Anime and, by proxy, manga are typically viewed through a lens where violence begets violence, and the only hero is one with attention-grabbing hairdos, the ability to power up, and the capacity to punch things even more brilliantly. Very rarely is the traditional hero’s journey, whether in shonen or its older brother genre, seinen, predicated on having its hero question the nature of violence as a catch-all solution, rather than a spoke that keeps the cycle spinning. Then again, not every manga series challenges that notion so brilliantly as Vinland Saga.
Vinland Saga, created by Planetes mangaka Makoto Yukimura in 2005, begins as a typical revenge quest that quickly evolves into a more daring and hopeful tale. It follows Thorfinn Karlsefni, son of the pacifist warrior Thors Snorresson.
Thorfinn witnesses his father die at the hands of a Viking mercenary, Askeladd. Years pass, and Thorfinn joins Askeladd’s crew, fighting, pillaging, and surviving; along the way, he turns from babyfaced kid to rage-fueled weapon. His whole reason for being is for the chance to challenge Askeladd—who in turn becomes his twisted surrogate father—to a life-or-death duel to avenge his father.
Along a painful journey, Thorfinn gets a new lease on life and embarks on an odyssey of self-reflection in a world perpetuating the cycle of violence. He adopts pacifism and strives to set sail for a land where might is not right, but kindness and freedom prevail.
After its release, Yukimura’s manga was adapted into an anime by Wit Studio and Mappa, the studios behind Attack on Titan.
To mark the occasion of the manga’s final volume, io9 sat down with Yukimura (through Kodansha USA Publishing translator Misaki Kido) to discuss the many risks, inspirations, and aspirations that put wind in his sails to create a work that ranks high on many anime fans’ lists of the best shows to come out in the past decade.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: In the west, there’s a common belief that serialized manga must begin with a detailed roadmap or series bible. Was that true for Vinland Saga? And if so, was the shift from vengeance-driven Viking quests—like those seen in The Northman—to a story rooted in pacifism always part of your vision, or did that goal emerge organically during the creative process?
Makoto Yukimura: When I started this series, I already had this roadmap in my mind that the main character in the story begins [with] violent battle scenes and violence. However, this protagonist continues to grow into someone who seeks peace. This was something that was on my mind since I started the series. As you may see in entertainment formats, there are many stories about a main character who seeks vengeance against a bad figure in the story. However, I was interested in writing a story about what happens [to] people after the bad guy has been defeated. Therefore, my story formed to be what it became.
io9: Were there any story elements or character arcs that weren’t planned from the outset but became especially rewarding to explore? Or any thematic concepts that proved unexpectedly difficult to manifest on the page?
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