on this website for a while and this was really interesting i hope more people get to see this.

Definetly one of your best videos so far. A truly homenage to the work of Miura

The prodigal sunn has returned! PCE yo

I think that you'd find a really interesting secondary perspective on your analysis of Nietzsche's influence in _BERSERK_ by looking at what Hayao Miyazaki emphasized in the manga version of _Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind_ when it comes to the concepts of giving suffering a purpose and also showing suffering has no purpose ultimately being a reflection of the exact same thing - especially because that manga was completed two years before _BERSERK_ showed the eclipse and the events therein lying. There are a lot of preliminary themes expressed there that I think you'll recognize and appreciate even moreso after looking at these themes.

I feel like you would really appreciate Kino's Journey (2003) and the light novels. Incredible job on this video!

This was a surprise but a welcome one.

Great timing of the upload as a Berserk exhibition just opened up in Ikebukero. I think it has convinced me to head on over and check it out! Thanks!

I keep rewatching the character analysis of Farnise although I have not read Berserk, I think this is one of the best videos that discuss the morality of tragedy

This was genuinely amazing and I applaud all the hard work you put into this

Oh my god I just showed my students one of your videos today! I was just wondering "I wonder when they'll upload another video?" just yesterday! Can't wait to listen!

I always come back and watch this video essay at least once a month.

Wow, didn't expect one of the best Berserk analyses from a fellow Lithuanian. Thanks for your insights!

Wish you luck on the next video; and thank you so much - this one was a masterpiece! I was shaken and cried tears of joy throughout, especially at the end; and that made me interested both in Nietzsche and Berserk, which was the videos intention, I guess, haha.

I came across this video as I am suffering heartbreak. Thank you for helping me make sense of my situation, it was my lucky day.

Haven't watched the vid yet but hyped to watch this. One of my favourite youtube channels is talking about one of my all time favourite series. And after I was just thinking about the Berserk-Nietzsche connection yesterday too.

Beautiful commentary, I'm fascinated by the Dionysian perseverance (and ultimate love) for life through aesthetic transformation of tragic human experiences. I myself feel transformed through this insight.