Vinland Saga Chapter 106 Discussion

HOLY SHIT, AN ARC THAT MIRRORS THE VARANGIAN TRADE ROUTES



YESSSSS



Don't mind me, just booting up the official sountrack for this arc.

I think the biggest flaw with the whole story is that it's very grounded in realism in one sense but also very unrealistic in others. The pacifism and OTT fights being an example of the latter. Its hard to become properly immersed in its world when it has the unrealistic stuff.

Let's get ready for the adventure

RedgraveGilver said:
While we didn't exactly see how Thorfinn become a Slave, i think the farmland arc did an amazing job for his character development enough. Also Thorfinn's change didn't suddenly occur on a time skip. Remember than when the farmland arc started, Thorfinn is broken, he lacks the hygiene even for that time and can even barely speak to Einar. We see he gradually changes from his struggles with at the time he is working for Ketil's farm and one of his major arc for his change is when he see a vision of Askeladd and the arc with the Slave girl that Einar loved.



Orvieto said:


I will say as someone versed in Icelandic and early Medieval history, his hardcore pacifistic personality is highly irregular for the society and psychology of the time in regards to someone of his status in society. Rather, it seems the mangaka is forcing hardcore Japanese Bushido on a character in the turbulent 11th century Europe (which has VERY different moral codes and beliefs compared to 16th-17th century Japan)



You couldn't be even more right. I'm glad i'm not the only who noticed that. I made an entire post addressing that point how the manga is actually incorporating many Japanese and bushido ideology. It has something to do how both cultures have different mind sets on exploring different lands.



http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=619537&show=20



What I meant is that Farm-arc Thorfinn is a new character, and we got to see that character develop. Not the original Thorfinn. The crucial development is seeing how proud Thorfinn devolved into the state of the demure and meek Farm-arc Thorfinn. We didn't see that. The lazy mangaka used a time-skip instead. The character development is just too extreme, quick, and done too poorly. Thorfinn doesn't just accept pacifism, but adheres to a über-pacifistic lifestyle that is hard to see historically plausible even in Bushido-era Japan.

There is a jarring and major dissonance between the main character, and the setting.

RedgraveGilver said:
gilgamesh310 said:
I think the biggest flaw with the whole story is that it's very grounded in realism in one sense but also very unrealistic in others. The pacifism and OTT fights being an example of the latter. Its hard to become properly immersed in its world when it has the unrealistic stuff.



Especially with the part where Canute's sevant(?) suddenly showing up as a ghost then changing his characterization forever. Maybe it's just the psychological aspect of the series. The OTTP fights are already established since the beginning. I mean come on. Carrying a huge fucking boat in land? Fighting with two knives and jumping for like 15 feet in the air? Thorkell sending a horse flying away with an uppercut? This is all just for entertainment if you ask me though.



Most fantasies  are grounded in realism in many ways now a days though. The Malazan, Mistborn, Way of the Kings and A Song of Ice and Fire are examples. But then again, Vinland saga isn't really fantasy.



It's more because there is no real character development in the traditional sense where we actually witnessed the change. In Vinland Saga, character development, aside from Askeladd-Thorfinn, relies on instantaneous changes in personality or time skips.



Canutes' change from the reclusive shy boy to the authoritive warband leader happened in a very implausible instantaneous manner, whilst his development into a charismatic, shrewd warrior-prince happened over a time skip.



Thorfinn's crucial development from Norse assassin into pacifistic farmer-thrall occurred over a lazy time skip. Perhaps if I saw what led him to become a slave, and a pacifist from Askeladd's death, I would be more receptive to the change. Instead, we get a lazy before-and-after shot, and because of this, it just seems like Farmland-arc Thorfinn is a new character rather than a maturation of Askeladd-arc Thorfinn.



I will say as someone versed in Icelandic and early Medieval history, his hardcore pacifistic personality is highly irregular for the society and psychology of the time in regards to someone of his status in society. Rather, it seems the mangaka is forcing hardcore Japanese Bushido on a character in the turbulent 11th century Europe (which has VERY different moral codes and beliefs compared to 16th-17th century Japan)

So the gang is going to Constantinople now. Pretty interesting. Although I do find it pretty strange how Thorfinn goes westwards to Iceland, reunites with his family, and wants to get money, and suddenly almost out of nowhere... He has to go all the way to Greece.

I'm glad they can't go straight to Vinland. I wanna see the way this new group develops and also the possibility of new member! (Gudrid better join them!!) Also, a long, harrowing journey across the ocean seems much less interesting than through the smaller seas, along rivers and lands, and to some great cities of eastern and southern Europe!



Come on, Leif! Just let Gudrid join!

Lol, this chapter was awesome with this panel: