Vinland Saga season 2

 Time for the second season of the fantastic Viking anime Vinland Saga, following the life of Thorfinn.

 

A young boy taken from his village, he became a ruthless assassin in the first season, but fell out with the king near the end...

 

Now, the studio that produced this changed to MAPPA, but they brought forth a true gem in animation, art and atmosphere, so that is already one thing you will enjoy.  And for me, it was better on the eyes to be honest then the final seasons of Attack on Titan.

 

It's also one of those animes that runs longer then most, having an episode count of 24 instead of the usual 12 of these days.

 

The season takes place years after the first one, and Thorfinn has changed, becoming a pacifist after reflecting on all the death and suffering he caused.  He has become a farmhand slave for Kjetil, and he meets a slave brought in from England, Einar.  They form a strong bond and look to carve a peacefull life out for themselves.  

 

But slowly, Thorfinn's seemingly broken spirit starts to mend through their friendship, even though he still refuses to take up arms, He stands up to the bullies at the farm, but doesn't retaliate.  In the meantime in England, king Canute is on the march as he tries to conquer the throne of England and unite all vikings and people under his banners.  

 

The story jumps forward several years at times, with Thorfinn and Einar continue to work to their goals, while suffering setbacks along the way.  King Canute wishes to requisition farmlands to support his kingdom, but Kjetil stands up to him, marking him as an enemy and the king sails out to claim the land with his forces.  This results in the old friends meeting up again, and Thorfinn manages to convince Canute to stop the bloodshed.  Kjetil's son, as he is now incapacitated, however decides to surrender and merge into the kingdom, as Thorfinn comes to an agreement with Canute that he will vanish.

 

Thorfinn and Einar travel back to Thorfinn's birth village, where he was taken from all those years, and is eventually accepted back into his family.  Here he explains his plans to travel to Vinland and create a peaceful land, and sets out to put his dream in motion...

 

Another fantastic season, with a totally different tone of the first.  While season one was about vikings and their violent ways, season 2 focusses on the themes of slavery and pacifism, and how lives can be influenced by making peaceful choices. Certainly one of the best anime produced in the past decades, it is well worth checking it out!

 

You won't regret it in the slightest!