2007.04.08
Berserk and Gungrave Comparisons and Contrasts
- The first episode is set in the present, while the rest is a flashback
Guts/Brandon
While there's pretty much parallels to everything else in Gungrave this is one of the things that isn't similar. Brandon Heat is a completely different character from Guts. Of course many who don't get Brandon would write him off as an emo mute. What people don't get is that its just part of his personality - he's quiet. Has he ever whined about his inner angst inside about how he doesn't know who his real mom and dad are? No. While he does sometimes speak of wanting to see Maria its never in an angsty manner. He hasn't seen the woman in months, sometimes even years. And most of all the thing that really separates Brandon from Guts is his devotion to Harry, his best friend.
While its completely obvious why Guts didn't hesitate killing Griffith after he took everything away from him, its also blatantly obvious with Brandon. Though that's something people don't get since they're so caught up in comparing the two. Brandon knew Harry since he was a child, way before he met Maria and everyone else. Harry was his only family. Guts on the other hand only recently met Griffith and the Band of the Hawk so obviously they didn't have that bond. A better comparison between the two would be comparing Guts and his adoptive father Gambino. Despite his dad abusing the shit out of him and even selling him for a night to be raped by a soldier he still thought quite fondly of his father. (As seen in vol. 9 of the manga, they completely nuked that part in the anime) He killed his father Gambino in self defense and even regretted killing him. Its pretty much the same with Harry and Brandon. Brandon is loyal to his family Milleneon, but he's even more loyal to his only real family - Harry. Which is the reason why he didn't kill Harry when he knew that he was betraying Milleneon.
Griffith/Harry
Now on the other hand these two have almost everything in common with each other.
- Griffith was a commoner who became a noble solely because of his ambition. Harry was a nobody who rose to the top of Milleneon because of his ambition. Both however did plenty of dirty schemes to rise to the top.
- Both Griffith and Harry are charismatic and extremely popular with the ladies.
One of the main differences is their friendship with the main characters. Even though Harry views himself higher than Brandon, their friendship between each other is mutual. Griffith on the other hand, while he did consider Guts a friend he did think of himself higher than him. He pretty much said what he thought about the band of the hawk to Charlotte and in his speech he was including Guts. When Guts left the Band of the Hawk Griffith told Guts that he belonged to him. So uh yeah - not exactly friendly material there.
Pre-eclipse Casca/Maria
Aside from being the main character's love interest, the two don't really have anything in common.
- Griffith "sort of" saved Casca from being raped by throwing his sword down so she could defend herself. She killed the noble herself.
- Harry and Brandon saw Maria about to be raped and Harry suggested to just leave her alone since that kind of stuff happens everyday. Brandon ignored him and saved Maria.
- Casca is a soldier. While Maria has ties everywhere to the mafia she never enters the battlefield.
- Harry doesn't think of Maria in a romantic sense at all. With Griffith its questionable.
Casca/Guts and Maria/Big Daddy
Both Casca and Maria don't end up with who they were initially in love with. Casca later falls in love with Guts while Maria later falls in love with Big Daddy.
Casca's feelings began to shift toward Guts during the 100-man battle. After Griffith's defeat to Guts she looks at both Guts walking off and Griffith sitting in his first defeat. She continues to look at Guts and even calls out his name which he stops for an instant - then continues to walk off.
Maria on the other hand is in love with Brandon. While Brandon does love her in return he knows that he could never truly be with her since he's a hitman. (Despite many fangirl fanfiction featuring themselves being in love with a hitman.) So Big Daddy was pretty much a consolation prize.
Post-eclipse Casca/Mika
Their roles are different, but they're both reminders of the past that both protagonists once lived. Casca is Guts' lover, but she has amnesia and doesn't remember him. Mika is Maria's daughter.
King of Midland/Big Daddy
The King is the King of Midland (dur) and Big Daddy is the head of the Milleneon. Griffith aims to be King of Midland while Harry aims to be the head of Milleneon. The King of Midland does think fondly of Griffith up until he sleeps with his daughter Charlotte. Big Daddy on the other hand can tell that Harry is plotting stuff behind the scenes and is more fond of Brandon. The King of Midland secretly lusts after his daughter while Big Daddy is secretly in love with his niece. (Maria and Big Daddy aren't related by blood however)
Charlotte/Sherry
Both Charlotte and Sherry were both (initially) used as tools to make accomplishing both Griffith's and Harry's goals easier. Charlotte is the daughter of the King of Midland while Sherry is the daughter of Bear Walken. If Griffith gains Charlotte's affection he'll be one step closer to the throne, if Harry returns Sherry's affection he'll be sure that Bear Walken will never betray him since his daughter is in his hands. Harry later on develops real feelings for Sherry. As for Griffith I'd say it's unclear in the manga. But in the anime it definetely seems like he was using her to accomplish his goal quicker.
Guts' Raiders/True Grave
Guts was captain of the Raiders while Brandon lead True Grave, both subdivisions of the Band of the Hawk and Milleneon.
SIMILAR EVENTS
Betrayal
Harry accidentally eavesdrops on Brandon and Big Daddy:
Bob set up a device in the meeting room so he could hear the announcement of the new boss of Milleneon (whom he, and everyone else thought would be Harry.) Harry decided to check it out for himself and overheard Brandon and Big Daddy's conversation after the meeting was over. Big Daddy tells Brandon that he didn't choose Harry like everyone thought he would because he was suspicious of him. Brandon reassures Big Daddy that Harry won't ever turn traitor HOWEVER he also reveals that he'd kill any traitor of Milleneon no matter who it is. Meaning he'd even turn a gun on his best friend Harry if he had to. This was a blow to Harry because his best friend who always followed him in the past found out that he was now more loyal to Big Daddy than himself.
Guts and Casca accidentally eavesdrop on Griffith and Charlotte:
After Guts does an errand (killing Julius and Adonis, future heirs to the throne of Midland) he runs off to look for Griffith while Casca runs after him. They find both Charlotte and Griffith speaking near a fountain. While overhearing their conversation Guts finds out that Griffith doesn't think of him as a friend at all, and not only that, he overhears the indirect insults Griffith says about Guts' lifestyle. He finds out that Griffith doesn't think of him as his equal and what a true friend to him is someone who has goals of their own, separate from Griffith's goals. A friend to him would follow his goals no matter what, even if it were against Griffith himself. This leads to Guts leaving the band of the hawk later on.
Harry's Reaction:
After much awkward tension between the two, Harry finally confronts Brandon about what he overheard. He hints about it when he tells Brandon that Big Daddy has to die. But he completely puts it on the table when he tells Brandon that Maria will be all his if they kill Big Daddy. This upsets Brandon and he then points a gun at Harry thus confirming Harry's suspicions that Big Daddy is more important to him.
Guts' Reaction:
Guts leaves the Band of the Hawk. Before he can do so Griffith challenges him to a duel telling Guts that he belongs to him. Guts wins and leaves the Band of the Hawk while Griffith is in shock over his first defeat.
Harry Kills Brandon:
Although Brandon pulled out his gun and pointed it at Harry, he hesitates and then drops the gun. He can't kill his best friend, even though he knows very well Harry is a traitor to Milleneon. Harry on the other hand doesn't know that Brandon already knew he betrayed Milleneon and then kills Brandon out of personal reasons. He believes Brandon betrayed their friendship by choosing Big Daddy over him.
Griffith and the Eclipse:
Griffith at this point is broken and then decides to seek confort in Charlotte's arms. He then has a one night stand with her. A maid happens to walk in and tells the King about his scene with Charlotte. Griffith is then imprisoned for a year and tortured. When Guts and Casca finally save him a year later he's mentally and physically broken. Griffith unknowingly initiates the eclipse. There he finds out he has a chance to restore his body to the way it was before Guts left. There's one condition though, that he betrays his former comrades, including Guts. He decides to betray them and there everyone except Guts and Casca are slaughtered. Griffith regains his body and the first thing he does is rape Casca.