Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The Berserk manga series by Kentaro Miura is one that speaks for itself. Often known as the "Game of Thrones" of manga, the story is complex and ingenious, the art is godlike, and the content is very adult. It has seen several anime adaptations, each with their own pros and cons, but nothing beats the original manga. While this series has seen many omnibus (multiple books in one) releases both in Japan and in other languages such as in Europe (I know the German release has one off the top of my head), it has always been a single-book edition in English. With 40 volumes now in Japanese (Dark Horse still has no release date for volume 40 as of this writing), and a retail price of nearly $600 for all the books, Berserk certainly is an expensive and lengthy hobby to get into. An omnibus format is preferable by many collectors such as myself, but if this series had seen a standard 3-in-1 paperback release such as the VizBigs of Dragon Ball Z, Vagabond, etc, I probably would not have double dipped (I already own every single volume). But when Dark Horse announced a deluxe edition of the manga, with leather hardback, in full magazine size, I just had to get it, and I can guarantee you it is worth it. Now on to the book itself. You can see how this edition is sized compared to the single volumes in the pictures attached, and it is certainly much bigger. The illustrations are much easier to follow, and the sound effects, originally untranslated in the first 11 volumes by Dark Horse, are now translated, which was a welcome addition. The faux leather binding is very nice as well. Collectors will be happy to hear that all three textless, original cover art pieces for the first 3 volumes are included at the back of the book on glossy paper. The manga itself is not glossy paper, but I would say that does not reduce its value at all. No other pages are in color, unfortunately, but that is just how DH was given the materials from the Japanese publisher. It has a ribbon bookmark on the spine, and the spine itself is also sewn and not glued, so you do not have to worry when laying it open on a table. At the end of the book is a one-page background on Kentaro Miura. While this omnibus will save a little bit of horizontal shelf space, it is much taller. My only gripe with the book is that it was printed in China, unlike with the rest of the series which was printed in the USA, but seeing as there are no visible drawbacks or obvious cheap decisions, I will keep my review at a full 5/5. Now I just need to figure out what to do with all my single volumes if I keep getting these Deluxe Editions. Hah! I received this volume from Amazon for nearly 50% off due to its preorder price, which was very nice. Otherwise, its $50 retail value is probably pretty pricey for many. For those looking to get into Berserk for the first time, this edition will probably not save you any money (although it is very worth it!) It is unfortunate that the book seems to be selling out, and many preorders have been pushed back weeks if not months while Dark Horse prints more. Good for Miura and DH, but not so ideal for the consumers. Hope it gets sorted out soon, Amazon should really place caps on preorders for stock they do not have. Can't wait to see more of these editions! Will probably take 4 or more years for it to catch up (not to mention Miura's hiatuses), so if you're not that big of a collector and just want to read the series, the single volumes are probably your better option. Edit May 2021: Rest in Peace Miura-sensei. Your work on Berserk has impacted my life so much and immeasurable numbers around the world, I hope you passed happy surrounded with family and friends. It seems fitting Guts will be left to struggle for an eternity (unless his editors/Studio Gaga decide to continue the series), but I think we all know in our hearts Miura-san had this all mapped out with Griffith's inevitable demise. I personally will continue to purchase the Deluxe Editions to complete my collection, as this series is a masterpiece to deserves to be read and preserved, ending or no ending. Thank you Miura-san for sharing with us the incredible mini-world within your brain, and your amazing artwork. You shall never be forgotten.