Manga fans know and love Berserk. This is one of the best period dramas consisting of 41 volumes. Kentaro Miura is the creator of the manga. Since in today’s article we will be talking about 25 manga like Berserk, let’s first take a look at the storyline and the themes that the manga deals with.
Berserk falls under the dark fantasy genre and follows a medieval European timeline. It revolves around a wandering mercenary called Guts. He is taken in by Griffith and his group called the Band Of The Hawk. Guts seldom thought about compassion or humility and was a brutal killing machine. However, things change when Griffith sacrifices his followers to a group of super-powerful demonic entities called the God Hand. This demonic event is called the Eclipse in which all the members of the Hawk are branded with demonic sigils. Griffith becomes a fifth member of the God Hand and gives up his humanity. Only Guts and his lover Casca survive the Eclipse. But Casca loses her memory and sanity due to the horrors of the Eclipse. What follows is the story of Guts trying to get revenge against Griffith and his adventures as he sets out to hunt the archdemons.
So as we can see, Berserk deals with themes such as fantasy, adventures, friendships, bravery, etc. And we have found twenty-five manga that resembles the storyline and themes of Berserk. If you are a fan of Berserk then you should check out these mangas as well. You might just find them equally entertaining and captivating.
Blade of the Immortal
This manga requires no introduction. Hiroaki Samura is the creator of the manga which is based in the Edo era. Consisting of 30 volumes, Samurai Manji is the protagonist of this excellent period drama. He was a brutal samurai who murdered over 100 others including his sister’s husband. Due to his brutality, an 800-year-old nun named Yaobikuni turned him immortal with magical worms called bloodworms. They can heal any kind of wound, and even fix severed limbs.
However, after his sister’s death, Manji is heartbroken and does not want his immortality anymore. But to regain his mortality he has to kill 1000 evil men. On his quest, he meets Rin Asano who is also on a quest to avenge her parents’ death at the hands of Anotsu Kagehisa. Together they embark on a unique adventure full of mystery, suspense, and anticipation.
Claymore
Another excellent period drama written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi, Claymore has a huge fan base. The story takes place on a fictional island in the medieval era. The world is cohabitated by demonic entities called Yoma who prey on humans. But to protect the innocent humans from the Yomas, there is a special group of highly trained and skilled girls called Claymores. They carry a special sword that can kill Yomas easily.
The island has 47 divisions and each division has a designated Claymore. Now, the protagonist of the series is Claymore No. 47 or Clare. The story revolves around her heroic encounters with Yoma and other mysteries that are slowly revealed throughout the manga. You can check out Claymore online on Viz Media’s official site.
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Blade of the Phantom Master
Next comes a manga that describes the events of Korean folktales and history very accurately. Blade of the Phantom Master was created by Youn In-wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung-il. Keeping in mind the feudal period of Korea, the story begins with the destruction of Jushin’s meticulously designed and just legal system. Chaos reigns as the king have been killed and the kingdom has been broken up into many factions ruled by power-hungry warlords. In these trying times, the only remaining amheng osa, Munsu, is still true to his duties. We get to witness his adventures as he roams the countryside in order to punish the evil warlords. However, he has a secret intention and as the story progresses, the truth becomes even more clear.
GANTZ
This manga has probably one of the most interesting storylines. Hiroya Oku created this manga which is full of action and thrill. The story follows two high school students Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, who died in a train accident trying to save a homeless man. However, following their death they find themselves in an empty Tokyo apartment with several others. They are now part of Gantz. In this game, they have to fight several species of aliens and other monsters to gain points. Thus the story of the manga unfolds which follows Kurono and Kato as they navigate through the increasingly difficult levels of Gantz. We get to see unbelievable bonding between the two friends who fight to keep each other alive.
Übel Blatt
Another manga very similar to Berserk, it also comes under the genre of dark fantasy. Übel Blatt is created by Etorouji Shiono. The protagonist of the manga is Koinzell, a prodigious and skilled swordsman. A fight breaks out between the kingdom of Szaaland and the evil empire of Wischtech. To fight these evil entities, the king sends fourteen men armed with special lances blessed by him. Among these Fourteen Lances only seven return. They are treated as heroes. However, they say that three of their people were killed in battle and four became traitors and switched their loyalties. However, this is not true. Among the four now considered teachers, Koinzell is one. He sets out to avenge this situation and kill the seven who murdered and ambushed his companions.
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Vagabond
Another epic martial arts manga, Vagabond is also filled with action and adventures similar to Berserk. The story has been written by Takehiko Inoue. Vagabond is a story of self-discovery and the importance of the bonds that we share in life. The story takes place in Japan’s 1600s when Takezō Shinmen and Matahachi Hon’iden lie wounded on the battlefield following the great Battle of Sekigahara.
However, due to some turn of events, the two get separated. Takezō is shunned from his village due to his hostile and antisocial tendencies and the assumed death of Matahachi. He then decides to become the greatest samurai of all generations. Takezō changes his name to Musashi Miyamoto and thus begins the story of the legendary swordsman. You should check out this manga on Viz Media.
Hellsing
As the name suggests this is indeed the story of Van Helsing, the legendary vampire hunter. But with lots of twists and turns. The manga was created by Kouta Hirano. Hellsing deals with the story of the Royal Order of Protestant Knights established by Abraham Van Helsing with one purpose, and that was to kill all kinds of supernatural forces and keep the Queen and other people safe.
Currently, the duty of leading the organism falls on the shoulders of Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. She is the only living descendant of the family who became a strong-headed woman after witnessing her father’s death at a very young age. She is accompanied by their family butler Walter C. Dornez, and the oldest and most powerful vampires of all times, Alucard who swore loyalty to the Hellsing family. The story focuses on their adventures as they discover a secret organization threatening human existence and face the demons of their worst nightmare.
Kingdom
Next on the list comes another epic period manga filled with action. Kingdom is written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara. The story of the Kingdom focuses on two war orphans Xin and Piao. It explores the historical Chinese Warring States Period. One day, Piao is sent to the royal palace and returns after a few days mortally wounded. He begs his friend Xin to look for a boy in a certain village. On finding him, Xin realizes he was the current King of Qin, Ying Zheng.
However, he bears a striking resemblance to Piao, who died as his body double in a fight for the throne. Xin now helps Ying in defeating his enemies and reclaiming the throne. The story continues as Xin trains hard to become the “Greatest General in the World”.
GOBLIN SLAYER!
Similar to Berserk in the action, adventure, and fantasy point of view, Goblin Slayer is written by Kumo Kagyu.
The story takes place in a whimsical world where adventurers from all over come to join the Guild. They set sail from the Guild in search of wealth, glory, and heroism. In this scenario, a young priestess joins the Guild and embarks on her first adventure. But tragedy strikes and everyone is killed by Goblins. However, the priestess manages to survive thanks to a masked but heroic man called the Goblin Slayer. His one and only purpose in life are to eradicate the species. Read the manga to find out who this person is and what happens.
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Attack on Titan
This next one requires no introduction. Every manga and anime lover has watched or read this cult favorite manga written by Hajime Isayama. Attack on Titan has 34 volumes and has a huge fan following. The story revolves around Eren Yeager who witnesses the death of his mother at the hands of the Titans. The Titans are huge humanoid forms who prey on humans indiscriminately. The world has changed as humanity is endangered by these Titans. Humans now live in cities guarded by walls. Eren joins the military along with his childhood friends Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert. He trains hard to take revenge for his mother’s death. Eren has a mysterious ability to transform himself into a sentient Attack Titan. The story focuses on their adventures as they face the brutal Titans.
Zetman
Next on this list is Zetman which is written by Masakazu Katsura. Similar to Berserk in the action part, it is widely different from the story in other parts. For instance, the protagonist of this story is a superhero.
The manga starts with a fight between two superheroes ZET and Alphas. Then we get to know the backstory of these two and thus get to meet the protagonists of the story- Jin Kanzaki and Kouga Amagi. Jin is a young man with the special ability to transform into a superhuman being called ZET. And Kouga has strong senses and utilizes technology to become this superhero entity Alphas.
We get to follow them as their fates intertwine in protecting humanity against monstrous creatures called Players. You can read the manga online on Viz Media.
Monster
The manga Monster not only has a super interesting storyline but also a very unique concept. The manga is written by Naoki Urasawa and focuses on Dr. Kenzo Tenma. He is an up-and-coming neurosurgeon at the Eisler Memorial Hospital in Düsseldorf, West Germany. However, his life changes after he saves the life of a little boy. One day fraternal twins Johan and Anna Liebert are brought to the hospital Johan has a gunshot wound to his head and Anna is in a delirious condition. Dr. Kenzo successfully operates on Johan and saves his life but soon a series of events unfold that make no sense whatsoever.
Now, fast forwarding to nine years, Dr. Kenzo is the head of surgery. And one day following the disappearance of one of his patients, the series of events that happened in the past recur. This leads Dr. Kenzo on a mission to find out a lot more about Johan. You can check out this interesting manga online on Viz Media.
Made in Abyss
Another very interesting manga with a super exciting storyline. This manga follows a very unique storyline written by Akihito Tsukushi. The protagonist of the story is Riko, an orphan girl who lives in the Belchero Orphanage of Orth town. The most mysterious part of town is a giant hole descending deep into the earth known as The Abyss. Cave Raiders often go down this Abyss to collect various artifacts and mysterious remnants of human civilization.
One such person was Riko’s mother, Lyza who had earned the special title White Whistles. However, she disappears without a trace on her last descent. After some time from the depths of the Abyss, her mother’s white whistle and a message for Riko ask her to rescue her from the bottom. Thus Riko sets out on a mission to rescue her mother from the bottom of the Abyss.
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Fist of the North Star
Written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, Fist of the North Star is based on a fictional post-apocalyptic world. Followed by a nuclear war, civilization was destroyed and humans had to fight for the remaining little amount of water and food available. The protagonist of the manga is Kenshiro. He is the only disciple left of the ancient martial art technique Hokuto Shinken. This technique is for the assassination of the opponent through the use of hidden meridian points.
Having separated from his fiancée, he decides to become the savior of the post-apocalyptic world. He protects the weak against the gangs that threaten them. Thus follows the story of his adventures. Check out Fist of the North Star online on Viz Media.
Devilman
The manga Devilman is written by Go Nagai. It focuses on a shy teenager named Akira Fudo. However, he is propelled into a whirlwind of events following his friend Ryo Asuka’s words. Ryo tells him that soon the world will be overtaken by demons and they need special power to stop them. Thus Ryo makes Akira go through the Black Sabbath ritual in which he merges with the most powerful and frightening demon Amon. But his pure soul takes control of the merging and thus a Devilman is created. Akira now possesses immense power to fight against demons. The story focuses on his adventures.
Dorohedoro
Another manga set in the post-apocalyptic world and written by Q Hayashida. In this fictional world of the manga, the world is divided into three realms- the Hole, Sorcerer’s World, and Hell. The Hole is a filthy place inhabited by humans and polluted by the sorcerer’s magic. Magical beings inhabit the beautiful and well-maintained Sorcerer’s World. And Hell is ruled by demons and dead sorcerers. There is constant unrest between humans and Sorcerers.
The manga revolves around Caiman whose identity is lost after a transformation spell by a sorcerer which also left him with a reptile’s head. Along with his friend Nikaido, he hunts and assaults sorcerers trying to find out who did this to him.
Chainsaw Man
The manga is based on an imaginary Devil world. It is written by Tatsuki Fujimoto. In this world, devils are born from human fears and the stronger the fear the more powerful the demon is. However, not all demons only prey on humans. Many humans make contracts with them to utilize their skills and powers. A special set of individuals called Devil Hunters who hunt and kill or employ them. Meanwhile, Denji, the protagonist of the manga gets caught up in all this. You can check out the manga on Viz Media.
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
Written by Yuji Kaku, this manga explores a very unique storyline. When Gabimaru the Hollow is sentenced to be executed, he cannot be killed by anything. His immortality is presumed to be his unconditional love for his wife. The story follows his adventures as he embarks on a dangerous journey to redeem himself.
Wolf Guy
The story of this manga is pretty self-explanatory. Written by Kazumasa Hirai and illustrated by Hisashi Sakaguchi, Wolf Guy is a story about a teenage boy who is secretly a werewolf.
Overall, Akira Inugami appears to be a normal high school student who is very withdrawn and shy. He is the new exchange student at Hakutoku Middle School, under homeroom teacher Akiko Aoshika. The secret he holds is very interesting. He is a werewolf. So check out this manga online to find out what happens.
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Kurohime
This manga is also very similar to Berserk with a storyline full of action. This is also a period drama based in a fictional world. Kurohime is written by Masanori Katakura. The story follows Kurohime stopping a massive war to rebuild the Tower Of God. She even proceeded to kill the gods who started it all. But the gods trap her through trickery and deception. They split her body into two- one with her rage, the other with her compassion. Now, after ten years, Kurohime’s rage is in the form of a small girl named ‘Himeko’. She seeks to find out her old self and kill all the remaining gods. You can catch the manga online on Mangabuddy.
Eden: It’s an Endless World!
Eden: It’s an Endless World! is a futuristic sci-fi manga written by Hiroki Endo. The manga follows a world ravaged by the ‘Closure Virus’ which has killed 15% of the world population. At the beginning of the manga, we meet Ennoia and Hannah living on a remote island called Eden with their guardian researcher Lane Morris. Then we see the protagonist of the manga, Elijah, Ennoia’s son. The story follows his adventures in a very complicated world ravaged by a virus.
Ares
Ares is a manga that deals with Roman history and explores the storyline with protagonists Ares and Mikael. Written by Ryu Kum-chel, we get a very detailed world of Chronos. The story revolves around the Temple Mercenaries. They are a band of respected soldiers who fight for hire. And all the young men aspire to join the army. The story revolves around their adventures.
Rebirth
Rebirth is another story based on the fantasy storyline and created by Lee Kang-woo. Sang-Ho, his daughter Remi and exorcist Millenear Shephield accidentally discovered a band of demons. However, the party is soon killed leaving only the three. Remi bleeds into the earth breaking an age-old seal and freeing Deshwitat, a powerful vampire. Sang Ho sacrifices himself so that Deshwitat can save the others. Thus begins an exciting adventure.
Vinland Saga
Another manga, Vinland Saga based on a period drama is written by Makoto Yukimura. The story takes place in 1002 AD in Iceland. The protagonist of the manga is Thorfinn lives with his mother Helga, sister Ylva and father Thors. The story starts when King Sweyn I of Denmark summons Thors who was originally a mercenary. When Thors had to embark on this journey little Thorfinn also joined him on the ship secretly. Thors sacrifices himself to save his son. And Thorfinn is caught up in a dangerous adventure.
Battle Angel Alita
Last but not least on this list is Battle Angel Alita. It is written by Yukito Kishiro. The protagonist of the story is Alita, a cyborg girl who is assembled by Doctor Daisuke Ido from the junk dumped by Salem city. She grows up as Ido’s daughter. But soon it is revealed that she possesses great combat skills. She utilizes these skills to fight mysterious enemies in the quest to learn about her past. She remembers her skills in the fighting art of Panzer Kunst and becomes a bounty hunter. Alita hunts and kills cyborg criminals in the Scrapyard. Then she becomes a star player in the brutal gladiator sport of Motorball. The story continues as we embark with Alita on her journey to learn about her past.
Fire Punch
It is a Japanese Manga series published on April 2016 to January 2018. It is the story of when civilization was in danger. Ice Witch is the person behind all this and she is unstoppable. The characters of the manga include Agni, Judah, Togata, Agni’s Follower A, Agni’s Follower B, Agni’s Follower C, and many more.
RG Veda
This adventure, drama, and fantasy-based manga was published from 1990 to 1996. If we talk about the English version, then the English manga was published from 12 April 2005 to 4 September 2007. The characters include in this are Ashura, Karura-Ou, Kujaku, Souma, and many more.
Trigun
Trigun is a manga series but later it was converted into a TV series, that premiered from 1 April 1998 to 30 September 1998. If you talk about the characters of this manga, so you can check them out here, it includes Stryfe Meryl, Thompson Milly, Vas the Stampede, Wolfwood Nicholas D., and more.
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