Hakusensha Rejects Studio Eclypse’s Anime Fan Project Based on Berserk

On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, Hakusensha officially disavowed Studio Eclypse’s previously announced Berserk anime fan project via the series official X (formerly Twitter) account. The publisher clarified that the production was not authorized by copyright holders Kentaro Miura and Studio Gaga, Miura’s studio that collaborated on the series.

The announcement also confirmed that the videos being used in Studio Eclypse’s Berserk project are being utilized without permission. Essentially, this statement confirms that no element of Studio Eclypse’s project has been authorized by Hakusensha or the respective copyright holders. This statement was made available in several languages beyond Japanese, including English, Korean, Chinese, and French.

Studio Eclypse yet to respond to Hakusensha’s announcement about the Berserk fan project

As of the time of this writing, Studio Eclypse has not yet provided a response on their official website or social media channels, such as X, Patreon, and YouTube. It remains uncertain whether Hakusensha’s notice will compel Studio Eclypse to cease production on the Berserk anime fan project.

The latest activity from the studio appeared earlier this week on their YouTube channel’s community section, which shared an illustration also posted on their X account. The most recent update regarding the project consisted of an English dub trailer, released on July 1, 2024.

This trailer indicated that the project is aiming for a Summer 2025 release window. Initially announced in October 2023, the fan animation is titled BERSERK: The Black Swordsman. The original announcement stated that the project would include “adaptations of the stories that have been neglected in this medium.”

While it’s still unclear if Eclypse intends to proceed with the project, Hakusensha’s public disavowment could influence fan reception and viewership. Although Hakusensha has not indicated any intent to take legal action against the project, this announcement may serve as a preliminary warning regarding future developments. However, this remains speculative at this time.

The fan project unofficially adapts the original manga series by author and illustrator Kentaro Miura. The manga debuted in Hakusensha’s Monthly Animal House in 1989 before moving to Young Animal magazine in 1992, where it continues to be published.

Unfortunately, Kentaro Miura passed away on May 6, 2021, due to an acute aortic dissection. Miura’s childhood friend and colleague Kouji Mori took over the manga in June 2022 following a hiatus after Miura’s passing. The manga now attributes Miura as the original creator, Studio Gaga for production, and Kouji Mori as the series supervisor.

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