Re-watched the 1997 adaptation of Berserk after about eight or so years. Didn't appreciate before how much we learn about Guts, Griffith and Casca through their actions and silent expressions. Usually in anime we get access into the minds of characters and are explicitly told who they were, who they are, what they stand for rather than just being shown all of this through how they carry themselves in different situations.
Guts would never admit that he was scared when fighting Zodd for the first time. You can confirm that fear when his body starts shivering, face breaks out in nervous sweat, teeth are clenched and eyebrows raised. He doesn't need to say that he fears death for us to know it, and that fear of his mortality is part of what separates him from being a monster. When Guts assassinated Julius and Adonis he doesn't say a word in the aftermath yet you can see how badly shook he is from having murdered a father and son that reminds of himself and Gambino. That trauma leads to him leaving the band of the hawk to find his own vision rather than following Griffith's blindly.
When Guts leaves the BOTH Griffith pretty much devolves into a sack of shyt. Didn't need to deliver a ten minute monologue to say that his ambition was supported by Guts and broken without him. It's telling that Griffith is chained with Guts gone, freed when he returns and soon afterwards throws himself onto Casca to manipulate the two into staying by his side. Foreshadows what happens in the eclipse and emphasizes his desire for control at the expense of all that surround him.
Guts sitting isolated with his sword away from everyone, the way he looks at Casca pre leaving the BOTH, Griffith's unspoken control over Casca, Guts not wanting to be touched, the strong homoerotic overtones from Griffith towards Guts, all of this is communicated through action and expression and not verbally to the benefit of the characterization. Great adaptation, even with the TV censorship of certain details and cutting of material for time restraints. Reminded me of why Berserk is one of the GOAT narratives anime, manga or otherwise.
and when your best running new Shonens are MHA and Black Clover then you holding a massive L whether you know it or not
there's no legit billiards/pool shooting anime.
. piffffff!!
