The Music of the Dark World - BERSERK Original Soundtrack
With the news of the newest Berserk volume, the first under Kouji Mori due to Miura's tragic passing scheduled to be released in September, now is the perfect time to reread the manga and rewatch the anime.
While nothing can quite compete against the manga, there is one thing that the manga will never have that the anime does; a golden soundtrack.
The BERSERK Original Soundtrack was made by legendary musician Susumu Hirasawa, for the 1997 Berserk anime. For those who don't know, Susumu Hirasawa is one of Japan's most influential musicians/composers, known for his experimental/art pop sounds. At the age of 69, he still performs some of the most insane live performances you'll see, along with otherworldly technology. In fact, he goes by the nickname "Shishō", which means master. Real boss vibes. He also had a few songs for the new 2022 Berserk anime as well.
If you take a look at the live performance of "Forces", you can see some of the instruments that Susumu uses look like they are from the year 3023. What also surprises people is his voice, which almost sounds like an entire chorus. It definitely doesn't sound like it's coming from a 69-year-old man, his lungs must be something else.
The result of fusing Hirasawa's experimental world with Miura's dark fantasy world is something we've never heard before. The soundtrack perfectly blends the best of the two artists, elevating the anime to another level. While the manga is hard to top, the anime offers a totally different Berserk experience worth watching.
Susumu is also known for composing the soundtrack to other anime & movies like Paprika by Satoshi Kon, and for being a member of iconic groups like P-MODEL. In fact, the AMV below for "Forces" is directed by Satoshi Kon himself. Be sure to check out his other works as well, they are all experiences of their own. RIP to Miura & Kon.
