When it comes to complex, morally grey characters and stories, nobody does it better than Makoto Yukimura’s Vinland Saga. The realistic portrayal of Viking culture, the brutality of war, and Thorfinn’s redemption arc made it one of the greatest historical anime series to grace us.
The best stories are written when they stem from personal experience and emotions. No, Yukimura wasn’t a Viking. Thorfinn, however, is a human being before being a warrior. All the emotions he felt during his journey were valid and natural, something that the mangaka heavily resonated with.
Makoto Yukimura talks about the guilt of being a writer and how he relates to Thorfinn
Thorfinn’s misplaced anger and thirst for vengeance in Vinland Saga couldn’t wasn’t easy to write. Very few authors and mangaka have nailed a proper redemption arc where the character’s guilt has been portrayed. Thorfinn, however, went through all of that and more to achieve peace.
In his journey for vengeance, the protagonist had lost his way. He puts himself and others in danger, blinded by his hatred for Askeladd.
However, he knew it wasn’t just his father’s killer he was angry with. He was angry with what he became and was overcome with guilt, having no motivation to live after the object of his anger had died at someone else’s hands.
In an interview with REALQ, Makoto Yukimura is asked which scene was influenced by his own experiences. Surprisingly, it was the scene where Thorfinn asks for forgiveness from Einar. He states:
When Thorfinn is on his knees, apologizing. [Laughs] The part where he says, “Please. I won’t ask you to forgive me, but allow me to live a bit longer.”
I’ve been drawing manga for 20 years. There’s always a shadow of guilt that hangs over me. I’m sorry for being so selfish.
So, I feel I have to, at the very least, draw something that readers will love… I’m nothing without that.
Thorfinn is a young viking from medieval Europe. Since his teens, he’s pillaged, fought in wars, and done many other terrible things. His feelings change as he grows, and he starts to feel guilt for his past actions. The ghosts of those he killed appears in his dreams, and he is ravaged by nightmares.
I am only here today because of the care of those around me. I am truly thankful. If anything about Thorfinn comes from my experiences, it has to be this.
Guilt is a complex feeling. It can stem from a range of things. You don’t have to be a ruthless warrior like Thorfinn to feel it so it’s natural Yukimura felt it at some point in his life. It’s just the reality of being an author and being burdened by the purpose of delivering a great story.
Yukimura succeeded with Vinland Saga and Planetes
Despite feeling the guilt of being an author who writes what he wants, Makoto Yukimura is an incredibly successful mangaka. Vinland Saga is a rare historical series that gets the Viking era accurate beyond the stereotypes.
His other work, Planetes, is a hard science-fiction manga that really deserves to be in the genre while being believable. The characters are all incredibly written and relatable. It’s easy to empathize with any of Yukimura’s characters, no matter the genre.
Overall, Yukimura’s strength is how he handles his experiences and emotions and translates that into his stories. He doesn’t need to be a killer to feel guilt and yet he understands Thorfinn’s emotions beautifully because, in the end, he’s human.
Vinland Saga is available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
