Vinland Saga was the breakout star of the fall anime season. It's not hyperbole to say this is one of the most complete anime seasons to come out in a long time. By complete, I mean fantastic characters, fantastic storyline, fantastic animation and even throw in some incredible sound mixing and score. Seinen is far and away my favorite genre of anime and this one hits all the notes in perfect harmony.
The story is one of Viking conquest, the infusion of Christianity into Norse culture all centering around the conquest of England. If you have seen the live action television series Vikings or The Last Kingdom, you'll have a good grasp of the setting. (side note, those are both great series) We follow the story of Thorfinn, the child of the greatest Viking warrior ever by most accounts named Thors. Thors fled from his battle unit after finding the meaning of life in his own mind and decided to raise his family as modest farmers away from the tradition of living war. Of course, he's found and drawn back into the fray but things go wrong as Askeladd, a pirate type Viking and his followers ambush them and end up killing Thors. This is where the journey begins for Thorfinn who witnessed it all and is follows Askeladd for years trying to kill him in a fair duel anytime he can.
The action and intrigue is immense for this series. Season 1 is chock full of breathtaking duels, some intelligent battle strategy, and intense tragedy. It can be described as a political thriller surrounded by blood and fire. They delve into the realities of Viking raids and presents a wealth of depth to the main and supporting characters that, with each revelation, makes you crave more! There is comedy, action, emotion, heartbreak, life and death aplenty.
This is my top recommendation from the fall season of anime drops and I encourage any anime fans to look forward to the coming seasons. This is one worth committing to for the whole run.
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