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Young Animal Magazine: No Information to Share on Berserk Manga's Future

This year's 18th issue of Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine published a statement from the magazine's editorial staff in both Japanese and English on Friday, stating that there is "no information to share about the future" of Kentarō Miura's Berserk manga "at this time." The statement added that the staff's priority will "always be placed on him — what he would think if he were still with us."

The magazine published the 364th chapter of the manga as well, with the statement noting that the chapter is Miura's last work, with members of Miura's Studio Gaga working to finish the manuscript of the chapter. The cover of the issue features an ink sketch by Miura, and is a "memorial" issue to Miura. The issue also contains a special "Messages to Kentarō Miura" booklet and a poster of "famous scenes" from the manga.

The editorial staff at Young Animal added in the statement they had read all the letters from Japan and oversees and are grateful to the fans.

The manga's 41st compiled book volume will ship on December 24. The release will come in both regular and special editions, the latter of which will include special canvas art (seen right) and a drama CD. Miura drew the canvas art that will adorn the special edition of the 41st volume, and it also serves as the key visual for the Berserk art exhibit that also opened this Friday in Tokyo's Sunshine City. The drama CD will feature the return of the anime's cast, and portray the manga's key "Awakening" chapter, which has never been seen in any of the manga's anime adaptations. Makoto Fukami will also return to pen the drama CD's script.

Miura passed away on May 6 due to acute aortic dissection. He was 54. Since the announcement of Miura's passing, creators in Japan and throughout the world have offered their condolences.

The Berserk manga follows Guts, a superhumanly strong warrior who wields a large sword, as he wanders a dark medieval world filled with demons, corrupt and decadent nobles, and other horrors. Every night, he is assailed by demons, attracted to the curse branded on him after a traumatic event. He makes his way through the world on a quest to slay a former friend turned demon, who took everything away from him.

Miura published the one-shot version of the Berserk manga in Hakusensha's Monthly Comicomi magazine in 1988. He launched the full Berserk manga series in Hakusensha's Monthly Animal House magazine in 1989, and the series continued in Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine until now. The series has over 40 million copies in circulation. Hakusensha published the manga's 40th volume in Japan on September 28, 2018. Dark Horse Comics published the same volume in North America on October 8, 2019. Dark Horse Comics began reprinting the manga in the deluxe hardcover editions in February 2019. Each volume features three normal compiled volumes of the manga.

The manga inspired a television anime series in 1997, as well as an anime film trilogy from 2012 to 2013. Another television anime series premiered in Japan in July 2016, and the second half of the new series premiered in April 2017.

Source: Young Animal issue 18