CAN SEASON 2 MATCH SEASON 1?..Anime HATERS Watch Vinland Saga 2x1-2 Reaction/Review

[@antoinegriezmann9369]

MAPPA actually consulted the Embassy of Iceland in Japan to do the Norse narration at the beginning of the episode. They set the tone of this season in a magnificent way.

[@sesawe2865]

Jackson: Is that Japanese?😂😂💀💀

[@KamaniAyush]

😮😮

[@rodrigovaccari7547]

@@sesawe2865 it was spoken in Japan I guess 😂

[@CobGobblin]

i never knew that. its things like that which separate average adaptations and ones that improvement on the original through a new medium.

[@jurb417]

@@rodrigovaccari7547 lol yeah, to be fair i thought a few of the AoT songs were Japanese but it turns out it's just a Japanese orchestra singing German songs.

[@swifty1147]

What I love most about Season 2 is showing the 'other' side of Viking raids and war. How normal people just trying to get by and live a decent life get completely screwed over. One minute we see Einar enjoying lunch with his loving family, and then he's lost not only them, but his right as a human being to live freely. I love Einar so much, he's like the exact person Thorfinn needed to meet.

[@swifty1147]

@@hammurabii.3173 I'm not really a crier, but I got really choked up when Einar and Thorfinn started called each other 'brother' for the first time.

[@amyperaltiago]

Their friendship is just beautiful

[@annie-sc]

Thorfinn needed a Samwise Gamgee in the form of Einar. I really loved his character even more in the following arcs! Fun fact: A statue of the real-life Thorfinn Karlsefni was made by an artist named *Einar* Jonsson around 1920.

[@vnz2276]

​@@hammurabii.3173yeahh. They have same goal with different mindset and background makes me love they conversation. I love rivality of thorfinn and canute too, both have contradictive goals but they put some respect each other

[@dangerguy32]

Carters high sense of empathy means he will absolutely be going through it this season 😂

[@emikotagahushi941]

I know! I can't wait haha!

[@busterbrownguy4526]

I was rolling at this comment you are so right 😂😂

[@WoWGirl6]

I foresee many tears

[@FlashyDolphin]

Yeh I feel like Carter will appreciate this season the most just based off the way he was speaking about the characters and how much he likes character driven stories. Hoping the rest of the boys catch on too. Great reaction as always guys

[@adawson01192]

Cannon will probably be the one to not like it as much

[@WoWGirl6]

I feel like they will all get what they want if they're patient. The entire season is heavy character development, little action, but towards the last 5 to 7 episodes?, the action picks up. Or at least, some action anyways lol. But again, that's not the point! I'm just saying.

[@Jancho]

Can season 2 match season 1? Yes, in fact, I think it’s much better, even though there’s a way less action. Thorfinn and Einar’s friendship and character development is what makes this season so beautiful.

[@thamolus]

Season 2 is a masterpiece

[@tommyboy6280]

It’s a very very slow season, but it definitely has some of the best character progression in any show ever

[@_all_around_us]

So much better than S1 it's not even a fair comparison

[@thamolus]

@@_all_around_us s1 is a good season but s2 is on another level

[@powerrr666]

In my opinion s2 was very boring, even tho the end was nice

[@markgregorygacosta531]

I'm worried for these guys that they might not like season 2 cause they've been watching a lot of battle shonnen manga lately such as JJK and CSM. There's a huge contrast in terms of pacing, themes and actions. Those series are fast-paced and great in their own way, but seinens are a completely different level of complexity and depth best suited for matured audience specially those with patience. I hope studio Gek doesn't disappoint me with their reaction on this masterpiece. Edit: Loving their reaction so far.

[@MyToastyToast]

To be fair they reacted to this before they even saw CSM. I think we’re fine

[@viniciusf9266]

Dont even have to "blame" other animes, Vinland Saga season 1 itself is a huge contrast in terms of pace with season 2

[@randomguy2926]

vinland was one of their first animes after aot

[@lukeguerra4392]

S2 is so bad

[@randomguy2926]

@@lukeguerra4392 nah

[@npres91]

Tbh, I didn’t even miss S1 while watching S2. It’s that good.

[@kamuyking551]

okay, I am gonna go off about Einar just a little bit. I think the best part about Thorfinn and Einar is how they truly both need each other. Thorfinn starts out empty this season, because Askeladd used to provide him with all his direction in life, for better or for worse. Thorfinn literally never had to decide anything for himself... all he wanted was to duel Askeladd, and Askeladd always set the conditions that would allow Thorfinn to fight him again. so basically Askeladd could tell him to do anything and he'd do it. Askeladd was the one deciding everything, and all Thorfinn had to do was follow instructions. it makes sense that Thorfinn is a slave now, because this arrangement is actually something he's very used to... even if it isn't healthy, it's almost more in his comfort zone, having someone else telling him what to do all the time. but while Thorfinn losing Askeladd leaves him with nothing of his own inside him, Einar losing his mother leaves him with all the things she ever taught him, which are all the more important now, because she's no longer here. and even if Einar wants to be mad at Thorfinn initially, it's hard for him stay that way. he was a good son, and a good older brother. he still is, even if the people he cared about are gone. seeing someone suffering still makes him want to help them. and he knows all the things that Thorfinn was never taught... Thorfinn thinks there's nothing good left in the world, but Einar knows better. and in a way, Thorfinn is helping fill the hole left in Einar's life too. he doesn't have anyone left to care about, or dedicate himself to anymore... until he meets Thorfinn. Einar is a good person with high standards for how he should treat others, and how others should treat him. which means that he's more frustrated than anyone by the way they're treated as slaves. Thorfinn is used to cruelty, so at first he doesn't even care. Einar is used to kindness, and this kind of treatment makes him furious. anger is something that good people feel when bad things happen, especially when they know better. Einar knows that people can do better... they just won't. in a way, this is the same anger that flared inside of Thorfinn when Thors died... and Thorfinn lived with this kind of anger and frustration, burning him from the inside, for a very long time. the thing that Thorfinn can teach Einar, is how to live with this emotion. Thorfinn is at a point where he can look back and examine this feeling. he can see all of the horrible consequences that came from falling into it, and he's learning how to pull himself out. they both need to figure out what to do with this emotion... how to use it to drive them toward something constructive, rather than letting it control them and make them do things that they will inevitably regret. Einar is a good person, and the things he's been robbed of are hurting him. he doesn't deserve to be hurt worse. and Thorfinn might be the exact right person to protect him from all of the worst things he'll face. but that's only if Einar can teach him that there is still value in life... Einar is here to help Thorfinn start choosing what he wants the content of his life to be for the very first time. they are the best thing for each other.

[@StudioGek]

Your summaries are top tier

[@kamuyking551]

@@StudioGek thank you! I'm so excited for the rest of this season, there's just so much good stuff coming in these episodes... it just gets better and better from here.

[@unidentified2026]

Honestly I prefer season 2 to 1. It's nice to finally like the main character.

[@jjthomson2815]

This exactly, enjoyment goes up when u can feel good and root for the mc

[@theraven9072]

Ya and tbh season 1 felt more like askeladad story

[@WoWGirl6]

that's an understatement! ^_^

[@joaniewwh3502]

this is the first time i'm re-watching s2 and i suddenly teared up when einar's mom said, "we haven't lost at all." 😭damn. i love s2 a little more than s1. i'm excited for y'all. brig's thoughts around 21:55 is solid. the dialogues in s2 will be more intense because we had s1. i think vinland saga's story-telling so far is a masterpiece. i don't read the manga so all i know is s1 and s2. 😊

[@Manchesthair]

5:21 Carter: Season 2 just want to give me issues in 5 minutes Bro, we all can relate😭

[@daniaaal]

Now we will see the true characters of the boys from Studio Gek. Whether someone likes Season 1 or Season 2 more says a lot about a person’s taste, their understanding of the story and author’s intentions for it.

[@lukeguerra4392]

S2 is so very very bad

[@dungeonashu2987]

@@lukeguerra4392 nice bait, although no one's falling for it.

[@joebidenjr5902]

Can y'all stop being so insufferable?

[@mr_rizz17]

@@lukeguerra4392 Get a life

[@creativeartivity]

Extrapolating someone's character based on a reaction to a season is a bit of a stretch, don't you think?

[@reezwave]

It outperform s1 by miles bro, it's sooo good and deep😢

[@e.m.8726]

This season made me like Vinland Saga even more than when I had watched the S1 (I do like every second in the series too!) As Japanese, I’m so interested to see how fans overseas react the Vikings anime made in Japan, and I really enjoyed your reactions in S1 as well! Looking forward to seeing how you would think when you watch the next eps already ;)

[@5meterdeleter]

The way I like to approach tv shows these days is “what is the author trying to convey to me?”. I was a bit bored at some point this season, but honestly I loved it so much more after the season ended because it’s a long season with a very powerful message that took the whole season to build up.

[@WoWGirl6]

that's a healthy way to approach shows. Little expectation to the themes and pace while looking deeper to the message.

[@meowforjasper2838]

This season is absolutely beautiful. It seems slow, but that is what makes the payoff of this story feel as impactful as it is. Everything feels deliberate. Every scene, word, it's all carefully placed there so when you do finally see the full picture. It doesn't feel like "wow that was a cool scene." You leave with a sense of, "wow, we've come so far. Look where those moments led us. Look what we did, look what we can do." I rewatched the first season after I finished this one and it's really rewarding how you're able to appreciate it for completely different reasons than the first watch.

[@sesawe2865]

You can tell this video recorded a long time ago since they still use the black/white rug (or maybe not rug) and the purple/white rug is behind Brig😅

[@cannonandrus5554]

Good eye ;) but it isn’t that long ago

[@khalisus]

Oh man, I can't wait for you lads to watch ep 9. One of the peaks.

[@SalKhayer]

Carter channelling his inner S1 Thorfinn rage right in the beginning.

[@KamaniAyush]

This anime is not for action but maturity and reality.

[@reezwave]

​@@sha2004_9 yr old "where's the action" kid

[@TheMroldtimer]

I think Thorfinn is so small, despite being Thors son, because he did not get enough nutrition as a young child. His growth was stunted. They were literally throwing him leftovers that were straight-up bones.

[@yuniuyum7271]

Season 2 better than season 1

[@Ibbelino]

Both good 🗿🍷

[@gsorestes9933]

Facts

[@nadav92]

100 %

[@bahencio]

I always feel kinda weird saying season 2 is better because season 1 is quite literally perfect, not a single bad thing, and season 2 is still better

[@medicbrotside5678]

The 2 are good. 🗿

[@hennessyjed5077]

10:31 It always bothered me how Einar JUST ran into Lief, who he heard was looking for a short, blond guy named Thorfinn, and then meets him RIGHT AFTER, and just forgets/doesn't say anything. Not that Thorfinn would have cared that Lief was looking for him I guess, but Einar himself said that "whoever he's looking for sure is a lucky guy,." and then just leaves it alone. :(

[@cannonandrus5554]

I actually was thinking that

[@opensesame8888]

Yukimura the author explained, while he was analyzing the Viking themed video game, that the place Einar is from is where Danes and English get mixed. So Einar is like Danes/English mix. So the English king Æthelred pillaged his place and the Danes also pillaged his place. Not sure his place was in Danelaw though. According to Yukimura there were many places in England where Danes and English mixed blood.

[@Cerenduil]

Season 2 is "way less action" but more about something veeery important in life: Introspection.

[@MRB96]

Carter will feel all the emotions this season

[@PintoConrad]

The greatest season of anime in recent years. Easily anime of the year 2023. This show changes people and for the better.

[@jemimarauf1486]

Thorfinn’s still smaller than others (even tho his parents/lineage are tall) cause he grew up malnourished

[@lucienolongerhuman8298]

Everyone talking about how they think Carter is gonna love it but i think Brig is gonna hate this. In the middle for sure cuz its reeeallly slow paced

[@irecordwithaphone1856]

That "carve it" scene... it hits different

[@TifaBom]

I hope u guys love s2 as well because i love it.(because some KZbinrs don't react to s2 unlike they did w s1).. It caught me off guard on this because it far from my anticipation but in a good way. It's Thorffin redemption arc, find peace, to me.

[@littlebobdukie3075]

yes yes yes yes.. Vinland Saga became one of my all time favorites with that season.

[@weirdowhoa]

I’ve been waiting for this! S2 of Vinland has to be one of my favorite arcs in all of anime. So glad I get to see you guys experience this masterpiece.

[@greendalf123]

I was excited to see reactions for the first seasons action and intrigue. Now I'm excited to see how you guys react to the life lessons of season 2.

[@KakiztoX]

Prepare yourselves guys, you are about to have a life-changer experience.

[@MorbidlyObeseTyreese]

Carter is going to be a w reactor especially this season

[@VikingLG]

I've enjoyed these reaction vids. Keep on keeping on fellas

[@risk931]

Ep 3 is going to be a banger

[@rudra4611]

the beggining of FARMLAND SAGA

[@ScrausScrauas]

best thing i tell folks to prepare them is that Vinland Saga is a drama

[@Nonco-1]

If season 1 is for warriors, season 2 is for philosophers.

[@commonsensecraziness7595]

The great thing about the construction of Season 2 is that it can stand alone. There's nothing essential about Season 1 you need to know to enjoy Season 2. In fact you could watch the series starting with Season 2 and treat Season 1 like a prequel.

[@ryoukenkogami7779]

"You haven't enemies."

[@jonathanrolle5118]

Peakland saga has arrived! This season is so good 👍

[@antonyromano8605]

“Season 2 Just wants to give me issues” it’s a slow burn for sure but the story telling and character progression are unreal. When you get a hype moment it’s massive

[@douniaelm1453]

Jackson is so cool hahah

[@LincolnLewis6]

PEAK has begun!!

[@kezi_yup]

Guys, you may find the beggining of the season slow to your taste but don't give up, the story telling and character developpment is insane Watch it like it's a journey and you are in for suuuuuch a treat

[@SalKhayer]

I have zero doubt that Carter and Cannon are gonna love this season. Those two are character arc junkies, frfr. McKay might have some issue with the lack of action, but I think Gek at large is great at appreciating peak writing and content.

[@kezi_yup]

@@SalKhayer Oh yeah I totally agree that they are great at appreciating that type of quality, I was just """"worried"""" since the tone changes a lot and many people did struggle to adapt because they watched vinland for it's brutality and hype moments

[@cucunger2.095]

Give season 2 some time, it REALLY starts to get good from like around episode 9, which is rated 9.6/10. I feel like by the end you will all absolutely love it, especially the guy in the middle from what i am seeing

[@ianmcclure3936]

I actually think episode 4 is the one that hooks most people, but yeah If they aren't hooked by then... They'll be hooked by episode 8 or 9.

[@cucunger2.095]

@@ianmcclure3936 Yeah, overall the whole show is a masterpiece

[@npres91]

Episode 9 is absolute peak

[@ianmcclure3936]

@@npres91 True. It's my favorite in the entire series, but Episode 17, 22, 23, and the finale from S1 are pretty close.

[@steo5879]

I think top 5 episodes this season in my opinion is, Ep 9 Ep 23 Ep 17 Ep 22 And then either ep 20 or 4 Entire season was peak even though i read the manga

[@Mr.OVERLORD]

Well, something new I found out a few days ago and would like to share with everyone else. Leif Erickson was a real life person and this is how wikipedia described it - Leif Erikson or Ericson, also known as Leif the Lucky (c. 970s - c. 1019 to 1025), was a Norse explorer who is thought to have been the first European to set foot on continental North America, approximately half a millennium before Christopher Columbus.

[@thaisbenicio837]

Leif, Thorfinn, Canute, Thorkell were all real people. Don't google them if you don't want to catch some spoilers

[@c3p6]

Anyone who has watched SpongeBob would know that Leif Erikson was a real person

[@narisredy]

Loving yall's commentaries

[@memoryzera]

In the beginning of the episode, when Einar is screaming, you can hear Thorfinn's screams mixed in with Einar's. That is a great touch for this episode

[@natcosmicgirl]

one of my favourite anime seasons ever

[@MrBuddyGuy]

This re-watch for me is about to hit! Get ready ready for a masterpiece

[@emikotagahushi941]

Season 2 is definitely slower. It lets you sink in the mundane, everyday struggles - but that's what makes the intense moments hit so much harder.

[@8KFlow]

I thought season 1 was slower. It's all just perspective. If you found S2 interesting from the start you wouldn't think it as slow. Thorfinn and Einar's chemistry as bros really interested me.

[@thesuperdak7224]

It's Vinland Saga, so in the first episode it will remind you that you're watching Vinland Saga.

[@ilsrzz135]

my love for this series skyrocketed after season 2. Some of the episodes are the best in all of anime

[@amyperaltiago]

S2 is as good or at times better than S1. Remember S1 is a prologue, the true story is only beginning now. This season is very character focused and brutally humane. Just you gotta give it time and not disregard the farm arc as it can be slow but its extremely crucial for Thorfinn's character development, which is glorious by the way. I don't think I have ever been more proud of a character as I was of Thorfinn by the end of the season. The last couple of episodes including the finale, mostly from ep 18 onwards might actually be better than S1. Top notch writing. I think Carter might enjoy this season the most, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.

[@HorrorTalesssssss]

The last four episodes of this season are 9.9 imp. Be ready for those juicy moments🔥

[@Alshebani_]

“There is so much wheat already why do they need more wheat” *asking the real questions huh. I real wish yall get the point of this season*

[@noona9193]

Finally season 2 reaction starts, this is will be really beautiful and deep journey and i hope you will keep react to it and enjoy it as well, yes it's slower than season 1 but that's the beauty of it, to understand the characters more and their development too. Love your reaction guys, can't wait for the next one 🤍

[@sawervogue]

TIME TO BE SLAVES. LFG!!👨‍🌾

[@WoWGirl6]

Mappa does Hell's Paradise. Y'all should watch it too. The first season just came out, and it ended for the year just recently. So far it's been really good. Great samurai action if you're into that. Back to Vinland Saga, just know that this season is a bit more down tempo, at least in the first 16/17 episodes.

[@dzilo]

Best season , you can't change my mind😊

[@keito204]

I don’t know what people mean with slower and what they are measuring, but this is one of the best seasons of anime ever made. First season was aight but not really into it for me, second season sold me on the show. It’s way more engaging and if anything feels faster, cuz it’s just so gripping.

[@BenganGamer]

I mean its just a fact that it doesnt happen as much in the first half of season 2 as it did in season 1 and thats okay because its not inherently a negative.

[@annie-sc]

It is slow especially for people who expected the show to be plot-driven. But the pace makes sense for a material like this, which focused on the inner struggles of the characters.

[@Ash_Wen-li]

​@@BenganGamerLess happens plot wise but even then the first part of Season 2 is way more dense than season 1

[@nanachanteo]

I’m not sure if you made the connection when you started the first episode but Einar is actually the last guy that we saw at the end of season 1 with the other unknown characters (except for manga readers) 😁

[@WoWGirl6]

haha yeah I remember how puzzled they all were when they were like "who are these people, new characters?" At least for us, who watched it in real time, had that long gap to not be able to recognize them, where with them, they saw the last episodes days ago lol 😆

[@mop8996]

Thank you...thank you...🙏🙏

[@KatakuriUchiha22]

after AOTs Intros and Outros, Vinland Saga got genuinely the 2nd best Outros and couple Intros too

[@jimmybob5541]

This season is gonna change you guys. Shits beautiful

[@sMaCkY7]

Thorfinn: I want to be a Better person

[@FelicityGemini]

If your ancestors were not slaves you have no idea how this hits you as a descendant of slaves. same with AOT, it hurts so much, to see enslaved people knowing your own ancestors was subjected to it daily and for centuries. Im just glad the subject is still relevant. before everyone said to forget about slavery. we cannot, and will not. I appreciate these animes for going in so deep.showing normal people before evil people came and enslaved them. my heart is so open.

[@emilydavidson-sv8zr]

Season 2 is phenomenal! So excited im finally getting to see your reactions 😄 Very different from season 1, but in the best possible ways.

[@kauzv]

I'm so Hyped rn 🔥💯

[@mongezibuthelezi1032]

Me to

[@GGReyes-oc3kp]

I didn't expect a reaction so soon ☺️ 5:22 Oh, you have no idea. 😅

[@Ugleplastic]

Season 2 hit different. Its absolute masterpiece , every episode 10/10, but its just me

[@Beautifullytragic6]

Season 2 is absolutely beautiful.

[@7BM99]

you have to listen to the ending! the lyrics are so sick please don't skip it

[@alisuhhh]

Love that you guys are reacting to season 2 🔥🔥🔥

[@kamuyking551]

I'm just so glad that Einar is here. it was so hard to go back and watch season 1 where he wasn't in the show. there's so much I want to say about him, but so much of it won't be relevant until later. for now, I just want to say that yeah, it is always the parents in anime... but Einar's mom is written with the kind of personality that makes you miss her anyway. she looks like she'd be such a fun and interesting person to have known. and when I watched this season the first time, I kept thinking back to her when I was watching Einar, because she is really the difference between Einar and Thorfinn. Einar grew up in a home with parental guidance... Thorfinn didn't. so all the important social things that Einar knows, but Thorfinn doesn't, are things she taught him. in a way, we do get to know her better over time.

[@skribe]

such a beautiful season with so many pay offs and gets epic as well!

[@ikaros9727]

Can't believe it actually started with "Carve it" I didn't even remember that

[@jjthomson2815]

I understand the concern, but s2 has a good bit of action too and the writing develops up to it, I don't see any issue with this s2, enjoyed it more than s1 which was also good, constant action is shonen, this is well balanced seinen

[@dh5363]

"He's the biggest beast of all time." - So... he's the biggest BOAT?

[@emikotagahushi941]

Haha I strongly disliked Einar when I watched the first episode! XD I was annoyed of him because he gets all angry but makes dumb decisions. However, he's a necessary person for Thorfinn because of how "normal" he is, you could say. Thorfinn grew up around crazy, manipulative, murderous people for most of his life, so maybe a little normal, helplessness ain't so bad. XD I mean that in the nicest way possible lol.

[@ozyssah]

man, s1 is great but everything about s2 is peak, even the fuckin ED is such a perfect match for this entire season

[@MattGar01]

I've been waiting for this and its finally here!! Cant wait for you guys to enjoy a magnificent season of Vinland that tops even S1. I hope y'all enjoy the change of pace and the incredible moments/character progression that's coming 👏🏼

[@CarlozKingz]

Cannon is my bias 🫶

[@jagodahabura4315]

Seson 2 is peak!!

[@LuizAlleman]

Season 2 is by far better than season 1. You guys are in for a ride. Comments here have said it better than I but season 2 is where it's at. Here's to Farmland Saga🍻

[@victorgoh4719]

We have finally reached PEAKLAND SAGA

[@Hi.Im.Chucky]

Yeah, I loved Farmland Saga.

[@eirazil06]

Those "Carve it" lines will hit you soon

[@lightmaybebadbuthewasjustsilly]

hey guys! you may not see this comment, but i have a recommendation(again)! i've been watching your videos since the third or fourth attack on titan one, so here i am recommending something that you will(probably) like. the name is devilman crybaby, it's a short anime(10 ep) but its story is so great and it has inspired evangelion and even berserk(if you know them, that is). the manga was written back in the 70's but the story holds up to today more than ever before. the anime is pretty graphic, so you'll need to edit some parts HEAVILY, but the story is so good it would be a shame for you not to watch sometime. have a good day, and keep up the great reactions!

[@niloy2473]

Season 2 changed me. My fvrt anime is AOT. I did not read the AOT manga even tho I really wanted to know what happens next. But S2 of Vinland Saga moved me so much that I went on and finished the manga recently. Tho I'm not sure if you guys would like this season that match!

[@bohansolo]

bro called a slave master the 🐐… 😹

[@FlashyDolphin]

Letssss goooo the boys are back for season 2

[@Celeborn93]

1:35 The reason for there being a multitude of mixed reviews is just because of the anime community in general. A lot of it consists of smoothbrain children with zero attention span. And this season effectively separates the kids from the more mature within it's audience, and in turn, all the kids go and rant about it, giving it a 1/10 etc. I haven't heard a single valid critique about this season yet, that didn't boil down to "where is all the action?" or "what happened to Thorfinn's character?" Both of which are just laughable, because it truly shows that they never understood a thing about the story to begin with.

[@leaisamusician]

I'm not usually an anime watcher, much prefer reading mangas and I'll tell you why. This arc in the manga is incredible. In the anime, it is so damn long. The quality of the animation has gone down, the pacing of the episodes is insufferable - it follows the manga but adds stuff like arneis's flashbacks or einar's backstory (they also dampen him by taking away most of the over the top expressions a comic relief character has in mangas to give him more realistic vibes, but it makes him slightly boring) and worst of all they keep repeating the same things over and over. In the manga, it's a steady rise up to thorfinn coming alive for the first time since he was six - in the anime, it's like a bad soufflé that rises very rarely and by the end you almost don't care - you can feel the animators stretchting the arc so it fits 24 episodes and thats why its bad. Its not a story problem, its the medium that translated it poorly. Its not always about being smooth brained, this season was just poorly executed

[@Celeborn93]

​@@leaisamusician Except it's not long. An arc as character heavy and introspective as this needs time in order for it to progress naturally. I'd almost argue that it didn't have enough time. As for the animation, i loved S1's artstyle more than anyone. And when i saw S2, my initial thoughts were also that the animation, models, colors etc. were slightly downgraded. But at no point did i think it looked bad. After ~4 or so episodes i had completely adjusted to it, and i even thought that many of the scenes were on par with much of S1 Vinland. And it only seemed to get better and better from that point on. I'd definitely say that the earlier episodes took the brunt of the budget neglect. While you can clearly see where and when they allocated many of their resources. But the entire season was still surprisingly consistent. And let's be real, S1 had some iffy moments too regarding animation consistency, as much as i love it. "The pacing of the episodes is insufferable" No. Just no, lol. Couldn't disagree harder if i tried. - The episodes are paced perfectly considering the subject matter, the state of the characters, and the formula of the arc that is setup. It's damn near perfection. This seems to be an issue stemming from your own expectations of what the story should be about. Yukimura has even said himself that the pacing of the anime suits the story of Thorfinn much better than how it is paced in the manga. And a manga you can pretty much read through however fast you want, so that could also factor into why you had different expectations for the adaption. All of the anime original scenes were amazing, the extra scenes with Arnheid/Gardar only added to the overall arc, seeing as the farm is basically over and done with by the end of this season. So all of the characters need as much time and background as we can get, imo. That's a weird critique. Again, one of the most poignant things about this arc, is to get to see first-hand, how slaves and the commonfolk live and are treated from the opposite perspective that isn't from a Viking. So yeah, again, fully disagree with you there. "they keep repeating the same things" Like what? You mean how Thorfinn struggles with his ideology and oath? Well, yeah, of course. It's a multi-faceted and complex thought process that requires talking about. It's not like he's just repeating the same thing, in the exact same way. Everytime it is brought up, it is with a new layer behind it. A new revelation, or question. That's the point of Thorfinn's character. Sorry but it seems like this was lost on you, which makes me question if you even understand half of what the story is about, lol. "by the end you almost don't care" Again, wrong. I cared a lot, because like i just said, it was a progressive development that led to a pivotal moment.. Thorfinn saying he had no enemies made me cry like a baby. If you didn't care by the end, then that likely means that you misinterpreted the actual progression of his development. It's not as if he had this realization in episode 4, or 9, or 15, or 20. Those were all milestones for his character, that led to the realization of his fathers teachings. And even as the season concludes, it's not as if he is fully transformed yet, and he probably never will be. But it's the pursuit of this transformation that means staying true to his ideology. He openly admits that he doesn't see how he can end war and slavery, or stop the perpetual cycle of violence. He's just one man. So he'll just do what is within his power, while asking others to do the same. Everything you're suggesting the adaptation should do, just goes heavily against what the setup of the story has indicated already. I'm not sure why you'd want the story to be rushed. Because that's exactly what it would be, if Thorfinn developed any faster than he did. You should watch Hell's paradise. It has horrible executed characters that forces progression and development down your throat every 5 seconds without any setup for it, while dumping shitloads of exposition on your constantly without any warrant. You'll love it.

[@leaisamusician]

@@Celeborn93 Such a long message and I believe you could be even more condescending if given the time (which I am giving you now since I do want to debate this subject with someone passionate, even after your attempts to diminish my opinion). When it comes to the animation, true in the first season there's problems too, that's what you get with that kind of budget, but it didn't bother me at all : the episodes where I really noticed a difference in season 2 were more of the later ones (15 to 20 give or take), lots of frames were minimally animated and you could really tell. Of course, it will never have the budget an animated movie would have, which I love, and again, my eye doesn't enjoy serialised anime in part because of that. I do enjoy appreciating art at my own pace, (you don't understand what I meant by pace in the previous message btw, I didn't mean the pace of the story, I meant the way a show is supposed to be paced to keep the viewer involved - same goes for a movie - there's a wheel often used for storytelling, often divided in 4 to eight parts, that's how you tell a story through images - the pacing is different with writing for example). I especially enjoy watching the original works of anything, books rather than film etc. I do agree that makes me biased against anime, having grown up in a time where fillers were non negotiable. That's also why I didn't like the heavy flashbacks with Gardar (they just cut the rythm of the episode for me). What is shown is in the manga, it's just more impactful because it's not overly done, takes maybe 2 pages. The Heaven reunion for Arneis's family, or Einar's backstory, wich aren't in the manga, are another story : it felt cheesy. Just saying how much she wants to be with them without having to show it gets the point across, it's so on the nose saying it, then showing it, that's not how cinema works (I would know, I work in that business btw) ; and for Einar, I like meeting him first as a slave like in the manga - we don't know why he's so supposedly stupid and happy go lucky at first, his layers come after and I was much more impressed by what he says to Canute in the end. In the anime he gave me this tragic vibe he doesn't have in the manga, whereas he's supposed to be a positive person, always looking ahead and most importantly, up. So, it has nothing to do with wanting a story to be rushed : that is why I love Vinland Saga's story, it takes the time to navigate you through real events and real cultures while exploring the idealistic nature of the protagonists and their views on how we should behave as humans. For the repeating part, that's good if the message came across and resonated positively for you : It was more subtly done in the manga, very much on the nose in the anime for my taste ; it does take the same conclusion (no ennemies) but the way it added on it made me feel like they were taking the viewer as too stupid to read between the lines, the layers that sentence implies, as is often the case in recent media. It got boring fast, and as I watched with my boyfriend who's only seen the anime, he got the message loud and clear the first time no problem. The point of Thorfinn's character isn't to look for revelations or new questions, he's quite simple minded whilst being very wise in his simplicity - by that I mean he takes experiences at face value from that point on (The duration and end of the farm arc, which is truly life changing for him), he knows what would idealistically be his goal in life and will try to attain it, but only builds on his ideas when meeting people with different world views, which he embraces easily from the second arc and on- I don't think he spends that much time exploring the philosophical aspects of any given subject, he feels emotions more than he puts words on them - at least for now, in the later arcs he does evolve into being a man who only uses words and uses them well, but you're ahead of were he is in his thought process I think. He's not educated in the first arc, doesn't know how to do anything but war, and it shows - now he knows how to build, create life and maintain it, and that shows to. But that's all he knows for now. Again, that moment where you cried (the conversation with Canute) had the same effect on me in the manga, not the anime. I think I enjoy drawings too much maybe (for example, I didn't like the scene where Arneis gets beaten in the anime, the shading on Ketil's face is so well done in the manga, it's overall more powerful I think). If you enjoyed the anime version, good for you man, I was worried the second season, given how bad lots of people found it, would turn off most casual watchers off from continuing the story. Good to know there's people vehemently defending it. I know I'm also biased by having read the manga, lots of room for comparison and usually the original is better than the adaptation, and I think that played a big part here. I just wanted to respond to your impression that only stupid people didn't like the second season. Doesn't mean my arguments aren't valid, doesn't mean you had to be a dick to make yourself heard, my ears work better when not "looked" down upon for really, no reason, given that I like the story as much as you do. People are not as stupid as we make them out to be in our heads, that applies to the way you talked to me same as it applies to showrunners and producers around the world who, by dumbing their material down, will eventually create what they so despise, dumb people. Even though more often than not, it's to reassure ourselves about our own tastes and opinions that we do that, got nothing to do with the other person. Let's see if we can continue this conversation in a positive manner, if not, I'll read what you have to say but that will be it.

[@Celeborn93]

​@@leaisamusician I'm sorry, but any condescension that you perceived were just that. Your own perception. I'm being as honest and objective as i can here. I guess the last part about me suggesting a show that i feel is for dumb people would be my only jab, but that was also kind of a joke, meant to give an example and highlight my previous point. But yeah, you're of course free to take a moral highground in thinking i'm some bully who only aims to call you stupid. But that's not at all what i'm after. I disagree with the example of 15-20 having minimal quality animation. Even if some of the key animation wasn't as prominent in some scenes, (which could be said for any episode of the season) there were some episode with KILLER BG art, environments, and beautiful color palettes. A few examples would be Thorfinn & Einar's conversation in 15, the ghostly forest in 19, the stables in 18, the rainy scenes at the fortress with Snake in 15, etc. to name a few. So about the pace.. It kinda goes hand in hand. The pace in which the story makes the most sense, is what would usually engage the viewer. Because if that was off, we'd be able to tell whether or not it was rushed, or slow, and our overall experience would suffer due to that. Which is just not the case, for me at least. But since this is one of those things that are up to each individual in what sort of pacing they prefer, i can't really tell you that you're wrong for wanting a quicker pace. I just strongly disagree. I think this specific story, with these specific characters, and where they're at in their own stories, warrants a slower pace, with a more stretched out plot, so that we can actually get into the meat of their characters, and how they deal with their conflicts on a somewhat realistic level. 2 pages of memoire material for these side characters is probably fine in the manga. But in the anime, i think they were given more time, because of the impact they had on Thorfinn going forward, which is a fantastic choice imo. "that's not how cinema works" - I mean.. it is if that's how they decided to do it. That's not really for you to determine or decide :) There are always elements in a story that seems a bit too on the nose, or "extra", or exposition-y, and i personally never like those moments, because they, like you say, make the viewer feel like they're being talked down to. And i hate that more than anything else in stories. I don't want hand holding, and i don't want that to be normalized in television that is supposedly for adults. But it is, and it always will be, to a degree. Because people aren't ultra geniuses who's figured out answers to everything. We're flawed, and so is our works. The repeating part didn't resonate with me, because there was no repeating to be resonated with. Which was my point. That's where i feel like we've been watching two different shows. The realization that he has no enemies, isn't some meta-targeted message that is supposed to be directed at the viewer. It is for Thorfinn to figure out. I could go through all the points of which this development came to be, and explain why that realization wasn't just some static neon-sign hanging over Thorfinn's head the whole season, as it sort of sounds like you make it out to be. That's probably my biggest gripe with your whole rant, and why i said that it feels like you've missed out on some of the story. (Let me know if you want me to actually do that, it will just take some time cus im not very articulate) Oh i'm well aware that Thorfinn is a simple guy. That is why i like him. He reminds me of Finn from Adventure Time. Both of these characters embody such a simple, innocent, but beautiful way of looking at the world and the subjects around them, that i can't help but be inspired. There's something very touching, wise, and wholesome about the simple and undeniable perspectives/ideals,(or the lack thereof) that both of these characters embody, imo. Now, you say "the point isn't" for Thorfinn to look for revelations or question things, yet that is what he does. He just does it in-character, on his premise. So, again, have to disagree. This entire arc is practically Thorfinn trying to answer one big question, but doing it by stringing a thousand smaller questions together first, because that's the order of things. And that is what makes sense for his character, since he isn't just an open book in the beginning. He has stuff he needs to deal with before he can even get to ask these questions. And with each question, comes the contemplation of whether or not he can even answer that question. Sure, these questions all boil down to a single thing. But that thing is only apparent to the omniscient viewer, and not to Thorfinn. He has to get there, naturally. I've read a few mangas, and i gotta say, they just don't do it for me. I can get immersed, sure, and my imagination works fine too. But there's something about cinematography sound design, voice acting, etc. that just makes the whole experience so much better, and more impactful. So it would be the reverse for me. The music in the anime scene is 10/10 utilized, and elevated the scene so much. It felt like an actual crescendo of his character arc. - But the beautiful art of the manga isn't lost on me. There're some stunning panels, and Yukimura is an amazing artist and story-teller, and he laid out the groundwork for an amazing story to be adapted. I can't tell if you're calling me a casual watcher, or if you're referring to those i would call smoothbrains. But if it's me, then i'd ask you who's being the condescending dick. For the record, i never said that the only people who dislike S2 are stupid. That's not my impression. What i said is, that the anime community in general is made up of a lot of children with skewed expectations, which is why the reviews for S2 of Vinland suffered so much during it's release. And this wasn't really a surprise. And let's be real. The majority of people who are giving it bad reviews, do it because they wasn't able to follow the actual story. The ones who simply disliked it for valid reasons are like 1/100, and i don't even think that's an exaggeration. No i definitely think the majority of people are just that stupid. I think people with healthy attention spans, and an interest in story telling are extreme few and far inbetween. But anyone who shows the slightest interest, has got my support, and the last thing i wanna do, is gatekeep people, or scare people off from learning and experiencing great art through stories such as this. But when someone starts yapping about why and how something is bad, with baseless arguments and non-points, that's when i have a problem. And that's essentially what those reviewbombers do. Or the 12yo's who jump around to different channels of Vinland content, only to say: "S2 boring and bad" ... That just sucks. And that is unfair to both the viewers who support it, and want it to thrive in the future, and the actual people involved in making it.

[@leaisamusician]

@@Celeborn93 Color me corrected if your intention was to be objective, it didn't read that way : suggesting I don't understand half of the story and your last "jab" didn't help that perception either. But it is, as always, difficult to interpret correctly a person's intentions when you don't know them and can't emote with your face. And no I wasn't talking about you as a casual watcher, I meant the "smoothbrains". I wouldn't lecture someone just to make the same mistake, counter-productive I don't think it's stupidity when it comes to criticizing something (especially online), it's more superficial, and yeah trolling sometimes : most people consume media superficially and don't have the empathy for this story we wish they had, but it's all fine (if they don't trash it) and it is possible to like the story but not season 2 True the panels are very pretty, the coloring palette is gorgeous and the music is great, not saying the animators don't do a good job overall : but it was very visible in some frames that only the foreground is animated, sometimes lazily (like when einar is running pretending to be gardar, when the boys walk through the fields, when the characters have a monologue - the frames stay on the screen for a really long time too so I found it very noticeable) And yes I agree those are the benefits to an anime compared to a manga, the colors and the voice actors (arneis's gave me chills everytime) but in a black and white image I see so many colors, so many shades. Also, no censoring, which is always better. If the mangaka is talented enough, it feels like paintings in action sometimes - and because it is meant to be still, there's more information in the images than when they are moving. That is only because of the budget of a series, movies are a completely different story : any Ghibli, Mamoru Hosada or Satoshi Kon film are so well animated it's almost ouf of this world. A good anime example would be My hero Academia : they don't use 24 frames per second as is usually done, they use 26 which makes it look more fluid. For the pace, indeed I guess it's a personnal preference too, but don't forget this is a series : - how a story usually decomposes is in 4 parts (and then sub-parts) : the call to adventure, the threshold, the revelation and the atonement and return of the hero - that formula varies from books to films, but it's the basic structure. In this case, season one was the call to adventure, all the way through the challenges, the mentor's meeting and the fall of the hero : season two is about the revelation (the death and rebirth of new ideals, the element of change that moves the character forward). True, it is a very important part, but for me it was stretched too much to fit those 24 episodes - it would have all fitted well in just a tad less, 18 to 20 episodes would have been better paced, and then we start back up with the next cycle of transformation and atonement with Thorfinn returning to Iceland. Sooo... I'm not making anything up (you're welcome to fact-check me), it is an actual golden rule of cinema called the "show, don't tell" : a narrative technique used in various kinds of texts to allow the reader to experience the story through actions, words, subtext, thoughts, senses, and feelings rather than through the author's exposition, summarization, and description." exemple from Chekov : "Don't tell me the moon is shining - show me the glint of light on broken glass". In this case, the point of the story is : No one has any ennemies. We hear it in the first episode (in the manga it's actually shown later, it's better in the anime) from Thors, and we will spend the whole story getting examples and variations of that premice through the characters actions : Askeladd, Bjorn, Floki, Canute, Thorkell... all great exemples of show don't tell, and all have different ways of dealing with ennemies - We know where this is going. The subject doesn't come up in season two, it was already there : dedicating an entire arc to it makes sense narratively and we see more examples with Olmar, Snake, Ketil, Arneis... Thorgil is the most interesting I think cause he serves as a mirror to what Thorfinn used to see as strengh That's how you show the aspects and colors of the philosophical question that is central to the story. It's also well done through dialogue, especially during Thorfinn's nightmare. What is not needed is artificially stretching (not out of necessity for the story like in the manga, just out of compliance to the 24 episode format in anime) dialogues between characters, hammering in facts we already know and basically saying the same thing over and over when we've already seen and heard the consequences of the characters' actions. Again, only a format problem, not a story problem. And yes you are right that to a degree they have to take us by the hand to understand, but that's what all the characters are there for, you don't need to spell it out and dedicate whole episodes on a 10min conversation in the manga... on the other hand, something like Attack on Titan doesn't take anybody's hand to show them where it's going and the morals of the story were indeed lost on a lot of people. (Hope I'm making more sense now, sorry for the long explanation)

[@mmor7380]

Season 2 make vinland enter my favorite shows list

[@beabaepea5576]

Am i wrong or Carter was already really moved by the 1st ep?? That's me 😭😭 i was feeling that way too, ah..how can i face this season 😫

[@mikeheiser77]

On the topic of starting season 2 before season 1, it would make thorfinn a lot more mysterious than if you knew his arc with askeladd/ canute