Vinland Saga season 2 has been announced, leaving many questions as to when viewers will be able to watch the critically acclaimed seinen anime, and what the second season will contain. Adapted from Makoto Yukimura's manga of the same name, Vinland Saga season 1 chronicled the story of Thorfinn, a young Icelandic warrior who serves under a band of mercenaries led by Askeladd, the man who killed Thorfinn's father. Vinland Saga mostly takes place in 11th century England and draws from many historical events and figures from Norse and English history.
The protagonist Thorfinn is inspired by the historical figure Thorfinn Karlsefni Thórdarson, an Icelandic explorer, who followed Leif Erikkson's route to England - a story that Ubbe Ragnarsson also mirrored in Vikings. However, the historical influences do not end there, as Thorfinn also meets Canute in Vinland Saga season 1, inspired by Cnut the Great, who was once King of England, Norway, and Denmark. Both the animated show and manga of Vinland Saga also take inspiration from other sources, such as Kentaro Miura's Berserk, which has similar themes of a warrior's nihilistic despair.
Vinland Saga season 1's final episode is the most shocking of the series and the ripple effects of Askeladd's actions and death mean that season 2 pivots in a completely different direction. Since it's been three years since Vinland Saga season 1, some viewers questioned whether season 2 would ever appear, however, a recent trailer for Vinland Saga season 2 eased those fears and teased some of what audiences can expect from the historical anime. While Vinland Saga may never be as popular as Demon Slayer or Naruto, it's still a worthy watch for anime viewers, so here's everything to know about Vinland Saga season 2 before it airs.
Vinland Saga Season 2's Characters: Who Will Appear?
Thorfinn will again be the main figure in Vinland Saga season 2, although he looks older and more downtrodden in the anime show trailer. The trailer opens with Askeladd's voice when he tells a beaten Thorfinn "Giving up already? Get up!" after Askeladd beat him in yet another duel. While Askeladd obviously wanders Thorfinn's mind and may appear in dreams or flashbacks, it's safe to say he won't be living and breathing in season 2. Nonetheless, Vinland Saga season 2 director Shuhei Yabuta (also known for his visual effect work on Steins;Gate and Attack on Titan) believes a new character, Einar, will be able to fill the void left by Askeladd. Impressed by Einar's character in the manga, Yabuta describes Einar as the "lynchpin" of season 2, and will no doubt influence Thorfinn's character arc in the season.
Vinland Saga's season 2 trailer proves that Einer won't be the only new character though. The anime show trailer provides glimpses at several new characters, such as Ketil, Olmar, Arnheid, Snake, and Thorgil. Away from new characters, Canute, Floki, and Thorkell can be glimpsed in the trailer and will return from season 1. Meanwhile, the previously mentioned Leif Ericson (also a character on Vikings: Valhalla) will return in season 2, who could hold some sway over Thorfinn's fate.
Vinland Saga Season 2 Story: What Is It About?
Vinland Saga season 2 will adapt the manga's Slave Arc, known by many manga readers as the Farm Arc or Ketil's Farm Arc. After Thorfinn attacks Canute for denying him his wish of being the one to kill Askeladd, Thorfinn is enslaved as punishment. Years on, Thorfinn is sold into the Scandinavian slave trade and much of the Slave Arc deals with Thorfinn finding a new will to live, after his primary goal to kill Askeladd is taken from him. While Vinland Saga season 2 is likely to be less violent than season 1, it will be crucial to Thorfinn's character development.
Vinland Saga Season 2 Release Date
The Vinland Saga season 2 release date is currently set to see the anime adaptation air in January 2023. The long wait between seasons may be because season 2 is helmed by a different animation studio. While season 1 was animated by WIT Studio, famous for Spy x Family and Ranking of Kings, Vinland Saga season 2 is produced by MAPPA, the studio that animated Jujutsu Kaisen and is currently making Chainsaw Man. Despite this, many animators that worked on Vinland Saga season 1 have also worked on season 2, implying that there won't be a drastic difference in visual style between seasons. Vinland Saga's switch between studios mirrors how Attack on Titan began being animated by WIT before making the change to MAPPA for season 4.
How Many Episodes Will Be In Vinland Saga Season 2?
Vinland Saga season 2 will continue the pattern set in season 1 and will consist of 24 episodes. While it's common for anime seasons to feature 24 episodes, such as Jujutsu Kaisen season 1, it's interesting for Vinland Saga season 2. The 24 episodes in season 1 covered 54 chapters of the Vinland Saga manga - however, the Slave Arc only consists of 45 chapters. The next arc of the manga, Fettered Tern Arc, only consists of ten chapters, meaning that it's possible that Vinland Saga season 2 also covers this next arc.