One day, after spending months on multiple shonen series like My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer, I found myself looking for a unique anime with a more serious tone. What I was looking for was something different from the usual animes where the story is focused on the weakest guy who wants to become the strongest ever and defeats many powerful enemies without a problem, etc. Not that they are bad shows but you usually know what the story is about and they can easily become boring.

After searching for some newer seinen series I found Vinland Saga, a show that was released in 2019. So, I read about it on forums, watched the trailer, and got more informed about the manga. The moment I saw that it was an anime set at the beginning of the first millennium when the Vikings raided England, I knew that I’m about to embark on a fantastic journey.  

As a huge fan of the Norse culture, and the brutality, plotting, politics, kings, and gods, I got very hyped for the idea of watching Vinland Saga. So, if you are a fellow fan and maybe love The Last Kingdom and Vikings, know that watching Vinland Saga will bring you the same epic experience.

First Impressions

The first thing I was amazed by was the scenery and the animation. The opening episodes show the Norse villages in an amazing way. The architecture, the colors used, and some of the angles are truly breathtaking. 

In the first episode, I also met a young boy named Thorfinn, a boy who wants to learn about the Viking ways and follow his father Thors on a journey to conquer a new land called Vinland.

The Action and Characters in Vinland Saga

Unfortunately, in the initial episodes, the story took a turn, and Thorfinn's goal changed. Why did it change you ask? Well, in a very emotional scene that hinted how great the fights in this show are, Thors, who is one of the strongest and most-known warriors, is killed by Askeladd. 

After another powerful scene with amazing voice acting, Thorfinn cried and swore revenge on Askeladd, who (ironically) took the boy with him on a journey with a promise that he would duel Thorfinn once he is ready. 

This marked the true beginning of the show, and what happened later was far from a usual revenge story. There was war, forming of friendships, betrayal, and much more. As for the characters, apart from the two we mentioned, there is also Thorkell, the strongest warrior in the series who is the center of attention in some of the most epic fights in Vinland Saga. 

 

 

Final Words

Vinland Saga is an amazing story full of amazing characters and character development, drama, well-written fights with amazing animation, and a story with great pacing that will leave you wanting more.

The great news is that you won't have to wait long for more because Vinland Saga’s second season is releasing on January 9th, 2023. Or if you can’t wait, you can always read the manga.