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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5952
EAN num: 9781593072520
ISBN number: 159307252X
Label: Dark Horse Books/Digital Manga Publishing
Manufacturer: Dark Horse Books/Digital Manga Publishing
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 224
Printing Date: February 02, 2005
Publishing house: Dark Horse Books/Digital Manga Publishing
Sale Popularity Level: 256477
Studio: Dark Horse Books/Digital Manga Publishing
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Back in the day, Guts the Black Swordsman was a top slayer for The Band of the Hawk, an elite mercenary unit led by Griffith, whose calm demeanor and callow beauty belied his fighting prowess and steel will. While in a king's employ, the attraction between the king's daughter and Griffith and the growing favor of the king towards the Hawk leader raises the hackles of the king's jealous son, who plots to have Griffith summarily assassinated. But if the plot fails, the king's son will likely have to deal with Guts and his titanic broadsword, and the results of such confrontations are rarely pretty... or easy to clean up.
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Rated by buyers -
This is a volume that differs considerably from what the series has presented so far. The level of violence and gore drops drastically, and the action is limited to a mission in which Guts acts as a secret assassin and one short battle. This will probably disappoint some people, but on the other hand, those that want to know more about the characters and understand them better, will be greatly rewarded. This is definitely the volume with the highest contribution to the backbone of the story.
The majority of the events have to do with court politics and the conspiracies that arise when Griffith is named knight. General Julius hates the leader of the Hawks, and is willing to do whatever is necessary to stop him. This character is straightforward and open in his emotions, but we also find Minister Foss, a Machiavellian character that shows his proficient handling of politics and covert aggressiveness.
Other interesting elements of the story have to do with the relationship between Guts and Griffith and also some revelations about Casca's past. More specifically, there is a conversation between Griffith and Princess Charlotte, overheard by Gust and Casca, which provides the reader and the characters with crucial insights into the psyche of Griffith. This in turn serves as a catalyst for Guts to start thinking about his purpose in life.
This volume definitely has a slower pace and I would say that it introduces an element of philosophy that was only marginally present until now. Nevertheless, I believe that it serves an important purpose in the overall story, and therefore, will be appreciated by hardcore fans.
Rated by buyers 
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In many ways, this manga is killing itself. Don't get me wrong, I love both the Berserk anime and the manga, but in both of them there was a point when everything seemed to slow so much that it was difficult to continue. And it hit this wall at the same time in the manga as the anime. That is during all of the political intrigue and assassinations. Though yes, it adds somewhat to the characters of Guts and Griffith, it's still a severe change of pace from what it had been, and that was a series of tense, bloody battles with both man and beast with Guts or the Band of the Hawk always escaping victorious. Where at one time the volumes of this manga were filled with page after page of sparse dialogue, now the characters actually carry real conversations. Some may say this is good, and so I had thought it would be, but you can still feel the sudden change of pace while reading these moments.
Despite all of that, however, this is actually a brief moment that ends during this very volume, though very late into it to be sure. Guts and company get back to doing what they do best, and that is war. Luckily, I knew from seeing the anime that things heat up quickly after the political stuff passes. The promise of the future of this manga is brought back and, despite the setbacks I had (see my reviews of previous Berserk volumes) I know that this is still one of the best manga has to offer. I can't wait to buy the subsequent volumes.
Rated by buyers 
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Hmm... Let's see, where should I start. In volume 5 the drama and story begin to come together a lot more than in the previous volumes, so the tales unfolds at a much faster rate. The key moment in volume 5 is the confrontation with Nosferatu Zodd, who is a key character in the story. Pay close attention to the warning he gives Guts.
Okay now on to volume 6... Many things take place that cannot be missed out on if you wish to get into the ever-expanding world of Berserk. For one Guts is given an assassination endeavor by Griffith to kill General Julius, the brother of the king, and Guts learns of the Band of the Hawks past from Casca while they are lost behind enemy lines, but I won't explain how they got there or anything. Also, the MOST important moment in this book occurs when Griffith is having a normal conversation with Princess Charlotte, which our protagonist Guts overhears. This conversation sets the wheels of causality/fate in motion which sends Guts on a path other than the one he is currently seeking. He decides to do this to please Griffith. But in the end, it only leads to death, and the climax of the Band of the Hawk story Arc, beginning in Volume 12 and ending in 13/14.
Rated by buyers -
For those who have seen the Berserk television series, very little of the manga so far released has been much of a surprise. This, by no means, is a slight against the original author's work, just a testament to how closely the anime's producers followed the rich story.
Volume #6's events may already familiar to fans of the series, but just because they know what is going to happen, doesn't mean it loses its thrill. On the contrary, as I saw events beginning to converge on the climax I knew from the series, I began to get even more interested. The best episodes were those of the last half. The attempted assasination on Griffith, Guts' own assasination assignment, Griffith's courting of the Princess, and Casca's growing connection to Guts are all pivotal to the story.
There's a particular scene in the final chapters of the book when Guts is forced to take some liberties in order to save Casca's life that awakens him to her vulnerabilities. In turn, Casca finds her own piece of mind by confiding in him why she joined the Band of the Hawk.
Most of Guts' growth as a character is seen through action. The man isn't much of a thinker and understanding his quest for purpose (and, then, vengence) is dependent mainly on the reader's observations of the actions of Guts and those he cares for. To finally get some introspective thought from the man adds much to the overall picture of his life.
All in all, a great book... a great series, but be prepared. In the subsequent few volumes, things will come to a head. Men will die, characters you've grown to love may pay the ultimate price, and before one man can ascend to heights unimagined, great tragedy must befall him and those around him.
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