Vinland Saga is a Historic anime depicting the lives of war-thirsty Vikings. Their only goal was to fight as bravely as they could so they could reach Valhalla i.e. their heaven. It shows the story of a young Viking who wants revenge for his father’s death. How he survives the wild and grows during the war between Danes and England. Vinland Saga tells a bloody epic in an era where violence, madness, and injustice are inescapable, providing a paradise for the battle-crazed and utter hell for the rest who live in it.
15. Ancient magus
Chise Hator was sold for five million pounds at an auction. The man who bought her reveals himself to be Elias Ainsworth—a magus. After a brief confrontation and a bit of teleportation magic, the two open their eyes to Elias’ picturesque cottage in rural England. Greeted by fairies and surrounded by weird and wonderful beings upon her arrival, these events mark the beginning of Chise’s story as the apprentice and supposed bride of the ancient magus.
Vinland’s saga also portrays a similar image of Vinland that is warm, fertile with endless green grass, and far away from the world’s cruelty.
14. Castlevania
Castlevania is not your usual anime. It’s actually based on a video game. The storyline is pretty similar to the Vinland saga. It’s a story of revenge. When the wife of Dracula was burned he swore to punish those who wronged his wife and take his revenge. Although opposing him was his own son, a magician, and a monster hunter.
13. Altair a record of battles
One night, when an imperial minister is found assassinated, the two nations are plunged into a potentially explosive situation. As the generals of Turkiye’s council cry for war, Mahmut comes to discover the devious truth behind the assassination. Thus the young pasha’s battle for his country, peace, and trust in his fellow man begin!
In the Vinland saga, when Danes and England were fighting. Canute finds himself in the midst of a battle where his own father wanted to assassinate him. He is forced to question his own beliefs. He later decided to make a country better than heaven on earth.
12. Rurouni Kenshin
Hitokiri Battousai, Feared as a merciless killer, was unmatched throughout the country, but mysteriously disappeared at the peak of the Japanese Revolution. It has been ten peaceful years since then, but the very mention of Battousai still strikes terror into the hearts of war veterans. Unbeknownst to them, Battousai has abandoned his bloodstained lifestyle to repent for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura, a wandering swordsman with a cheerful attitude and a strong will. Vowing never to kill again, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak.
Thor is exactly like Kenshin in Vinland. He gave up all the killings and war and settled for a peaceful life. He believed that a true warrior doesn’t need a sword. In the end, his past came to him.
11. Yona of the dawn
Princess Yona lives a life of luxury and ease, completely sheltered from the problems of the seemingly peaceful Kingdom of Kouka; however, the sudden murder of the king and betrayal of her beloved cousin Su-won places Yona escaped with her bodyguard. The naïve princess soon discovers that her kingdom is not the idyllic place she envisioned it to be.
Princess Yona and Thorifinn shared a similar childhood. Both were living a peaceful life before their parents were betrayed by someone they knew. Now they have to go through the harsh reality of the world.
10. Blade of immortal
While The Vinland saga is based on real events while Blade of Immortal is a fantasy-based anime. To atone for his crimes, Manji resolves to kill one thousand evil men. After killing thousands of evil men he can be released of this curse of immortality. Soon 16-year-old girl requests Manji’s assistance in killing those who slaughtered her parents. Initially reluctant, Manji refuses Rin’s desperate plea. However, owing to her evident lack of strength, Manji changes his mind and agrees to protect Rin for four years. With this partnership set in stone, the two embark on a perilous journey of bloodshed, vengeance, and redemption, each to fulfill their own life’s cause which is quite similar to the Vinland saga.
9. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
Mobile Suit Gundam follows the story of Celestial Being’s Gundam Meisters Setsuna F. Seiei, Lockon Stratos, Allelujah Haptism, and Tieria Erde. These four dive into the devastating battle between the three superpowers to accomplish their goal of changing the world.
There were only two players in the Vinland saga, the Danes and England fighting over control over the land. Although the reasons were different. But both stories follow war for control.
8. Golden kamuy
Golden Kamuy is very similar to the storyline of the Vinland Saga. In both stories, the protagonists are trying to search for something which they only heard in stories. In the Vinland Saga, it is Vinland and in Golden Kamuy it is the gold that they are looking for. In the early 1900s after the Russo-Japanese war, Sugimoto an ex-soldier seeks fortune to fulfill a promise made to his best friend before he was killed in action. Sugimoto with a grizzly bear and a young Ainu girl named Asirpa tries to find the hidden treasure.
7. Legends of Arslan
When the king is betrayed by one of his most trusted officials, the Persian army is decimated and the capital city of Ecbatana is besieged. With the army in shambles and the enemy out for his head, Arslan is forced to go on the run. With a respected general by his side, Daryun, Arslan soon sets off on a journey in search of allies that will help him take back his home.
However, the enemies that the prince’s faces are far from limited to just those occupying his kingdom. Armies of other kingdoms stand ready to conquer Ecbatana. Moreover, the mastermind behind Lusitania’s victory, an enigmatic man hiding behind a silver mask, poses a dangerous threat to Arslan and his company as he possesses a secret that could jeopardize Arslan’s right to succession.
6. Demons slayer
One day when Tanjirou comes back to his house only to find out that his entire family was slaughtered except his little sister Nezuko who also was turned into a demon. Tanjirou swears to kill all the demons and cure his sister. He starts his journey and trains hard to become a demon slayer. Although Tanjirou wants revenge for his family’s murder he is a kind kid. So kind that he even shows mercy to demons.
While the story is fantasy unlike the Vinland saga but the revenge for the death of the family runs in both storylines.
5. Kingdom
Set in ancient china Kingdoms show the rise and fall of many empires. The fight for supremacy is just like in the Vinland saga. The fight between Danes and England to rule the country. Li Xin has to protect china’s young king and fight to become one of the strongest generals of seven warring states. Just like Thorfin had to protect Canute but the arrangement is different in the Kingdom.
4. Goblin Slayer
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One of the main common points in both Vinland saga and Goblin slayer is that the depiction of both Viking and goblins is the same. They both loot and plunder settlements for gold and take away their women.
A Silver rank holder Goblin Slayer accompanies the Adventurer’s Guild in all goblin-related matters. Together with the Priestess, High Elf, Dwarf, and Lizard-man, the armored warrior will not rest until every single goblin in the frontier lands has been eradicated for good.
3. Yasuke
A Netflix presentation, ‘Yasuke’ is a story about the first black samurai. Set in 16th century Japan, this story is set 20 years after the death of Shogun Oda Nobunaga. Yasuke has to pick up his sword again after living so long in shadows to save the life of a little girl who needs a doctor. But she is not just some little girl, she has some special powers which mercenaries and armies want at their disposal.
Both the stories are set in the past. While one strictly follows history others use artistic liberties to make it more of a fantasy-based anime. Both the stories have some similarities. They have to save someone important. Someone with power. Both stories show that how old heroes came out of the shadows they had been hiding inside.
2. AOT
After witnessing a horrific personal loss at the hands of the invading creatures, Eren Yeager dedicates his life to eradicating the mercilessTitans outside the protection of the walls. The story follows Eren, along with Mikasa Ackerman and his childhood friend Armin Arlert, as they join the brutal war against the titans and race to discover a way of defeating them before the last walls are breached.
The Revenge of the parent’s death factor in both the series is the same. Both Thorfinn and Eren want to kill the murderer of their parents. While for Eren it will help humanity but for Thorfinn, it’s for himself. The bloodshed, fear, war, anger factors are the same. But the stories take different turns for both the characters.
1. Berserk
Berserk is about a former mercenary also known as guts or the Black Swordsman. He on his journey finds someone he can trust and respect only to end up in betrayal. It is set up in fantasy medieval times but it shows the aspects like Revenge, Betrayal, Trust, Thirst for blood in the same way as the Vinland saga. Vinland Saga takes a great deal of inspiration from Berserk in multiple areas such as plot progression, art, morality, and combat. There is no magic in Vinland Saga, so the battles are more realistic with only select characters having skills that allow them to take on large crowds.
These were some anime that I thought was like The Vinland Saga. They all shared something common with the Vinland Saga. If I missed some of you have some better recommendations please do tell in the comments. And also tell me what are your expectations from season 2 of the series.
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