What means to be a true warrior? https://66.media.tumblr.com/32477338ed981fd775b648f99332a16c/tumblrpxvvtiM71r1usc9y9o2500.gifv 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 battlecrazed 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 oneonone 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 its a multifaceted tale with brilliant characterization with themes like antirevenge 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. Theres a beauty in its storytelling its 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. Its a story about a kind mother shown betrayed for showing love and compassion towards a stranger and a priest teaching about love to warloving Vikings. Its 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 warloving onedimensional 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 writers perspective. His whole character arc over the entire part is an embodiment of the antirevenge theme of the story. He doesnt 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. Canutes 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 Thorfinns filler scenes and Askeladd. The anime unfortunately couldnt get to the level of art that the Manga had but its not a bad thing because the Mangas art is one of the best youd 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.
95 /100
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