The lone mercenary Guts travels a land where a century-old war is raging. His ferocity and skill in battle attract the attention of Griffith, the leader of a group of mercenaries called the Band of the Hawk. Guts becomes Griffith s closest ally and confidant, but despite all their victories, Guts begins to question why he fights for another man s dream of ruling his own kingdom. Unknown to Guts, Griffith s unyielding ambition is about to bestow a horrible fate on them both.