The Bākiraka is a clan within the Kushan Empire. They were a war slave clan serving the overthrown Kushan royal family.[2] Centuries ago,[1] they were driven off their lands.[3][2] Having reached Midland, they lost their pride when they began working as assassins for hire, relying on their extraordinary combat skills. Siding with the ones they deem as strong, they were employed by the Royal Family of Midland[2][4] as well as other lands of the Holy See.[2] They also worked for Emperor Ganishka during their bid to capture "the falcon of oracle" in order to gain the clan's restoration.[1] Jarif felt the war between Midland and Kushan was seen by the clan as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to establish a foothold in the imperial army and repatriate to their land. To this, Silat claimed that relying on their bodies and skills alone was done so that the clan could survive and claim a land in which to live peacefully.[2]
Overview[]
The Bākiraka are known in Midland as a "murderer's guild" and an "assassination order". Identifying them as a mercenary band specialised in assassination, Judeau heard that each and every member was a superhuman monster[4] In truth, all members seen so far are trained in a wide variety of killing methods. They are keen on using stealth to their advantage, and the first Bākiraka seen appear to be able to see in the dark.[4] The tapasa are highly muscled individuals gifted with speed and strength, being able to crush iron armor with their own hands[5] or throw stone pillars with ease.[6] Additionally, they're quite fast for their size, as recognized by Rakshas.[7]
As a warrior clan, they believe that those who fear death shall never join the ranks of the great.[3] They do seem to care about self-preservation, though: as expressed by a humbled Silat during their scouting mission to find the "land of oracle", even if he's not above killing witnesses, there's no need for the tapasa to sacrifice themselves facing Guts, regardless of how strong they may be.[8]
The skill of the tapasa.
They also have some form of morals: they see Rakshas -who was formerly a Bākiraka clansman- as a taboo for having become a "demon"[7] with a hedonistic attitude toward killing.[9] According to Silat, they have caught glimpses of an "inescrutable current" and wondered whether it was right to yield themselves to something inescrutable.[2]
Rakshas himself is a stealth assassin under Griffith,[10] who promises to slay him one day, but defend him until that day comes.[11] The assassin reveals that this has to do with the way Griffith entralls all apostles.[9] As an apostle, Rakshas is amorphous[12][6][13] and excels in remaining hidden until deciding to reveal himself.[14][15][16] In this way, he witnessed the defeat of Shiva from under Zodd's wings.[17] In Falconia, Rakshas assaults Rickert, dueling Silat until his mask is broken and feeling the need to retreat.[7] After entering apostle form, he is halted by an explosion to the face shot by Rickert.[13]
Story[]
Background[]
The Bākiraka are a Kushan clan living in a hidden village in impregnable lands. As stated by Silat, the villagers are all warriors trained in killing arts. Not even spirits may come near it. There was a time when no one outside the clan would be allowed in.[7] During the Hundred-Year War, they dispatched a hundred rulers and vassals from assorted countries.[4]
Golden Age Arc[]
After witnessing the Band of the Falcon escaping with Princess Charlotte, a wizened King of Midland summons the Bākiraka.[18] A group of five is seen: a very lean and skeletal man who uses long claw blades, a tiny imp that utilizes poison blowdarts, a small hunched man wielding a pitchfork, a massive man who hurls logs like javelins and a veiled woman who uses flammable dust. These five Bākiraka bar the rescue group's way out of the tower tunnels, presenting a threat to the team. Guts, Judeau and Casca have confrontations with the claw-wielding and pitchfork-wielding Bākiraka, while Charlotte defends Griffith from the imp's poisoned darts[4] The lanky man offers the group an exchange: if they hand Charlotte over, the Bakiraka will guarantee her life is spared. Casca authorizes the trade, and Anna brings Charlotte over to the Bakiraka. Once Charlotte is out of harm's way, the Bakiraka proceed to go all-out. The group protects around Griffith and fends off attacks from the lanky man. The muscular Bakiraka throws two javelins at the group from a distance, which Guts deflect. Judeau notices how the weapon sends up sparks whenever it hits the walls, orders the detachment's torch be extinguished and tells Pippin to wait for his signal. Judeau throws a couple knives at the walls in the direction the javelins were thrown from, and the light created by the sparks allows him to catch a glimpse of the Bakiraka. Judeau then sends two knives into his neck, killing him. The mercenary signals Pippin, who smashes the wall as hard as he can with his hammer. The result is a quick emission of light caused by the sparks which allows the group to see and kill the thin man and the pitchfork-wielding Bakiraka.[19]
Further down the tunnel, the female Bakiraka, draped only in brass bracelets and bags full of dust, ignites a spark using the former items to cause an explosion. Griffith glances upward, noticing a small column of light coming from the ceiling. Griffith's movement alerts Pippin to the light, and he uses his hammer to smash a large hole into the ceiling, which leads outside. The explosion is sucked out of the escape tunnel and into the open air, saving them. Later, the female Bakiraka is executed by the King of Midland for her failure in killing Griffith.[20]
Conviction Arc[]
Silat, the warrior that fought against Guts and lost to during an arms tournament[21] and led a raid against the Band of the Falcon, dueling Casca before meeting Guts again and losing their second confrontation,[22] is revealed to be a Bākiraka clansman alongside four men known as tapasa. They are on a scouting mission to find the "land of oracle".[8] After the Incarnation Ceremony at the Tower of Conviction, the group arrive and surround Guts and the others, noticing that, just as the oracle proclaimed, something happened in what they perceive as a "pagan land". Silat then orders a group of Kushan scouts to seize the survivors.[23] Silat sees Griffith and orders his men to capture him, but they're all repelled by Nosferatu Zodd and Griffith escapes.[3]
Millennium Falcon Arc[]
Some time later, the Midland city of Shet is under siege by the Kushan. The Kushan general responsible for the invasion chastises the clan for being unable to capture Griffith, a single man, while his forces captured six fortresses in the same amount of time. Silat has explained that Griffith flew off on the back of an evil beast, but the general is disbelieving. Silat tries to contextualize the situation, but the general interrupts by forcing his foot down on the unflinching Silat's forehead. He says that even though the Kushan Emperor might see them as soldiers, the general himself feels that entrusting them with a mission is an act of raving drunkeness. Suddenly, Silat catches an arrow meant to strike the general's face. The two tapasa by his side run toward the source of the arrow and massacre the soldiers. Silat excuses himself and his guards from the amazed general's presence, saying that they will continue the search for Griffith. A moment later, this becomes unnecessary: Griffith has entered Shet on horse.[24] Silat in particular is so stunned at seeing Griffith that he barely notices the Falcon of Light move past him and right up to the Kushan general, killing him.[11]
As more apostles show up, Silat tells the tapasa they should take advantage of the chaos to capture the Falcon. The tapasa run together right up to Griffith and leap toward him. Partway through their jump, they are knocked to the ground. Their assailant is a black mass covered by a mask. It calls them "slow" and "obtuse", aware that they are tapasa, known as the summit among the Bakiraka. The tapasa identify it as Rakshas, a Kushan exile. Rakshas turns to Griffith. After being accepted by him, the exiled Kushan turns back to the tapasa. They fight, and Rakshas dodges them weaving between their strikes.[11]
In a decrepit Wyndham, inside the castle, Silat and two tapasa kneel before the leader of the Kushan, Emperor Ganishka. He chastises the clan for not having been able to carry out the mission of apprehending Griffith. Ganishka orders them to report Griffith's location, but to leave his apprehension to his army. Silat and the tapasa are dismissed. As they leave the throne room, the tapasa are worried that the Kushan army will overshadow them in usefulness. Silat isn't worried, knowing that they will have a chance so long as they keep their eyes on the prize. They comment on the grim situation of the city, with corpses everywhere, an ominous fog and rumors of horrors prowling about. Silat notes that the clan restoration has been their clan's dearest wish for centuries, and must use the chance for their descendants not to keep on wandering around foreign lands. Silat and the tapasa's conversation ends with them all agreeing that Ganishka is a "dread emperor" from seeing his needless displays of cruelty.[1] As they're leaving, Rakshas appears before the three men, dodging their attacks. As Griffith's plan to rescue Charlotte under the guise of an all-out attack on Wyndham begins,[12] Rakshas lures the clansmen to where the daka were being created. Once Silat witnesses the birth of a daka, Rakshas reveals that Ganishka is not human.[25] Taking their leave, Silat ponders on what the Emperor has done. As the fight between War Demons and daka goes on, Silat is shocked to see the Emperor's apostle form, likening him to a demon god.[26]
Silat and four tapasa accompany the Kushan Empire army as it arrives in Vritannis. The tapasa discuss whether or not to inform Ganishka of the movements made by the Band of the Falcon, but none of the four are comfortable with entrusting the fate of their clan to a "demon lord". Silat just stares off into the distance.[27] The group then witnesses the arrival of the Band of the Falcon, turning the tide of the fight against the Holy See alliance armies.[10][28] Silat and the tapasa stealthily infiltrate Ganishka's mobile palace and watch the confrontation between Griffith and Ganishka from a window.[29] Griffith taunts Ganishka, who angrily causes a burst of energy which knocks away the pillars holding up the ceiling. Before the structure can collapse on Griffith and Zodd, Grunbeld and his units catch the ceiling, acting as new supports. This throws the ceiling clear off the palace, forcing the Bakiraka to find new perches. From there, Silat observes the stalemate between the two leaders. When the Kushan army clears away from Vritannis. Silat goes with them, but turns to watch as the Band of the Falcon surrounds and cheer for Griffith's victory.[30]
Silat, the tapasa and a retinue of Kushan scouts intervene when Laban and his Arklow Knights lead a massive rescue effort of all the captured female prisoners of Ganishka out of Midland's capital as well as the rest of city inhabitants. Silat reveals that he is aware that Laban and the Kushan regiment behind him are really disguised Midlanders, and he derides Jarif (a Kushan Band of the Falcon's espionage division who had helped the exodus pass through a garrison) for turning traitor. Jarif recognizes the assailants as members of the Bakiraka clan, and Foss (one of the Wyndham residents heading the operation) points to their role serving the Midland Royal Family. Aware of their history, Jarif extends an offer to the clan of Bakiraka to serve the Falcon, noting that they currently serve an empire of terror, led by a mad emperor, something that tarnishes their pride. Jarif adds that there's some inescrutable, tremendous current, with the Falcon guiding them to a new world and the war being a single event within that current. Though intrigued, Silat ultimately dismisses it and decides to leave. The tapasa object, but Silat points out the simple fact that they can't capture so many people on their own. Though aknowledging he might have caught glimpses of it and the Bakiraka have been at the mercy of an undeniable fate, Silat explains that the Bakiraka have come to ponder whether it is right to yield oneself to something inescrutable, so Silat will instead watch events unfold and see whether this "new world" comes calling or not. With that, the Bakiraka take their leave.[2]
Shortly afterwards, Silat, the tapasa and some scouts observe the final battle against a twice-transmigrated Ganishka and Griffith's forces.[16][31][17] They liken Ganishka to Shiva, the God of Destruction, and Silat wonders whether Griffith intends to challenge the "demon god".[16] Rakshas conceals himself under one of Zodd's wings as Griffith flies to the top of Ganishka's god-like form, being a witness to the events that cause the Great Roar of the Astral World.[17] The Bakiraka also bear witness to the event.[32][33]
Fantasia Arc[]
After Griffith establishes Falconia, Silat is next seen spying on the meeting between Rickert and Griffith. As Rakshas attempts to assassinate Rickert after the latter's encounter with Griffith, two chakram fly through the air around Rickert's head, change course and head straight for Rakshas, who dodges them and detaches from Rickert. A giant segment from a column is then thrown at Rakshas, who dodges once again. The chakram and column were thrown by Silat and his tapasa. Silat announces that the boy must remain alive because he holds valuable information about Griffith.[6] Then, sensing Rakshas, he throws two chakram at the assassin, who catches and sends them flying back at Rickert. But before they can strike, the tapasa intercept them and attack Rakshas, who tosses them about. As they are thrown around, however, the tapasa restrain Rakshas' arms, allowing Silat to stab Rakshas' mask, which splits in half. However, Rakshas had created a "false" body out of his cloak to wear the mask while the real Rakshas slithers behind and attacks him. While the tapasa break free, the strange being laments the loss of his mask, claiming that he will return with a new mask once the moon is risen.[7]
Silat again begins to speak to Rickert, who panics after recognizing him from the night the latter led a host of mercenaries against the Band of the Falcon. Silat threatens to torture Rickert for information should he not divulge what knowledge he has of Griffith, but Rickert sobers up and strikes a deal with the Bakiraka. Rickert returns to Luca's inn with the cloaked Silat and tapasa in tow, frightening Luca and Erica when they come to greet him. They enter the inn's premises, where they are noticed by Daiba. Silat commands the tapasa to hide in the stables lest their builds garner unwanted attention. Daiba silently deduces their identities as they leave. Rickert then explains to Luca, Erica, Pepe, Fouquet and Lucie that an assassin had just attacked him and that he means to leave Falconia that night. Luca asks where Rickert means to go once he leaves. Silat reveals that the Bakiraka clan built a hidden village whose inhabitants are trained warriors. Once forbidden for people outside the clan, it is so secure that even spirits cannot approach it. He then admits that after Ganishka had been killed, he'd considered swearing fealty to Griffith, but ultimately decided against allying himself with another inhuman being. Meanwhile, a still-maskless Rakshas, stares down from a statue.[7]
True to his word, Rakshas resumes his hunt with a new mask, but falls into a trap set by Rickert and Silat. Although he manages to fight off Rickert and Silat, he is doused in flame by the tapasa using Rickert's modified water-spraying machine. This forces Rakshas to assume his true form, taking to the air while using the blood of a horse he killed to put out the fire and then capture Erica.[9] Erica is rescued by Daiba, who manages to distract Rakshas with snakes and rats attacking his cloak. He then proposes the Bakiraka to accompany them. Rakshas tries to fly after Rickert and the others as they escape using Daiba's garudas. However, Rickert fires a rocket at Rakshas from point-blank range when he pursued, allowing them to escape.[13]
Four tapasa and Silat are seen as Kushan galleases surround the Seahorse.[34] Silat has a mental conversation with Daiba, who had anticipated the sudden arrival of the ship and acted accordingly to take precautions against Guts. Once Daiba returns to the capital, the warrior ponders about the wizard being more than meets the eye and Guts' situation.[35]
Members[]
- Silat[8] (clan leader's son)[9]
- Bākiraka thin man: a member with very long legs and arms. He is very agile and he uses two tekkō-kagi-like blades in each hand to assassinate his targets. He is also able to hang in the between of two walls with his long legs.[4] He is killed by Guts.[19]
- Bākiraka "frog": a member with short legs and a stout body. He uses a small-sized trident as a weapon and hides in the canalization waters to strike from beneath his targets, being very fast in the water.[4] He is killed by Casca.[19]
- Bākiraka "imp": a member with a very small and thin body. He uses a small pipe which throws paralyzing poisonous needles, and he hides in the small holes in the wall.[4] He is killed by Guts.[19]
- Bākiraka javelin thrower: a member with a very large and strong body. He carries spears and throws them, using an atlatl with perfect aim and immense strength at his targets.[4] He is killed by Judeau.[19]
- Bākiraka woman: a lissome woman with a fighting style based on the releasea of combustible dust, causing it to explode by striking her two golden bracelets together and creating a spark.[4] She is the only member to survive and successfully return with Charlotte, but she is killed by the King of Midland for allowing any harm to come to Charlotte and for allowing Griffith to escape.[20]
- The tapasa.[8]
- Rakshas (exiled).[11]
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- Though the tapasa have been seen with a group of scouts, it is unknown whether they are Bākiraka clansmen themselves. Judging by the words of Silat when urging the scouts to finish their duty, they belong to the clan.[3] The character reference included in BERSERK Film Artbook Characters alludes to the scouts as Bākiraka clansmen.
- During his talk with Jarif, Silat states that they have no land to speak of.[2] Previously, he had claimed that the clan had been driven from their land for hundreds of years.[3] Yet, during his talk with Luca, he tells her of a "hidden village in an impregnable land".[7]
References[]
- ^ a b c d Berserk :: Volume 27, "Dread Emperor"
- ^ a b c d e f g h Berserk :: Volume 33, "Exodus"
- ^ a b c d e Berserk :: Volume 21, "Arrival"
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Berserk :: Volume 10, "Bakiraka (1)"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 22, "Onslaught of the Kushans"
- ^ a b c Berserk :: Volume 38, "Twilight Assassin"
- ^ a b c d e f g Berserk :: Volume 38, "Capital City in the Moonlight"
- ^ a b c d Berserk :: Volume 18, "Kushan Scouts (2)"
- ^ a b c d Berserk :: Volume 38, "Night Battle"
- ^ a b Berserk :: Volume 32, "Great Invasion (2)"
- ^ a b c d Berserk :: Volume 22, "War Cry of the Wind (2)"
- ^ a b Berserk :: Volume 27, "Daka"
- ^ a b c Berserk :: Volume 38, "Soaring Escape"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 23, "Flag of the Flying Sword"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 23, "Night of Falling Stars"
- ^ a b c Berserk :: Volume 33, "End God"
- ^ a b c Berserk :: Volume 34, "Soaring"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 10, "A Way Through"
- ^ a b c d e Berserk :: Volume 10, "Bakiraka (2)"
- ^ a b Berserk :: Volume 10, "Flower of the Royal Palace of Stone"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 9, "Tournament"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 9, "Fugitives"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 21, "Dawn"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 22, "War Cry of the Wind (1)"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 27, "Demon Knight"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 27, "Demon God"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 32, "Great Invasion (1)"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 32, "Advance by Flight"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 32, "Torn Battlefield"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 32, "Gust of Wind"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 34, "Inhuman Battlefield"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 34, "Fissure"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume 35, "Falconia"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume TBA, "Is the Sleeping Dark Beast Just Standing Quietly?"
- ^ Berserk :: Volume TBA, "The Morning After a Steady Foggy Night"