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Vinland Sagais the kind of show that often ends up on someone’s watch list, but they never get around to actually firing it up. This would be a big mistake because the show offers one of the most cinematic, poignant, and well-written experiences that the anime genre has to offer.
The initial hook of the first few episodes that seems to be the foundation of the series is repeatedly challenged. The show does the best of any I have seen at viscerally peeling back the main character’s motivations and really setting the scene for actual self-reflection instead of a training arc to get stronger. On top of this, you have the beautifully animated action sequences produced by Wit Studio, an amazing soundtrack, and a rich atmosphere that makesVinland Sagafeel more like a long moviethan an anime TV show.
Masterfully Written Characters
How Vinland Saga’s Character Portraits Steal the Show
While nearly every aspect of the first two seasons released so far is top-notch, arguably the greatest reason to watch the show is how well it handles its characters. This strength is shown in the way it takes irredeemable villains in the early part of the show and makes the audience feel empathetic towards them by the end.
“You’re young. Time is on your side. You’ll grow up and I’ll grow old. Someday you’ll likely beat me. It’s only natural. Even the strongest man must die.” -Askeladd
We originally sympathize with Thorfinn, who lost his awesome, powerful dad in a fight that he could have won if he wanted to. The audience is made to feel the pain of loss in someone so young and wishes for Thorfinn to get the revenge he seeks as he grows up.
“I must rely on a sword like this, because I am not yet a master. A true warrior doesn’t need a sword.” -Thors
However, as the show continues, we see the price Thorfinn has to pay to seek out his single-minded revenge. He inflicts pain on innocents just to getthe promise of another duelwith his father’s killer, Askeladd. Somehow, the show is continually able to show the villains committing unspeakable acts of tragedy, only for them to make you nearly tearful as you watch their onscreen demise.
Each character goes through a journey, and the show’s brilliance is found in the subtle nuances of how each character’s arc is influenced and intersected by other characters. We see innocence corrupted, corruption returning to innocence, and everything in between. All of this happens while we, as the audience, feel like we are learning something about the nature of reality and going through our own arcs.
Future of the Series
Recommending an Incomplete Watch
One unfortunate thing about recommendingVinland Saga, that despite the amazing experience, it is currently incomplete. It has two seasons but there has not been an announcement that the series will be continuing. This putsVinland Sagain a similar camp toBerserk, where a definitive version that covers everything satisfactorily doesn’t exist but it’s still worth the watch regardless.
Season 2 unfortunately ends right afterThorfinn has finally found his way after the events of Season 1. This cuts off much of Thorfinn’s payoff after his lengthy journey to finding his way as a true warrior. The quest to reach Vinland, the title of the show and the dream of many characters in the series, has yet to come to pass.
However, despite these drawbacks, what the show does offer makes it all worth it.Vinland Sagaaims high, trying to say something beyond its action scenes and fun historic fiction and deliver to audiences a beautiful,emotional journey that mirrors the onesthat its characters go on. In this it succeeds, making it a shame if it still remains buried on your unwatched series list.
“The world… God’s divine creation… is so brimming with love… yet there is no love in the hearts of men.” -Canute
