Robb Banks' Berserk Concept Album & Jewelry Honor a Manga Masterpiece
Berserk has become more popular than ever, and rapper Robb Banks is paying tribute to the manga with a concept album and jewelry.
Fans of the hit manga series Berserk are certainly passionate, and that passion is extending to the world of rap thanks to rapper Robb Banks. To honor the adventures of Guts, Griffith, and Casca, the acclaimed artist has released an album called Falconia that is inspired by the series.
Last year Berserk fans were devastated by creator Kentaro Miura's passing. Though this left the series' future entirely uncertain, the outpouring of support and love for the series has made it bigger than ever. Fans have found countless ways to honor Berserk's legacy in the wake of Miura's death. Art, animation, and cosplay have all been popular mediums used to pay respect to a true classic. While it might be easy to assume that Banks' album is a response to all this, the artist has been quite open about his love of Berserk before. He released the song Griffith Did Nothing Wrong in 2017, has numerous Berserk tattoos, and even goes by Femto on Twitter. Now, that admiration is taking its next logical step with the release of an entire album.
Now, Banks has announced the release of Falconia in a Tweet. The album contains 18 tracks and features an album cover that is an homage to one of Casca's most famous moments in Berserk. While the album doesn't contain many references to Berserk as blatant as Griffith Did Nothing Wrong, it does contain the track CHARLOTTES INTERLUDE. In preparation for the album, Banks also Tweeted out a picture of a real-life behelit made of gold and crusted with what appear to be diamonds. The album is available now on music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
While it might seem strange to some for a rapper to release an album partially inspired by a manga, it makes much more sens than most would think. Well-known musician Megan Thee Stallion famously loves shonen anime like Black Clover and there are plenty of other musical artists famous for sneaking references to anime or manga into their songs. It especially makes sense for a work like Berserk to appeal to a popular artist. Griffith's story of starting out on the bottom and clawing his way to power through sacrificing those he cares most about can easily be read as an analog to fame. On the other side, Guts' journey of trying to find purpose while combatting the bitter sting of horrible betrayal also has certain parallels to the journey of some artists.
Ultimately, Berserk is a series that has inspired millions of readers across the world. Fans of Berserk have crossed it with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, have cosplayed as Guts, and have released feature-length video essays praising the series. Given all of that, it's no surprise that Berserk would receive an entire album to honor it from a rapper like Robb Banks.
Source: Robb Banks