Like many other anime series,Vinland Sagaemerged as an adaptation of a popular manga series of the same name. The Vinland Saga manga was written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. It is ahistorical seriescentered around the life of a young Viking warrior named Thorfinn. Both the anime and the series focus on his journey as he tirelessly seeks revenge against the man who killed his father.
Even though the events in the anime largely correspond with those in the manga, there are some slight but notable instances where the anime makes changes to the original manga. While some of these changes have made the anime a less than faithful version of the original source material, they have also contributed to thefascinating appeal of the seriesby introducing a new perspective to the story.
7Plot Arrangement
At the start of the original manga, the events of the series are portrayed in chronological order. Readers are introduced to the Saga through theperspective of Askeladd, and the plot follows him and his men as they invade an enemy camp on behalf of a French general.
On the other hand, the anime adaptation starts by introducing a young Thorfinn, and depicts his early life with his family in Iceland. It also builds the opening of the series' plot more closely around the murder of Thorfinn’s father, Thors, by Askeladd, and the effect of his death on young Thorfinn.
6Battle Scenes
Vinland Sagais set in Medieval Europeduring the Viking Age, which was a time of unrest and conflict. This era featured numerous battles in which Viking warriors fought for dominance and wealth. TheVinland Sagamanga is known for its explicit portrayal of violence during the many battles the characters engage in. It does not shy away from extended portrayals of grueling battles and combat sequences.
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Even though the anime also captures the brutality of these battles and the impact of each blow, it does so with much less intensity than the manga. While this does not necessarily lessen the impact of the series' conflict, it gives fans of fast-paced, action filled series a less engaging experience.
5Cliffhangers
The anime takes some creative liberty with how it approaches the series' suspenseful cliffhangers and closures. It deviates slightly from the original closures in the manga by rearranging some of the events of the plot to create more shocking finales. It does this by rearranging the order of some scenes or extending story arcs in such a way that it keeps viewers hooked for longer.
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This narrative technique has been employed in many episodes. Episode 23 of the first season ofVinland Sagaends with a dramatic confrontation between Thorfinn and Askeladd. As the clash between the two begins to reach a climax, the episode ends with a shocking development, and introduces a cliffhanger that does not exist in the manga.
4Thorfinn’s Visions
Another distinct way in which theVinland Sagaanime differs from its manga counterpart is the addition of a dream or vision sequence toThorfinn’s story. These visions were added into the plot of Episode 9 of the series' second season. They play a key role in depicting Thorfinn’s state of mind, and add to the emotional weight of hisexperiences so far. In his series of visions, Thorfinn wakes to find himself in an ethereal realm where he is reunited with his father, Thors, whose death in the first season inspires his decades-long departure from home and essentially begins the events of the plot.
Thorfinn is also reunited with Askeladd, the man who murdered his father. Askeladd was a major character before his death in the series' first season, and his return leaves a haunting impact on Thorfinn. In these visions, Thorfinn is portrayed as the weary adult he currently is, the bitter, violent teenager he was for most of season one, and the hopeful child he was at the start of the series. These scenes are beautifully portrayed in the anime, but do not appear in the original manga.
3Character Introductions
The anime has been known tointroduce some charactersmuch earlier or much later than the manga does. This subtly changes the narrative structure and pacing in the original manga. While this may be disorienting for fans of both versions, it also gives room for certain characters to be properly explored, and gives viewers the chance to see their favorite characters in new, different interactions.
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For example, season two ofVinland Sagabegins with the introduction of a new character, Einar, who joins Thorfinn as one of the slaves on Ketil’s farm. Einar’s story is told much earlier than it is in the manga, and he is introduced with an opening sequence depicting his journey from farmer to slave.
2Episode Pacing
The original manga has a slower, more drawn out episode pacing style, and its plot is spread out over multiple volumes. This gives it a more intricate narrative pattern, as it takes its time to dive deeper into certain events and characters.
Unlike the manga series, the anime has a condensed form. Its plot structure is more sped up in comparison with the manga, and the events in the story are streamlined and re-ordered to make the plot arcs easier to follow.
1Askeladd’s Story
Askeladd isone of the most significant charactersin both the manga and the anime adaptation. He is responsible for the death of Thorfinn’s father, Thors, and is the object of Thorfinn’s rage. Even though both he and Thorfinn are largely hostile towards each other, Askeladd also serves as the young protagonist’s mentor in some ways.
In the manga, Askeladd is a major character, but he remains a mysterious, enigmatic figure. However, in the anime, his character is explored more closely and viewers are shown a more vulnerable, complex side of him.
