Just got done with the third episode. A bit oddly paced and the end credits rolling over Guts' conversation with Serpico seemed kind of...strangely final, as though the first three episodes were originally supposed to be a pilot movie or something that ended that arc while potentially setting up later arcs. Still, the episode moved fast and I didn't notice the time go by. Also, I loved the return to Midland an the impending invasion of Emperor Ganishka's forces. Man, if they show this shit, it's going to get bloody.
A little disappointed that the scene with possessed Farnese straddling the Dragonslayer used 'strategic' angles to keep from being too graphic but I understand why since it's a TV show. The important thing is that the tone of the scene was correct and I feel they're nailing the characters very well.
But I was really mostly thrilled about the stuff with Midland at the end. I'm so glad that this show is going to be ambitious and include many of these major and very complicated plot points.
Also, seeing Mozgus in the preview for episode 4 was fucking awesome. Guess that means they are actually skipping past the Rosine stuff and going right to the Tower and the bulk of the Conviction arc. Since you have so many characters to add to Guts' group, such as Isidro, Farnese and Serpico, as well as getting Casca into the mix, it's probably better that they're skipping over the arc.
As a massive Berserk fan, I acknowledge that we are losing something with the discarding of Lost Children, but I'm going to try to appreciate the show for its intentions rather than bitching about what's missing. As long as the core concepts and spirit are preserved, I can deal with a few omissions.
I am really loving the look of the show now and here's why
I just watched a few other anime, even some that have sparing amounts of CGI in them and other than Gundam: The Origin, they all look homogenized. They all look the fucking same. All the same boring art style, all the same shitty textures, all the same shortcuts in technique.
Berserk, for all of its copious CGI, looks different from everything else out there. Different from everything I've ever seen. It has a unique visual identity and I fucking love that distinction about it. Just like the manga, it's very much its own thing and I am glad for that.