Guts (the main character) is a young mercenary whose life was shattered before it even began. He is taken in by the members of the Band of the Hawk: Judeau, Rickert, Pippin, Casca (the only woman in the group), and above all, Griffith—a fascinating and extremely ambiguous character. Possessor of a pendant called the 'Behelit' or 'The Egg of the King,' Griffith is driven by a supernatural ambition. The animated series (covering the first 13 volumes of the manga) begins with a flashback that lasts throughout all 25 episodes: it is the story of the meeting between Guts, a tormented hero, and Griffith, leader of the Band of the Hawk, a mercenary group in the service of the Midland Empire.

From this meeting, an ambiguous yet effective friendship is born: the presence of Guts, a warrior with an oversized sword, quickly proves indispensable to the ambition of the young Griffith, an unparalleled swordsman and tactician. As the anime progresses, we discover the particularly complex relationship between Guts and Griffith—ranging from a relationship of utility (Griffith uses Guts' strength), to mutual respect (both consider each other as soldiers), and deep affection (each needs the other's presence in an inexplicable way).

While particularly raw, the animated series is still less so than the manga, which is uncompromising in its presentation: themes of pedophilia, homosexuality, infanticide, incest, rape, and numerous massacres reflect a particularly dark image of the human soul. Beneath the surface lies a reflection on humanity, torn between its monstrosity (monsters being a physical representation of the darkness sleeping within every man), its violence (the world of Berserk is ravaged by multiple wars), its ambition (perfectly illustrated by Griffith's dream), its desires (notably sexual), and the inherent will of all to seek to do good, sometimes to the detriment of others.