Vinland Saga

__What means to be a true warrior?
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Vinland Saga is a bloody tale of revenge, in 11th century England, the brutal age of Vikings. Vinland Saga surprisingly has a brilliant adaptation in spite of being a seinen historical epic – a genre cursed for having an anime adaptation reminiscent of titles like berserk and kingdom. You can see the passion and care Yabuta Shuuhei, and the staff has for this adaptation. From the gorgeous background art to an incredible direction, WiT studio deserves every bit of appreciation.

Set in the 11th century Europe, Vinland Saga tells a bloody epic in an era where violence, madness, and injustice are inescapable, providing a paradise for the battle-crazed and utter hell for the rest who live in it. Thorfinn is a Viking who witnessed the brutal death of his father by the hands of a mercenary leader, Askeladd. As a young boy, driven by pure hatred and a desire for revenge, he joins the very mercenary group in the hope of killing Askeladd in a one-on-one duel. If this looks like an edgy action fest, then you will be disappointed. Vinland Saga is like an onion because, at the core, it is a much more than revenge; it’s a multifaceted tale, with brilliant characterization, with themes like anti-revenge and pacifism. It tells you a lot about human nature and culture through war and violence.

“Everyone is a slave to something. A man, slave to his gold, holds a whip and beats the slave he bought with that gold as if to claim he is the master.”

The story itself is reasonably accurate with the events that underwent. Almost every character existed in our history, which makes it even sadder. There is no veil of fantasy to avert your eyes to the atrocities you see – there is no right or wrong, everything was a part of life during that time. There’s a beauty in its storytelling – it’s a son so far off the path that the father desperately tried to teach him, from being an innocent child to being a miserable teenage seeking for vengeance just to be manipulated by his enemy for their personal use. It’s a story about a kind mother shown betrayed for showing love and compassion towards a stranger, and a priest teaching about love to war-loving Vikings. It’s a story that tells you that a true warrior needs no blade, and its true meaning is the beauty of comprehending an art – because it is something that is not explicitly mentioned, but you have to think and discover your conclusions and “truths.” For what I believe – “true warrior” is an unreachable ideal, someone who can solve anything by words alone.

While being a story centered about war-loving one-dimensional warriors, Vinland Saga has a rich characterization. Askeladd took the spotlight for me during the War arc of Vinland Saga. He is a murderer, schemer, strategist, manipulator, warrior, and philosopher all at once. He ultimately wants to protect his homeland and searches for his “Artorius,” a leader who can purge the scourge of the Vikings from the world. Basically, during his life, Askeladd goes from waiting for Artorius to actively searching for him, to making an Artorius for himself.

Thorfinn, however, feels very bland as a character – which is intentional from the writer’s perspective. His whole character arc over the entire part is an embodiment of the anti-revenge theme of the story. He doesn’t think, has no emotions, got manipulated his whole life by his enemy, and lived a miserable life just for the sake of revenge. The thing is, you are not supposed to root for his character. Canute’s development throughout the series is incredible. His enlightenment made him a fascinating character – when he understood that God never made humans perfect, and we are unable to love everyone without discrimination. Unlike Thorfinn, when he lost his father figure, he took charge of his life and stepped forward with his ideals in hand.

The direction for Vinland Saga has been incredible. Still, there were scenes where the anime failed to create tension that the Manga had – a good example would be where Askeladd was desperate to find a solution to protect his people when King Sweyn ordered to attack Wales, where the anime switched between Thorfinn’s filler scenes and Askeladd. The anime, unfortunately, couldn’t get to the level of art that the Manga had, but it’s not a bad thing because the Manga’s art is one of the best you’d find in the medium. The soundtrack has been good, the animation has been consistent, and the background art is visually brilliant.

In conclusion, Vinland Saga is the berserk adaptation we deserved. It is a story that will have a deep imprint on anyone who finishes it. Personally speaking, Vinland Saga is refreshing when most anime coming out nowadays are either isekai crap or fetish bait shows. It is a damn enjoyable show with deep and beautiful storytelling.