'Vinland Saga' Is Epic

The Vinland Saga is a manga of much prestige, and serious manga aficionados were fearful of the possibility that an anime adaptation would fail to properly adapt it.  But with Wit Studio handling its anime adaptation, one could be optimistic of the result, as it’s the same studio behind Attack on Titan and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – gritty, angsty, action-packed shows that are in line with the tone and presentation of Vinland Saga.  And, indeed, most of the manga fans would agree: the anime turned out being a worthwhile adaptation.

In fact, Vinland Saga ended up as one of the three best new anime of the 2019 summer season right off the bat.  And after seeing all of their respective debut seasons – which continued into the fall season – I judge it to be the second best of the three.

Vinland Saga isn’t your typical anime.  Being a historical epic that’s set during the Viking Age, it doesn’t follow the usual tropes, quirks, and character molds of anime.  The animation techniques of the characters and fight scenes are anime-inspired, but other than that, this show feels more “Westernized” than most anime.  In fact, it’s Game of Thrones-esque in a lot of ways.

The plot features both fictional and real-life persons and events.  Specifically, its story touches on the invasion of England by the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, and the rise to power of his son, Canute the Great.

It’s also a revenge tale that revolves around a Viking boy named Thorfinn (a character based on the Icelandic explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni).  When his father Thors – a legendary Jomsviking general who embraced a life of pacifism in order to raise his family – lets himself be killed by the bandit-mercenary Askeladd, Thorfinn vows to avenge him.  Thus, he begins following Askeladd’s band wherever they go so that he can constantly challenge their leader to duel with him, for he wants to kill him during combat as his warrior’s pride forbids him to kill in his sleep.  However, Thorfinn is always bested by Askeladd during these one-on-one battles.  To earn these opportunities to duel Askeladd, Thorfinn must first complete the difficult missions that he sends him to.  By the time he’s a teenager, Thorfinn is arguably the strongest warrior in Askeladd’s band.

The dynamic between Thorfinn and Askeladd is quite unique and one of the most interesting aspects of this anime.  This makes Askeladd an antagonist in one sense, but also a protagonist in one sense.  As a result, his moral alignment is complex.

And that’s actually the case also with most of the characters in this anime – even Thorfinn.  There are almost no “good” or “evil” characters here, in a narrative sense.  Just characters.  In relations to this, alliances among them are also shifting.  Yep, this show is Games of Thrones-esque.

With this kind of characters on hand, the narrative gets really gripping, even when there are no battles.  There’s also some riveting political thriller going on in it on top of the excellent character-driven drama (another reason why Askeladd is so fascinating is because of his talents as a schemer).

But, yeah, the brutal action further brings this anime to the next level.  It isn’t always eye-popping, but it’s consistently solid.  And when it does have big fights, oh boy, it’s utterly breathtaking to watch.

To sum it up, Vinland Saga is a magnificent, visceral anime.  And, yes, it might actually even be a masterpiece.

I hope season 2 happens sooner than later.