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Vinland Saga
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Jan 9, 2023 11:18 AM
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Mar 2021
3
Totally love the symbolism in the opening.
Jan 9, 2023 11:18 AM

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Mar 2016
3064
I'm no big fan of MAPPA by any means, but man, Shuhei and the crew really delivered with this s2 premiere despite being under a different studio name.

Not a perfect one by any means, but it nailed pretty much everything with a high bar that's possibly even better than that from the first season. The maintained animation style and quality, the music, the pacing, the tone, and the voice acting, especially. Even the CG was actually nice and using sparingly to where it was noticeable but not obstructive to my experience.

I don't remember too much from this part in the manga tbh, but apparently most of Einar's segment was assumedly anime original; regardless of whether or not so, it was a nice change of perspective and a great way to hook us back into the story of Vinland Saga and give us a good taste of what's to come and what to expect. The sense of having everything dear to you snatched away and all your dignity and hope stripped away from you, as you're now living the life of a slave, only made to be bought and sold like property, and if you get sick, you're disposed of as a burden.

We're also returned to Thorfinn, who has really changed for better or worse. Not just physically, but definitely mentally as well. In s1, he was deprived of his life of revenge, everything he had fought for up to that point was taken away from him with Askeladd's death. He now lives in slavery with no purpose of his own now, and when he meets face to face with Einar, his expression seems deprived of life and emotion, like a dead man walking, even.

The OP and ED along with their complementary visuals are both amazing (though I'm not too fond of the OP's mirror shot requences during the chorus), but I especially loved the ED sung by LYMK, whom previously sung the Vanitas Part 1 ED. To me, the emotion of the delivery and the lyrics encompasses Thorfinn's character journey and struggles to a T, and it serves a near-perfect theme song for the series and its recurring ideas.

Whatever few minor issues I had was more so with some of the limited animation and/or composition here and there in an otherwise fantastic start to a new season, and I'm really looking forward to more of what can be possibly one of the best anime story arcs in recent years.
RyuseishunJan 9, 2023 11:43 AM
Jan 9, 2023 11:23 AM

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Aug 2020
480
3.5/5

Fan favorite Vinland Saga is finally back and after living under the constant hype of this supposed "Farmland arc" , which is supposedly one of the best arc in fiction, im stoked to say that the first episode was able to evoke something really interesting in me. Could be sheer nostalgia but having not read the manga for this arc, I'm more than excited!!

I loved that we did not start immediately with Thorfin but with a new character Eimar. He seems to have a very brutal upbringing losing his mother & sisters to the invasion. He's sold as a slave yet pitted against his will to live. This rang very familiar with Thorfin's upbringing even though it was not as same to and fro. I can already gaze a sense in how this arc is probably gonna pan out and its gonna be a glorious storytelling

The animation so has been decent. I say decent because Mappa are capable of something even better and it will definitely show. The shot compositions and environment animation were great as always.

It's just the start but im already in love with both the ED and OP. There's much needed symbolism and emotions there. Excited for next week!!
2Birds1StonedJan 10, 2023 11:49 AM
Jan 9, 2023 11:34 AM
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Jun 2021
2
SLAVE ARC PEAK FICTION
Jan 9, 2023 11:36 AM

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Dec 2015
1553
Amazing first episode.

It's adaptations like this that reminds me how impactful anime can be even without subtlety.

The way. we see Einar personality change shows the great writing and amazing execution of its message, with the masterpiece sad piano music and even with a cliche dead family story, the execution was wonderful.

The way they try and make me feel bad for Einar's family that I've known for about a minute and a half is just impressive because they've succeeded.
Jan 9, 2023 11:37 AM
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Sep 2021
1
Great animation that emulates Wit's style without falling back on the bad CG. Killer opening and ending too!
Jan 9, 2023 11:38 AM

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May 2017
1037
loved it!! vinland is back finally! can't wait to see this farming arc.. I have a feeling that I'll love this much more than season 1
Jan 9, 2023 11:38 AM
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Apr 2022
2
finally its back and with even better animation great work as always from mappa

Jan 9, 2023 11:42 AM
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Oct 2019
11
It got me so emotional man... I've missed Vinland Saga so much!
Jan 9, 2023 11:44 AM

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Jan 2014
79
Dissa-fucking-pointing. I couldn't even finish the episode. Quality dropped drastically from the WIT version. The art style change was a bother, but not a deal breaker. Animation, from the limited showing, also seem to be lacking (Einar's axe swing at the tree for example). Where everything falls flat is in the poor direction. It's not the content or the order in which it is presented but how it is presented. 

Subtlety is thrown out of the window, and instead, we get hamfisted bullshit.  It's just amateurish. It was way too 'anime' for my liking, from the gestures to the choice of words and removed the sense of realism that Vinland Saga has going for it. 

The opening narration was good. The first family interaction was piss poor. The sudden transition from peaceful to being raided was terrible. Better would be for Einar to wonder to himself how long this peace can last, blink and then have it cut to the next scene. But no, just a sudden transition. The chase scene and dramatics there were also terrible. The sloppiest slavery operation and the slave-buying scene were also trash and that's as far as I made it. Very disappointed. 

Chainsawman rocked but MAPPA dropped the ball on this one. 
Jan 9, 2023 11:45 AM
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Jul 2014
314
Great start to a season, so little CGI being used I really thought this was WIT, what the hell, Mappa really on some grandiose crusade to save anime or what
Jan 9, 2023 11:47 AM

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Sep 2014
2327
Couldn't ask for a better premiere! And it was actually anime-original since Einar only mentioned his background in the manga we never got to see it.

Many wallpaper worthy shots, fantastic direction showing from first hand the life of of slave of that era who has lost everything and is just hoping to get a proper master to survive plus the way they reintroduced Thorfinn into the story sets up the tone of this arc and his inevitable character development.

Farmland Saga here we come! LFG MAPPA!
Jan 9, 2023 11:50 AM
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Feb 2022
72
LETS GOOOO VINLAND IS BACK GOATED FARM ARC
Soundtrack was amazing, great job by animators I can't wait for this, one of the best arcs and best pieces of fiction oat
Jan 9, 2023 11:50 AM

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Apr 2013
7980
St_Dantry said:
Dissa-fucking-pointing. I couldn't even finish the episode. Quality dropped drastically from the WIT version. The art style change was a bother, but not a deal breaker. Animation, from the limited showing, also seem to be lacking (Einar's axe swing at the tree for example). Where everything falls flat is in the poor direction. It's not the content or the order in which it is presented but how it is presented. 

Subtlety is thrown out of the window, and instead, we get hamfisted bullshit.  It's just amateurish. It was way too 'anime' for my liking, from the gestures to the choice of words and removed the sense of realism that Vinland Saga has going for it. 

The opening narration was good. The first family interaction was piss poor. The sudden transition from peaceful to being raided was terrible. Better would be for Einar to wonder to himself how long this peace can last, blink and then have it cut to the next scene. But no, just a sudden transition. The chase scene and dramatics there were also terrible. The sloppiest slavery operation and the slave-buying scene were also trash and that's as far as I made it. Very disappointed. 

Chainsawman rocked but MAPPA dropped the ball on this one.
"I couldn't even finish the episode" looks like you didn't even start it to begin with. The quality dropped and the art style changed even though it's the same team working on it with basically the same production schedule, ok :D

It's a new year and possibly time for you to book an optometrist appointment.
Jan 9, 2023 11:56 AM
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Dec 2020
4
SO GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!
Jan 9, 2023 11:58 AM
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Jul 2018
564127
i liked it. kept me hooked from start to finish.
Jan 9, 2023 11:59 AM

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Aug 2013
5104
Thorfinn looks almost unrecognizable, damn. 
 
Good start, and it looks to be a promising season.

Jan 9, 2023 11:59 AM
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Nov 2021
492
tf Thorfinn is a farmer/woodcutter now? Wonder if only this episode will focus around Einar or if the season will be about Einar.
Jan 9, 2023 12:02 PM

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Dec 2019
1644
Vinland saga is back and this was an amazing start my favorite episode this year so far 

Honestly might be anime of the year imo
Jan 9, 2023 12:02 PM

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Jan 2016
1944
Finally the season where my friends will be distinguished by trash taste or good taste.

Farmland is GOATED

Man, the soundtrack at the end was amazing
Jan 9, 2023 12:04 PM
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Aug 2021
40
1st time I'm admiring mappa this much

man hats off to animation team nailed it man

hell better than chainsaw man

just after 1 ep in and I personally
felt more emotion with this einar man
than those 12 ep of chainsaw man

man pappa really did as great job as WIT this time

OP and END also slaps
Jan 9, 2023 12:05 PM

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Jan 2014
79
How about you get yourself a new brain, your current one is defective.

Art style did change, a fact, and overall quality did drop, another fact. Most anime fans know nothing about direction. Can't recognise it or appreciate it. S1 Vinland nailed direction and imagery. S2 Vinland (whether the production team is the same or not) has dropped the ball on this aspect. Art and animation can vary from episode to episode, but if the direction is bad from the get-go, it'll stay bad throughout. Won't bother with this shit. 

 
Jan 9, 2023 12:08 PM
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Apr 2020
39
that's a Lotta shit to handle. Poor Einar
Jan 9, 2023 12:09 PM
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Jan 2021
233
That might be one of the best character introductions ive ever seen
Jan 9, 2023 12:10 PM
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Jul 2020
55
Outstanding. Peakland Saga!!!
Jan 9, 2023 12:12 PM

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Apr 2013
7980
St_Dantry said:
How about you get yourself a new brain, your current one is defective.

Art style did change, a fact, and overall quality did drop, another fact. Most anime fans know nothing about direction. Can't recognise it or appreciate it. S1 Vinland nailed direction and imagery. S2 Vinland (whether the production team is the same or not) has dropped the ball on this aspect. Art and animation can vary from episode to episode, but if the direction is bad from the get-go, it'll stay bad throughout. Won't bother with this shit. 
 
I think you're the one that needs a new brain seeing as you're not even able to use MAL quotes correctly, something a toddler could do.

"Most anime fans know nothing about direction" he says from his throne as he hands out 10s and 9s like candy. Comical. And yes, it is literally the same team and director working on season 2 after moving from WIT to MAPPA, it has been confirmed and reiterated countless times. Although please don't bother with this shit, won't be a loss for the rest of us.
Jan 9, 2023 12:15 PM
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Jul 2020
1
The episode was very good from the beginning.
Jan 9, 2023 12:15 PM

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Jul 2016
314
God I love this series so much. The original stuff was cool, and I love the ending song too. 😭
Penguins are funny
Jan 9, 2023 12:16 PM

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Oct 2019
15
It's time for FarmLand Saga!!!
Jan 9, 2023 12:19 PM
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Oct 2019
11
revysbeanie said:
Peakland is back ladies and gentlemen we have AOTY right here.

yessir AOTY indeed!!!
Jan 9, 2023 12:27 PM
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Oct 2019
2
111111111111111111111111111111111111
Jan 9, 2023 12:28 PM
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Mar 2021
315
almost made me tear up when Eimar said that Thorfinn is lucky to have someone sesrch for him
Jan 9, 2023 12:29 PM
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Jan 2021
2
A profanic scene was emitted, but still good premier to the new Vinland Saga
Jan 9, 2023 12:33 PM
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Dec 2021
1365
fantastic episode. Waiting for the next episode now.
Jan 9, 2023 12:39 PM

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Jul 2015
81
Great first episode but I was feeling that something was off, then I looked back at chapter 55 and the entire scene building Thorfinn's appearance lost some of it's impact, they did not included some scenes of the slave owner talking about how Thorfinn is a important part there and just went straight to him, well, they can do this later I guess, not a big deal if you're not paranoid with faithful adaptations like me.

Good start nonetheless, include Einar's backstory at this beginning was a great idea.
Jan 9, 2023 12:40 PM

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Jan 2009
167
I can see why they're going for 24 eps if the quality of original content is like the opening act we got. Intrigued to see what they are going to expand and which characters will get new scenes. 
Jan 9, 2023 12:40 PM
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Oct 2016
3
What an amazing way to start the new season! This has been by far the best opening to a new season I have seen. The score, animation and adaptation is just flawless!
Jan 9, 2023 12:49 PM
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Jan 2023
1
nice daz
amazing season 2 for begin
Jan 9, 2023 12:50 PM
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Dec 2019
52
So Einar and Thorfinn are two characters with tragic backstories and tragic lives but serious differences between them. Einar lives the life of a bound slave who is fed and cared for but caged and restricted against his will. While Thorfinn has the life of a wild boy free to roam and kill but given nothing and had to earn everything. We'll see what happens when they meet and have to work together on this farm. 
Jan 9, 2023 12:50 PM
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Sep 2021
12
Fricking goat fiction
Jan 9, 2023 1:02 PM
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Jan 2023
8
amazing start to one of the best arcs in manga history
Jan 9, 2023 1:13 PM
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Oct 2019
2
Amazing first episode. Peak anime is back
Jan 9, 2023 1:24 PM
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Apr 2022
2
Great episode, I hope the next one will be as good as this one!
Jan 9, 2023 1:27 PM

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Sep 2018
5150
Looks absolutely stunning and probably has the best soundtrack this season as well.
Jan 9, 2023 1:35 PM
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Jul 2022
247
I found this episode... Really boring...
Jan 9, 2023 1:51 PM
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Jul 2021
1
Very slow just spending the whole episode introducing a new character
Jan 9, 2023 2:01 PM

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Nov 2012
2307
The first 10 mins or so frustrated the hell out of me.  I was yelling 'asshole run. Pick her up and run!' WTF were all those muscles for? I was wondering how long it would take for Einar and Thorfinn to cross paths.  Happy it wasn't dragged out.  Great start to the season.  MAPPA did the thing with the animation.
Jan 9, 2023 2:06 PM
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May 2013
167
Moving Einar's backstory forward and adding a brief look into his family life didn't really work for me. I get that its supposed to communicate that he sees common folk as the losers of this world and that warriors took everything from him, but 10 minutes or so isn't enough to make you really care for his family on top of that. It honestly makes me worried about the other anime-only content. In theory, its a good opportunity to flesh out some of the supporting cast, but if its done like this idk if it'll be a net plus.
Jan 9, 2023 2:10 PM

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Apr 2015
139
Damn the opening is slick
Jan 9, 2023 2:12 PM
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Apr 2021
1
Amazingly well done. 10/10
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