Vinland Saga

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- Vinland Saga changed my life -

I began reading it when the "I have no enemies" meme was big. With little to no expectations, I was thrust into a horrific world where war was used as a means of fun. A world much similar to our own.

Vinland Saga is a means of seeing life—a story that teaches forgiveness, but also caution.

Many hate the story because it seems too hopeful, or too "unrealistic," but that's because they miss the point. Vinland Saga wants to teach the reader that every person who has done wrong in their life can be forgiven. Anyone can change; you just ... need to put your word into action.

Vinland Saga touches on many philosophical themes, which allows the writing to feel thought-provoking. The art is out of this world, and I feel it truly peaks as early as chapter 40, from then on it just sharpens in style and quality. The art helps display not only Thorfinns but also the author's journey.

Ignoring the negativity coming from many, if you truly invest yourself in this story, you will find yourself crying, frustrated, and in the right moments, happy. You will find yourself so invested in Thorfinns life that you may try to be like him.

I'm sad it's over. But I'm proud to have been someone who enjoyed Vinland Saga as much as I did. It's a story so deserving of its acclaim.

**spoiler**

This manga was supposed to end at chapter 55 when Thorfinn realized that revenge hadn't given him the satisfaction he'd envisioned, and that after achieving it, he was left with nothing. He had built his identity on revenge since childhood, but after taking his revenge, he felt empty and lost the reason he lived.


After chapter 55, Thorfinn became a slave and farmer for a master who bought him
He signed a contract with his master to gain his freedom, and then the drama began as Thorfinn came to understand the life of a slave, the life of killing and destruction he had been living, and ... the importance of tolerance and human freedom.

after chapter 100, Thorfinn was freed from his bondage and became a free man. His dream was to travel the world to fulfill his dream of building his utopia, the city of Vyland. He became Jesus and went everywhere to gather resources and people to achieve his goal.the events become disastrous, the narrative becomes very poor, and the manga becomes comical. Thorfinn's expressions and the characters become childish and comedic, and Thorfinn transforms into a Jesus Christ, calling for peace and justice, an end to slavery, wars, and killing, and the establishment of his utopia, the city of Veland, and he lives happily ever after.

I was deeply impressed by the manga's final message. The author wanted to convey that revenge wouldn't achieve the desired outcome, that peace is more important than war, and that true manhood lies in following the path of justice. In the Viking Age, men often expressed their masculinity and virility solely through fighting, each boasting of their strength. However, Thorfinn, a boy who understood the importance of things far greater than these destructive monsters, chose instead to build.

My issue with this manga is that it was initially very mature in terms of dialogue, narration, and character development. But after chapter 100, it became poorly written, childish, and comical, with immature expressions unsuitable for a seinen manga. Another problem I have with this manga is its impracticality. The Viking Age was an era where people knew only slavery, destruction, and killing; this was their entire way of life. For someone to declare their understanding of the importance of peace and human life, and to establish their own city far removed from all of this, is incredibly difficult to achieve, but not impossible.

No, it didn't work. Why? Because it destroyed Thorfinn. How?
The transformation from a killing machine to a complete pacifist came after the period of enslavement, but he didn't undergo sufficient psychological stages or internal conflicts to justify it.
Instead of witnessing a prolonged internal struggle, it seemed as if Thorfinn woke up one day and said, "I will kill no more," and that was it.
"I have no enemies" is a superficial idea in a bloody context:
The idea is beautiful as a human principle, but its absolute application in a world filled with war, betrayal, and injustice sometimes made Thorfinn seem "naive" or "detached from reality."
He could ... have adopted the same principle, but with tactical intelligence and realistic flexibility, as exemplified by Kenshin in "Rurouni Kenshin" or Miyamoto Musashi in "Vagabond."
Destruction of Thorfinn's original identity:
The author didn't give Thorfinn a balance between his past as a warrior and his newfound resolve; he completely ignored the past.
His strength and old experience could have been used for defense or protection without falling into the cycle of violence. Instead, Thorfinn became "weak," with no ability or influence in the face of real-life challenges.
The dramatic resolution of the final events was weak:
The series finale was more like a political statement for peace, rather than the epic culmination of a hero's maturing journey through death and destruction.
The ending wasn't psychologically or emotionally impactful; it seemed to convey the idea directly rather than allowing us to experience it through the story.
As for the final chapter, it could be said that he returned to point zero, but as an adult with a family, tomorrow, his family will be attacked. What will he do? Will he let the criminals get away with their crime, given that he has matured intellectually, has no enemies, and is tolerant of violence, or will he defend them by violating his principle of not committing violence?