Vinland Saga comes at a time when Vikings and Norse mythology are as popular as ever. Despite the series having existed in manga form for over 15 years, it wasn't until 2019 that the historical epic was animated, with a second beginning on Netflix and Crunchyroll at the start of this year.
You'd expect a Viking-based story to be full of machismo and unrelenting violence and in many ways, "Vinland Saga" certainly delivers. Yet at the same time, it's also a meditation on the effects of violence and an interpretation of actual historical events concerning the ascension of the future king of Denmark and England, Canute, in the early 11th century.
While Canute is the historical figure the story swirls around, Thorfinn is our main hero. His father, killed by a conniving military leader named Askeladd, was a Jomsviking and his legacy lives on through his son who goes from an innocent young man to a revenge-driven murderer. Thorfinn becomes a kind of animal, at the beck and call of Askeladd, who always offers him a duel in return for his death-defying heroics.
This dichotomy of characters that includes religious leaders, war hawks, insane killers and Machiavellian warriors makes for an interesting cornucopia of the times and some plot-twists worthy of the best episodes of Game of Thrones.
It's all aided by fantastic animation that not only brings the vibrancy of the middle ages to life, but also offers realistic faces and smart use of shadows to help add to the heightened emotion of some scenes. That's not to say everything is realistic as the violence can get whacky to a point that can only be described as "anime-like". One character in particular is throwing boulders and killing people with the kind of whirlwind quality that you'd expect of the player character in a Dynasty Warriors game. That heightened violence makes the show feel a little more cartoony, but never takes away from how well it nails the dour and often brutal mood.
You're not supposed to like these characters which can be a problem for some viewers. Despite Thorfinn deserving justice you won't root him on. Maybe to a certain degree you'll attach yourself to the wimpy prince Canute as he grows through the war he encounters and his connection to God, but everyone else is a ugly killer who you might be wanting to see get his come-uppance more so than a reward at the end.
The writing is typically extremely tight and intelligent. I could see this being a kind of gateway anime for those unconvinced or apathetic to the medium.
The only real issue is the stretching of the material is real. The first half moves at a brisk, perfect pace and had me binging late into the night. The second half drags, spending multiple episodes in one little patch of snow. Part of this comes down to the series trying to adapt an arc of the manga in one little package. As you'll find out with season two, Vinland Saga likes to time-skip as it uses Thorfinn's entire life to showcase its story. It has a kind of Pillars of the Earth quality in that regard and is pretty unique for how it is serving up the tale.
Also, the soundtrack is so good. Never did I think this Hot Topic level melodic rock with a sudden burst of screamo edge would be associated with Vikings — but here we are (I feel like Amon Amarth would have fit the bill a tad better though...but this still slaps).
As we enter season two and prepare to see the next part of Thorfinn's life play out I can only hope the new season manages to keep a more consistent pace than the first and keep developing these characters. Maybe we will see a redemption arc for Thorfinn, or perhaps he will be thrust back into the very warfare he seems to have escaped as a slave on a farm.
Regardless of where it goes, Vinland Saga is a series well worth your time, a rarity in this medium as its a genuine historical adventure not set in Japan that doesn't go too far off the deep end, maintaining a sense of authenticity while still tickling your need for bloody action.
Vinland Saga is available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
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Sean Newgent has been with KGUN9 since January of 2020 and is Good Morning Tucson's executive producer. He graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in broadcast journalism. He is a critic and cultural commentator. Share your story ideas and important issues with Sean by emailing sean.newgent@kgun9.com.
