There are so many excellent Berserk references in Elden Ring across the vast expanse of the Lands Between. It’s clear that Hidetaka Miyazaki is a fan of the manga, and has put a wealth of references not just in this title, but across all of the Dark Souls games as well.
The FromSoft developer has gone on record in at least one interview to point out his love for Berserk, and that is why he’s put so many references to the series in his games.
There are more Berserk references in Elden Ring than the ones we’ve listed, though; these are just a few of our favorite ones. Some are subtle, some might be a stretch, and others are frankly, pretty obvious.
5 incredible references to the Berserk manga in Elden Ring
1) The Arsenal Charm
This is perhaps a bit on the nose, but for people who have read deep into the Berserk manga, this is an excellent reference to put in Elden Ring. The Arsenal Charm features a huge sword on the front, with a variety of weapons and equipment behind it. It’s derived from “an unusual greatsword once wielded by a hero hungry for vengeance.”
While yes, Guts is known for his blade, he also has the prosthetic arm, the repeater crossbow, the cannon arm, throwing knives, explosives, and other equipment. He’s a one-man army with more than enough strength and grit to see his task through until the end.
2) The Sword
Perhaps the most obvious reference of all, let’s talk about The Sword. Guts’ iconic blade from the Berserk manga and anime has been featured in Elden Ring, and the other Souls’ games in a variety of places.
While people might love the Dragonslayer the most, the blade in this FromSoft RPG reminds us more of the sword from the Golden Age Arc – the manga’s second arc and arguably its most popular.
In Elden Ring, the famous Berserk blade is known as the Greatsword. It’s visually a similar size to the Dragonslayer, but from the actual look of the weapon hidden in the Caelid region of east Limgrave, it feels like a blend of the Dragonslayer (the shape of the blade) and the blade used during the Golden Age arc (crossguard and hilt).
3) The Hill of Swords/Graveyard of Swords
Sure, Sword Graveyards aren’t unique to Berserk, but I would argue that in popular media, it’s the most famous instance of one. The Hill of Swords in the Berserk manga was a hill covered in snow, as well as a wealth of blades stabbed into the ground.
Each one was a tribute to another member of the Band of the Falcon, after the Eclipse. It’s a somber location, but one that was replicated in Elden Ring, across the fourteen Sword Monuments.
Each one in Elden Ring, like in Berserk, was dedicated to a particular fallen warrior, or tragic event. From Godrick the Golden, Lord Godfrey, to the Starscourge Conflict, these have the same purpose in both forms of media.
4) Malenia’s Helmet
There aren’t many links to Malenia, Blade of Miquella in Berserk, but we still thought this was interesting. Her helmet is very reminiscent of Farnese’s helmet in the Berserk manga, and seeing it as a reference in Elden Ring was fantastic. From the first moment we saw the powerful, optional boss appear on screen, we knew the helmet was a familiar design choice.
The two characters aren’t really that similar, with Farnese being an accomplished mage, and Miquella being a dangerous swordswoman capable of dodging nearly every spell thrown at her.
It’s a very interesting design choice and one we cannot help but wonder what inspired it, other than the unique helmet from the manga.
5) Blaidd is similar to Armored Guts
Blaidd and Guts, as characters, aren’t really that dissimilar. Even as far back as the original promotional artwork for Elden Ring that featured Blaidd, Berserk fans were calling him a reference to Guts. While Guts isn’t an animal – and Blaidd is half wolf, Guts can take on a shape that’s similar to a beast.
When he’s in the Berserker Armor, it can take on a more wolf-shape in the head, depending on how much rage Guts is channeling into the armor. In Elden Ring, Blaidd was once the protagonist’s friend, but upon thinking Ranni died, he went mad, in a frenzy that’s equal to that of the Berserker armor.
Defeating him means you claim the armor, and if you want to wear Berserker Armor in the game, it may be the closest thing you’ll get to it. However, there are plenty of Berserk armor references in the game, from the Prisoner armor to the Knight Cavalry set. Out of all of these, Blaidd’s is easily our favorite.
6) The Crystal Tears & Tears of the Apostle
This reference is a bit more esoteric but nonetheless, it’s there, and it’s important. Visually speaking, the Crystal Tears items in Elden Ring are virtually identical to the Berserk panel that featured the Tears of the Apostle.
The visual of the Tears of the Apostle came from one of the panels during the Eclipse in Berserk. The Apostles themselves are inhumans who have summoned the God Hand, and joined Demonkind.
These beings can be incredibly powerful, and while that’s not really a link to the Crystal Tears of Elden Ring, it could be considered one. The Crystal Tears themselves are mixed into the Flask of Wondrous Physick to grant special effects.
If I had to pick a Crystal Tear that’s similar, it would be either Faith-Knot, Intelligence-Knot, or Strength-Knot. They just have to be in a similar position. The Tears of the Apostle are even called “Crystal Tears” in the manga panel.
7) Radahn combines facets of Zodd, Grunbeld, and Gaiseric
When it comes to Berserk references in Elden Ring, this one’s a bit on the nose if you ask us. The Demigod Radahn has some noteworthy references to two important characters in Berserk: The Apostle Nosferatu Zodd, “The Great Flame Dragon” Grunbeld and Supreme King Gaiseric.
This is more of a visual reference than anything else, with the red hair and helmet feeling like a genuine reference to Grunbeld.
Then you have the two-sword style that non-Apostle form Zodd used, and Radahn’s swords also reminded us of Zodd’s. Several people have compared him to Gaiseric, and we can see why. He’s a massive man on a little horse, with fancy, ancient armor.
There’s a lot going on with Starscourge Radahan. He’s a fascinating blend of a trio of Berserk characters.
Kentaro Miura’s classic manga has been a source of reference material and design choices throughout the Souls games, and the Soulslike genre as well.
This is just a small sampling of references in one game, but if you look back through Hidetaka’s catalog of games, you’ll see a wealth of other tributes to Berserk that go far beyond what we’ve seen in Elden Ring.
