The wait is finally over. The much-awaited anime, Berserk is likely to return to our screens again. As per speculations, Berserk Season 3 will premiere sooner than we expected. Besides, its creators have already hinted towards the renewal of another sequel. Fortunately, the third installment will go back to its iconic 1997 animation style. What will happen in the new season? Let’s have a look.
Berserk is one of the best anime-manga franchises of all time. The legendary story originated from Kentaro Miura’s manga series that began serialization back in 1989. In the last few decades, Berserk has become a household name for otakus from around the world. The franchise has been kept alive in the form of anime series and movie adaptations. As of today, two separate anime shows have been released. The first one aired back in 1997, while the other came to existence in 2016. A movie series adaptation based on the Golden Age Arc also came out in 2012.
Has Berserk Season 3 Been Renewed?
The 2016 anime adaptation received heavy criticism due to its animation style. Yet, it managed to gain a massive fan following from all around the globe. Moreover, it also earned a huge profit for its producers. Simultaneously, both the seasons of the show helped increase the sales of its source material. Thus, looking at its popularity, the studio may not cancel the series anytime soon.
On the other hand, the creators of the anime have already confirmed its return. In 2017, the Season 2 finale of the series ended with a “The Story Continues” message. Hence, it seems like anime producer Liden Films has already decided to continue the anime for a few more seasons. Yet, they haven’t announced the official renewal of Berserk Season 3. Anime producers GEMBA and Millepensee have also been silent upon the topic. However, the message at the end of the second season acts as a confirmation too.
Berserk Season 3 To Change Animation Style
The third season of the anime has been on a hiatus for the last three years. No new seasons have been released after season 2. Fans suspect that the delay could’ve been caused by the negative reviews of 2016’s Berserk anime. Back in the day, the franchise’s latest adaptation was criticized for its underwhelming animation style and lazy visuals. Fans of the manga series and 1997 anime were disappointed with it, which may have demotivated the producers.
However, the animation style of Berserk Season 3 is likely to go back to the 1997 version. The first two seasons of 2016 anime used 3D computer graphics for animation. On the other hand, anime director Shin Itagaki insisted on taking inspiration from Berserk manga’s high detailed animation style with a 3D/2D hybrid. Although the final scene of Berserk 2017 (Season 2) was switched back to 2D animation, which the fans appreciated. Hence, it’s likely that the studios will continue the 2D animation in the upcoming sequel.
When Will The New Season Premiere?
No new seasons of the Berserk anime adaptation have been released since 2017. It’s a speculation that the third season would not return until it has a new manga volume to promote. The sales of its source material gain a large section of the revenue of any anime. Hence, most of their installments are aired nearby the launch of a manga/LN volume. Similarly, the 2016 and 2017 Berserk anime seasons spiked the sales of Volume 38, 39, and 40 (that released in 2016, 2017 & 2018, respectively). Moreover, the 2012 movie series adaptation promoted Volumes 36 & 37 (2011 and 2013).
Sadly, no new manga volume has released since 2018. In the last two decades, mangaka Kentaro Miura has taken frequent hiatuses as volumes release irregularly. However, these hiatuses don’t last longer than two or three years. Hence, Volume 41 is likely to come out sooner this year or in 2021. Therefore, Berserk Season 3 might premiere a few months before or after the manga volume’s launch.
What Will The Plot About?
Is there enough source material?
The Berserk manga series has been running for more than 30 years now. In its long run, the manga has been published for forty volumes, as of mid-2020. Well, the anime adaptations have only covered half of the source material available. The 2012 movie series continued the plot of the 1997 anime series and covered the Golden Age Arc. Whereas, the 2016 adaptation was a sequel to the 2012 anime movies, although it skipped the Lost Children Arc. The 2017 second season that featured the Falcon Of The Millenium Empire story ended with Chapter 301 of Volume 25.
All in all, the upcoming season of anime can adapt fifteen volumes, including several skipped chapters from previous volumes. Hence, there is more than enough source material for Berserk Season 3 and more seasons in the future. The new episodes will likely cover the remaining 57 chapters of the Falcon Of The Millenium Empire story. The third installment might also begin the Fantasia arc.
Berserk Season 3: Release Date
As mentioned above, any new anime episodes may not release until Volume 41 of the manga comes out. The manga volume will probably come out this year or 2021. Hence, the release date of Berserk Season 3 might fall sometime in 2021 or early 2022. For that, its productions must begin sooner this year. However, it’s unclear whether the ongoing pandemic will affect the production process. We will update this corner as soon as any official details arrive.
What do you think about the animation style of Berserk 2016 & 2017? Do you want another season of the anime? Please share with us in the comments below.