Vinland Saga


 

Vinland Saga (Japanese: ヴィンランド・サガ, HepburnVinrando Saga) is a Japanese historical manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. The series is published by Kodansha, and was first serialized in the youth-targeted Weekly Shōnen Magazine before moving to the monthly manga magazine Monthly Afternoon, aimed at young adult men. As of May 2022, its chapters have been collected in twenty-six tankōbon volumes. Vinland Saga has been licensed for English-language publication by Kodansha USA.

The title, Vinland Saga, would evoke associations to Vinland as described in two Norse sagasVinland Saga, however, begins in Dane-controlled England at the start of the 11th century, and features the Danish invaders of England, commonly known as Vikings. The story combines a dramatization of King Cnut the Great‘s historical rise to power with a revenge plot centered on the historical explorer Thorfinn, the son of a murdered ex-warrior who serves under a group of mercenaries responsible for the deed; the story progresses through several story arcs beyond this, eventually culminating in an expedition to Vinland.

A 24-episode anime television series adaptation, animated by Wit Studio, aired on NHK General TV from July to December 2019. A second season, animated by MAPPA, is set to premiere on Tokyo MX and BS11 in January 2023.[5]

Vinland Saga had over 5.5 million copies in circulation as of July 2021. In 2012, the series won the 36th Kodansha Manga Award for Best General Manga. The Vinland Saga anime adaptation has been considered one of the best anime series of 2019.