Berserk—The Golden Age, Arc I: The Egg of the King

That mouthful of a title announces the first of three films in a visually lush, savagely violent anime adaptation of a popular manga saga by Kentaro Miura, set in a medieval Europe–style realm. The aptly named Guts is a sullen young slave-turned-mercenary whose swordsmanship and fighting spirit lead to his being unwillingly recruited into the Band of the Hawk, notorious soldiers-for-hire who can turn the tide in most any battle. Their leader is the cultured and lethal (and androgynous) Griffith, who has ambitions to ascend to royal rank. Griffith carries a strange supernatural trinket known as the Egg of the King. The mere sight of this red gem leads a warrior-demon (a particularly outstanding bit of monster animation) to warn Guts that remaining on Griffith's side will mean death. Berserk's very grown-up, take-no-prisoners moodiness (the lone child character doesn't last long) informs a mature tale (with full-frontal nudity, gore, and profanity) that is also compelling—although it's still a bit early to say whether this narrative of blood and Guts will continue to captivate. This 2012 feature-length film is presented on a dual-language disc, suitable for 17-up, with extras including an art gallery. Recommended. (C. Cassady)