Your Otaku Friend in Japan

MANGA.TOKYO > Anime Reviews > Summer 2019 > 1st Episode Anime Impressions: Vinland Saga

1st Episode Anime Impressions: Vinland Saga

by manga.tokyo

2 years ago

Article
Comment

©幸村誠・講談社／ヴィンランド・サガ製作委員会

Enlarge Image

Anime Info | Simulcast | Official Pages

Episode 1 Review

The anime is part of our weekly reviews.

Summary

It’s around the year 1000 AD and the Vikings are tyrannizing people everywhere. Thorfinn is the son of one of the strongest warriors and a great fighter himself, and he dreams of finding the continent called ‘Vinland.’ Let’s follow the story of a real warrior in turbulent times.

Impressions

Thanasis

Vinland Saga is that rare example of an anime series premiere that makes me glad I follow this medium. In recent years, I have been doubting the industry’s willingness to produce stories that are not fast-consumption material. With a new season every three months and the monetization options shrinking, suits care less about quality and more about boobs. Wit Studio might have a few suits in their ranks, but their passion in creating quality shows is evident. After the incredible job it did with Attack on Titan, they return with a tale of bloodshed and exploration. In Vinland Saga, a viking warrior named Thors has to battle both the harsh cold weather and the opposing viking clans to keep his family alive. This is 1002 CE, and Iceland is a place of extreme weather conditions and its people are versed into the art of fighting, spending the time between war by sharing stories (the Nordic mythology is one of the richest in existence today) and tending their livestock. Yet, no life is without its struggles, and the first episode set the tone for what is going to be an exciting adventure.

I will definitely give Vinland Saga the 3-episode rule but I think I’ll follow this story to the end.

Marianne

Do you like Vikings? Norse Mythology? Do you value good animation and action scenes? Do you love Wit Studio’s (Attack on Titan) work in general? Have you been crushed by Berserk’s anime adaptation? Do you enjoy seinen as a genre? Then what are you waiting for?

After the release of a three-episode premiere, there is no doubt that Vinland Saga will be the anime of the season. As someone who had little information about the show before its anime adaptation, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was blown away by its quality. From the first scene of the series you can experience the great visuals, amazing artwork, outstanding fights, and action scenes, and some remarkable directing. And since it’s a story about Vikings and war, you can expect a fair amount of violence and blood. Without spoiling too much, the story seems to follow Thors, a former warrior who now lives with his family in Iceland or more likely his son Thorfinn who longs for adventure and is eager to know more about the world and especially this land of paradise called Vinland (the Old Norse name for America). One day, Thors saves a runaway slave that sets a series of intriguing events in motion. If you are into this realistic barbaric violence and want to witness an intense revenge tale, Vinland Saga is an absolute must-watch for you.