It’s more than just a prologue.
Spoilers ahead!
Summary:
- More people need to talk about the first arc of Vinland Saga.
- It’s a great introductory arc that shows how Thorfinn became who he is.
- It’s also just a great series by itself if you consider it a story of Askeladd.
Vinland Saga is considered one of the best modern anime, and for many reasons. It’s an example of great character development, and Thorfinn is largely considered one of the best protagonists of all time.
However, now, it feels like all people talk about is the second season and how different it was from the first one. Fans liked it (in general), although some were disappointed by its slower pacing and lack of action.
When it comes to the first season, fans immediately think of Askeladd and nothing else. And yes, Askeladd is a great character, but the entirety of the first arc is awesome, not just him.
It’s a Great Setup for Latter Arcs
The first arc of Vinland Saga — which is essentially just a prologue of the series — covers the entire first season. The series overall is a story of Thorfinn’s life, and this is the first chapter of it. It’s arguably the most important chapter, too, and it shows how he became who he is.
The death of Thorfinn’s father, Thors, severely affected him as a kid. Despite that, he joined the band of raiders which was led by Askeladd, swearing to take revenge on him. He didn’t exactly do that — Askeladd died, but not at his hands — but his time with him made Thorfinn into the character we love.
Initially, Thorfinn was a kid driven by revenge — and Askeladd, whom he hated, also acted as a father figure for him. In reality, Askeladd also hated violence, and in the second season, we see how much his mindset affected Thorfinn.
The first arc is really good because of how well it sets up the world and characters for the future arcs. The relationships between them feel like relationships between real people, and in that, Vinland Saga is quite realistic — yes, it has some exaggeration like Thorkell’s strength, but the character writing is very grounded.
It’s Also Just Good by Itself
It’s not like the first arc of Vinland Saga is only good because it’s a great setup for the latter arcs. In fact, it’s the opposite of that: it’s a great prologue, and a great story of its own. If Vinland Saga ended there, it would have made sense, too — just don’t consider it a story of Thorfinn for a second.
If you look at the first arc of the anime as if it was the story of Askeladd, it’s a great self-contained anime which covers the life (and downfall) of one of the greatest antiheroes in anime history. Overall, the first arc of Vinland might be the best first arc of all of anime — or is at least a strong contender for that title.