The series was produced by Nippon Television and VAP, and animated by Oriental Light and Magic (OLM) — better known today as the studio behind Pokémon . It was directed by Naohito Takahashi , with scripts penned by Yasuhiro Imagawa. The series originally aired in Japan from October 1997 to April 1998.
Then there is the opening theme, Tell Me Why by Penpals. For English-speaking millennials, this is the ultimate nostalgia trigger. Despite the band's heavy accent and the upbeat J-rock tempo, the lyrics ("Tell me why... the reason I'm breathing / I don't wanna lose my fantasy") perfectly foreshadow the tragedy. The juxtaposition of a catchy rock song over montages of medieval slaughter is pure 90s alchemy. berserk -1997-
It is impossible to discuss the legacy of Berserk (1997) without highlighting its soundtrack, composed by the visionary electronic musician Susumu Hirasawa. Standard dark fantasy tropes dictate a score filled with sweeping orchestral arrangements, heavy gothic choirs, or aggressive heavy metal. Hirasawa rejected these conventions entirely. The series was produced by Nippon Television and
Unlike modern dark fantasy stories that prioritize rapid world-building, Berserk -1997- functions primarily as a deeply personal, slow-burn character tragedy. Then there is the opening theme, Tell Me Why by Penpals
The 1997 anime adaptation, produced by OVA (Original Video Animation), consists of 25 episodes and closely follows the early story arcs of the manga. The series features a talented voice cast, including Nobutoshi Kihara as Guts and Tessho Genda as Griffith. The anime's dark fantasy setting, coupled with its explicit violence and mature themes, made it a notable departure from more traditional anime fare at the time of its release.