Every Arc in the Berserk Manga & Anime

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Plus, find out about Berserk’s “lost chapter”

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: September 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Arcs

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Filler

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Lost Chapter

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Watch Order

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Where to Stream

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Video

Berserk is widely considered one of the best—if darkest—seinen manga and anime series of all time. The manga series started publication in 1989, and it’s since been adapted into 2 anime and several movies. We’re breaking down the arcs in Berserk, plus taking a look at whether there’s filler in the anime and explaining the manga’s lost chapter. Let’s go!

Berserk Arcs, Explained

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An illustration showing the arcs in Berserk.

Black Swordsman Arc (Volumes 1–3)
Golden Age Arc (Volumes 3–14)
Conviction Arc (Volumes 14–21)
Falcon of the Millennium Empire Arc (Volumes 22–35)
Fantasia Arc (Volumes 35–40)

Section 1 of 5:

What are the arcs in Berserk?

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1
Black Swordsman Arc The Black Swordsman Arc opens Berserk, and even though it’s one of the shortest arcs, it immediately sets the series’ dark tone. A fearsome warrior named Guts wanders Midland with his Dragon Slayer sword, fighting demonic Apostles and searching for the God Hand. Guts also meets an elf named Puck.^{[1]
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- Manga Volumes: 1–3 (Chapters 1–8)
- 1997 Anime Episodes: Episode 1
- 2016 Anime Episodes: 1–3 (with some expanded scenes added)
- Movies: N/A
2
Golden Age Arc The Golden Age Arc is, chronologically, the beginning of the story. Guts is adopted as a newborn by Gambino and Cis after his mother is found dead. As a young child, he trains as a swordsman, eventually joining a mercenary group called the Band of the Hawk. There, he becomes close to Griffith and Casca, but eventually faces a tragic betrayal.^{[2]
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- Manga Volumes: 3–14 (Chapters 9–94)
- 1997 Anime Episodes: 2–25
- 2016 Anime Episodes: N/A
- Movies: Berserk: The Golden Age Arc (Part I: The Egg of the King; Part II: The Battle for Doldrey; Part III: The Advent); Berserk: The Golden Age Arc - Memorial Edition (remastered version of the movie trilogy, released with new scenes)
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Conviction Arc Guts meets a variety of characters, including a teenage girl named Jill who wants to join Guts on his adventures and a Holy Iron Chain Knight named Farnese. Then, he heads to the Tower of Albion to battle the Apostle Mozgus and rescue Casca.^{[3]
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- Manga Volumes: 14–21 (Chapters 95–176)
  - Note: This arc is typically divided into three segments: Lost Children, Binding Chain, and Birth Ceremony.
- 1997 Anime Episodes: N/A
- 2016 Anime Episodes: Episodes 4–13
- Movies: N/A
4
Falcon of the Millennium Empire Arc A new war breaks out between the Kushan Empire and Midland, and monsters emerge across the land. Griffith’s reformed Band of the Hawk stands against the Kushan invasion. In the meantime, Guts assembles a team that includes Farnese, her brother Serpico, a boy named Isidro, and a witch named Schierke—and the group is eventually pulled into the war.^{[4]
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- Manga Volumes: 22–35 (Chapters 177–307)
  - This arc is divided into two segments: Holy Evil War and Falconia Chapter.
- 1997 Anime Episodes: N/A
- 2016 Anime Episodes: Episodes 14–24
- Movies: N/A
5
Fantasia Arc The Fantasia Arc follows Griffith as he rebuilds Midland into a new realm called Falconia. Meanwhile Guts and his crew set sail for Elfhelm, fighting pirates and sea creatures while Guts tries to resist the darkness caused by wearing the Berserker armor. It ends (for now) with Guts preparing to rescue the kidnapped Casca. This manga-only arc is currently unfinished due to the creator’s passing, but his close friend has agreed to conclude the manga.^{[5]
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- Manga Volumes: 35–40 (Chapters 308–Present)
- 1997 Anime Episodes: N/A
- 2016 Anime Episodes: N/A
- Movies: N/A

Section 2 of 5:

Is there any filler in Berserk?

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No, there’s almost no filler in the Berserk anime adaptations. Both the 1997 and 2016 anime versions of Berserk are relatively filler free. A few scenes have been expanded beyond the strictly manga canon material, but there are no pure-filler episodes or arcs.
- In fact, the anime adaptations had almost the opposite problem—they cut out entire sections of the manga canon in favor of a more streamlined story. For instance, the 1997 anime largely skips the Black Swordsman arc, and the 2016 anime left out the ”Lost Children” storyline.^{[6]
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Section 3 of 5:

What is the lost chapter of Berserk?

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The manga creator pulled Chapter 83 of Berserk from official releases. Chapter 83, titled “God of the Abyss,” was originally released in Young Animal magazine (Issue #14, July 1996). But after it was published, the series’ creator, Kentaro Miura, asked that it be removed from compilations.^{[7]
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- Miura’s statement explaining the decisions says, in part, “The appearance of God in the manga … might limit the freedom of the story development.”

Section 4 of 5:

How to Watch Berserk In Order

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Watch Berserk in release order. Unlike many older anime with a more recent reboot, the second take on Berserk doesn’t recreate the first anime—it follows the events of the first anime and the movie trilogy. So the best way to watch Berserk is in release order. (You can also add in the Golden Age Memorial Edition, a remastered and expanded version of the movie trilogy. Either watch it instead of the three movies, or add it to the end of your viewing list.)^{[8]
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Research source} Here’s what that looks like:
- Berserk (1997)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King (2012)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II - The Battle for Doldrey (2012)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent (2013)
- Berserk (Seasons 1 and 2) (2016)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc - Memorial Edition (2022)

Section 5 of 5:

Where to Stream Berserk

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Stream the 2016 version of Berserk on Crunchyroll. In the US, the latest version of Berserk is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. You can also stream Berserk: The Golden Age Arc - Memorial Edition on Crunchyroll. The individual movies in the trilogy are not currently available on any streaming platforms, but you may be able to rent or buy them.
- The 1997 anime adaptation of Berserk is currently not available for streaming in the US.