Vinland Saga

I’ll start by saying, I dropped Vinland Saga once before. To me, the ideals it tries to tell are foolish. I always thought Thors was an idiot for his extreme "we have no enemies" pacifism. It's a message I just couldn't resonate with. But I came back to it and what a journey it has been. This manga is, in many ways, a masterpiece, but it's a complicated one. The prologue is what everyone knows: a brutal, violent Viking epic. And it's great. The art is incredible, the writing is strong, and the politics are engaging. Askeladd is a fascinating, interesting scumbag of a character, andthe whole arc is a masterclass in setting a gritty, war-torn stage. It's everything you'd expect from one of the "seinen big three," and it's easy to see why it hooks people. But the true genius of Vinland Saga is the sudden, jarring shift it takes right after that. The story promises you one thing for 54 chapters, then turns everything around forever. I was skeptical, but thankfully, it felt completely natural. The "Farmland Saga" introduces some of the best characters, like Einar, and finally begins to flesh Thorfinn out beyond the empty, revenge-fueled husk he'd become. Watching him grow is so damn interesting and satisfying. Now, about the ideals. Like I said, I think the extreme pacifism is foolish and idiotic. For a long time, it annoyed me. Thorfinn's claims of "never using violence again" felt completely blind and idealistic. The famous "I have no enemies" panel is something I still hate, mostly because of the corny fanboys who quote it everywhere without understanding it. But Yukimura is a brilliant writer. He doesn't just present pacifism as an easy answer; he shows how hard it is. He shows it as something that tires Thorfinn, a constant struggle. And by the final arc, during the war between the Nords and the natives, for the first time ever, I was fully on board. I was rooting for peace. That's how good the writing is; it can make you agree with a philosophy you fundamentally think is stupid. But for all its brilliance, few of the author's choices are baffling. The manga has its flaws, and they are not small. The worst is when it randomly injects fantasy into its semi-realistic world. Why the fuck Yukimura thought it would be even slightly okay to put some sort of a gorilla humanoid in this manga, I will never know. It's just bad. Then, after showing us that Norse beliefs in Valhalla are false, he turns around and makes a tribal ritual that sees the future... real? It's bad writing that contradicts its own themes. But in the end, these are few and too little to say the writing was bad all around. Yukimura is a fantastic and brilliant writer who makes mistakes, like every human. The ending was pretty underwhelming. It wasn't bad by any means, it was very good, in fact, but it left a lot of questions unanswered. After a journey that long, you expect a bit more, but maybe for a story like this it was for the better. Even with its flaws, its frustrating ideals, and some truly baffling writing choices, Vinland Saga is an outstanding work. t's a monumental story about war, peace, love, and what it means to live. I'm kinda sad I missed out for so long just because I was hating on it for the spite of its fans. What a journey.

Masterpieces are works with the power to transform. They have the ability to change or challenge a person's views, beliefs and ideals. Seldom have I encountered such rarities in media: Devilman Crybaby, Omniscient Readers' Viewpoint, and Vagabond to name a few. Nonetheless, the first masterpiece I ever read; the first story to help mould me to who I am today was Vinland Saga. Every story has a purpose. Even the most degenerate of media is made with the intent to entertain someone. The finest works of art, however, not only offers its audience entertainment but serves as a conduit of thought, conveying a narrative ofmeaning. With all glaze intended, Vinland Saga is the latter. Its a story of deep and profound meaning. Suprisingly enough, it didnt start off like that. What began as a generic yet captivating narrative centered on Thorfinn's—the protagonist of this manga—quest for revenge, accompanied by amateurish art, eventually evolved into a poignant tale of redemption, complimented by gorgeous impactful panels and bewitching art. Makoto Yukimura weaves growth throughout the entirety of Vinland Saga. From the evolution of its story and the refinement of its art to the metamorphosis of characters like Thorfinn and Canute in ideals and appearance. Growth is intertwined with Vinland Saga. Media that can change. Its only so fitting that what tries to change you grows alongside you as well. "I have no enemies" —Thorfinn "God's works are so beautiful. And yet, there is no love in the hearts of man." —Canute Love and redemption are the profound themes that Vinland Saga explores and dissects with great care. The aforementioned quotes directly contrast each other. No one can have no enemies except they can truly love. Can man truly and unconditionally love all and be redeemed of his sins? How? The world of Vinland Saga actively rejects love. Vinland Saga preaches pacifism but shows the tulmotuous path in maintaining that love. Thorfinn was a man of wrath. He scarred lives. He caused pain. He passively observed human atrocities. But, eventually, Thorfinn grows to desire change. He desires the ability to truly love all and carry the weight of his sins. To become a true warrior. Character growth/development, most of the time, is far too linear. A character has an arc, changes and that's that. No. Characters are a reflection of people. People are ridiculously flawed. To err is to be human(if thats how the quote goes). Thorfinn is an inspiringly human character. He is flawed. On his path to redemption, he experiences setbacks. He experiences the wrath he runs away from at times. Sometimes, he feels it is impossible to atone. Yet what makes Thorfinn such an inspiring character is that he can overcome his flaws and continue to seek forgiveness. To pursue forgiveness and atonement is hard. To carry the weight of your sins and move forward is hard. To truly change at your very core and overcome your flaws is hard. I know that so much. Thorfinn knows that so much. But he does it anyway, despite how tiring and depressing it is. Because he truly desires change. And wants to bring peace through love in a world where love is not existent in the hearts of men. Did I already say Thorfinn was inspiring? His character arc is one of manga's most complex. Then again, Makoto Yukimura is a master when it comes to characterization. Characters are what make a story. They drive the narrative. They embody the message of that tale. They are what we emotionally get attached to. Characters make a story. Vinland Saga has arguably manga's best written cast. Canute and Askeladd are some of most complex antagonists in the medium of manga. Especially Canute. Canute. Oh Canute. I could dickride Canute ALL DAY. But I won't. What I will say is that, Canute's and Thorfinn's dynamic is an incredibly unique one. Their philosophies and ideas directly contrast each other. Yet they need each other to essentially to accomplish a goal both of them share. Its such an interesting relationship to watch unfold as the narrative progresses. I urge anyone with knowledge of Christianity to go re evaluate Canute's entire character arc. He's absolutely amazing. When you take a more theological perspective on Canute, his complexity shines. His internal conflicts and his beliefs are amazing. Askeladd is the more universally appreciated antagonist of the two. He embodies nuance of the human nature in Vinland Saga. Completely capable of good and sin. Incredibly charismatic. Its impossible to hate such a great antagonist despite how much of a scumbag he is. Hild is an amazing parallel to Thorfinn. Einar is a great and tragic deutaragonist. Gudrid is more than simply a damsel in distress, she has so much beauty and depth to her. Mf Halfdan has such an interesting look on life and it constrasts so well with Thorfinn. He's also just hella funny as well. Thorkell is a character rich in depth and is also hilarious. Its an incredibly likeable cast of characters. Its a cast I deeply resonated with. I found a piece of myself in each and every one of them and their stories. How beautifully these characters age over time, the character designs are progressive and exquisite. Their hands alone can tell a person their story. It's such amazing attention to detail. Vinland Saga feels so real because of the amazing characterization it boasts. I suppose I should talk about the narrative these characters drive as well. Vinland Saga is an overwhelming compelling story. Its world—from a Danish-invaded England to a seemingly peaceful Vinland—is a world of brutality and tragedy. 'Pointy objects make minced meat of men'. It perfectly applies to the feeling of despair in Vinland Saga(sorry I stole your line buddy). Weakness means death. Women are sexually abused and sold into slavery afterwards. Children are not spared from pain and suffering. Its a grim tale. Yet, Vinland Saga is a tale of nuance. It shows the peaceful life in farming. The world is drawn beautifully despite its underlying true ugliness. Peace through violence is maintained. War is meaningless in the sense that no afterlife exists and what people fight for and the suffering they cause is meaningless. And yet, meaning is given to war when peace is ordained through violence, communicating that there is a chance of the paradise that does not exist or cannot be entered to exist on Earth. A man kills someone. Someone gets revenge. The cycle continues. The more grevious the sin, the firmer the lesson. There is order. Vinland Saga preaches of a world where peace is obtained through love but knows that love does not exist in the hearts of most men...... "When they are three people, there is conflict." —Thorkell .....and it acknowledges the fact that despite the ugliness of the world, order and peace can be maintained yet only through violence. It knows that to achieve peace through love is a hard one. People are fools for complying with violence and perpetuating suffering. But in a world designed to do as such, what other choice is there? Vinland Saga portrays the difficulty of achieving peace through love; it communicates the positives of peace gained through violence while entailing the ugliness of it. Its a tale of nuance. But this is a manga that wants to preach peace. And it expresses while it is harder to gain peace through love and to really have no enemies, it would make the world all so much more beautiful. If people would just try to be stronger. Be kinder. Its ending perfectly encaptures that idea. That with time and effort, people can find peace through love. Its hard. The very nature of people goes against it. The world of Vinland Saga rejects it. Yet we should try regardless. To bring peace by loving one another. Vinland Saga is overwhelmingly compelling. Its action, married to simple yet effective free flowing panelling, engages a person effortlessly; the character conflicts, interactions, and dynamics, paired with powerful dialogue, immerses you into whatever page you read as the scene unfolds. It is masterful storytelling. When you can find dialogue between two characters more entertaining as an action packed spectacle, thats when you know you are reading something note worthy. I sat there for a while. Just processing the ending. There was more I wanted from this story. It could have been fleshed out more. I wanted to see more of Gudrid experiencing and seeing the world. But this story gave me enough and thats all I could ever really ask for. I wonder if when Makoto Yukimura began drawing Vinland Saga in 2005, if he expected the impact it would have. Maybe, the man is a genius. He made this manga to tell a message that could help people. Imagine the numerous lives Vinland Saga has bettered. It helped mine. If you're reading this review to know if to read Vinland Saga, then undoubtedly, Vinland Saga would do that for you too. "I want to be a stronger person" —Thorfinn Me too. And I'll try to everyday. Thank you Makoto Yukimura. You made the masterpiece of a lifetime.

If you watched the first season of Vinland Saga, liked it. And watched the second seasond and didnt liked it. Dont start to the manga there is no gorgeous magnificent fights. It has much more meaning and philosophy in it. If youre young person who likes mangas/animes like solo leveling, bleach, kimetsu no yaiba etc. dont read or watch Vinland Saga. When you get older and feel like you can enjoy something other than shounens or romantic comedies, come back and read it. There is so much reviews that critizes characters and story I wont get into that. Its just peak of fiction dont missit(ofc if youre mature enough).