Berserk: Kushan, explained

Key takeaways

• The Kushan Empire has a vast, organized army with powerful magic users and supernatural beings.
• The clan of Bakira, the former elite bodyguards of the Midlands, favored Emperor Ganishka to return to their lost homeland.
• The Kushans used horrific tactics like mass killings and enslavement using supernatural creatures and war machines in battle.

Berserk is an extremely dark and graphic seinen manga series that has had many emotional peaks and valleys over the years. However, none of the valleys have been as cruel or infamous as Eclipse, where Griffith sheds all of his humanity by sacrificing an entire band of falcons to become an eldritch member of a gohund named Femto. From there he went on to establish his kingdom under the name of Falconia.

However, despite bringing death and destruction to those close to him to achieve his goals, Griffiths did not take responsibility for Cushion's inclusion. These people had a presence in the world Berserk From the beginning, but now, they claim to be enemies of Griffith and his kingdom. So, let's look at who the Kushans are and their importance in the overall story.

Who is Kushan?

Why are they so important?

The Kushan Empire is a vast empire far from the Midland Country and east of all the nations included under the banner of the Holy See. Due to Falconia's rapid expansion across much of the world, the Kushan Empire feared that they might be next, prompting them to wage war against Griffith and all of his forces.

The Kushan Empire was first shown in the series during the reign of Emperor Ganishka who was also an apostle, although unlike others like him, he was at odds with Gohand, especially Griffith, and sought to overthrow him in order to exercise his control over each. corner of the world. However, the ruling class of this empire consists of several clans that all fight against each other for absolute power, the most notable of which is the Bakira. These powerful clans gather in meetings called Kurultai where they discuss the country and its future.

The main reason the Kushans were so incredibly powerful was their military system, which was incredibly large and organized, consisting of many powerful magic users and supernatural beings. Their power was so great that they waged war against the Holy See, which led them to invade and occupy much of the present Midlands.

Moreover, they are extremely cunning and resourceful in the way they approach war. Seizing much land, they created massive war machines and siege engines to use against their enemies, as well as keeping a vast array of slaves from the many lands they conquered for cheap and plentiful labor. as well as a way for soldiers to steadily increase their own ranks.

I control the largest area in the world. I will not give it up. This world is mine, though bloody and impure.

One of their most effective battle tactics is the pishaka gana; which are essentially dangerous supernatural beings controlled by various spellcasters within the ranks of the Kushan army, led by the infamous Daiba. They work with the military and are often accompanied by creatures called Daka, who themselves are a hideous cross between human embryos with a ton of evil undertones. This creates these hulking, half-human-half-demon creatures that are very powerful.

The basic essence of the entire structure of the Kushan Empire is that it is ruled by fear, which is reinforced by the fear tactics they employ after they invade the Midlands. They often slaughtered entire towns and kept the survivors as slaves or cattle. However, they suffered heavy losses against Griffith and his forces, leading to the collapse of most of the Empire's presence within the Midlands.

The clan of goats

A strong army of Kushan warriors

The Bakiras were once one of the most powerful clans within the Kushan Empire but were driven out centuries ago, making their presence within the Midlands. Because of this, they took a huge blow to their pride as they were nothing more than a clan of assassins for hire across the continent due to their otherworldly combat abilities. The clan always allied with whoever they thought was the strongest, so they were the elite bodyguards of the royal family of the Midlands.

To restore the dynasty to its former glory days, they sided with Emperor Ganishka in his war against the Griffiths as they saw that this was their way back to their homeland. This clan, especially Silat, has had one of the most important roles of any major faction throughout the story, and currently, they play a huge role in whatever the future holds for Guts and his friends.

Berserk Can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime.