Manga world in mourning following death of ‘Berserk’ author Kentaro Miura at 54

Mangaka Kentaro Miura, author of the dark fantasy manga Berserk, has passed away at the age of 54 following an acute aortic dissection.

“Dr. Kentaro Miura, the author of "Berserk", passed away on May 6, 2021 due to acute aortic dissection. We would like to express our utmost respect and gratitude to Dr. Miura's painting work and pray for his soul,” publisher Hakusensha announced in a statement.

When Miura’s medieval dark fantasy manga Berserk began serialisation in Monthly Animal House in 1989, Japan’s Heisei Era had only just begun, following the death of Emperor Hirohito. 32 years, 40 volumes and one Japanese era later, Berserk continues to enthral fans new and old as one of the longest-running, darkest and best-drawn mangas in production, selling over 50 million copies worldwide according to an AFP report.

Miura’s death leaves the future of the Berserk manga in doubt, with Miura saying the story was currently in its “later stages”, in a 2020 interview. Berserk's release cycle had often been inconsistent, with long hiatuses in between volumes.

The story of Berserk follows Guts, a fearsome swordsman and mercenary struggling to stay alive in a ruthless medieval world, ravaged by war and later by monsters from another dimension. Initially a story of revenge, Berserk explores Guts constant inner conflict between his need to destroy his enemies and his urge to protect those dear to him. In its setting, loosely inspired by medieval Europe, Berserk has introduced themes of redemption, stoicism, and most of all, of humanity—all backed by a staggeringly-detailed level of artwork. 

When Miura first became a manga artist, he was only ten years old.

Evolving his ultra-detailed line art, Miura turned Berserk into one of the best-drawn mangas of its time, (compounding the challenge for anime studios looking to animate it). Miura was known for his self-admitted “unhealthy obsession” with drawing every little details, partly due to his love of the dense and detailed art from the “Baroque period” of manga like Akira and Fist of the North Star. Berserk is renowned for its artwork, blood-soaked story and explorations of physical, psychological, and emotional pain.

In the 32 years since Berserk began, anime series like Pokemon, Dragon Ball and One Piece swept across the world as Japanese comics and animation attracted a widespread audience, and Miura released 40 volumes of Berserk—which Anime Planet dubbed the “Godfather of manga". Dark Horse comics, which produced the English translation of the manga and introduced the series to a Western audience, saw Berserk become one of its best-selling manga of all time.

“Miura-sensei was a master artist and storyteller and we had the great privilege of publishing several of his finest works, including his masterpiece, Berserk,” Dark Horse Comics said in a statement.

Berserk’s influence stretched across video games like the Dark Souls series to other anime series like Vinland Saga. A 25-episode anime series aired between 1997-98, three movies were released, and a 24-edition anime adaptation was broadcast in 2016-17.

Miura had also recently began on a new manga series, Duranki, which is based on  Greek, Mesopotamian and Sumerian myths.

Tributes to Miura poured it from across the manga world.

Young Animal magazine, which serialises Berserk in Japan, released this statement:

“The Young Animal editorial department is deeply saddened by the sudden news of Professor Kentaro Miura. How should we capture this unacceptable fact? To be honest, I can't find the words. Whenever I meet a person in the editorial department, I always remember the smile when I was cheerfully talking about my favorite manga, anime, and movies. We have never seen Mr. Miura's angry face. He was like a boy who always seemed to have fun.”