Berserk’s Apostles and the Quarantined Chimera Ants: The Most Unsavory Characters in Anime and Manga

Have you stumbled upon the dark and gritty corners of anime and manga, where the line between hero and villain is often blurred? If so, you’re in for a treat as we explore the most unsavory characters that will make your skin crawl. Particularly, let's delve into Berserk’s apostles and the quarantined Chimera Ants from Hunter x Hunter, as they might just be the nightmares you’ve been avoiding.

Introduction to Berserk: The Darkness by Worship

Berserk is a notoriously dark and gory manga series created by Kentaro Miura. The story is set in a gothic fantasy world, where the protagonist Griffith and his vengeful hounds, known as the Band of the Hawk, battle against the Byzantine Empire. The series is renowned for its intense violence, deep character development, and the complexity of its villains, many of whom embody twisted and grotesque symbolism.

The Apostles of the Abyss

One of the most notable factions in Berserk is the Apostles, the servants of the Abyss. They are individuals who seek to help the demonic master of the Ashes create a new world, where Abyss and Heaven meet. These characters are often morally ambiguous and have performed unspeakable acts, making them some of the most unsettling antagonists in the series.

Chrono

Let's start with Chrono, the apostle who serves alongside Griffith. Chrono is a former general of the Empire who, after a brutal battle, escaped with a living flagbearer as a ghoul. Instead of putting down his foe to rest, he chose to defile and use him as a weapon against his own empire. The inhumanity of this act is especially devastating when you consider the typically honorable nature of military service and chivalrous behavior in medieval European melodies.

SerThursday

Next, we have SerThursday, a member of the Byzantine Empire's judiciary. Known for his coldness and disdain for humanity, SerThursday is a judge who squares human beings “for a place in the higher realms”. He is so resolute and merciless that he will not delay justice for even an instant, making his verdicts a fate worse than death. His actions are a stark indictment of the concept of justice, further cementing his place as a villain in the hearts of fans and readers.

Cygage and the Double-Edged Knight

Another unsettling figure is Cygage, an apostle known for his origin as a female knight who was forced to sunder her own body into two halves to serve the Abyss. Her distinctive appearance of wearing a knight's armor and her partner wearing only a metal plate over her bare breast on her back makes her the epitome of an ostracized and non-human entity within the series. Her inhumane sacrifice and physical separation adds another layer of horror to the series, piercing the heart and soul of any reader.

The Chimera Ants: Creatures of the Worst Kind

Now, let’s move on to a different realm of horror. The Chimera Ants from Hunter x Hunter are a clan that has captured the imagination of fans with their hybrid nature, combining animal and human traits. In this insane saga of eccentric acceptance, one particular ant stands out: Old Man, also known as Rukia.

The Expanding Iris

Rukia, or Old Man, is one of the most grotesque antagonists in Hunter x Hunter. His most notable feature is an expanding, multicolored iris that serves as his head. Coilings, spiders who served as his army, live in and for this iris, which continually grows at a rapid pace. The image of a grandfather’s head transforming into something grotesque and unnatural, while spawned spiders inhabit his eyeball, is a nightmarish vision that defies imagination.

The Challenge of Characterizing Unconventional Evil

The portrayal of such unsavory characters in Berserk and Hunter x Hunter serves a profound narrative purpose. These characters represent the darkness within humanity and challenge the audience to explore moral ambiguity. They make the audience question what makes a character a villain and how far people can go for their beliefs or desires. The unusual and horrific design choices are designed to disturb and provoke, thereby engaging the audience on a deeper emotional and psychological level.

Conclusion

The unsavory characters of Berserk and Hunter x Hunter are not just antagonists but avengeable souls. The dread and fear they inspire speak to the depths of human depravity and the horror that can arise when darkness overcomes humanity. These narratives remind us of the ghosts of our collective subconscious, serving as a cautionary tale to tread lightly, for the abyss does seek us.

What are your thoughts on these characters? Are there any other anime or manga villains that you find particularly unsettling? Share your insights and theories in the comments below.