Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga is a beautiful tale about the effects of war on the people, how rage affects your thinking, what it truly means to be a warrior and so much more. Plot-lines to keep you interested which connectly beautifully at the end, awesome side-characters to keep you going for the whole ride, a rich world that has alot of lore by making use of its setting which is 11th Century Europe, Vinland Saga is truly a great example on what makes us a slave to something.

Why should you watch this show?

One of the main reasons anyone should give this a try is because it tackles humanitys ugliest side; war. Not many medias like showing the effects of war, as its used to be "badass", but its not the case here. Very clearly is it shown how messed up the vikings were, and why war is the amalgamation of everything us humans dislike; Fear, hatred, anger, greed. It gets even more clear once we get into the relationship between Thorfinn and Askeladd, where our main character, Thorfinn, is blinded by rage and vengeance to kill Askeladd. As this relationship begins developing early in the series from being enemies to warriors, it gets more abundantely clear the story doesn't take its time to stay there. Many other plot-lines get introduced which makes the whole package even more enjoyable to watch. Ranging from army, the holy church, the life of a warrior, the life of a slave; You get all of these and more, wrapped up beautifully which makes the story feel very complex. If you expect a very typical "angry good teenager goes through a journey to kill someone evil", this is not the show you are looking for.

Another great thing that Vinland Saga is applauded for is its characters.

The main star of the show as everyone is bringing up; Askeladd. Even though Thorfinn is technically the protagonist, Askeladd truly outshines everyone in the cast where he is the one that moves the story forward. Without him, many of the plot-lines would go unresolved, with his cunning and smartness. He doesn't shy away from using peoples own disadvantages, which makes him a bit of a cunt, but he isn't a robot that does evil deeds because he is evil; there is reasons for it, one i cannot go into further detail without spoiling. His adaptive nature to the situation at hand, the consequences that might be at his throat for not reaching his goal, the motivation for his acts; it all feels believable and real. The legend of his character arc will not be forgotten, both by the characters in the show and by us viewers. God, what a great character.

Initially a shy character, Canute develops as someone who plays a big role in the whole storyline in Vinland Saga. His role at first seems to be a plot-device, but there is merit to the way he acts; one about surpassing your father. His shy nature is in response to his backstory, which makes him out to be incredibly smart. Its initially really subtle at first, but it all goes back to Askeladd's character that is able to see through people. After an event, Canute changes quite alot, and evolves into a character with conviction and one about faith, which is underlying theme in this show aswell.

Albeit not exactly developed to his fullest in this season, Thorfinn is a really great protagonist shows what effect war has on people. The reasoning for his character is supposed to be one that exemplifies the rage of how one would feel if someone important to them died. Hatred, rage and vengeance for Askeladd is the only thing fueling him to keep pushing, but it is shown to be something bad, as his fathers words remind him; he doesn't have enemies. There is not too much to say here, as i think his character works, but i can definetly see why people would dislike him a little bit. I think his character truly shines in the manga and the upcoming Season 2, so i'd rather hold your expecations for his character if you're new to the series.

The themes that make Vinland Saga about what it truly is

The themes play a big role here, especially the one about importance of peace. An important thing about making a story about war is to show the ugly side; the poor villagers or the slaves that have to endure all the pain that comes along with it. The best example i can give is probably Thorfinn's character during Season 1 and how his hatred was sprung out of war with nothing to do but be angry, but also the whole idea of Vinland; a land without war, suffering and peace. It feels very warm and comforting, which is the point of it all, especially when we take a look at Thors' backstory which makes the point even more important.

Another theme that is important is the one about slavery and freedom. The slaves shown in the show express the importance of a utopia, and it becomes more clear what would happen if Thorfinn wasn't a slave to vengeance, Canute was a slave to faith, Askeladd was a slave to his destiny etc. Without slavery, you can express love and peace but at what cost? In what way can peace be achieved? Is peace the result of the end of a war? There are many questions, and little answered which makes you ponder. In Vinland Saga's case, i would say it works in its favor!

Music and animation;

The animation quality is very good, albeit it dips alot in the later half, which is a shame. It didn't impact my enjoyment of the show, so i personally didn't care much about it. Music however....oh my god. Its truly amazing what Yutaka Yamada has managed to create, as i truly get immersed in the soundtrack created here. From the chilling tension of the "Troll", the melancholic sadness of "Dagger," all the way to the amazing and warm OST of the last episode, the music is truly just extraordinary. Soundtracks like these are the reason i fucking love anime, and the reason i use soundtracks to read their respective manga.

My absolute favorite track in the whole anime is easily this one;

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Verdict;

Vinland Saga is truly a landmark in anime. With its gorgeous art, amazing characters that are complex in each of their own way, music to take you through the whole journey and finally, a story with one of the best conclusions in anime, it serves as an example on how good anime should be. It is truly, without a doubt, one of my absolute all-time favorite shows to date, as this reminds me alot about Berserk's themes and war against humanity, but also how real both Guts and Thorfinn feel. Its beautiful, warm, melancholic and most of all; feels humane.

Believe the hype people are talking about when it comes to Vinland Saga, because its all real. Thank you Makoto Yukimura for creating this amazing story, and thank you Wit Studio for creating this absolute thrilling piece of fiction that is going to stay with me until the day i die.