Thorfinn’s journey through pain, suffering, and revenge continues with Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 1 as we welcome another season of this great series. Let’s see how a new start went in this review!
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 1 Overview
Vinland Saga Season 2 is an action, adventure, and drama that serves as the sequel to its highly acclaimed and fan favourite Vinland Saga Season 1, which aired in 2019. The series is based on an award-winning manga written by Makoto Yukimura.
The show’s second season is being animated by Studio MAPPA, a different studio that the one which did its previous season in Studio WIT. However, most of the personnel behind the series have been retained. Director Shuuhei Yabuta, of Inuyashiki and Attack On Titan fame, is returning to direct the series.
– Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 1 Review does not contain spoilers –
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 1 Review- A Fate Worse Than Death
When Vinland Saga‘s season 1 was airing back in November, it was far from a popular anime and almost didn’t make it to the end. However, this is a testament to the quality of the show: not only did it build upon that foundation to be one of the most respected shows to come out of this generation, but it managed to stand out enough to maintain a niche but sizable fanbase. Needless to say, the show has earned all of the attention it receives, and I hope that it gets even more.
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It is going to be a lot harder than the first season for a variety of reasons. For one, this one has a much smaller audience potential than the original show. That’s how it goes with sequels, so nothing new there. The other thing here is the overall nature of the show, which is supposed to change dramatically in these next episodes. For people who complained about the low amount of violence in the show, turn away right now because you don’t want to hear this last part- there is going to be even less violence this season, and for a good reason.
The latest episode of this show proved that we are in here for the long haul. This journey isn’t going to end until Thorfinn learns the meaning of his father’s words, and we have a long way to go before that. This episode didn’t even feature Thorfinn until the absolute last scene of it, for it spent its time building up the secondary main character of the show- Einar. It wouldn’t be wise to comment on him right now, given how less time we’ve all spent with him, but I’m sure that his role will be pivotal to the show’s journey.
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Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 1 was also a particularly sad outing. We could appreciate a lot about the greater world of 11th century England through Einar’s death flag filled vision. Seriously, every death flag sign that you think exists was present in the three minutes a character was on screen. Still, that didn’t lessen the impact of what Einar faced, and it was effective. Life could be brutal back then, especially if you were born a nobody like Einer, and this show’s unflinching portrayal of it will always be a highlight.
Like most, I was also intrigued by the animation of this season shifting from Studio WIT to MAPPA. However, if there’s a show that will look exactly alike or even better with different studios, it is this one. Not only do all of the talented creators behind the original seem to have returned, but also because the art style of Vinland Saga is extremely conducive to how MAPPA’s works look in general. This is a good combination, and alongside a fantastic soundtrack, it looks to be exhilarating in every episode. Seriously, this was among the most beautiful episodes you’ll ever see in anime.
Verdict
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 1 was a fantastic comeback from the show and perfectly set up the most important aspects of this new season. We are past the prologue now and into the land where big boys play.
Click here to read the review of the next episode!
Great ep overall, the only nitpick is the cliche einar backstory. Everything else was topnotch. Dear god both visuals and song of opening is perfection
The openings for Vinland Saga have always been a highlight, and this time was no different!