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⬢⬡⬢| Vinland Saga |⬢⬡⬢
img100%(https://i.imgur.com/SOlsAgJ.png)Life is tough during the viking age; war, death, and pillaging are all a part of everyday life. Beneath its action packed exterior, Vinland Saga conveys a profound message about the cyclical nature of violence and the human desire for peace while also questioning the costs of warfare and the possibility of breaking free from the chains of vengeance.
Overview:
- Story: A young boy sets out to avenge his pacifist father, everyone is a slave to something (9/10)
- Characters: Every character is so well written and deeply human, especially the main antagonist (9/10)
- Visuals: Smooth fight scenes, nice static shots, CGI usage not bad (8.2/10)
- Audio: Great OST and ED and background music is good (8/10)
- Bingeable/Hype: Went in with high expectations and it delivered more than I anticipated (8/10)
- Enjoyment: It had my attention and then my intrigue; a top ten (8.8/10)
###⬡ Overall: *(8.5/10)* ⬡
⬢⬡| Plot |⬡⬢
(9/10)
The story revolves around the young warrior Thorfinn, who seeks vengeance against the mercenary Askeladd for reasons that are spoilers. Thorfinn becomes entangled in the violent world of Viking warfare seemingly only focused on killing him. However, as other key figures appear, the story starts questioning his purpose and a longing for a life free from the cycle of bloodshed. It skillfully balances intense action with character development. It's fairly realistic with reasonable suspension of disbelief, which only adds to the realness of the characters and gruesomeness of war.
\* The real message of Vinland Saga \*
Spoiler, click to view
*Vinland Saga* isn't about not having enemies.
It seems like war bad, peace good, but it's not so simple as that. At the beginning of the show we hear the famous quote, "you have no enemies." So, the whole time I was watching, I was waiting for Thorfinn to give up on revenge, put an end to the endless bloodshed, and everyone has a happy ending. Instead he does the opposite, becoming even more fixated on revenge. All our characters become numb to killing. Instead of the focus being on pacifism, it's actually on the idea that we are all slaves to something.
Thors said that there are no enemies because no one deserves to be hurt. In fact, that's what got him killed. He was willing to die so nobody else had to. So we think of him as this guy who never has to kill anyone , but that's not true. Remember why he was lead into that ambush in the first place. He was sailing to war. Vinland Saga portrays this perfectly, the conflict between idealism and realism. No matter how much you don't want to fight, sometimes you have to. Sometimes other people who don't share the same ideals drag you into conflict you cannot avoid. But, Thors managed to not kill anyone even after he was trapped. Yes, but one man still died, him. And what do you think he would have done if Askeladd had not guaranteed to safety of his crew? He certainly tried to exhaust every nonviolent option available, but that doesn't mean he wasn't willing to kill if he had to. He was already sailing to a war to kill other for the sake of protecting his family and village, these pirates would have just been the first casualties. In the end he was still just a slave to his ideals.
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/sUh31Bz.gif) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/uB0KLWX.png)
This is what the priest would call discrimination, killing people to save others, but if you do not fight, wouldn't that be the same as killing your loved ones for the sake of the killers? That episode with his dialogue and the prince's character development cemented the show as a favorite, and despite that altruistic message, showed that we all still are slaves to something. Prince Canute, seeing the love of God around him in nature, but not in the hearts of men, steels him to pursue making Heaven on earth, a place where there is no hate. But he becomes a slave to God then. But wasn't he a slave to God when he was a devout Christian? Yes, but now he's a slave because he wants to spite God. He speaks of loving all people, but still harbors hatred in his heart for his father and those who would make wars opposed to his ideal kingdom. He's a slave to this dream,willing to do anything to achieve his goals, even killing innocents, all in the name of peace. His character development was crazy, but it showed him going from a meek idealistic boy, to a confident and cynical man.
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/wqDtrOA.gif) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/2ZkahW3.gif)
I don't think much explaining needs to be done to show how Thorfinn is a slave to revenge. In one scene, he talks to a slave girl on a boat and says how he doesn't understand how anyone can remain a slave under somebody, which is ironic. When Askeladd dies, Thorfinn's life as a slave could have ended. Canute tells him he can go wherever he wants now, he's free. But because he was a slave to his revenge he can't accept this, and lashes out at Canute. Whether this is because he redirected all his feelings of resentment from his father's killer to his killer, or because the prince took away the only thing he had been living for I don't know. But now that his old master Revenge is gone, he becomes a slave to Rage and Despair.
I could go more in depth about Askeladd and Thorkell, but we can easily see that Askeladd is a slave to his past and Wales, even choosing to die for it. Thorkell, the epitome of a viking is a slave to war and violence. But the point is, everyone, not just them, are slaves to something. Initially, you would think this is bad, but look at Thors, regarded as a hero and a true warrior by everyone even after his death. Thors was a true warrior, and every warrior has to fight. A true warrior is someone who only fights when the absolutely must, and only for the most worthy of reasons, refusing to kill even if it kills them.
I think that is what the show is trying to say, that you should be as idealistic as possible, but that reality is all around. Wars, fighting, plundering, all of this was just part of life, but you should still see the best parts of it. You can't be as idealistic as to hope one day the world will be free of pain and slavery and fighting, and you can't just try to put all of that in the past because there is no such thing an end of history. But you should still keep living so no one has to get hurt. If you're going to be a slave to something, it better be a good master.
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⬢⬡| Characters |⬡⬢
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(9/10)Deeply human, these characters are multifaceted and you find yourself immersed in their story. Thorfinn serves as the central protagonist, driven by his thirst for revenge. But despite being the main character, the antagonist Askeladd takes the spot light. You want to hate him but can't. He's an irredeemable character who plunders and kills entire villages. He's cunning and cruel. Being the object of Thorfinn's revenge, the two have a unique dynamic. Thorfinn is so focused on killing him that he'll do anything, killing others and even saving his life just so he can be the one to kill him. A few other key figures are introduced, mainly Thorkell, a viking among vikings, and the peaceful prince Canute. Despite the setting of medieval war, the story mostly focuses on these men's character development.
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/PL9Uj4f.gif) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/o7NdDza.gif)
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⬢⬡| Visuals |⬡⬢
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(8.2/10)
The visuals do a good job capturing the brutal and gritty nature of Viking battles while also showcasing some of the most beautiful landscapes. The attention to detail in character designs, armor, and settings do not go unnoticed, with every warrior looking different. The action sequences are fluid and sometimes incorporate the use of CGI, which I personally didn't think was bad. One thing I noticed was that sometimes the animation went from dynamic action sequence, to a moving static and I'm not sure whether this was intention styling or a budget constraint, but either way it wasn't that big of a deal.
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/YGsUMSE.gif) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/Oyye6pT.gif)
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⬢⬡| Audio |⬡⬢
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(8/10)The OST for the first part and ED for the second were phenomenal. The audio design was only there to complement the visuals. The atmospheric soundtrack really enhanced the emotional impact of the series, whether during intense battle sequences or quiet character moments. Voice acting is something I always have to mention and in this anime it was solid in both sub and dub. Overall, everything was pretty good.
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/oCuBk1r.png) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/CCQwN3b.png)
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⬢⬡| Bingeability/Hype |⬡⬢
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(8/10)In conclusion, "Vinland Saga" Season 1 is a must-watch for fans of historical epics and those seeking a captivating and emotionally charged anime. With its gripping story, well-developed characters, stunning visuals, powerful audio, and profound message, the series offers an immersive and thought-provoking experience. It left a lasting impression, igniting a desire for more. I think a lot of times, you could end a series on season one and still be satisfied because it leaves on a solid milestone, or there's a goal the characters achieved, and season two feels like a second story that just happens to be a continuation. But the ending of this anime felt almost the opposite, and it really makes me wanting more.
\* Brief thoughts on the finale \*
Spoiler, click to view
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/k9J7emb.png) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/fYED4UV.gif)
What an emotionally charged ending. I was absolutely blown away. Askeladd's death seemed so unexpected and yet was so foreshadowed by him losing his troupe, and Bjorn, all his attachments to the world. And it seemed at first so out of character for him to sacrifice himself for the prince, but really it was for Wales. The reason I feel like it was not a proper ending was because it didn't feel like it could ever end there. The very thing Thorfinn had been wanting for so long, the thing he had killed countless people for, was gone. It was like the show was begging to continue so that he could finally find out for himself what having no enemies means. It really feels like just the prologue to the real story. And when Askeladd told him his life was his, because they're "enemies right?", oof man. It really drove home the profoundness and meaning of the show. And then he drops his dagger that he's had his whole life, that his father gave him, the only thing left from his past? It was almost like saying he needed to move on. Honestly, everything about that last episode was just beautiful.
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⬢⬡| Enjoyment |⬡⬢
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(8.8/10)It didn't take a while to get going, but it did take a while for me to love it as much as I do. Everything was perfectly set up to deliver in the last episodes and the dialogue and things people did left an impact on me. It asks a profound question that you have to answer, and it did a brilliant job of asking it. The entire anime is a showcase of human nature, both good, bad, and in between. Everything went well together to deliver the message in a beautiful way. Vinland Saga has been cemented into my list of favorites where it will stay.
img40%(https://i.imgur.com/hitFQ3z.gif) img40%(https://i.imgur.com/Pf7D5gA.gif)
