Berserk 6-9
A run-in with an immortal demon-warrior named Zodd, an assault on a strategically significant fortress and underhand court politics present both problems and opportunities for Guts, Griffith and the Band of the Hawk as they rise up the ranks in the army of Midland. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Guts’ and Griffith’s differing philosophies and battle techniques are starkly contrasting but during the events of this volume they form a combination that is powerful and effective; both in terms of the battlefield and Berserk’s impressive character study this is an important factor in the series’ ability to consistently get your attention and keep hold of it throughout.
The fight against Zodd appears on the surface to be a generic tough guy vs. monster battle but as is always the case in Berserk there is much more to this than is immediately apparent. It is perhaps intended to draw attention to how the main characters interact and how their respective fates are intertwined; I’m guessing that because Zodd recognises Griffith’s pendant, it is an object of superhuman power, feared by even invincible demons. This incident also highlights how much Griffith values Guts as a comrade, not to mention how their combined efforts can even give the likes of Zodd a tough time.
