History Berserk / TropesAToD

* ArtEvolution: The artwork in the manga was merely average in the beginning, with some characters looking [[UncannyValley rather odd]], and now arguably has some of the best artwork of any manga. [[http://www.berserkchronicles.com/englishpage.php?link=style.htm This gives a good example of how the art changes from volume to volume.]] With regards to Guts, the guy we see the most, he's been getting more square-jawed and square...faced as the series go on. [[http://karaii.tumblr.com/post/8495573908/the-evolution-of-guts-from-the-manga-berserk-as More illustrated references for your convenience.]]

** There is little besides wishful thinking to suggest that that the universe (or at least the Berserk-verse) is ruled by a just and all-powerful God who rewards good and punishes evil. The world is unjust and unfair, so bad things will always happen to good people for no reason at all. Episode 83 shows that people create elaborate religious or metaphysical belief systems because they are so desperate to find an explanation for their suffering, which only prevents us from seeing the world for what it really is or doing anything to change it. However, there is also a strong AntiNihilist message to the story saying that people ''can'' make a difference. There were a lot of bad things Guts was unable to prevent, but he has saved people and changed lives because he had the courage to stand up to villains that no one else would oppose. Even Jill who recognizes that she's weak and fragile decides at the end of the Lost Children chapter that by going home and fighting her own small battle she'll be able to change something.

** There is little besides wishful thinking to suggest that that the universe (or at least the Berserk-verse) is ruled by a just and all-powerful God who rewards good and punishes evil. The world is unjust and unfair, so bad things will always happen to good people for no reason at all. The excised missing chapter goes so far as to indicate that the human condition is that we want reasons for our suffering and create elaborate religious or metaphysical belief systems that get in the way of taking responsibility for our own lives and absolve us of the responsibility of trying to change it. However, there is also a strong AntiNihilist message to the story saying that people ''can'' make a difference. There were a lot of bad things Guts was unable to prevent, but he has saved people and changed lives because he had the courage to stand up to villains that no one else would oppose. Even Jill who recognizes that she's weak and fragile decides at the end of the Lost Children chapter that by going home and fighting her own small battle she'll be able to change something.

** One of the Golden Age Arc's main themes is that even the smallest of your actions can have an unpredictable effect on other people, and that progress that you have spent your entire life building can be ruined if you take one reckless action without thinking of the consequences. For example, Griffith never thought that his speech to Princess Charlotte about what a friend is would be overheard by Guts and cause him to quit the band of the Hawk, and Guts wouldn't have expected that his departure would cause Griffith to have a breakdown and throw out all the Hawks' work by [[spoiler:sleeping with Charlotte.]] and incurring the King of Midland's wrath. The King at the same time decides to pursue revenge against Griffith at the cost of ruining his own kingdom and wasting the effort of a 100 year war that was supposed to win peace and prosperity for his subjects.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Kentaro Muira died at the age of 54 as a result of acute aortic dissection.

* Author Existence Failure:Sadly Kentaro Muira died at the age of 54, as a result of acute aortic dissection.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Though they became an OfficialCouple at the end of volume 9 and the beginning of volume 10, Guts and Casca still had some of those early relationship mishaps, which included Casca showing jealously toward Princess Charlotte and her relationship with Griffith and then Guts getting pissed at Casca when she spilled the beans. They share some tender moments in between, but when they finally rescue Griffith, there are some very awkward glances between everyone. However, in volume 11, the group encounters Wyald and his Black Dog Knights, and Guts is badly injured. [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend Casca immediately rushes to Guts' aid]], but is then captured by Wyald and [[AttemptedRape nearly raped]]. Thankfully, [[HeroicResolve Guts rescues Casca just in the nick of time]] and the battle ensues... all the while Casca is worried to tears that Guts might be biting off more than he can chew. Guts is victorious, but it looks as if it was too late... until he gives Casca a reassuring thumbs-up. And then, [[http://www.mrsmanga.com/mangas/Berserk/059.069%20-%20Complete%20Volume%2011/Berserk%20v11c08p170%20copy.jpg awwwwwwww!]]

* AwkwardlyPlacedBathtub: During their stay in Vritannis, Casca is given a bath by Schierke - in the cramped room that they paid for at an inn with Guts and Isidro still present in the room, veiled by only curtain and Schierke's attempt at tying Isidro to a chair so that he won't peek. Much HilarityEnsues.

* Author Existence Failure

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Kentaro Miura died in May of 2021. At time of writing it is unclear whether the series will be continued in any manner.

* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: The scene where the Hawks are on the border of Midland after the Griffith rescue operation. It is actually their DarkestHour moment and the scene is very much dramatic because of this since it's building up to the much more dramatic ending [[spoiler:[[{{Foreshadowing}} such as when Griffith desperately threw himself upon Casca,]] [[BrosBeforeHoes and Casca resolving that she couldn't leave with Guts]]]]. However, there are still softer moments, such as Guts and Casca reassuring each other that they want to be there for each other as friends and as lovers, when the Raiders tell Guts that they are willing to follow him wherever he goes, and Judeau telling Guts to be with Casca no matter what. These moments reinforce the theme of friendship and the bond that the Hawks have with each other; thus, reassuring that [[{{Tearjerker}} our eyes weren't going to dry anytime soon]] after watching the [[DownerEnding final three episodes]].

** No one is going to sacrifice their loved ones and turn into a demon in [[RealLife real life]], but this series gives you the unpleasant feeling that even your best friends and family members are just [[DespairEventHorizon one bad day]] away from [[HumansAreBastards stabbing you in the back]]. By the way: [[OhCrap YOU]], dear reader, might do the same as well. However, this is always a [[EarnYourHappyEnding choice]] you make, [[spoiler:as proven by the count who would rather go to hell than sacrifice his daughter to survive]].

* AnimalsLackAttributes: [[AvertedTrope Not in the case]] of [[MemeticMutation Rape Horse]]. [[{{Squick}} No Sir-E-Bob]].

* AnnoyingArrows: This is a ZigZaggingTrope. How much of a danger arrows represent to a character depends on whether they're a human or Apostle, how badass they are, and who's doing the shooting. Because ArmorIsUseless in this story for human {{Mooks}} and RedShirts, a volley of arrows from a mass of archers or Guts' repeating crossbow will penetrate their helmets and breastplates, killing them instantly. The Apostle Irvine is probably the deadliest archer in-universe, since he can ''decapitate'' multiple human targets with one MultiShot of his longbow from at least a mile away. For Apostles on the other hand, who are usually enormous monsters and at least far tougher than humans, any amount of arrows from RedShirt archers is merely TheWorfBarrage since such small projectiles [[JustifiedTrope cannot hope to reach their internal organs]]. If it's Guts, on the other hand, he might be able to at least shoot them in the eyes for significant damage. As for how our heroes fare, Guts is usually able to dodge volleys of arrows or use a dead mook as a BulletProofHumanShield. In the anime version of the Hundred Man Fight he even deflects some incoming arrows by a mere swish of his cape: "[[WebVideo/BerserkAbridged And now, just in case you had any faith left in humanity]]...[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyujnxaMYs#t=4m30s know that someone, somewhere, thought that THIS made sense]]". The ''Golden Age'' movies also have some instances of heroes like Casca swatting away arrows with their swords, and in later manga chapters Guts is able to use the incredibly broad flat of his BFS to shield himself. When a main character actually gets hit, the trope will usually apply in a [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] form. Guts gets hit in the hand during the Hundred Man Fight, and snaps it in two with the same hand in a show of bravado. That said, it prevents him from using it to grip his sword and he has to one-hand it for the rest of the fight. He is also significantly weakened by previous arrow wounds in his fight with the Holy Iron Chain Knights, contributing to his collapse and capture. Casca, who is not as much of a tank as Guts, gets hit with ''five'' crossbow bolts when the Hawks get ambushed by the Midland Army, which is treated as very serious since she was wearing no armor and they hit her mainly in the torso. She spends three days and nights in a comatose state near death, but miraculously she survives and makes a full recovery within a year.

* ArmorIsUseless: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-Zagged]] all over the place. In general, armor is a lot less protective against all weapons than it would be in reality, but it's still better than nothing and can sometimes save the life of the person wearing it, provided that their armor's good enough and they're somehow important to the plot. A [[PlotArmor plot important character]] is more likely to have their armor deflect or at least reduce the damage of a blow than any {{Mook}} or RedShirt soldiers, who tend to get shot or stabbed right through their armor even if they're wearing heavy full plate. In those cases projectiles such as arrows, bolts, and thrown weapons often deeply penetrate plate armor and helmets, even if they were fired from a relatively weak weapon or over a long range. On the other hand, characters are often shown making an effort to target the armor's weak points such as the eye slits and armpits. The characters who can reliably defeat armor outright tend to be unusually or superhumanly strong, such as [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower Guts]] and some of the [[GiantMook Giant Mooks]] he faces. The fact that enemies always gawk at Guts' [[{{BFS}} Dragonslayer]] and ability to cut fully armored men [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe in half]] shows that this is rare in-universe and beyond the abilities of most. Chapter 330 shows that without being able to use his full strength or his [[{{BFS}} giant sword]], Guts has to use some [[CombatPragmatist unorthodox technique]] to defeat a noble's son wearing top quality full plate armor, as he can't simply crack it open like usual. Apostles and other monsters are exempt from all of these rules, since they tend to be huge or strong enough that their ability to tear armor apart like tissue paper seems [[JustifiedTrope Justified]].

** When Guts tells Collette's father in volume 1 that he's being chased by a legion of evil spirits, he laughs and says that Guts is safe with him because he's a priest and has God on his side. The appearance of a frightening incubus that night shocks him and he asks if Guts was [[CassandraTruth being serious before]], but Guts points out his ArbitrarySkepticism by asking, [[ArmorPiercingQuestion "You're sayin' you believe in God, but not in evil spirits?]]"

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: When the King of Midland created the Black Dog Knights out of the kingdom's [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores worst convicts]], the sadistic Apostle Wyald successfully [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] the trope by persuading the King to make whoever proved himself the toughest the leader of the others. Wyald gave the only guy big enough to challenge him a CruelAndUnusualDeath, cowing the rest and giving the King no doubt about who was fit to lead. Subsequently [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in that Wyald has no qualification to lead besides being the strongest fighter, causing his men to die using LeeroyJenkins tactics and by killing anybody who annoys him.
* AttackAttackAttack: Guts' main combat strategy.

* BallroomBlitz: Happen at Farnese's father's ball when some [[OurMonstersAreWeird cute]] [[MegaNeko kitties]] sent by Emperor Ganishka come to [[{{Gorn}}entertain the guests.]]

* BarbieDollAnatomy: Zigzagged. Males are drawn without nipples in the manga and 1997 anime, while they ''do'' have them in the movies. Miura never draws penises or vaginas in the original manga as explicitly as you would see in uncensored ''[[{{Hentai}} hentai]]'' because of Japanese censorship laws, but BarbieDollAnatomy is only one of multiple techniques he uses. Puck is always naked but has no visible genitals. His female counterpart Ivalera...well, we don't know because she wears a dress. Various male characters including Guts and Griffith are drawn like Ken dolls at times, with shadows covering a noticeable lack of private parts. Women are sometimes drawn like Barbie dolls from a distance, whereas closer up he usually draws them with nipples but avoids detailing the pubic area. On the other hand, sometimes he draws male or female organs in silhouette instead of omitting them altogether, or suggests pubic hair with some subtle texturing. At one point in volume 18 he was even bold enough to draw Joachim explicitly penetrating Nina, albeit with very few lines and no shading. It's not entirely consistent by any means. There are parts featuring characters like Ken dolls next to relatively explicit MaleFrontalNudity in the same panel! The anime and the theatrical cut of the movies generally censor genitals more. The ''WebVideo/BerserkAbridged'' series parodies this with Gut's complaints about his lack of genitals in the anime, for which he [[RageAgainstTheAuthor beats up the character designer]].

** Actually anybody who tries to rape a girl in Guts presence tend to be [[BerserkButton this]].[[spoiler:He lost his cool and almost beheaded Farnese, while rescuing her from being raped by a possessed horse]].

** The ginormous sword comes with an additional advantage: durability. All the swords Guts used in the Golden Age arc broke at some point, usually in the middle of a battle. His last "normal" sword didn't even last thirty seconds because Guts' [[{{UnstoppableRage}} abused it so badly]] that it snapped like a twig.

* {{Bishonen}}: Griffith, Rickert, Adonis, Serpico, and Mule are some examples.

** Poor [[spoiler:Casca]].

* {{Bros Before Hoes}}: Casca played the bro when she initially chose Griffith over Guts after saving him from torture. [[MindRape It didn't end well]].

** [[DespairEventHorizon Despair]] and [[DealWithTheDevil what people are willing to give up to overcome it]].

* ColdBloodedTorture: This happens ''a lot''. [[{{Kick the Son of a Bitch}} Guts to the Apostles]], the Apostles to humans, Mozgus to everyone he encounters (because maybe they might have been having some heretical thoughts at some point in their lives), [[spoiler:the King of Midland to Griffith]], so on and so forth.

* ContentWarnings: Pretty regular with ''Berserk'' media, since the manga will most likely have shrink wrapping and parental advisory stickers wherever they are sold. Special mention, of course, goes to volume 13 of the manga, which has a ''very'' obvious advisory sticker over the depiction of [[spoiler:post rape and mutilated Guts and Casca]] on the cover, and the upcoming movie ''Descent'', which will receive the Japanese equivalent of an ''NC-17'' rating for "strong depictions of sexual activity." In fact, the theatrical release had to be ''edited down'' to an R-rating, since the original cut was considered too graphic to release to regular audiences. Alas, [[TakeOurWordForIt rumor has it]] that even the R-rated version was too much for some viewers to handle.

* CoversAlwaysLie: Volume seven depicts Guts with a shield. [[{{TheBerserker}} Guts never uses a shield.]]

* CutlassBetweenTheTeeth: Guts uses his teeth in order to use other weapons when he's incapable of using his own two hands, such as when he used his teeth to pull the trigger to his cannon arm when he was incapacitated by the Snake Baron. On some occasions such as the fight with the Count, he can even swing the frickin [[{{BFS}} Dragonslayer]] with his teeth when he has no other way to do it and a demon absolutely, positively needs to be cut in half. Ok, that is [[{{WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief}} just flat out impossible]], but [[{{RefugeInAudacity}} lets not think about it too much.]] It's Guts and he gets away with it. But you most definitely [[{{DontTryThisAtHome}} WILL NOT.]]

* ADayInTheLimelight: When Guts and the gang arrive in Vritannis, Isidro and Schierke get a side story in this fashion that is primarily used to [[ToyShip develop their relationship]] rather than add to the main story arc. That, and it served to introduce our next batch of {{Clingy Comedy Villain}}s.

* DepravedBisexual: [[spoiler:Griffith.]]
** If he does qualify for this trope, then it would be the milder variety where he uses sex as a means to manipulate others, be they [[spoiler:young princesses]] or [[spoiler:ugly, depraved old men--who happen to be very rich]].

* DeusAngstMachina: After [[spoiler:losing all his friends and 15% of his body in the Eclipse and having to watch helplessly while Femto raped Casca to the point of madness]] Guts understandably [[{{Freakout}} loses it]]. Ok, that was pretty bad. [[{{TemptingFate}} This must be the bottomline!]] Of course [[spoiler:the Skull Knight promptly arrives to inform Guts about the more unpleasant properties of his brand that will keep him from ever sleeping again and finally it is revealed that Casca was pregnant with Guts's child and the embryo was corrupted by Femto into a ghastly demon.]] And that's just the beginning...

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: The story about the ducks, black kite, and white hawk. Its a variation on the Ugly Duckling story, except the ‘ugly duckling’ is the bird of prey Black Kite. At first glance, it looks like the girl telling the story intends to portray herself as the black kite. When the ‘young owl’ is introduced, suddenly the black kite sounds like Guts. Add in the ‘princess duck’ and suddenly the black kite could be Casca (before the eclipse). Guts wasn’t present for the event that led to Griffith’s imprisonment, so the emotional component is likely Casca. Depending on how you interpret it, all three characters are the black kite: Guts, Casca, and the story teller.

* DysfunctionJunction: Often it seems like ''everybody'' in the CrapsackWorld of ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' has a [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic backstory]], painful family history, and/or severe mental health issues. Special mention goes to [[StarCrossedLovers Guts and Casca]] since the universe seems to have had it in for them and it ''really'' messed them up bad. Here are their problems:

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: A town is being bombarded by trolls that are ransacking their supplies and [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong procreating with their women]]. They need a RagtagBunchOfMisfits to save them now. But still... What can [[SmallAnnoyingCreature two faeries]], [[ObfuscatingStupidity a spineless guy]] [[EyesAlwaysShut who always has his eyes closed]], [[TheBigGuy a big]], [[DarkIsNotEvil scary-looking]] [[HandicappedBadass handicapped]] dude who carries around a [[{{BFS}} torpedo-sized sword]], [[GlassCannon a scrawny but powerful]] [[ChildMage kid]] [[CuteWitch witch]], TheLoad, a kid who's not even in the [[WrongGenreSavvy right show]], and a [[CuteMute mute chick]] who's oblivious to her own surroundings going to do about it? The town's predicament might be dire, but Guts' TrueCompanions are all just a bunch of '''[[LonersAreFreaks outsiders]]''' in the end.

* CentralTheme: [[DespairEventHorizon Despair]] and [[DealWithTheDevil what people are willing to give up to overcome it]].

* CosmicPlaything: *FacePalm*. Okay. Where would you like to start? The part where Guts' life sucked even BEFORE he was born and how he narrowly escapes death every twenty-five minutes or how Casca has an invisible blinking sign that says "Rape me!" [[AllMenAreRapists to all men]] in a ten mile radius? Why even bother explaining it here? [[CrapsackWorld See below]].

* DarkFantasy: Part TheEpic, part {{Tragedy}}, part SurvivalHorror, ''Berserk'' is the DarkerAndEdgier side of fantasy, with most of the genre's aspects such as politics, religion, magic, and the protagonist getting a cynical treatment. A KnightInSourArmor AntiHero searches for revenge and/or redemption in a CrapsackWorld and fights sickeningly frightening demons along the way. Constant instances of human cruelty lend to the tone of the work. HumansAreBastards, AllMenAreRapists, and AristocratsAreEvil are in full effect. The church is either a CorruptChurch or PathOfInspiration (details of its founding are unclear) but regardless, watch out for the KnightTemplar [[ChurchPolice Inquisition]]. TheMagicComesBack is portrayed as almost certainly a bad thing, as the only deity shown to be active in the world is a GodOfEvil. (More benevolent godlike beings are mentioned, but haven't shown up to help out.) The MessianicArchetype is a mass murderer and a rapist. And so on. [[spoiler:The kicker? According to a now partially decanonized chapter that was removed for spoiling too much, said GodOfEvil and its demons are merely the answer to humanity's desire for something to be responsible for their suffering (as opposed to it being random and meaningless). The Idea of Evil only exists because, in a truly warped way, people ''need'' it to exist.]]

* AllMenAreRapists: Outside of the Band of the Hawk, it feels sometimes like three out of every five guys will try to rape Casca. Male decency is in short supply.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: The sword Godo offers to Guts after the Eclipse, capable of cleanly cutting through the blade of another sword and the tip of an anvil in a single swing. A merely ordinary sized sword of exceptional sharpness doesn't suit Guts' style though. [[WreckedWeapon It doesn't last a single fight]]. {{Inverted}} with the {{BFS}} Guts chooses to replace it, the Dragonslayer, which is often called out as absurdly ''dull''. It can still cut people in half, but that's because of its sheer mass and Guts able to swing it with great speed and momentum.

** Guts' fight against Grunbeld slightly later is also much like Guts' first fight with Zodd, where he is facing a demonic BloodKnight who promises to destroy him if he does not put up a good fight. The way that he praises Guts after he succeeds in cutting his shoulder, and then transforms in a cloud of mist, is almost exactly the same.

* ClaspYourHandsIfYouDeceive: The jerkwad aristocrats who hate Griffith's peasant guts love doing this in their [[EvilIsNotWellLit dark, shady headquarters]] of cunning-ness. Yes, [[SarcasmMode clasping your hands at your eventual downfall always assures your victory.]]

** In the Fantasia Arc here's a shot of Guts sitting on the railing of the seahorse and staring out into the distance that's very reminiscent of the pose in which Judeau found him brooding on the battlements on the night of his first raid with the Hawks.

* CanonDisContinuity: Chapter 83, in which [[spoiler:Griffith meets The Idea Of Evil]], has been removed from all printings by request of the author on the basis that it gave away too much of the plot too soon. In this case, it might be only temporary.

* CardCarryingVillain: The Godhands have one goal in their eternal lives: making humanity as miserable as possible. They take their job [[{{Deconstruction}} VERY seriously]] and gleefully go to unimaginable extremes to turn the world of Midland into a living hell.
** Even better, [[spoiler:the Idea Of Evil itself presents itself to Griffith with its very name when they meet]].

* ChildOfRape: [[spoiler:Rosine]]'s mother was raped by soldiers when their village was attacked, and her father believed she was not his child. Downplayed with The Child, whose father according to the Skull Knight was [[spoiler:actually Guts]], but who was TouchedByVorlons due to its mother being raped while pregnant. In addition, many of the monsters throughout the series such as the Dakka and the Trolls reproduce through the rape of human women.

** However, it is a horrific Zigzag when it comes to the Godhand and the Apostles, This trope his what gives them power in the first place, as in order to ascend to an Apostle, you have to sacrifice someone/thing you care about, and it is implied the more you care the stronger you will become, The Eclipse showed that Griffith really did actually care about the Hawks, by him being able to sacrifice each and everyone of them to become a Godhand.

* BadDreams: Guts is tormented by bad dreams related to the events he's suffered, [[FlashbackNightmare first due to his childhood trauma]], and then after the events of the Eclipse. What's worse is when people, specifically Puck and Schierke, go into Guts' inner memories, they are bombarded with horrific images of the Eclipse. Also, in ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheBerserkGutsRage'', when [[spoiler:Casca briefly regains her sanity, she said that she was having bad dreams.]]

* BlackAndGreyMorality: In the world of ''Berserk'', most people are either a monster (literally), have been turned into bastards by the horror of their world, or make themselves bastards in order to survive. There are some genuinely nice people around, but you have to look harder for them.

* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: The scene where the Hawks are on the border of Midland after the Griffith rescue operation. It is actually their DarkestHour moment and the scene is very much dramatic because of this since it's building up to the much more dramatic ending [[spoiler:[[{{Foreshadowing}} such as when Griffith desperately threw himself upon Casca,]] [[BrosBeforeHoes and Casca resolving that she couldn't leave with Guts]]]]. However, there are still softer moments, such as Guts and Casca reassuring each other that they want to be there for each other as friends and as lovers, when the Raiders tell Guts that they are willing to follow him wherever he goes, and Judeau telling Guts to be with Casca no matter what. These moments reinforce the theme of friendship and the bond that the Hawks have with each other; thus, reassuring that [[{{Tearjerker}} our eyes weren't going to dry anytime soon]] after watching the [[DownerEnding final three episodes.]]

* DownerEnding: The Golden Age Arc in the manga, and by extension the anime and movie trilogy which adapt it, come to a totally depressing ending. [[spoiler:Griffith, who is completely broken from a year of being put to the torture and who has pretty much lost everything worth living for, uses his Crimson Behelit to call forth the Godhand on the day of the Eclipse, resulting in Guts and all of his friends being transported to Hell. There, the Godhand, the Big Bads of the setting, reveal the true nature of demons and persuade Griffith to sacrifice the Hawks in exchange for becoming their fifth member. Griffith accepts their Deal with the Devil, everyone gets marked with the Brand of Sacrifice, and carnage ensues as everyone is picked off one by one by a whole mess of things out of pure nightmare until only Guts and Casca are left. Then Guts' left arm gets caught in a demon's jaws as he tries to save Casca from the demons, and as he tries to free himself, Griffith is reborn as a demonic god known as Femto, who begins to rape Casca in front of Guts. Guts is forced to chisel off his arm with what's left of his sword in order to save her, only to be trapped again by more monsters and is forced to watch as Femto rapes Casca right in front of him as his right eye is clawed out. The only reason either of them survive is that the Skull Knight swoops in to save them and Zodd decides to throw them a bone, but when Guts wakes up he finds that Casca was driven to insanity and all of his precious comrades are dead. On top of that, Casca gives birth to their son, tainted by Femto's seed, and both of them are branded as sacrifices so that they will never be safe again.]] While the manga and to some extent the movies leave some hope for the future as the story will continue, the way the anime leaves off is particularly stark.

* BigThinShortTrio: In their own circle, Pippin is the huge guy, Corkus is the skinny guy, and Judeau/Rickert are the short guys. Guts, Griffith, and Casca have their own dynamic.

* BitchSlap: Doubles as a ArmorPiercingSlap as well. But after Rickert realizes that Guts was right about all the shit Griffith pulled, he angrily slaps him over the atrocities he committed for the sake of his ambitions. Regardless of how graceful he may be, that is still something that will leave a mark on his ego.