Vinland Saga (2019)

An anime about Vikings. But it does not glorify combat. Wit Studio’s adaptation of Makoto Yukimura’s manga Vinland Saga is a 24-episode anime that aired on NHK in 2019, directed by Shuhei Yabuta. It is the story of a boy who dreams of revenge confronting the reality of war and asking what true strength actually means. The backdrop is the historically real Danish conquest of England, and the series incorporates Thors — father of the legendary Viking explorer Leif Erikson — as a key character, making it a historical fantasy.

What it’s about — A boy bound to revenge on a journey through war

Icelandic boy Thorfinn (Yuto Uemura) lives as a subordinate to Askeladd (Seiichiro Yamashita) — the man who killed his father Thors — dreaming of eventually challenging him to a duel. Following Askeladd’s mercenary campaign in England, Thorfinn pursues the revenge he has dreamed of all his life while not understanding what he is losing in himself along the way. Season 1 develops the Danish king’s conquest of England and Thorfinn’s revenge journey in parallel.

Direction — Combat drawn by Wit Studio’s animation

Wit Studio’s animation quality is what makes this series exceptional. True to the studio that produced Attack on Titan, the dynamism and detail of the combat sequences are outstanding. The early-episode battle scenes featuring Thors are cited as pushing past the limits of what animation can express. The natural environments of Viking-age Scandinavia and England, the details of ships, and the historical accuracy of costume and weaponry all show considerable care.

Performance & characters — A Thorfinn carrying emptiness

The voice cast is rock-solid. Yuto Uemura expresses boy Thorfinn’s inner emptiness alongside his rage-filled exterior. Seiichiro Yamashita plays Askeladd — a battlefield villain who nonetheless retains human depth — with complete conviction. Thorfinn’s father Thors has limited screen time, but in that brief window he is the pivotal character who conveys the entire philosophy of the drama.

What the work says — A stance that refuses to romanticize war

The central theme of Vinland Saga is anti-war. Through Thors, the drama states directly: a true warrior has no enemies. The question of whether a life defined by gaining something through violence is in any sense a life runs through all 24 episodes. What Thorfinn is becoming as he pursues revenge as his sole purpose, and what remains at the end of it, is presented quietly at Season 1’s conclusion. The maturity of insisting on using the Viking setting while refusing to romanticize war is what makes this work singular.

Ratings & reception

IMDb scores it 8.8 — among the top tier of anime over the past decade. Rotten Tomatoes registers 100%, and in both domestic Japanese and international anime awards and media, it was selected as one of the best anime of 2019. Fans of the source manga also expressed high satisfaction with the adaptation’s quality. There is an assessment that the series’ success contributed significantly to Wit Studio being entrusted with the final season of Attack on Titan.

What doesn’t quite work

Season 1 ends before the source material’s Farmland arc, and the chapters considered most emotionally powerful are handled in Season 2. Season 1 on its own may feel more like the beginning of a vast journey than a complete narrative. Also, the early episodes invest some time in background exposition, requiring patience before the main story gets underway.

Verdict

Vinland Saga is a work that redefines the Viking anime genre itself. The mature approach of depicting combat beautifully while persistently questioning the meaning of that combat is impressive. Strongly recommend watching through to Season 2. Season 2’s Farmland arc unfolds with a completely different tone from Season 1, and many fans consider it the single most emotionally powerful section of the entire series. My rating is ★4.0.

Recommended for

• Those who want a serious historical fantasy anime with an anti-war message
• Those who enjoy historically-based dramas like Vikings or Chernobyl
• Those looking for a long-form anime with high production values