Vinland Saga is a top-tier historical anime not only because of its storyline but also because of its animation and soundtrack. It also has a devoted following, which bodes well for the anime's future. After two TV anime adaptations, is Vinland Saga’s manga worth reading for anime fans?
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Vinland Saga Manga vs. Anime Differences
There are many differences between the Vinland Saga anime and manga series, especially in the first season, which covers the War Arc.
While the manga began with Askeladd and his band assisting a French general in invading an enemy fortress, the anime begins with Thorfinn as a young fellow and his way of life in Iceland with Thors, Ylva, and Helga. It culminated in Thorfinn's father, Thors, being killed in Askeladd's ambush.
Simply put, the first season of Vinland Saga depicts the manga's events in chronological order, whereas the manga begins with an adolescent Thorfinn thirsting for Askeladd's blood.
There's also an anime-only scene in which Thorfinn is shown debating whether or not to kill Askeladd, whereas, in the manga, Thorfinn is taken in by a middle-aged English woman.
From this point on, the anime pretty much followed the Vinland Saga manga, especially after Thorkell, Canute, and the other main characters appeared.
By the end of the first season, an anime-only scene has been shown once more in which Thorfinn is arrested and Leif comes to his rescue to get him out and convince him to return to Iceland.
Moving on, the Vinland Saga Season 2 begins with an anime-original sequence that explains Einar's origin. Almost all of Einar's narration in the anime is also new and not found in the manga.
Most notably, Einar did not strangle Thorfinn in his sleep after learning about his past in the manga. In addition, all of Thorfinn's visions in his dream are original anime content only.
READ MORE: Vinland Saga Season 2 Release Guide
So, Is Vinland Saga’s Manga Worth Reading for Anime Fans?
Yes, the Vinland Saga manga is 100% worth reading for anime fans due to its high quality, consistency, and detailing, as well as the incredible world-building and character development of the characters who were slightly changed for the anime.
Makoto Yukimura's art style is very light and easy on the eyes, with no unnecessary lines or illustrations that could interfere with the reader's experience.
The character designs are also well-drawn, and their expressions perfectly capture the gravity of the events in the manga.
Most importantly, the world-building is excellent, with Makoto Yukimura doing a superb job of bringing to life the settings of each battle in the series.
On the other hand, the manga does a good job of presenting the timeline of the Vinland Saga so that readers are not confused.
The manga is also far ahead of the anime, given that the anime adaptation of the Vinland Saga will only cover the Slave Arc by the end of Season 2.
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Is the Vinland Saga Manga Still Ongoing or Finished?
As of writing, the Vinland Saga manga is still ongoing. The series has been running since April 13, 2005, and it has been released in 26 manga volumes with over 190 chapters as of May 23, 2022.
The first season of Vinland Saga adapted the War Arc of the manga, which covers chapters 1-54, whereas the second season of the anime covers the Slave Arc up until chapter 99.
Since the Eastern Expedition and the Vinland Arcs have yet to be adapted into anime, there is a lot more material for Vinland Saga Season 3 to cover.
READ MORE: Who Are Vinland Saga's Voice Actors?
Where to Read the Vinland Saga Manga Online
At the time of writing, the only legal way for manga fans to read Vinland Saga is to buy it from Kodansha USA's official website. It is available in both print and ebook formats.
Vinland Saga manga is available in print from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Books-A-Million, Kinokuniya, Penguin Random House, Powell's, Indiebound, Hudson Booksellers, and Rightstuf.
On the flip side, Vinland Saga is available as an ebook on Amazon Kindle, BookWalker, Google Play, Apple Books, Kobo, My Anime List, and Barnes & Noble Nook.
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