Those returning to Vinland Saga from the first season who have not read the manga will be absolutely stunned by Season 2 for the simple fact that there is nowhere near the same level of blood and violence. You might be thinking this is the opposite of what the fanbase would want but that is not always the case as it is very nice to see a character such as Thorfinn getting a calmer arc in his life after so many trials and tribulations in the first season.

Thorfinn has been sold as a slave to a Danish landlord alongside Einar, an English man who has lost his village and family throughout all the raiding. The two work alongside each other to work the land in order to claim back their freedom, which is a wholesome watch as the two come to grips with a new lifestyle.

Throfinn’s story is one sure to grip anyone that watches, following him from Season 1 as a young boy all the way through to Season 2 as an older man. Developing as a fighter and struggling to survive in a band of raiders with Askeladd and Canute, Throfinn’s life seemed to be one destined for violence and blood as one would expect of a Viking. However, this new season has shown how life can be completely uplifted, for better or worse, as Thorfinn has to completely shift his focus from swords to seeds as his farming arc begins. The change in story dynamic is fascinating to watch, especially for character development.

As mentioned above, character development is one of the best aspects of Vinland Saga, specifically in Season 2. Throfinn’s complete change in demeanour from an angry youngster pushing for a fight, into a melancholic farm hand just trying to get the land cleared is such an enjoyable development to witness, as he grows from his past life even through all of his terrifying and guilt-ridden flashbacks. Another character to look at for a fascinating development arc is Canute, who has gone from the quiet and awkward prince to seeming like a calm and collected king in Season 2, negotiating peace deals with the English.

Even though Vinland Saga Season 2 is exploring a story that moves away from the blood and gore as seen in Season 1, there is still the ongoing war between the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and duchies, and their new Danish neighbours inhabiting the Danelaw of Northern England. The best example is Canute negotiating with the petty kingdom of Mercia over a truce which is rejected as historically Canute went on to conquer England by 1016, later taking over Denmark and Norway in what was deemed the North Sea Empire. If you are a fan of medieval history, or even more specifically the end of the Viking era, Canute’s rise to power is amazing to watch in this anime.

Vinland Saga is a fantastic manga ranked number nine overall on My Anime List’s manga chart. This means it is above popular serialized manga like March Comes in Like a Lion, Haikyuu!!, and Chainsaw Man, which is extremely impressive. Written and drawn by Makoto Yukimura, the manga has been running since 2005 to critical acclaim, and seeing it adapted into an anime is fantastic. Yukimura has been working with Studio Wit and Studio MAPPA for both seasons of Vinland Saga, resulting in some fantastic art that is faithful to the source material whilst adding the flair necessary to make the fluid transition to animation.