@@pavansampath1605 Ngl, that arc was hard to read through. I'd say it was interesting, conceptually especially, but it definitely felt like it was dragging on. Vinland did it far better imo. I felt the despair, but I didn't feel lost in it either.
It's surprising seeing all the love for this arc because I've seen so many people online say this is where they stopped reading because it slowed down so much. I love it because it's so important for thorfinn's growth. You can't have the rest of story w/o this arc.
"We just met today. You are not my enemies. I have no enemies." One of my favorite moments in anything ever. I cry literally every time. Thorfinn is such a great character, and his growth and development are beautiful.
This arc is seen as one of the best arcs in manga by most of the anime/manga community. I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as we do! Season 2 is gonna be amazing. What Yukimura managed to achieve with this arc is super impressive, as a change of pace this drastic is extremely risky and could either be a complete miss or a huge success. He is truly something special. This arc provided us with one of the best cases of character development I've ever seen, as well as showing the effects that trauma and war can have on people. And that dream sequence is one of the best things I have ever read. And Canute, who is such an underappreciated part of this arc. A great example of how power can corrupt someone. Top that off with the fact that he is aware that it's happening. Such a good arc, great video :)
When Thorfinn fights the hands to protect Einar, he's actually angry. It's not entirely about protecting Einar, which makes it that much more interesting, he slipped and "harmed someone in anger". His expression after punching the guy is straight out of the prologue.
Best arc ever, hands down. I am so happy the anime adaptation is soon, because so many more people will get to see such a brilliant storyline. I like how Yukimura did not brush off Thorfinn's crimes. They haunt him and will haunt him for the rest of his life. He has PTSD, and is horribly depressed, aimless for the first portion of the arc. In fact the first time he's shown here I didn't even recognize him- he looks like someone entirely different than the cold blooded child soldier we knew. The Valhalla chapter where he has to climb up to Vinland while carrying all the people he's murdered on his back is brutal. Yukimura, man. He did that.
Thorfinn Son Of Thors became an all time favorite character of mine after I read this arc. I remember actually ugly crying when he repeated his father's Vinland speech to Arnheid.
The part that hit me the most from back when i read this manga around 10years ago and still hit the same today was when Thorfin held Arnheid's hand and told her about a land far away, a land of no war and slavery, a land of freedom called Vinland . .
@@kiggerst I read wiki after seeing your comment and it is published since 2005 well make sense but for whatever reason I was mixing it with anime adaption date.
Initially when this arc was being serialized, the author had a tendency to take hiatuses, so it felt like running molasses due to the story itself taking a slower pace plus the undetermined releases. But looking back now, I'm glad it took its time, it gave the readers time to digest it. While filtering out certain audiences who only sought out this story for the violence. Honestly seen a lot of readers put vinland saga down because of this arc during its release. And for those who stayed till the end of this arc truly were breathe taken by the message within it.
This arc is my favorite of all of them. From the moment I saw Thorfinn as a slave, I knew this arc is gonna be different. I love the depiction of his horror when he realized that he did to the people before.
This arc is to Vinland Saga what Season 2 was for The Wire. Pretty divisive initially, and definitely a change of pace from the first arc/season, but critically acclaimed and beloved in hindsight.
The Farmland Saga was the one that solidified Vinland for me. It really hammered home the core theme of the story. And, as I'm paraphrasing Canute over here, made Thorfinn "beautiful." This arc was a slowburn in the sweetest, and most painful way that was so uniquely Vinland.
What I especially love about the farmland arc is how it debunks the myth of the good slave owner. The owner is initially set up as such a reasonable and even gentle man that for a second, you may even forget that there isn’t an ethical way of owning people as your personal property, only for the author to unmask him for the abusive scumbag that he is in the climax. Well done.
One cannot judge the actions of another person from 900 years ago with the values of today, one can only see the facts, all the heroes of today were the monsters of yesterday
Wonderful Review merphy... The only thing I wanted a little bit touched on was Thorfinn friendship with Einar.. Which was a big emotional step forward for Thorfinn. Also Einar is best boy.. and nobody can replace that. Again excellent review merphy.. Hope seeing a review of the Baltic Sea War Arc. You gonna meet some other fan favorite characters in that arc.
Vinland's Peak to this day in my opinion. Great vid Merph, really curious to hear your thoughts on the next arc ❤(Just a spoiler less heads up, no you didn't accidentally skip chapters, it did just spawn out of knowhere 🙃)
This arc makes you miss Thors so much. Thorfinn needed someone exactly like Thors to help him through this phase of his life. Also I love how Thorfinn returning home after being reformed was his figurative and literal homecoming. With him finally learning and living by his fathers ways, he also finally brought Thors home too.
My favorite scene is Thorfinn's dream sequence, and Askeladd telling him to be the one to escape the cycle, to climb, and take his dead with him. That was one of the most emotionally resonant scenes I've ever experienced in fiction.
From where his story of vengeance started to this point is amazing Thorfinn and Einar are such bros and help each other plus besides the farm family Snake is a dope dude so much to talk about here not to mention Askeladd comes back kinda lol Farmland Saga gonna be animated so well I got a good feeling
Vinland Saga became like my trinity of favourite stories just a few months ago. By the end of the first arc I felt that this thing has something special about it. But then I read the second arc and I became a full on fan of the story. In this arc Yukimura did a phenomenal job in portraying Thorfinn's new goals. Usually when someone who has killed as many people as Thorfinn did and then suddenly turns 180° and says, hey I don't like wars and I'm sorry that I killed people, this may unanimously piss people off. Ofcourse we never meet such guys, but people who say that they like these fight scenes suddenly, nah like like the slow moments and all. They piss me. But here Yukimura really connected us with a person in state where he realises he just can't turn away and say that he's sorry for killing people and thus tries to compensate them by trying to make a place for the children of those people to be free of war and hate. Thorfinn's self-criticality was so rigid that I in my minds tried to convince a fictional character not to be that hard on yourself. Although the arc's ending left much things to be desired of, it still wasn't in any perception a negative that would ruin the story and the idea. One the best written pieces available in the world.
The recurring theme of Thorfinn and Canute being two opposite sides of the same character is one of my favorite parts of the early arcs of this story. Almost every major point you can think of about their character progression is an almost identical mirror of the other, and yet they share a similar end goal for the world. Yukimura is an incredible character writer, and I think that Vinland Saga is probably within my top five favorite fictional stories in any medium. Super excited to follow the rest of your discussions, both with and without Phillip, as you progress through the coming arcs and get to see Thorfinn's new philosophy get challenged.
As a 25 yo guy who lost his father at age 6, this story broke me, and showed me a new perspective on strength that I never seen before. It helped me so much! Simply great and beautiful.
Honestly, I love Vinland saga even to this day.. the action, the characters, and the sense of realism makes into something amazing. It reminds me of vagabond but executed differently. Stories like Vinland saga has turned me into someone who appreciates character writing a lot more
What did you think of the development of the friendship between Thorfinn and Einar? The whole idea of Thorfinn not even understanding the concept of a friend really got to me, but hurray for Thorfinns first friend
Let me start off by saying these reviews can never be long enough! Fell free you mentioned every parallel, plot point, character moment you want! The arc is the simply amazing. My favorite moments were the ones between Thorfinn and Einar. From the mild irritation Einar had for Thorfinn submissiveness, to waking Thorfinn up from his nightmare to becoming friends to by the end of the arc forming a near brotherly bond. It's the first time Thorfinn experience true kindness in a long time and the first time he had a true friend in life. Seeing Thorfinn not understanding why he was being woken up was sad yet just as engaging and also beautiful. It was one of those realization of what kindness can do for immediately after experiencing what wrongdoing can do to a person. It was an interesting and unique take on the dealing with that duality and Thorfinn asking why Einar woke him up as he doesn't understand that kindness was the cherry on top. All of there experience an interactions make it so he has something to value and fight for which is why when Thorfinn and Einar confronts those guys after the destroyed crops and Einar being disrespected and Thorfinn punches one of them I remember being so happy. Not because that guy had it coming but because it was the first time that I saw true life in his eyes and that idea made me overjoyed and after he got knocked out he he started climbing at of that pit that he truly began to fight in other ways starting with helping his best friend get out this farm even though he didn't understand what he was doing. Then there is one of the most underrated panels in the arc to me is when they they finally finished them dancing as they hug each other shoulder to shoulder had me elated! There bond in this arc was something not many can match. Something else I like to mention was the dynamic and duality between were the 2 pseudo sons of Askeladd Thorfinn and Canute. To start with just seeing their faces for the first time in this was my reaction Caute: "Dang Canute has the grown man face now" Thorfinn: "This is another trick" pauses for a moment "wait a min this sounds serious let me go back and read the last few pages." "I don't see Thorfinn tho...wait a min" Looks at Thorfinn for at least a good 10 sec Holy cow!!! That is Thorfinn!!! What happened to him!!!?? finished processing "I feel so slow" True story As ridiculous as that sounds. It's a testament to the series it writing and it characters. Thorfinn who is someone that is talked in the story as if he is supposed to be easily recognizable in the event the you have seen him before but Canute where it mentioned in how different he looks feel like a natural progression for his character from where the reader so it was easier for me to recognize. When it comes from to the parallel between them. The obvious one is that the roles between pacifist and warmonger are switched. What makes it so great though is the origin of where they strive to achieve the same thing. They both know mirror there biological father (Thorfinn through pacifism and Caute through conquest). And in the middle of it all they both mirror Askeladd dream of a better world and yet the both Thorfinn and Canute have a level of destain for him despite the fact the now let go or suppress that hate for a greater cause so he'll never get that level of credit from them. When they meet near the end of this arc is was astonishing because more than what I ever expected out of it, his got a second friend. You might be thinking " I don't about all that but let me explain. They're the friends that sometime they don't want to hear from but need too. They're the type of friends that let you know what you're doing wrong. They're the that bring out the greatest growth. Most importantly they're the type of friends that never agree but are the most sincere when wanting to see the other succeed. This can even in the prologue when Thorfinn man fun of Canute knowing he shy and he screaming in the carriage giving him the will to stand up for himself. Canute "punishment" ended up not only stopped his execution but gave him a chance to find a new purpose. Now bringing full circle with this arc when they meet up despite the tension between the two being higher than its ever been and the roles being reversed, and years apart nothing has really changed when it comes to the relationship they have with other the other expected the fact that for the first time ever there oddly comfortable enough to be honest about it. This created a unique interaction in which both characters benefited. Thorfinn was able to save some of the people on the farm and Canute is able to retain some humanity. The writing here is just master class. Speaking of which I'm actually surprised Merphy had the end of the arc was her least favorite part (even though she still enjoyed it). Granted I'm new to the channel so I'm sure I'll be able to call out here taste the more I watch. For me that's some of the best stuff is in the arc because it shows the culmination of Thorfinn's growth while still poke the poles in what he's doing. I'm going to hold back on this because I don't want to give insight into how Thorfinn develops even though she might have an idea I don't risk indirect spoilers because I know first hand (on multiple occasions) when people there spoiling you but don't realize it because they didn't tell you what happened but they said enough to where your brain starts connecting dots the person unintentionally spoiling you didn't think you were going to connect lol. Back the Vinland Saga I agree with most people were they say this arc is the best however this actually isn't my favorite arc. That's actually the next major arc after this one so I'm super excited! Love the video! Can't wait for the next one!
With all the vids coming out from Daniel and Merph recently I might just have to pick this one up. It's been in the to-watch/read list for a while now, but the moment I free up some time I'll definitely catch up with this manga. Thanks for the arc review/analysis Merph! Can't wait to make it to this arc and watch this vid.
Bruh thanks. This arc is much better. The first arc Thorfinn was too immatured, agressive, and stupid. Looks like he is finally going to grow up in the second season.
"I have no enemies" is becoming a viral statement because of the anime, which is now finished airing. To think that a show is so good that it breaks through the toxic internet culture currently dominated by Andrew Tate and fans and conspiracy theorists speaks volumes about its quality.
I watched the video about the Prolouge while cleaning my keyboard and it was a very enjoyable half an hour, but this video convinced me to subscribed. Can't wait for the anime and for more of your videos!
Arnheid is such a tragic character because she lacked so much agency. She sort of embodied the role women had at that time, especially when she mentioned that a woman could do nothing to stop a man's wish. It summed her life up perfectly, she had literally no control over anything in her life and due to the greed of men she lost everything. Her first child, her freedom, her autonomy, her body were taken by the greed of men and had no say. She was doomed from the start and was used only for her body (apart from only her husband who genuinely seemed to care about her). Yet she was deeply caring and still wanted have a safe home for the child from person who probably raped her. Her strength and empathy was immense and she didn't deserve any of the stuff she got.
The more you read the more you admire Leif. Honestly in this manga you go from wanting that Floki gets his just desserts to hoping that Thorfinn never finds out about him cause you dont want him to be put in that situation where he has to be tempted by his rage again. For length of videos, I prefer as much length as possible tbh Anyway, do watch Mushishi too
The next arc, or at least I'd assume "the next arc" would cover up to where I'm thinking, has this _one_ panel late into it that makes me tear up with happy thoughts, from having seen how a character has changed throughout it, seen from just facial expression. No I'm not going to say who it is, and it's probably not what you'd expect going in. It's overall small and inconsequential, but just important to me for some reason.
Farmalnd arc from vinland saga and Vagabond are two arcs that are so good, it will forever be one of the best things you have ever read. I definitely recommend vagabond to experience its beauty if you are loving Vinland saga.
I'm glad you loved this arc! It isn't my personal favorite, I and many others felt it was difficult to adjust to the tonal change after bingeing through the previous arc. That being said the character growth in this part is bar none and I'll always point to it for the best example of how to totally change a character in a single arc. I can't wait to see your reactions to the rest of the series! I hope you have a great rest of your day :)
The first 2 arcs of Vinland Saga are so good, glad you also enjoyed them both. Farmland allows for so much character development for Thorfinn and presents really interesting conflicts. I can’t say that I enjoyed the following arcs just as much, but they’re not bad by any mean. Curious to hear your thoughts on what comes next.
@@proto_carl8404 dont realy see any other way to live tho and its sterile and depressing as it is. people who assign alot of agency to how you live your life probs dont know about being in the pit.
Yukimura's depiction of Viking society is an intensely respectful and accurate depiction of how incredibly fucked up it actually was. It's a nonjudgmental depiction of how bad the cycle of violence that the Danelaw encouraged was, an indictment on the culture of raiding and slaving that society encouraged simply by showing it as it is. Farmland Saga is amazing. It's a look into how empty revenge can leave someone, how healing is possible, how oppression leads people to do awful things to survive. Absolutely wonderful.
This arc is what got Vinland Saga to be my second favorite manga (first being OP). Glad to see you enjoy it As for favorite moments I’ll say are -Thorfinn carrying the dead while claiming the cliff -Those times were Einar helped Thorfinn with his nightmares -The 100 punches -When Snakes tells Thorfinn his real name Also love the persistence of Leif, how when Thorfinn was on his quest of vengeance and stumbled across Leif, his promised Thorfinn that he’ll stay at that port waiting for whenever the day he decides to return.
my favorite part was when Thorfinn said "it's friendin' time", and befriended all the slavers. edit: seriously though, this arc is one of the rare moments where I didn't get disappointed by the lack of action in a previously very action-oriented manga.
I think my personal favorite thing in Vinland Saga might be Leif drawing a map of the world in the sand I don't know why, but I just find it so infinitely charming how excited and earnest he is and how wrong the map is based on our current day knowledge but it's a map he assembled in his head based only on experience.
This arc is in my top 5. Depending on day it moves from 2nd to 5th place. Nothing will move my 1. I hope anime only will be happy about this arc (some probably will drop it but still who will watch it going to enjoy it).
Olmar becoming a man was such a great turn for a character who easily could have just been there to push the plot along. That's what I love about Yukimura's writing, every character is a character (even Bug Eyes in the next arc has clear motivations).
You need to read Monster or Vagabond after Vinland Saga. This is in my top 10 arcs and there are so many great series and arcs out there especially in the seinen category. You need to read some more seinen. Berserk is the pinnacle of it.....but I don't know if you will ever read that XD
there were like 3-400 farmers that participated in the battle, so there were still many who survived most of them would've probably been killed if Canute kept attacking the farm but thankfully Thorfinn was able to convince him to change his plans
I’m actually really wondering how the anime will be received… there is not much action in the section with I’m not mad about it and I also think that the whole medium of anime grew up some in the last decade, as have the fans… I’ll definitely be watching it( already am caught up with the story) and am excepting it to be done great, I hope it gets the love it deserves
Vinland Saga is my favorite manga of all time. Awesome analysis and it makes me happy to see others notice the genius of this story. Can't wait to see how you enjoy the following arc! :)
@@carlosdanielcalderonmontoy3723 Absolutely...like I couldn't believe the amount of people I saw say they dropped it after 2-3 episodes just because "nothing was happening". I feel a lot of people went in thinking it was just a another sword slashing type of story--hell, many still want it to be (after clearly missing the point of the story). No doubt S2 is going to be dropped and slandered by many.
You've inspired me with your accidental poetry. He fought without thought for destruction it brought Take life with a knife and leave his young wife Now bored with the sword, return to the hoard You're maligned, in a bind, when empty you find Home and house, not a mouse, nor miserable louse Take whacks with an axe; your wife makes tracks Only fear will appear when destruction doth leer You rave and crave but still dig two graves Cool wrath, end bloodbath, and take another path Don't cry nor ask why: revenge ends when you die
Ghost-dad Askeladd! I find it really interesting that Thors, his idealized father, who he assumes would be incredibly sad and disappointed in his son, turns his back on Thorfinn. But then there is Askeladd, who is so much more like Thorfinn, who supports and motivates him, even protects him from the archers in that hellscape, while essentially echoing his dying words. Also, I love how he smiled proudly, when Thorfinn sobbed and earnestly apologized to his victims.
I adore this story. Getting to see Thorfinn at his lowest point like, after the one thing he was filling the hole in his heart with is gone, is just amazing. Seeing Thorfinn finally understand his father's words after being lost for so long brings tears the eyes.
My VS arrives today, so I haven't read it yet. As they say, "Life is just a series of obstacles to prevent you from reading your book." I want the video to do well but don't want spoilers, so I'm going to like it and play on mute while I do other things. I'll watch after I've caught up. Have fun everyone, wish I could join in today! :)
So I got the first two volumes and read them in two days. It was sooo good! Then I started to watch the vid and realized how far behind I am! :( Hopefully I'll be able to catch up. I really want to join the discussion!
There are a lot of moments, big and smal worth talking about throughout this story. Take your time, don't rush it. We like listening to your opinion so don't feel like you need to cover certain amount or ground. even if you make a video per voleum or even on a single chapter, we're still here for it. Enjoy your time doing it.
I love the parallel of Thorfinn using the speech of the land far to the west to give hope to a dying slave just as Thors did, except now we know the slave and everything they tried running away from and everything they tried running towards.
I guess I’m one of the few people who just couldn’t finish the arc. I love character development moments but Thorfinn completely transformed into a different person and the whole 100% pacifist thing threw me off so much. It felt so final, like we will never see him fight again even if it’s for the right reasons. Did not like that.
Yukimura is able to show us the best of humanity in some of the worst circumstances. He also is incredible in how he uses the quiet moments of stories to strengthen his characters. Maybe after catching up to Vinland Saga you could check out Planetes. Its a very short 2 omnibus series by Yukimura. I'm not sure if it is in print still or not, though.
I like these videos. Any story. Anything you do, I prefer the reflection and the deep discussions you provide. Your videos are like hobbit holes: they’re comfort.
This is an amazing arc that made me love Thorfinn as a true character from how he was in the first arc. And I'm excited to see you experience the next arc which I think you'll enjoy since you emphasized Thorfinn able to to put his ideology into practice. Just me putting a tease on that. It's a little longer as the first arc was 4 books, the slave arc was 3 books, and the next arc is 5 books so a bit of reading.
I remember this arc being hated by the larger anime and manga community as it was airing. Everyone wanted the Viking child go "brrrr" and mow down all his enemies. Such a beautiful Arc upon re-read.
Something o really loved about this arc was the brotherhood develop between Thorfinn and Einar. The friendship and trust they shared made Thorfinn human again. Found family
Literally just finished omnibus volume 5 today, with chapter 70 and 71 which were absolutely phenomenal. Time to save this video for later once I finish the farmland arc!
The second arc hits so hard, you’re now closer to or have already met in real time continuing reading of the series after this arc my favorite supporting character who is a badass.
It was this arc that turned my into a Vinland Saga fan. I'd glanced at the series on occasion and found it decently interesting, but this arc blew me away.
One thing I didn't see mentioned. Ketil has an Ulfberht sword, which is a nice detail and could say something about his character. He didn't have just some random sword laying around, he must have specifically sought out a famous sword. And he didn't give it to his warrior son.
@@edgaras1103 they both are an exploration of how different people react when plunged in the deepest pits of despair. They both follow a protagonist single-mindedly set on a path of destruction for the sake of vengeance, and the consequences of their choices.
