The Hakusensha publishing house announces a partnership between Kentaro Miura’s assistants and apprentices, Studio Gaga, to complete Berserk. All under the supervision of his friend and mangaka Kouji Mori
The announcement comes from the publisher’s official website Hakusenshawhich publishes Young Animal, the home magazine of Berserk. The manga that became legend, and remained unfinished after the untimely death of the author Kentaro Miurahe’s about to come back.
Publishers speak of a resumption of publication as early as the next issue of Young Animal, June 24. It even traces the future path of Berserk, with six chapters that will close the current saga in the island of the elves, and then begin the next narrative arc.
The miracle was made possible by the will of Miura’s collaborators, apprentices and assistants, who, under the name of Studio Gagathey will work on the legacy of the sensei.
But Miura’s legacy is protected by a further guarantee: the supervision of the childhood friend and mangaka Kouji Mori (Holyland, Suicide Island). He stated that he was always updated by Miura on the direction of Berserk, and that he even knew the final of the work.
Focus on Kouji Mori, the new keeper of Berserk
The news of Berserk’s return has, as you can imagine, created an uproar in the community. Most readers are happy to be able to return to reading the work, but the concern of some remains the quality, and the fidelity to the original idea by Miura.
This is where Kouji Mori comes into play: he is a colleague and childhood friend of the sensei, with whom, he declares, he often exchanged ideas and opinions about Berserk. Mori will oversee the work of Studio Gaga and make sure he doesn’t stray from Miura’s vision until the manga’s finale.
Mori is known for the intensity of his works, which address controversial existential themes. In particular, with Suicide Island, tells of a group of people who, after multiple suicide attempts, are exiled by the government to a desert island. The work develops by observing how such a particular community organizes and develops, re-examining the concepts of life and society under their objective lens.
However, his most famous manga remains Holyland. It is the story of a bullied young man, who at one point leaves all earthly worries behind him. At that point, he achieves enlightenment and mastery of his own strength.
No one can hope to match Berserk’s level. But Mori’s resume might be what comes closest to ideal. The important thing is that soon we will be back to reading Berserkand we will be able to get a glimpse of Miura’s idea, even if only partial.