Berserk manga will continue without Kentaro Miura

After the passing of BerserkFans of the manga series mourned the death of Kentaro Miura, author of The Last Man Standing, last year.

It appears that this is no longer the case. Late Monday evening, the editing department of Young Animal — the manga magazine that has published Berserk in Japan since 1992 — announced in an open letter that Miura’s assistants would continue to draw and publish the series under the supervision of manga author Kouji Mori, Kentaro Miura’s colleague and childhood friend.

“We will resume the serialization of Berserk,” Young Animal said in a statement. “Please accept our apologies(sic) for the long wait before we could make this announcement.” The statement goes on to explain that before his passing, Miura had spoken at length with Mori about stories and arcs he had in mind for Berserk, as well as the series’ ending. Following Miura’s death, Mori considered discussing what he knew about Berserk’s intended ending through an interview or article, but chose instead to accept an offer by Studio Gaga — the manga studio founded by Miura and staffed by his assistants and apprentices — to continue the manga.

“I have a message and promise to everyone,” Mori said in the statement. “I will recall the details as much as possible and tell the story. […]Miura spoke to me and I would only be able to write those episodes. I will not flesh it out.” Mori went on to further state that, “Many of you may not be fully satisfied with the Berserk written without Miura, but we hope everyone’s thoughts will be with us.”

Moving forward, Young Animal will publish six chapters that will conclude the “Fantasia Arc/Elf Island Chapter,” before moving on to a new arc that will begin afterward. Henceforth, the manga will have the following credits: “Original work by Kentarou Miura, manga by Studio Gaga, supervised by Kouji Mori.”

Volume 3 of BerserkCompleted by Miura, the book will be published by Dark Horse in English in November.