Despite the poor performance of the previous two seasons, a large number of fans are still expecting to watch Berserk Season 3. Well, luckily for them, chances for the renewal of the popular anime are pretty high as of now. The latest anime adaptation of 1988’s world-famous manga series debuted back in 2016. It continues the plot of Berserk’s 1997 anime TV series and 2012’s anime film trilogy.
The animated adaptations of Berserk went on a long hiatus since the end of 1997’s anime series. The franchise returned with a film trilogy in 2012 that covered the Golden Age Arc of the story. A few years later, the productions of the show shifted to Liden Films alongside GEMBA and Millepensee studios. The studios handled the productions of the first two seasons of the second anime series. As of now, fans are anticipating a third run for the anime. Will it ever come out? Here’s everything to know.
What Went Wrong With Berserk 2016 & 2017?
Both the seasons of the latest anime series received heavy criticism from Berserk fans around the globe. The first episode of 2016’s show was a big surprise for manga readers. The animation style turned out to be an understatement, and its visuals were lazy and ineffective.
Animation studio GEMBA and show producer Tetsuro Satomi went with 3D computer graphics for the animation. Besides, anime director Shin Itagaki insisted on replicating the heavy details of the manga art alongside a 3D/2D hybrid. However, neither of the production companies involved could catch up with the high quality in only the provided amount of time.
The production ended up facing a variety of technical issues that resulted in low-quality animations. Sadly, the end product turned out to be disappointing for most fans of the Berserk franchise. Fortunately, the final scene of the second season was entirely done using 2D animation. This hints that Gemba may finally drop the 3D animation in Berserk Season 3 and produce them the way viewers want.
Will ‘Berserk Season 3’ Ever Come Out?
The animations of the iconic show are about to improve from this season ahead. After the 2D finale scene, Gemba ended the installment saying, “The story continues…” Hence, it’s pretty clear that the production studio is positive about the third season. In fact, the producers might already be preparing for the upcoming episodes.
The story of the second installment ended halfway through the Falcon of the Millenium Empire story arc. Chances suggest that Berserk Season 3 might continue the plot thereafter.
On the other hand, it’s important to mention that despite the heavy criticism, both the installments of the latest anime adaptation turned out to be profitable for its producers. The first two installments of the show were both successful, with a high viewership counts. In fact, they also helped in selling quite a large number of manga volumes. Considering that Berserk Season 3 may have 2D animations, it may turn out to be twice as profitable for the company. Besides, GEMBA would not let go of such an opportunity.
Is There Enough Source Material?
Fortunately, the producers of the 2016 anime series have plenty of source material left to cover in Berserk Season 3. The 2012 film trilogy continued the plot after the 1997 anime TV series and adapted 11 manga volumes of the Golden Age Arc. Back in 2016, the second anime series of the franchise debuted as a sequel to the anime film trilogy. Season 1 of the show skipped the Lost Children arc and jumped straight into the Conviction story arc. It started with Chapter 95 in Volume 14 and concluded with Chapter 176 of Volume 21.
The second installment of controversial anime began telling the Falcon of the Millenium Empire story arc of the manga. It covered the plot of Chapter 177 (Volume 22) through Chapter 307 (Volume 25). However, the anime ended up skipping several manga chapters in between.
As of now, anime series fans are still halfway through the Falcon of the Millenium Empire Story arc. Hence, it’s highly likely that Berserk Season 3 may complete the remaining 57 chapters in the story arc. Later on, it may begin the Fantasia arc as well. Fortunately, aside from the third season, there enough source material left to create a fourth installment. The manga series is still in the run and may leave room for more anime content in the future.
When Will ‘Berserk Season 3’ Release?
As of now, Liden Films, Gemba, and neither of the companies related to the production of the anime have confirmed the renewal of Berserk Season 3. However, it’s highly possible that the green flag may arrive at our doors anytime soon. The third installment may then take at least a year or two for productions. Yet, any latest episodes may not premiere earlier than 2021 or 2022. Don’t worry! We promise to keep you updated as soon as the news comes out.
Do you want another season of the anime? Will Berserk Season 3 be better with 2D animations? Share with us in the comments below.