The Berserk reading order is simple in theory — start at volume 1 and read straight through, no spin-offs required — but the manga’s five-arc structure and its ongoing post-Kentaro Miura continuation trip up a lot of new readers trying to figure out where the story actually stands right now.
Berserk Reading Order: It’s One Continuous Story
Unlike a lot of long-running manga, Berserk doesn’t have prequels, side-stories, or alternate continuities you need to track down. It’s a single series that’s been running since 1989, and every English volume released so far slots into one of five arcs:
| Arc | Volumes | What It’s About |
|---|---|---|
| Black Swordsman | 1–3 | Guts, alone, hunting demons years after the story’s darkest event — the series’ framing device. |
| Golden Age | 3–14 | A flashback covering how Guts joined the Band of the Hawk and everything that led to the Eclipse. |
| Conviction | 14–21 | Guts, scarred by the Eclipse, gets pulled into a religious war while hunting for Griffith. |
| Millennium Falcon | 22–35 | The longest arc: Guts assembles a new crew and the story’s scope expands into full-blown dark fantasy. |
| Fantasia | 35–43+ | The current, ongoing arc, now being written by Studio Gaga following Miura’s death in 2021. |
That’s the entire reading order: volume 1, then keep going. The only real decision is which physical edition to buy.
Standard Volumes vs. Deluxe Editions
Dark Horse sells Berserk two ways. The standard paperbacks are the original, smaller-format volumes and the cheapest entry point. The Deluxe Editions are oversized hardcovers that bundle three standard volumes into one book, with cleaner reproduction and better paper. As of 2026 there are 14 Deluxe volumes covering roughly the first 41 standard volumes. If you’re buying the whole series at once, Deluxe is the better long-term investment; if you just want to see whether Berserk is for you, grab volume 1 in standard format first — it’s a fraction of the price of a Deluxe hardcover.
Where the Story Actually Stands in 2026
This is the part most reading-order guides get out of date on fastest. Kentaro Miura died in 2021 with Berserk unfinished, and for a while it wasn’t clear the series would continue at all. It did: his studio, Studio Gaga, is now writing and drawing the Fantasia arc under the supervision of Miura’s close friend Kouji Mori, specifically to keep the story faithful to Miura’s original plans rather than reinventing it.
The next English volume, Volume 43, collecting chapters 374 through 382, is confirmed for release on October 27, 2026 from Dark Horse — making this one of the few moments in the last several years where a concrete release date exists for new English Berserk. Volume 44 has already been confirmed in Japan for 2027, though, true to the series’ history, an English release date for that one hasn’t been set yet. If a reading-order guide you’re looking at doesn’t mention Studio Gaga or a 2026 volume, it was written before the continuation resumed in earnest and its “current status” section is stale.
Should You Watch the Anime Instead? (Watch This Order, Skip One Entirely)
Berserk has three separate anime attempts, and they are not equally good — this trips up more new fans than the manga’s reading order does. Start with the 1997 series (25 episodes): it’s the fan-favorite adaptation of the Golden Age arc, well animated for its era, though it compresses some early material. The 2012–2013 Golden Age Arc film trilogy covers the same ground with a more faithful script and gorier detail, if you’d rather watch three movies than 25 episodes; the 2022 Memorial Edition re-release doesn’t add any new story, just improved scenes.
The 2016–2017 series is the one to be careful with. It’s the only anime adaptation that pushes past the Golden Age into later arcs, so it’s the only anime way to see more story — but it’s notorious for rough, early-3D-era animation that a lot of longtime fans consider close to unwatchable. Go in expecting a worse-looking show in exchange for more plot, not a worthy sequel to the 1997 series’ visuals.
Sources: CBR’s report on the Volume 43 release date and Wikipedia’s Berserk overview were used to confirm the arc breakdown and continuation status above.
If dark, seinen-leaning stories are what you’re after, our shonen vs. seinen explainer breaks down why Berserk sits firmly in seinen territory, and if you want another long-running series with a similarly dense watch order, see our Attack on Titan watch order guide. For more manga you can start today, check our JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure watch order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read anything before Berserk volume 1?
No. Berserk has no prequels or companion series — volume 1 is the correct starting point, and the story is told as one continuous narrative from there.
Is Berserk still being made after Kentaro Miura’s death?
Yes. Miura died in 2021, but his studio, Studio Gaga, resumed the series under the supervision of his friend Kouji Mori. Volume 43 (chapters 374–382) is confirmed for English release on October 27, 2026.
What’s the difference between the standard and Deluxe editions?
Standard volumes are the original smaller paperbacks and the cheapest way in. Deluxe Editions are oversized hardcovers that each collect three standard volumes with improved reproduction — better for a long-term collection, pricier as a first taste of the series.
Which Berserk anime should I watch first?
The 1997 series or the 2012–2013 Golden Age Arc films, in either order — both cover the same story. The 2016–2017 series covers more plot but is widely considered a significant animation downgrade; watch it only if you want to see the story continue past the Golden Age in anime form.
