Studio Taka announced on September 17, 2024 that they would be canceling the animation project for the manga. Berserk by Kentaro Miura following a copyright warning from the franchise's rights holder.
Studio Gaga and Hakusensha, who control the intellectual property of Berserkrecently issued a legal notice against another fan project, Studio Eclypse, causing Studio Taka to reevaluate their own work.
Studio Taka adapted Berserk into a YouTube motion comic.
In an official statement released on their YouTube account, Studio Taka explained the decision to shut down the ongoing project.
See the statement below:
To our lovely fans,
We’ve had a major discussion recently about what’s going on in the Berserk online community. As some of you may know, Studio Gaga, the copyright holder of Berserk, has recently taken a public stance on releasing Berserk content without proper permission. Naturally, this has implications for all Berserk fan projects, including ours.
After careful consideration and exploration of all available options, we have made the very difficult decision to end this project. While we are passionate about continuing the project, we recognize the potential legal risks involved and feel it is important to respect Studio Gaga/Hakusensha's intellectual property rights.
This decision was not made lightly. This project has been a big part of our lives for many years and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support and enthusiasm you have all shown for the episodes we have created. It has been a rewarding journey and your positive feedback means a lot to us.
Following Kentaro Miura's passing, we are committed to honoring his legacy even more deeply in the hopes of introducing new fans to Berserk and encouraging others to read the manga through viewing our videos. However, recent events have made it clear that fan projects, no matter how well-intentioned, are not exempt from legal considerations.
While it is incredibly difficult to let go of something we love so much, we believe it is the right thing to do to honor those who hold the power and their wishes.
Once again thank you all for your incredible support over the years. It means more to us than words can express.
Studio Taka
Berserk manga publisher Hakusensha released an official statement on September 11, 2024, warning fans about an unauthorized animation project being promoted by Studio Eclypse, while clarifying that neither original author Kentaro Miura nor Studio Gaga, which currently manages the IP, gave any approval for the project.
Berserkfirst released in 1989, has become a global phenomenon, selling over 55 million copies and inspiring several anime adaptations.
Although Miura passed away in May 2021, the manga continues to be overseen by his close friend, manga artist Kouji Mori, and the team at Studio Gaga.
Berserk was adapted into a 25-episode anime television series by OLM, which told the Golden Age arc of the series, and aired from October 1997 to March 1998. The Golden Age arc was also adapted into a trilogy of theatrical anime films; the first two films were released in 2012 and the third film was released in 2013.
A second 24-episode anime television series adaptation aired over two seasons in 2016 and 2017.
Source: YouTube
