Vinland Saga is, without a doubt, the best historical anime series of all time. WIT Studio, the production house behind Attack on Titan's first three seasons, worked their magic to bring Makoto Yukimura's manga to life. Besides the sensational story and intricate characters, Vinland Saga is known for its grounded and story-driven fights. Each fight in the first season is an animated marvel, and no matter how often we watch these fight scenes, we can't seem to get enough.
The first season of the phenomenal anime series concluded in December 2019 after 24 episodes, and since then, the community has been awaiting the TV show's return. Earlier this year, MAPPA confirmed that it is taking over the production of Vinland Saga Season 2, which is set to premiere in 2023. So, while we await the second season's release, let's recall some of the best fight scenes in Vinland Saga.
10 10. Thors VS Nation Army- The Day "Troll of Jom" Left the Jomsvikings
Thors is possibly one of the strongest characters in the Vinland Saga anime, and watching him slay countless soldiers of the Nation Army was a sight to behold. The Jomsvikings' leader led his crew against the enemy even though he was tired of all the bloodshed. The "Troll of Jom" continued to fulfill his duty by claiming the lives of hundreds of men, and with nothing but a single weapon, he almost turned the tide of the battle.
However, when Thors fell into the ocean fighting a soldier of the Nation Army, he decided to flee from the battle scene. The Jomsvikings thought that their leader drowned in the ocean, so Thors thought of it as an opportunity to create a new life for himself. This particular fight was a turning point for Thors, making it one of the most crucial moments in the Vinland Saga anime.
9 9. Young Thorfinn VS An English Soldier - The First Kill
Thorfinn was enraged after watching his father die at the hands of Askeladd; however, before getting revenge for his father, Thorfinn had to learn a thing or two about survival. Being a child, Thorfinn was weak, so he definitely wasn't ready to defeat Askeladd or any other warrior for that matter. So, fans were worried about the series' protagonist when an English Soldier treated Thorfinn as an insect and tried to kill him. However, no one would have imagined that Thorfinn would use his rage to overwhelm the soldier with nothing but a knife.
Seeing Thorfinn continue to stab his enemy multiple times was, in one sense, a heartbreaking moment for many fans. That's because we knew that Thorfinn's rage transformed him into a killer, which is something Thors always tried to prevent when he was alive.
8 8. Thors VS Thorkell - Winning The Fight With Fists
Thorfinn faced "Thorkell the Tall" twice, and he lost the fight in both instances, so it's clear that the Jomsvikings' commander is one of the most brutal characters in the series. However, Thorkell once revealed that Thors, Thorfinn's father, was the only man who was strong enough to stand against him. Since Thorkell's revelation, every fan was eager to see both Jomsvikings going against each other.
We finally see a confrontation between Thors and Thorkell, and as expected, the "Troll of Jom" defeats Thorkell without breaking a sweat. Thors always told Thorfinn that a true warrior doesn't need weapons, and we see Thors living up to his statement when he knocks Thorkell with nothing but his fists.
7 7. Thorfinn VS Soldiers - Bringing The Captain's Head to Askeladd
After his father's death, Thorfinn only lived to defeat Askeladd in a duel. The commander of the mercenaries agrees to grant Thorfinn a duel if he brings the head of the London Army's captain. So, even though the situation wasn't in his favor, Thorfinn jumped between the enemy soldiers to fulfill Askeladd's condition.
Watching Thorfinn overwhelming several enemies at once with nothing but two daggers is unlike anything we've ever seen in the anime series. In fact, Thorfinn's skills during this fight catch Thorkell's attention, leading up to one of the best fights in Vinland Saga.
6 6. Thorfinn VS Thorkell - The First Confrontation
After dominating several English soldiers on the London bridge, Thorfinn gets the opportunity to fight another Viking, Thorkell. Since Thorkell was incredibly huge, Thorfinn targeted his opponent's legs to bring him down; however, Thorkell saw through Thorfinn's strategy. Thorkell treats Thorfinn as a true warrior and asks other soldiers not to interrupt. Eventually, Thorfinn loses the direct fight, but he cunningly cuts off Thorkell's two fingers and jumps from the bridge.
Every frame during Thorfinn and Thorkell's fight is an animated spectacle, and the slow-motion effects during that scene are simply a crowning stroke from WIT Studio.
5 5. Thorfinn VS Askeladd - The Much-Awaited Duel
After the battle at London bridge, Askeladd finally granted Thorfinn a duel, and every fan was excited two see the two protagonists going against each other. Over the years, Thorfinn became more skilled and dangerous while Askeladd got old. So, it wasn't shocking that Thorfinn got the upper hand in the fight, at least for a while. Thorfinn even knocked off Askeladd's sword, but the kid had to take a step back when Askeladd reached out to grab his hand.
At this point, Askeladd realized that Thorfinn had become powerful enough to defeat him, but the commander wasn't ready to die just yet. So, Askeladd triggers Thorfinn's rage by talking ill about Thors, and that's when Thorfinn acts recklessly and loses the fight. It is an important fight in Vinland Saga because it proves that Thorfinn's worst enemy is his rage. To reach his full potential, Thorfinn has to let go of his vicious nature, a lesson that Thors always tried to teach the kid.
4 4. Thorkell VS Thorfinn - The Second Round
After their first confrontation on the London bridge, Thorkell spent months tracking down Thorfinn to fight him once again. Well, Thorkell finally gets that opportunity when he ambushes Askeladd's crew. "Thorkell the Tall" promises to reveal secrets of Thor's past if Thorfinn proves to be a worthy opponent. It was basically a mouse picking up a fight with a bear, but Thorfinn does end up impressing Thorkell with his skills.
Thors' son dodges Thorkell's attacks and uses fast movements to give his opponent a difficult time. Thorfinn loses the fight, but he still proves himself as a warrior by landing some attacks on Thorkell. The fact that Thorfinn saved Askeladd's life by fighting a beast like Thorkell makes it one of the best moments of the Vinland Saga anime series.
3 3. Askeladd VS King Sweyn - The Ultimate Sacrifice
King Sweyn was one of the most hated characters in Vinland Saga, so watching Askeladd raising his sword against Sweyn was a satisfying moment for fans. Without any regard for his life, Askeladd beheads the King and then goes on a rampage. Several soldiers try to bring down Askeladd, but he ruthlessly kills everyone with his sword. On top of that, he brings Floki, the King's guard, to his knees with his sheer strength, and that moment alone makes it a memorable fight scene in Vinland Saga.
There's a lot of bloodshed and emotions in this particular fight, but it is Askeladd's sacrifice that makes it unforgettable. Askeladd knew his actions would ruin his legacy, but he still killed Sweyn to make Canute the next King.
2 2. Thors VS The Pirates - The Beast Demonstrating His Strength
From the very start, Thors was portrayed as a calm and disciplined character who hated violence. So, we never imagined that he would defeat every member of Askeladd's crew singlehandedly. Thors doesn't even raise his sword and only uses his fists to knock down the enemies, but he refuses to kill anyone because he was setting an example for Thorfinn (We All know how that works out).
Seeing such a powerful opponent, Bjorn eats the berserker mushroom to display his full power. But as expected, Thors sends his enemy flying with a single punch. Honestly, watching several pirates getting terrified of a single Viking was a treat for every Vinland Saga fan.
1 1. Askeladd VS Thors - The Troll of Jom's Sacrifice
Unlike his crew, Askeladd was strong enough to fight Thors, the most powerful Viking. Even though Askeladd moved really fast, Thors still overwhelmed him with mighty strikes. Eventually, Askeladd breaks Thors' sword and sees it as a perfect opportunity to defeat the Troll of Jom. However, Thors instantly breaks Askeladd's arm and gets his enemy's sword. At this point, Bjorn knew that Askeladd had lost the fight, so he took Thorfinn as a hostage.
Finally, Thors puts down his sword for the life of his son and his fellow men. Askeladd and Thors' fight had outstanding animation and fight choreography, but every Vinland Saga fan worship this moment because of the Thors' sacrifice.