Vinland Saga tells the story of a young boy named Thorfinn whose life is re-defined by the death of his father. Growing up among Viking mercenaries whilst seeking revenge for his father's death, Thorfinn's journey is far from an easy one. Yet he has no choice but to prevail and sharpen his skills continuously, as the dangerous world he lives in leaves no room for peaceful days.
There are plenty of reasons why Vinland Saga became as popular as it is, from the well-thought-out historical setting showing the life and wars of Vikings to the deeply touching and realistic personal story. The show doesn't shy away from either action scenes or nuanced drama. While there may be no other anime that matches it entirely, there are plenty of great series which contain many of the key elements that make the series so special.
10 Attack on Titan
Given the sheer difference in length, it comes as no surprise that Attack on Titan is far more expansive than Vinland Saga's anime. Yet, at their core, the two tales are surprisingly similar. Similarly to Thorfinn, Eren is also motivated by loss and revenge, which he chooses to deal with by enlisting into the military and fighting the Titans who threaten those around him. Moreover, the side characters in both shows are given just as much attention as the main ones, which contributes to the complexity of the stories. Perhaps the most important similarity, however, is the bold willingness to embrace unrestrained brutality and drama.
9 91 Days
Much like Vinland Saga, 91 Days is all about dealing with loss and revenge. Angelo's journey is quite similar to Thorfinn's; having lost his family to the Vanetti mafia family, he ends up ing the same group secretly looking to enact his revenge. As similar as the premise may be though, the shows do take rather different approaches overall, with Thorfinn's tale encoming more elements of adventure and drama, while Angelo's is more realistic. Also, despite both shows having a historical setting, the periods of time they choose to represent are far from similar (with 91 Days depicting a gangster story), so individual affinity may sway personal enjoyment.
8 Berserk
Berserk follows the story of Guts, also known as the Black Swordsman, who starts out as a lone mercenary but ends up ing Griffith's band after losing a duel to him. While the Band of the Hawk is undeniably strong, Griffith's secrets and ambitions seem to extend beyond anyone else's understanding. Berserk is defined by a decidedly more mature theme than Vinland Saga, including elements of dark fantasy and even horror. However, they both feature similar historical settings (Middle Ages Europe), characters with real depth and development, and a motive of revenge, making them feel familiar in spite of their clear differences.
7 Kingdom
Whilst taking place in a completely different historical setting, China's Warring States period, Kingdom spares no effort in building a realistic background for its events. Protagonist Xin, fueled by the loss of his dear friend Piao, must grow up in a war-torn country and navigate difficult times as he seeks to fulfill the promise he made to his best friend, of becoming the greatest war general. Another interesting similarity, particularly relating to Vinland Saga's second season, is that Xin and Piao met and befriended each other as slaves, as did Throfinn and Einar. In spite of their circumstances, neither gave up hope, always wishing and striving for a better future.
6 Claymore
The tale of Claymore is set in a world that is ravaged by shape-shifting demons known as youma, whose hunger is only satisfied by human flesh. The only ones who can take a stand against these demons are Claymores, human-youma hybrids manufactured specifically against the youma. The story follows Clare, one such youma, accompanied by Raki, a human she saved. Claymore's dark fantasy/horror setting may be worlds apart from that of Vinland Saga, but its story places just as much of an emphasis on vengeance, perseverance, and characters with real depth. Moreover, the action scenes are just as well-animated and enjoyable.
5 To Your Eternity
Perhaps the most striking resemblance that To Your Eternity bears to Vinland Saga is just how much it revolves around the idea of humanity. Vinland Saga is more focused in that regard, as its scope is more limited, but it excels in showcasing the personal drama of its protagonists. Meanwhile, To Your Eternity takes place across a variety of points in time and space. The tale follows protagonist Fushi, who comes to Earth as a mere orb, incapable of thoughts or emotions. Yet the more people he meets and the more he experiences, he learns what it truly means to be human.
4 The Heroic Legend of Arslan
While The Heroic Legend of Arslan includes elements of fantasy not present in Vinland Saga, the clear historical inspiration and theme of constant war make these shows strikingly similar. Despite being the prince of the Kingdom of Pars, Arslan is young and unfamiliar with the battlefield that he is forced to when his once-prosperous kingdom comes under threat, as his father is betrayed. Then, much like Thorfinn, Arslan must learn about war and seek allies, preparing himself for a journey full of difficult trials. Furthermore, he also faces losses along his journey, cementing the gravity of the situation he must deal with.
3 Golden Kamuy
Golden Kamuy follows the journey of a rather odd pair of characters, Sugimoto "the Immortal" and Asipra, a young Ainu girl. Both are in search of gold, the former seeking to fulfill his friend's dying wish, and the latter to reclaim what originally belonged to her people. In spite of their skills, however, the journey is far from easy, as they are not the only ones who know of the map leading to the treasure. While clearly different in of setting and tone (with occasional comedic scenes), Golden Kamuy's tale is also realistic, intense, gripping, and inspired by history.
2 Dororo
Dororo's eponymous protagonist accompanies Hyakkimaru, a powerful ronin whose body parts were offered to demons by his father in exchange for great power. As Hyakkimaru discovers that his missing body parts are restored when he slays demons, he sets out on a journey of revenge to recover all that was taken from him as a sacrifice. In spite of the clearly different supernatural and mythological inspirations, as opposed to Vinland Saga's realistic ones, Dororo also takes place in a historical setting. Moreover, the tale features similar motives of revenge, a background of war, and a general theme of resilience in spite of tragedy.
1 Drifters
Unlike any other entry on this list, Drifters is the only one featuring an Isekai theme. The story begins when Toyohisa Shimazu, on the brink of death, suddenly finds himself pulled into an unrecognizable world. There, he befriends historical figures such as Nobunaga Oda and Yoichi Suketaka Nasu, and together they fight to protect elves and demihumans. The similarities between Drifters and Vinland Saga may be more surface-level, as the former lacks the nuanced drama of the latter. Regardless, this is one to watch when seeking more anime with historical inspirations, large-scale wars, and well-animated fight scenes, all in the context of an original, captivating adventure.
Vinland Saga took the world by storm when it first aired, instantly captivating viewers with its unique setting and approach to storytelling. It tells a tale that is deeply personal and takes its audience on a journey that embraces both action and emotions. From world-building to character development, every aspect of the show has received the attention necessary to create something truly special. No other anime ever could or should be identical to Vinland Saga, but fans of the title are sure to find these shows just as interesting.
