Dark Souls is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the greatest and most influential video games of all time. The gaming industry was completely rocked to its core with the release of this groundbreaking game, which combined all the facets of old-school gaming with modern nuances to craft a unique experience unlike anything ever seen before. Miyazaki absolutely burst onto the scene with the release of this title and has never stopped crafting amazing titles ever since.
For a game as influential as Dark Souls, it’s certainly quite hard to imagine that this game wasn’t completely crafted from the ground up purely from the brilliant mind of its director. However, Miyazaki was an avid reader and a huge fan of dark fantasy work, and this shows in the rich and detailed world of Dark Souls.
Berserk was especially beloved by Miyazaki, and he has made a ton of references to this iconic manga in Dark Souls. Here are the coolest references to Berserk in Dark Souls.
Updated on February 26th, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: In addition to the sinister and unique enemies found in both universes, there are items, armor, and equipment in Dark Souls that were clearly inspired by the equivalents in the Berserk manga. Miyazaki is apparently a huge fan of Berserk‘s protagonist, Guts, as there are weapons in the games that are almost carbon copies of the armaments the Black Swordsman uses in the legendary manga as well as numerous other references.
13 The Brand Of Sacrifice Is Reborn As The Darksign
In Berserk, the Brand of Sacrifice appears on the bodies of those destined to meet a dark fate. Those who have this mark seared into their flesh by supernatural means will one day become an apostle, or possibly a member of the hellish and powerful group known as the God Hand. Those with the Brand of Sacrifice will one day transcend their humanity, leaving it behind, in order to become a powerful creature of darkness.
Many of these traits are seen in the Darksign; an easily recognizable symbol from the Dark Souls games. In-game, they act as an item, though they are also a brand permanently affixed to the player’s skin. When used, one can teleport back to the nearest bonfire, though at the cost of all humanity and all souls. That the Darksign strips players of their humanity, and appears on their bodies, are undeniable parallels to the Brand of Sacrifice’s function.
12 Rapidfire Crossbows Appear In Both Universes Multiple Times
Not only does Guts possess an incredibly fast-action crossbow on his arm but similar weapons appear in other parts of the manga, like when Ricket uses a turret-like one on his way to Falconia. The manga’s author, Kentaro Miura, seems to love this kind of weapon, and who can blame him? They’re very cool and deadly in equal parts.
FromSoftware‘s director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is definitely also a fan of this technology, as repeating crossbows appear multiple times in the Dark Souls trilogy as well, though most notably in the boss fight with Slave Knight Gael. This aged warrior is yet another reference to Guts as he wields both a greatsword in his main hand in addition to an insanely fast crossbow in his offhand.
11 Guts’ Dragon Slayer Looks The Same As The Greatsword From Dark Souls 3
From the huge, thick blade of black metal to the lack of a crossguard and the identical handles with cubic pommels, Guts’ tremendous weapon from the manga, named Dragon Slayer, has been faithfully recreated as the simply named Greatsword in Dark Souls 3.
The Dragon Slayer was made by the blacksmith Godot when his liege lord requested that he make a sword that could slay a dragon. Godot took the job seriously and forged just such a blade, though one that almost no one could even pick up, let alone wield. The Greatsword’s item description in Dark Souls 3 references this, in that it says that this ultra greatsword “tested the true limits of human strength”.
10 The Wheel Skeletons Are Easily The Most Obvious Reference
One of the more well-known references to Berserk in Dark Souls can be seen in the design of the Wheel Skeletons, who are widely considered to be one of the most annoying enemies in the entire game.
These enemies are certainly inspired by the Wheel Skeletons in Berserk, so if you wish to curse anyone for the existence of these enemies, then don’t put the blame on Miyazaki. Instead, point your finger at Kentaro Miura.
9 The Red Eye Orb And Crimson Behelit Look Eerily Similar
The Crimson Behelit is an important item in the universe of Berserk, so it was only a given that this would also be referenced in the world of Dark Souls as well.
This item resembles the Red Eye Orb in Dark Souls, a pivotal item that one can collect throughout the game and utilize to engage in PVP invasions.
8 Nosferatu Zodd Gets A Nod In The Form Of The Taurus Demon
Nosferatu Zodd is an iconic apostle in Berserk, and Miyazaki certainly didn’t exclude this important figure while paying homage to one of his favorite dark fantasy series.
One can see a ton of similarities between the design of the Taurus Demon and Nosferatu Zodd, which is quite an interesting nod to Berserk indeed.
7 The Man-Serpents Look Similar To The Snake Lord
The Man-Serpents in Sen’s Fortress are among the more iconic enemies in the series and can pose a significant challenge during the player’s ascent of this trap-ridden area.
These enemies share a resemblance to the Snake Lord, who just so happens to be another important apostle in Berserk.
6 Pinwheel’s Design Is Clearly Inspired By The Deific Image
Of course, the normal enemies in Dark Souls aren’t the only figures that have been inspired by Berserk’s apostles — many bosses in the series have also referenced the Berserk series in one way or another. One such boss is Pinwheel, who is widely considered by many to be the weakest boss in the entire series.
In Berserk, Luca stumbles upon the Deific Image when he accidentally ventures into the Egg apostle’s den. This location is full of candles, and the Deific Image is quite horrifying — basically being an unholy fusion of numerous priests in the worst manner possible.
Meanwhile, Pinwheel is a fusion of three people, who is encountered in a place full of candles and bears a heavy resemblance to the design of the Deific Image. This inspiration is pretty clear after looking at all the similarities.
5 The Moonlight Butterfly Boss Fight Is A Homage To Rosine
The second boss fight that references an apostle is the Moonlight Butterfly. While this boss is widely reviled as one of the worst bosses in the game, there’s no denying that the apostle it’s inspired from in Berserk is quite awesome indeed.
This apostle takes on the form of a giant moth, which is somewhat similar-looking to the Moonlight Butterfly.
4 Ornstein And Smough Are Inspired By Two Unnamed Apostles
On his way to defeat Rosine, Guts is attacked by two unnamed insectoid apostles. One apostle is large and powerful, while another is small and agile. This makes it hard for Guts to deal with these two combatants, making for a rather entertaining battle indeed.
It doesn’t take an expert to state that these two apostles share an uncanny resemblance to Ornstein and Smough when it comes to how their combat styles perfectly complement each other.
3 Andre Of Astora Is An Obvious Reference To Godo
The aging blacksmith who helps the main character in their quest is a common trope seen across most fantasy works. In fact, this trope is present in both Berserk and Dark Souls, with the latter being very much inspired by the former.
Berserk has Godo while Dark Souls has the similar-looking Andre Of Astora. It’s a neat little touch that pays further homage to Berserk.
2 Siegmeyer’s Armor Looks Like The Same As Basuzo’s
Basuzo is a brash antagonist in Berserk with a rather unique set of armor. He poses a significant challenge to Guts before the latter finally manages to bring this beast down.
In contrast, Siegmeyer is a rather jovial knight who has become a legendary character in the fandom. His personality is the complete opposite of Basuzo’s, even though their armor is remarkably similar.
1 Artorias’ Pose Is Reminiscent Of Guts In His Berserker Armor
Perhaps the coolest nod to Berserk in Dark Souls comes from one of the coolest characters and definitely one of the best bosses in the series.
Artorias the Abysswalker has one of the most tragic stories in Dark Souls, even though the manner in which he’s introduced to fans for the first time is quite awe-inspiring and not indicative of his backstory at all.
What makes this iconic piece of artwork more amazing is the fact that it’s an excellent tribute to the artwork of Berserk‘s Volume 28, where Guts is perched in a similar position while wearing the Berserker Armor.
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