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Berserkis one of the iconic seinen masterpieces by Kentaro Miura. From blood to gore, the series was ridden with controversies. Conversely, Attack on Titan isn’t too far behind. Hajime Isayama’s magnum opus outlines a dystopian society. Especially through its power system of Titans and dark themes of cannibalism. However, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Isayama took a page from Kentaro Miura’s magnum opus to create a character. The author took inspiration from Casca’s concept. Moreover, he created Mikasa Ackerman’s character based on her. Despite their similarities, both characters differ in most ways.
Hajime Isayama based this Attack on Titan character on Casca.
Casca is a deuteragonist who appears in the seinen seriesBerserk. Written byKentaro Miura, the series underscores the journey of Guts and Griffith. She plays a pivotal role as Guts’ companion and a warrior. Unlike most female characters in Shonen, she is proactive. Especially with her swordsmanship as the commander of Band of Falcons. And there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Miura’s magnum opus is ridden with controversies and heavy themes. The series is laden with violence, gore, and nudity. Conversely, Casca isn’t exempt from abuse and violence either. Most female characters including her are subjected toGriffith’s brutality. Conversely, her character has become an inspiration for another powerful character fromAttack on Titan.
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Hajime Isayamarevealed Casca to be an inspiration for Mikasa Ackerman’s character. He revealed the similar traits between both characters in aninterview. He quoted:
There are some parts of Mikasa that are unrefined, yet on the other hand, she has a brave personality. I think these are influenced from the heroine of Berserk, Casca. At that time while drawing, I didn’t realize it – but after a while, I realized that Mikasa resembles Casca
Despite their brave personalities, both characters are different. This holds especially true with their circumstances. While Mikasa witnesses war, Casca is subject to violence. Both characters are similar in their courage yet different in the intensity of their circumstances. Moreover, Kentaro Miura’s manga outlines the complexities of trauma faced by the character.
Berserk outlines the complexities of trauma.
Kentaro Miura is notorious for his portrayal of nudity, gore, blood, and violence in his series. However, his treatment of trauma is rather biased. This holds especially true for Casca’s character. Mikasa and Casca embody courage and determination as powerful warriors. However, the latter received the short end of the stick . Especially with the author’streatment of sexual abuse.
Painful is an understatement, especially when it pertains to the after-effects of trauma. Although the series outlines the complexities of trauma, it fails to address it properly. This extends to the author’s treatment of the character. In an interview withYoung Animal ZERO, he quoted:
“I’m also filled with emotion. However, Casca’s real problem has started from now on….She herself should analyze, understand and solve what happened to her. She should confront what Griffith or the monsters did. In other words, I guess the process is necessary for Casca’s recovery.”
Moreover, herrelationship with Gutsalone won’t suffice in her healing. It would take a lot for her character to “recover”.
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All in all, Casca and Mikasa are strong female leads. They share similarities through their love for the male lead. Both are courageous women. However, both branch out in terms of their situations. Despite her inspiration for Isayama’s character, Casca deserved so much better.
Attack on TitanandBerserkare available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
