#what will happen in vinland saga season 2

[originaljiraiyan]

Vinland Saga Season 2, Episode 12: Kill or Die

[shinjisdone]

Vinland Saga Episode 21 Take

Spoilers below:

not much to say since it was a more character-driven episode

hence why it felt shorter in general

kinda??? not exactly proud??? but I do felt something when Olmar straight up said 'I started this and I will end it. I don't care if it ignoble as an nordic man'. Finally someone said something.

Snake accompanies him and says don't worry I won't laugh at you 🥺 kinda sweet ngl I slowly start to like Snake more and more

fuck Thorgil but for real dude. I am sooooo afraid he wont listen and just go on a one-man killing spree anyway.

additionally, seeing all these 1), corpses of slaves put in rows like that, many decapitated and butchered is just....*sucks in breath* not good

2), seeing all these men dragged FROM THE SHORE TO THE HILL TO THE GUESTS PLACE while MISSING LIMBS AND STABBED IN THE GUT is just....bro, ouch. That's uh, probably how it went back then (I have a sruface-level knowledge of medieval times).

All the men, gutted and leaving trails of blood, are left there in this tiny space on blankets or the ground with pools of blood left and right. Tools, bandages and buckets are bloody and the women or whoever did not partake in the battle have to patch them up in such painful ways. Holding several people down and having no one as help but each other. And then you just hope the casualties will not get any higher as the hours pass by.

THANK YOU THE GRANDMASTER IS OK

Snake looks good in a man bun, he should wear it more often

I just realized if the Ketil family gives up they will just become poor...but at least they'd live.

Thorfinn is so stupid and sweet. The way he talked and moved, bowed to the soldier is just...is that the same Thorfinn from s1????? What

Also stupid cuz he thought this could work

Einar to the rescue but also not really.

BRO how DARE Canute say he doesn't wanna meet Thorfinn. How DARE he say he doesn't know him wtf

YOU WERE TOLD THAT HE - HIM, THORFINN, SON OF THORS YOUR FORMER GUARD - WANTS TO STOP THE FIGHTING

AND YOURE LIKE "WHO?"

also 100 PUNCHES???? DOES FINNY BOY NOW JUST HAVE TO ENDURE SOME WHIPPING AND THEN HE GETS TO TALK TO THE KING???? I JUST?????

ough I just hope this is gonna turn out alright.

[whoishotteranimepolls]

ngl i'm a little disappointed that this is the poll senshi is losing in.

i love me a big lady but the artist in me looks at that screencap and is wondering what's wrong with her proportions? her arms look off bent like that, her head is so tiny, and why does her lower torso look unfinished?

it feels like people are voting for her just because they're tired of senshi winning rather than because they think his competitor is hotter.

noi deserves better.

Art major here. Totally understand what you're saying. Because this is the panel they're trying to replicate

But this is how it looks in animation something's off proportionally, don't quite know what it is it could also be a deliberate stylistic choice and I need to watch the anime to understand.

And this anime is handled by mappa and everyone knows they know how to make beautiful animation despite everything that we now know is happening behind the scenes so I don't know what's going on. My friend thinks it's because it's a Netflix anime. So the studio had all the veteran animators who knew what they were doing working on the last season of Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen season 1. So the studio was already very busy and Dorohedoro the 13 episode Netflix anime was probably very low on the priority list. There is also a chance in the middle of making Dorohedoro the production of Vinland Saga season 2 probably would have started so that pulled even more resources away. That's probably what happened is what I'm guessing. Hopefully everyone now understands why those poor animators are complaining. They're overworked. This was their release schedule for 2020 early 2021 they were busy. It's only gotten worse since then.

And I'm not saying Noi is ugly. She just looks better in that manga panel and I really can't find good photos of her from the anime that are not blurry. Other than that one. Please don't come at me. I am going to watch that anime because of how many times she has been requested for these polls.

[animebw]

When you've watched as much anime as I have, you start to notice all the common little quirks and production choices that pop up between shows. One thing I've noticed? A lot of shows won't draw the characters' faces if they're far enough away from the camera. There'll just be a blank blob where their expressions would normally be because their expressions aren't the focus; the environment surrounding them is what's communicating the emotions of that particular animation cut, and your attention isn't going to be on their faces as a result, so why bother drawing them in? At this distance it's not like you could make out important details anyway.

It's a perfectly fine time-saving measure on its own- but as with every time-saving shortcut anime takes, it can easily go wrong. Vinland Saga's second season has a lot of faceless character shots in this style, but a lot of these shots have the characters too close to the camera, so their lack of face is incredibly noticeable. Seriously, watch season 2 and take a shot every time there's a shot where the faceless characters are close enough to the camera that it doesn't make sense for them to not have features. You'll be blackout drunk before the halfway mark.

And that's not even considering when a character has to move from far away to close-up in a single animation cut. What happens when a character starts far enough from the camera that their features aren't drawn, but ends close enough to the camera that we need to see their face? Do the lines just pop up out of nowhere at a certain point? Do we see their face literally loading in as they get closer and closer? It seems like there's no possible way to make that Not Extremely Awkward.

And once again, it's the goddamn stepsister anime that makes it look like child's play.

There's this shot right at the beginning of episode 4 of Days With My Stepsister where the main character is walking toward the camera down the street. As you can tell from this picture, he's far enough away that the animators haven't drawn his face. But by the end of this shot, he'll be close enough to the camera that we will need to see his face. So how do they handle that transition?

Well, right around the point that his features would start popping in, he goes to wipe the sweat off his forehead in the summer heat.

And by the time he takes his hand down...

His face is already fully loaded in.

It's such a simple little trick. But it's so goddamn clever. Just by using his hand to block his face from the camera, the animators are able to seamlessly transition from a featureless far shot to a full-faced close-up without having to awkwardly show us his face appearing out of nowhere. It seems so obvious in retrospect that I can't believe I haven't seen it done anywhere else. And this is just one of countless little choices this show makes in every single episode to turn its modest production values into something genuinely cinematic and lived-in. This is Soudai Ueno's first work as lead director, and I dearly hope it won't be his last; if he keeps this kind of work up, there's no telling how good his next show will be.

[izicodes]

Tuesday 12th December 2023

End of September: I quit my first proper tech job after 2 years.

End of October: I applied for university on a whim and got a place.

Start of December: Randomly got a new tech job without searching.

God blessing me left, right, and center?! That's just a summary of what's been happening the past few months. I will go into more detail below~!

Here are some tips for talking to people on LinkedIn: post 💕

If you're wondering how I got here in terms of my coding journey: video | post 💕

End of September

I quit my job because it was getting tiring and I couldn't see any chance of me developing there. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to do my apprenticeship with them and then go on to become their Jr Web Developer - but from there, everything felt static. When the projects being given were getting absolutely boring, I knew then I needed some kind of change. So, I just quit. I said on a Monday I was quitting and that same Friday, I left. Politely and respectfully, of course.

End of October

I was so random how I did this but my Dad suggested for me to apply to university. I told him I didn't even have the right qualifications they wanted. He said "Bet". We looked at the local universities and none mentioned any apprenticeship certifications but mentioned work experience in the field. I applied with that knowledge. Wrote the cringiest personal statement about why the universities should accept me - and it worked. I got into the university of my city which seemed super prestigious to me, 18-year-old me would be screaming that I got a place at the university that I deemed for super smart people.

I made a post about it: link 💕

Start of December

My plan now was to wait until university next September 2024. I planned to relax, level up my current skills by myself or helping via volunteering, and maybe get a few certificates (because I love my name on certificates), and, most importantly: catch up on some anime shows - which I did complete:

Ushio & Tora: 2nd Season

Hunter x Hunter

Vinland Saga

JOJO Part 5 (again)

Jujutsu Kaisen 2nd Season (still watching)

Basically, I was supposed to relax until around February time, then start looking for a new job - tech or non-tech.

!! At this point, I was not looking for a new job !!

Last Tuesday I got a message from a recruiter on LinkedIn saying my profile was cool and would love to help me get an interview for a Frontend Software Engineer position in the city. I had a hunch to tell him I was okay and wasn't looking for a new job right now, but I was getting bored recently and this to me was an exciting new thing to do, so I said yeah why not!

The meeting was on the following Thursday and I met the IT manager. He liked me (same back to him) and wanted me to meet the team next Monday (yesterday). Afterward, I was feeling "Oh wait this is getting serious, I'm only here on a whim, like I'm actually doing good?" so I thought "Okay let's make an effort on the next 'interview'!!".

Monday came and I met the funniest set of people ever in a tech team. Then I thought "Lowkey highkey... would be so cool to work here~!" and the feedback I got was really positive. I got the job. Today I talked to their HR to finalise things.

All of this is thanks to the Almighty God, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit of course~~! 🥰🙏🏾☦️

[diariodeunrincondemi]

Why, in my opinion, Arnheid is the true heroine of Vinland Saga season 2

I think I never talked about Vinland Saga here in tumblr, although I've been mulling over the events of this last season (season 2). I've read complaints, from the beginning, that it's a very slow season and that it doesn't contribute anything, but I suppose that comes from people who only likes teenage Thorfinn.

From the beginning there's this idea that in war there is no honor or glory; because there can be neither honor nor glory in something that consists of shedding blood and taking the lives of other people.

Thorfinn is a boy, a male kid, and as a boy, he grows up with very defined expectations and a role in a warrior society; therefore, when it happens what happens, it is he and not his sister (even though she is older), who has to carry out revenge, even if he is only a child.

And that leads him to have to grow on the battlefield. His pride and position, as a Norseman, depend and fall on war and violence; and he is not aware of all this until he loses his only reason for living.

And that's when the second season begins and we find a different Thorfinn, depressed and without any ties to life, an empty shell. And that's when Einar and also Arnheid come in.

Until that moment we have seen war from the point of view of male warriors. And through Einar we have seen the war from a farmer's point of view. But it is with Arnheid that the story changes: because she is a woman.

We don't know what Thorfinn's evolution or life was like in those 2 years of slavery until Einar arrives; and we don't know because that doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter because this arc is about the consequences of war (and not just in the form of Thorfinn's PTSD).

There is also gender bias in war. We see it in Thorfinn, he grows up in the war, and in his sister, who stays at home with his mother. We see it, implicitly and more subtly, in Einar and his sister. And we see it in Thorfinn, Einar and Arnnheid.

The three of them are war victims: a child soldier and two people who lost their homes and families. The three of them ended up as slaves. The line between war and slavery is very thin.

But even as slaves, Thorfinn and Einar's life is much simpler than that of Arnheid: physically hard work, yes, but they are given the opportunity, when the time comes, to buy their own freedom. Arnheid has no such freedom: she is not only a servant, she is also a sex slave. Because she is a woman. And as a woman she is only good for doing domestic work and serving as a sexual object.

It is she, along with her story, the true protagonist of this season. The heroine. Who shows us what awaits women in contexts of war and slavery. And this is not just a thing of the 11th century: currently women in war conflicts are also victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation.

That is why Thorfinn's evolution in those 2 years in which he was alone doesn't matter. That's why his reunion with Leif doesn't matter. That's why, even though he hasn't interacted with Arnheid that much, he is willing to help and protect her, to get her out of there.

Thorfinn knows the tactics of war better than anyone, he spent most of his life on the battlefield. But that also implied that the context in which he grew up was especially male-dominant.

Arnheid, from my point of view, gave Thorfinn a new perspective (a perspective he may not have considered before) on the consequences of the war.

[i-have-no-enemies]

Rewatching Vinland saga season 2 episode 22, and the way Thorfinn hesitated after Canute guessed that he was very bitter about what happened to Askeladd, and the way it sounds like Thorfinn picked his words out so carefully…

Bitter or not, it probably hurt SO MUCH to be reminded of it in that moment

[hatingfromacrackedscreen]

Vinland Saga season 2 is killing me. Why is this farm based historical slave drama becoming the most engaging anime I’m watching rn. no I don’t want to watch the next shonen upstarter slinging around his powers in the name of whatever. I need to know what the fuck is going to happen to Thorfinn and Einar’s farm.

[itskenickie]

y’all need to watch vinland saga right now and here’s why (spoilers for s2 under the cut):

I just finished watching Vinland Saga season 2, and I am sobbing. Honestly, the people who are saying season 2 is bad don't understand that not every anime, not every tv show, not every movie, not every piece of media that you consume needs to be fast paced and action packed.

Season 2, honestly, just shows you the aftermath of everything major that happens. In other manga, they don’t explore the aftermath of those major events, at least, not in detail. They just briefly summarize what the characters are doing and then end it. But, in Vinland Saga season 2, Makoto Yukimura is like, no. This is what happens to people because of war. Some people who are not involved in war end up dying. Some people become slaves because of war. Some warriors end up being plagued by their guilt. Others, they're very indifferent to war, and they still continue to fight despite the amount of bodies lying by their feet. And some, they just don't care. They just love the blood shed– warriors, women, the elderly, they don't care. They just wanna spill blood. Sure, season 2 doesn’t have as much action as season 1 but it’s still there. it's just that it’s placed really nicely throughout the show.

And, I have to say, Thorfinn ends up having one of the best character developments I have ever seen. The way the author took the time to show us Thorfinn who is driven by revenge and hatred, ends up killing thousands of people in the span of 11 years being haunted by guilt and the ghost of the people that he killed. We get to see him turn from a warrior to someone who is a pacifist. He went from a six year old boy, believing that he had enemies, ignoring his dad’s wisdom, to a vengeful seeking machine to a pacifist who literally Ulf and his men, I have no enemies. Literally, that transformation is just so beautifully well written.

As for the side characters, they were all just so incredibly well written. We learn about their backstories, understanding the hell that they've been through. Almost everyone had the opportunity to tell their story. Sometimes I'm just like, oh my God! Snake and Gardar are so attractive. They're so manly. And then the next 2 seconds, I'm crying my eyes out because of the events that took place afterwards. There were characters who pissed me off, I couldn’t stand seeing them on the screen. Then I see a character who is kind, decent, generous, turn into the most vile individual on earth. And I’m blown away because, how, how do you do this? How do you write such realistic characters? How do you like side characters or minor characters shine and stand out?

The people who are hating on season 2 did not understand the point of the show or the point of the story at all. Vinland saga is not about some little boy who goes to war and he fights his enemies because it's so cool. In my opinion, It was never about that. The whole plot of the story was that war is bad, and people were desperately trying to escape that, and they want to live in a peaceful world. That was the story. That was the whole point of Vinland Saga.

That's why it is called Vinland. It is about a land that is located far west, across the sea, it’s warm and fertile. A faraway land, where neither slave traders nor the flames of war reach. That's Vinland. And Thorfinn wants to go there, and he wants to take people like him who are done with war, people who have suffered because of war, people who have been victims of war even though they had nothing to do with it at all. He wants to take all those people and take them to Vinland, and live a life there. And his ultimate rule in order to go to Vinland is that he will not fight. He will not spill or shed blood ever again. He learned that violence is never the answer. That scene where Thorfinn took 100 punches so he can see Canute was so impactful to me. When he told Ulf that there was no reason for Thorfinn to fight, that he had met all of them for the first time that day so he doesn’t hate them. Him ending that speech with, how can I negotiate peace with violence was so beautiful.I admit I used to hate Thorfinn in season 1 because I mistakenly blamed him for everything but he was just a six year old boy. Season 2 reminded me of that. It made me love and appreciate his character so much more, especially when you see how he grew.

Best of all, I’m so glad MAPPA remained true to Studio Wit’s style. I was so worried they would ruin the animation but they proved me wrong.

My only complaint is that we don’t know much about Snake’s backstory. I’m hoping that when I read the manga, there’s more of him and we learn who he really is.

Anyways, TLDR: Vinland Saga is a criminally underrated manga and anime. Season 2 imo was incredible. It is also safe to say that Vinland Saga is my number 1 favorite anime.

[giggly-squiggily]

Good For The Soul (Vinland Saga)

Hi hello I've officially finished Vinland Saga's anime and oh my GOD- I freaking loved it! Minus one episode the entire watch was lovely and I definitely recommend it!

I wasn't originally gonna write for Vinland cause- you know- season one didn't exactly give us many characters to work with via this kind of stuff, but season 2??? I've gotcha ;D Einar and Thorfinn are besties and now I wanna write all the content for them! I hope you like it! :D

Spoilers for Vinland Saga Season 2!!!

Summary: Einar notices that Thorfinn doesn't smile much and is shocked when Thorfinn admits he can't remember how. Time for some good ol' assistance!

“You don’t smile a lot, do you Thorfinn?”

He supposed he didn’t. “Sorry.”

“Heh- no, no apologies. It’s not a bad thing- well; okay, it kinda is?” Einar cringed, running a hand through his hair as he searched for words. “You’ve been through hell; I don’t expect you to be jolly about any of it. I don’t know why I even said that- sorry Thorfinn.”

“No, you’re fine. I get it.” The blonde looked down at the stock of hay he was playing with, face thoughtful as he twirled it in his fingers. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a reason to. I think I forgot how.”

“Oh man, sorry about…wait- you forgot?” Einar squawked, twisting around in his hay to stare at him. “That’s a thing?”

“I guess so?” Thorfinn shifted, uncomfortable.

“Sorry- sorry. I just- wow….forget to smile. Don’t tell me you forgot how to laugh as well?” Einar looked like a man who was just told the secrets of the world, hands in his hair and blue eyes wide with shock as he went over the new information again and again.

“Erm…Einar?”

“We need to fix it!”

“Huh?” What was he on about?

“We need to fix it! Give you back your smile and laughter! Don’t you know those make up a part of our souls? It’s like- drinking cold water after a long day on the farm! Or- or- having a hot meal when your body feels like lead! It’s simply good for the soul!” Einar spoke with such passion it was starting to convince Thorfinn. “It’s not your fault you forgot, life has been cruel to you, but now that you’re on a new “I won’t fight no more” oath and you’ve got me as your friend; we can fix it!”

“I appreciate it but…how exactly are we gonna do that?”

“I….don’t know.” Einar deflated, sheepish. “But we’ll figure something out! Quick- what’s something that makes you happy?”

“Uhhh…”

“First thing to come to mind! What makes you feel less depressed?”

“You do?”

“.....you’re kind.” Einar blinked rapidly. “But we need something that’ll bring a smile to your face when I’m not around! Something like…a good joke! Quick, what’s one you know?”

“Erm…oh. Oh um- why do s-sheep stay in groups of three?”

“Why?” Einar looked ready.

“Cause they…erm…” Thorfinn blushed, sinking into himself. “I forgot the punchline.”

Silence. They sat staring into space for a few minutes.

“Well- at least you tried?” Einar offered, grinning. Thorfinn seemed to sink further.

Okay- new plan!

“You know…back home, before my village was…yeah.” Einar shifted, coming closer. “My sister and mom laughed at everything. No matter what was happening, they found a reason to smile. Me though? I liked to think I was more realistic.”

“That so?”

“Yeah! Anyway- I didn’t always get what was so funny, so my mom and sister would…” Einar paused, blinking suddenly. “Hey, um- before I do what I’m about to do, can I touch you?”

“Um…sure?” Thorfinn blinked. “What are you-”

Without any warning, Einar leaped. They’re bodies went tumbling back into the hay, sending bits of it flying up into the air. Thorfinn could have easily thrown him off, but refrained. Within minutes, Einar was sitting on him, a hand grabbing his wrist and shoving it overhead. “There! Gotcha!”

“You…did?” Thorfinn looked up at the hand entrapping him, then back at Einar. “What exactly are we doing?”

“Thorfinn, I got one question for you. It’s one of my most important questions of all time.” Einar raised his free hand, flexing his fingers all about. “Are you ticklish?”

……..Was he? It’s been so long since anyone touched him like that. When he was six or so, Ylva would tickle him to tears whenever he got fussy. Both his parents did as well- though it was brief little attacks whenever he tried to “fight” Thors or refused to wake up from his mother’s lap. When he was in Askeladd’s group, he kept his distance from everyone, quicker with a dagger than ever before.

“I don’t remember.” Thorfinn admitted, watching as Einar’s eyes widened in renewed shock. “Not likely I still am though. It’s been years.”

“We’ll see about that!” Einar raised his hand dramatically before bringing it down to Thorfinn’s stomach, clawing at the hardened skin.

Thorfinn has lived through many types of physical contact. He’s been beaten, bruised, broken down and dragged. He learned to tolerate the pain and various factors that came with it.

This however? God help him- he just crumbled.

“Ge-Ah! Aheahhahahaha! E-Ehehheheeinahahahhar!” Almost immediately he was arching at the touch, trying to get away from his friend’s fingers as they drilled into the sensitive skin through his shirt. He was wearing a shirt- why did it tickle so much through the shirt? “Hohohohohld on! Hooohohohohohlod oohohon plehahahse!”

“Oh wow- you really are ticklish!” Einar paused briefly at the request, giving Thorfinn a chance to breathe. “Do you want me to stop?”

“Heh..hhehee..” Did he? It was strange and unbearable and…nostalgic. Comforting really.

“Ihihit’s fine…you can keep going if you want.”

“Whoa-really?” Einar grinned, releasing Thorfinn’s wrist so he could use both hands. “Okay- just tap me like this when you’re done.” He gave three quick pats to Thorfinn’s bicep before diving back in, once again renewing the shaky laughs and giggles the blonde let out. “Get ready!”

“Yoohohohou’ve ahahahhlreadhahhahdy sthahahahharted! Ahehehehehehe!” Thorfinn cackled out, lightly shoving at Einar’s hands as they scribbled into his belly. His sides were worse; the second Einar switched over to grab them he yelped and twisted, stuck on his side. “Ehhahahahahahhaa gahahhahahd iihihihiht’s wehehehehird!”

“That’s what tickling’s supposed to feel like!” Einar laughed, poking all over as he searched for tickle spots. His ribs proved rather ticklish, especially the backs, and when he jabbed a finger into his armpit, Thorfinn shoved his arms down tightly against his sides- a wheezy short drawing out.

The best reaction though was when Einar squeezed the back of his neck. Instantly he exploded in laughter, scrunching up with a rare squeal. “EHEHEHHINAR!”

“Oh snap- what was that? Oh my god, you’re adorable!” Einar kept up his playful assault, laughing with him as Thorfinn howled with mirth. “Do it again!”

He did- alongside a variety of other sounds he was mildly embarrassed by. Eventually- when his face was flushed red and his hair was full of hay, Einar stopped, pulling off before Thorfinn could tap him. Exhausted, the blonde fell back with a tired sigh, residue chuckles breaking up each gasp for breath. “Ehehehehe…ehehhe…heh…”

“Did it help? Cause it looked like it helped! You’re smiling!” Einar cheered, swiping off remaining hay off his face with a chuckle. “And you laughed too! Alot! How does your soul feel, Thorfinn?”

How did he feel? Exhausted for sure. Tired. Breathless. But also…

“I think it does.” He placed a hand on his racing heart, not out of fear but rather…relief. He felt strangely light- as if his body was made of air.

For the first time in ages, he felt…safe.

“Good!” Einar patted him on his belly a few times before rolling to the side, getting comfy in his hay. Once he was comfortable, Thorfinn asked the question.

“You said your sister and mom used to do that to you…does that mean you’re ticklish?”

“.....Thorfinn, I’m gonna say this once and only once cause I consider you my brother.” Einar turned to look at him, expression surprisingly hard. “If you dare try to tickle me, I will end your existence. You’ll be tickled so much you’ll ascend to Vahalla and have to explain to them why you died- death by laughter.”

Thorfinn stared. Then he puffed, grinning. Einar’s expression cracked. Within minutes they were laughing like children until their bellies hurt and their eyes were misty.

“I behehheeived you for a sehehecond!” Thorfinn wheezed, a hand over his face.

“Yohohohou did! Yoohohohu did!” Einar agreed, just as giggly. “Heh…but really- that’s something I’m not so willing to share.”

“I’ll find out.” Thorfinn decided. “Sooner or later.”

“We’ll see.”

Thanks for reading!

[aotopmha]

I'm finally catching up with the manga for Vinland Saga because the season 2 material overall is just ridiculously solid, but I'm also always sad when a great story defaults to old, uninteresting tropes that I think could fairly easily be avoided.

After episode 18 of season 2 I decided to finally pick up the manga to see what happens next (so spoilers here) – and, yes, as is easy to assume, Arnheid dies.

It "makes sense" that she dies in context, but so few stories seem able to avoid this trope of killing the cool female character to make you sad and the more it is done, the older it gets to me.

And the biggest issue to me here is that I feel like you absolutely could've made the same narrative point without killing her.

As far as I know Ketil and his farm, Einar, Arnheid or almost anyone else in this arc aren't even historical. Thorfinn, Leif and Canute are the only characters to currently have the most historical backing.

Vinland Saga is a hyper-dramatised narrative combining history and the fantastical Icelandic sagas and it usually does a good job balancing the historical and fictional aspects of the setting, but the discussion of "realism" within these types of stories is always interesting to have.

Thorkell can throw Thorfinn against trees and long distances in the air, breaking countless bones and he survives and is fine through so much hurt, yet the story can't bring itself to have Ketil hit Arnheid a few times less or just a little less hard or even have Snake interrupt a few moments earlier, so she could at least recover.

I only made it to her death scene right now and it almost even made me tear up. (I think I probably will cry when it happens in the anime.)

It's a well-written scene in isolation, but there is also an element of strange thematic disconnect to have the characters directly tell you the very solid reasons she could have been kept alive on the narrative level.

She could've found new hope and a new life travelling with Thorfinn and Einar and be one of the women joining them on the ship to their journey to Vinland.

The whole arc was about Thorfinn finding/rediscovering (new) meaning to live, so why couldn't have Arnheid?

It's the first time I've taken issue with the actual writing of the story, which is fairly impressive (took almost 2 whole seasons) – any issues I had prior to this were fairly minor (pacing with Canute's arc, for example), but this really bothered me because the narrative literally kept none of the reasons to write Arnheid out, either.

Her previous husband (and child) already died. Leif gave money for her and aside from that, Ketil seems to be heading to be captured, dead himself or simply surrender to the king and stay where he is.

(We'll see where that goes.)

Einar, Thorfinn and Leif are now free men and have no beef with Canute and even if they were to run into issues with him, Arnheid would have little to do with it.

And even if they all survive and at one point give chase, I think Ketil, Thorgil or Snake could be taken on by Thorfinn and Einar.

My point is, it feels like killing Arnheid was writing a sad scene for the sake of writing a sad scene.

I think tragedy works when it has backing. And I think this has some character backing (her rejoining her husband, additional motivation for Thorfinn and Einar), but I think at this point not much thematic backing or even plot backing.

People often say characters deserve better simply because they like them, but I think Arnheid absolutely not just deserved better because she was a cool character, but because she deserved better writing backing her character.

It's so strangely jarring to me because I think the story has been so good otherwise.

I know at least one other important female character should show up to be a mainstay if the story keeps to history and that character should be there to stay up to the end, but it's also a bummer that the first female character in the story with any depth got such a jarring ending.

I'll hear the story out (I'm currently at chapter 93) because this is still right after Arnheid died, but I really doubt there could be any reason the story could give me that'll make her death feel less like shock value.

[4seasonsofart]

Why people love S1 Vinland Saga and hate S2 (A Theory)

There's something special about War Arc Thorfinn for so many people. I've heard a lot of discourse about Season 2 and how it doesn't have enough action. About how Thorfinn is lame now because he's only farming. (etc... etc...) I still think you're a loser and lack media literacy if you hate Season 2 just because it doesn't have 'enough action'. Although, I think there is a deeper reason why the transition between Arcs and Seasons feels so monumental here.

Change, life and death, and the passing of time are all bittersweet things for many people. A lot of people fear these things, and the transition between Season 1 and Season 2 has a lot of them. Thorfinn becomes empty, Canute is now a king, and so many of the major characters that we grew up with are now dead for the sake of Thorfinn's development.

We also have the passing of generational trauma and how our characters deal with it. It felt like Thorfinn was an angry little kitten, and now he is a depressed and then enlightened man. It can cause whiplash. A sense of loss. A sense of sadness within us. Many people regress when faced with such things. Which is why Season 2 can feel jarring to most.

We once had something full of action, and now we have nothing. There are a lot of people on their journey to healing. So many people still have their internalized hatred and emotions within them. Which is why they connect with how broken and conflicted Thorfinn is in Season 1. So many people can relate to him. That anger. That pain. That wanting to hurt everyone who hurt you.

It's relatable. It's healing in a way.

Then we have Thorfinn in Season 2, who is beginning to heal. Who is depressed. Who learns to love and gains a friend. For a lot of people, that causes a conflicting feeling inside. Why am I not there? Why can't that be me? Why does that cause me to feel this way? It can trigger a bad reaction or a need to regress to how things used to be.

People are so used to being broken... that they are scared to heal. The anger and pain is the only thing they've ever known. So they relate and love Season 1 Thorfinn. 'He's so me fr fr.'

It's different, and it hurts to see people (even fictional characters) grow and change so drastically. We also have a sub-culture of anime enthusiasts who just like themeless fighting and large explosions of color. So people who like just seeing dramatic fights and bland storylines won't like this. They are used to the 'main character being angry, then defeating a monster, then winning, and then getting angry again.' This is the cycle that continues through many (in my opinion) poorly written manga and books.

Manga like Vinland Saga, Vagabond, and Berserk (etc...) offer a deeper and more gut-wrenching approach to this. They focus on the characters and the themes more than baseline action and intrigue. That's why treasured pieces of literature have such small fanbases. We live in a society that prioritizes 'fast food' intake of content with little substance or meaning. People just want to see something pretty and not think about it. Which is a side effect of many people's addiction to TikTok.

Which pains me but also makes me happy. I like the Vinland Saga fan base; I like that it's small. I can't help but feel a little protective over fictional characters because this story has meant so much to me and my own personal growth. We've seen what happens when themeless and quite bland animes get really large fan bases. (My Hero Academia, for example.) I don't want the message of this story to be lost because people so easily write it off for not filling their dopamine hits.

So from people's own trauma and connections to Season 1 Thorfinn to substanceless media being popularized, it isn't a surprise that many people just write off Season 2. No, it isn't the same as Season 1, but that isn't a bad thing. Want more Season 1 Thorfinn? Intake fanfiction or art created by fans, or make some of your own. You are not limited to only what is shown on your screen or in the manga. That's the great thing about fan bases and fan-made things. It's your interpretation of the character. It's both the original creators and yours.

Just be decent and try to have some media literacy. To all of the 'Incels', 'beta males', and rage baiters who try to hate on this masterpiece- go back to your fanservice animes with poorly written female characters and unneeded nudity.

I didn't know how to really get my thoughts out correctly while writing this, so I hope everyone who reads it understands what I am trying to say.

[shinjisdone]

𝑇𝜎 𝑆𝜎𝑓𝜏𝜀𝜋 𝛼 𝑊𝛼𝑟𝑟𝜄𝜎𝑟’𝑠 𝐻𝜀𝛼𝑟𝜏 (Vinland Saga; Thorfinn - 𝑺𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒄, 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝟏)

In which you have joined Askeladd’s band…and grow closer to the Son of Thors - though as your future seemed promising, his thirst for revenge devastated all that you had left.

[Headcanons of how it would be like to meet Thorfinn again after he shattered your heart (based on season 2; both platonic and romantic)

Sᴇᴀsᴏɴ ₁ ﹙Wᴀʀ Aʀᴄ﹚ is here

Tag list:

@luopenis , @jinsecho , @mitsureigen , @theknightssecrets , @lana-del-stan , @theghostofanficpresent

[Mentions of murder, death, war, slave trade, harrasment against women and whatever awful things happened in the viking era. Slavery will be a main subject throughout the entire arc. Mostly gender-neutral examples but female-leaning ones are there, too.]

[This part will specifically mention: Nightmares, detailed gore and killing, slavery, humiliation, hallucinations, slight romanticization of death/wishing someone to be dead, slight panic]

Time And Time Again, My Hopes Are Gone...

Far west, across the sea is a land. Rich of fertile ground and warm all year round. He can see the stillness of the meadow as the wind softly blows through the trees.

The wilderness is untouched. Far away from slave traders and the flames of war. The sun is benign with its rays that gently fall on his skin. It's warm and quiet. A gale so soft it embraces his throbbing pain.

Far to the west, across the rich and green hill, is a figure drawing closer. Colors clashing with the soft sky and land, washed out compared to the world around him. Nevertheless, he feels his heart picking up on speed and appraoches the figure with painstakingly slow steps.

The colors and the gear are still the same. Old and bented, abused and dull and so was the glare in their eyes. He should not feel a thing here, knowing this gaze all too well, but it still festered fear inside his heart when it is directed at him. The clear blue sky grows red and the sun fled.

Still, somehow he was able to crack a strained, faltering smile. "...What are you doing here?" He needed to take a deep breath, "You still look the same...like yesterd-"

"What the hell are you talking about, dog?"

The feigning smile was wiped off his face in an instant as his eyes widened. He could feel his muscles aching again, his stomach grumbling, his heart shattering.

You looked at him with such distain in your eyes.

It's Like A Never-Ending Marathon...

"How can you even act like this? Does all of this mean nothing to you?"

His breath hitched in his throat, burning hot and sickening as the quietness of the world was cut down by the incoming roars emerging from the scenery behind you. Pumping up their spears and axes, they tainted the meadow red as small figures galloped across the sky. The fires were following closely after them.

"You left...left me, and left this massacre behind you as you trailed over the sea."

Chants of victories rung in his ears as the flames consumed the both of you. The herd of men loud and clear but always seemed too far to touch and reach. There you still stood, your glare as dark as thunder and never-changing.

"Coward. Deranged mutt. Calling yourself a warrior."

Jaw agape, he watched with white, bulging eyes the scene behind you. It was all too familiar that it should have kick in an instinct - but all he could feel was terror.

With a swift pull to your back, you drew the blade out before plunging it with a sprint down to his abdomen. He barely could let out a scream. Instead, wide agape, he looked down with darting eyes to see his father's dagger.

A crooked grin decorated your visage as you twisted the dagger, cut further, deeper horizontally before yanking it out. Blood tainted your skin.

He could feel himself fall. Fall longer, deeper, faster, down, down, down, and down before a scream pulled him out.

I Hear Voices Every Night Of The Ones I Left Behind...

The same quietness he dreamed about surrounds him in the hut. No, a barn it was. It didn't have a door and he constantly reeked of hay and manure.

Right - this was the barn on the farm.

Sluggishly, he got up as pieces of hay fell off his worn out tunic. With a slow and steady gate his legs carried him to the well standing still and cold in the early morning, the sun having risen just a moment ago as well. He reached out with rough and calloused hands to the cold water and splashed it on his face. Always three times at least as the master told him. With each splash, his mind and vision got clearer and finally, he breathed freely.

What a strange nightmare. This hollow feeling expanding in his heart remained even in the waking world but he cannot recall from what.

As the sun rose higher, he made his way over the dirty, sandy road. Not a lot of the others were up and about as he was, though he only paid attention to the forest further away. The tired mutters of greetings flew over him, like a leaf in the cold wind. All he needed was the axe.

The axe cuts. It hits the sturdy trunk, chopping it away bit by bit, splinters of wood occasionally digging into his skin. Though it was as thick as the trees themselves, so no one ever heard a complaint from him.

The axe cuts. No tree shrieks in pain nor does anyone raise a brow at the lone man in the forest letting one tree fall after another. It keeps him awake and his muscles at work.

The axe cuts. The trees die and fall like flies, slowly - as it is with tree felling, he was told - down to every last twig and root it bears. Nothing can be left behind as the master wished it. All needs to be cleaned off the land so he can use it. So he cut and cut and cut.

"Thorfinn!"

Thorfinn halted. Stopped in his tracks as he was told and looked up through lidded, droopy, brown eyes. In the distance he saw a hand waving as the master galloped closer and with him, a younger slave.

Getting off the mount, he steadied his fall. Master Ketil was an older and seasoned farmer. His blonde hair growing thinner, broad but kind face decorated with wrinkles and his wealth showing in his round stomach. Once again, as he often does, he approached Thorfinn with a smile. "You will be getting a friend." Then he pointed behind him and the youngling followed hastily to bow. "This is Einar and he will be helping you starting tomorrow to fell the trees and turn it into fertile farm land. Einar, Thorfinn has been doing this for a bit longer than a year, he will show you around."

Brown eyes followed the man's gesture and fell on the younger one with kempt, auburn hair. Face young and with no stubbles, a small wart at the side of his nose - finished with an nervous and perplexed expression.

His own looked deep into the one of his new companion and found nothing but vapidness in them.

"Oh, uhm...it's nice to meet you." Einar tried to crack a smile. Thorfinn did not.

With a small chuckle of his own, Ketil pointed towards the small forest, talking of an subject Thorfinn had heard of time and time again.

Talks of fertile land, of wheat, of buying and selling, surpassing ones own price and freedom.

Freedom.

Did he have any of that ever in the first place? He doubted it.

But the new guy had a different opinion of it.

"Buying ourselves back?!" Einar stuttered, not believing what the farmer had just uttered, "We can get our freedom back if we just plant and sell the wheat to you?!"

Ketil jumped and blinked in surprise. "Why...yes. Does that not sound like a good deal to you?" "It's not that! N-Not at all! Thank you, thank you so much! I'll gratefully take the offer!"

Without another word, Einar sprinted deeper into the forest. Sighing heavily, Ketil settled back on his mount, ready to go back. "Do show him around for today Thorfinn and don't have him slack off after that. Both of you have a lot of work to do."

The blonde looked back at him with lidded eyes.

"Yes, master."

Dragging himself after the brunette, the young man watched him observe the area in awe. Trees loomed over the two and Einar swiftly turned back to the shorter man, his jaw agape.

"Thorfinn, was it?! Is that something you can do here in Denmark?! You - You can buy yourself out of slavery?!"

That I Love...

In the midmorning, Einar couldn't sit still.

Strenuously, he mimicked Thorfinn's day-to-day work. Inspecting each tree and root, yanking on them with his bare hands in hopes it might detach just a bit, and throwing questions.

Thorfinn found his keenness perplexing.

At noon, Einar awaited food.

Hearing about the service of the helpers, paid guests helping and guarding Ketil's farm, he grew ever so keen again. The helpers were not the kindest folk and seemingly the most hungry as well.

"What is there to complain?" One sneered as he appraoched Einar. The latter showed the crumbles and nibbled cheese in his rough hands instead. "This, this is our food? How is this supposed to be enough for two people? And it was obviously gnawed on!"

"So?" The second man of the trio sauntered closer with a wide grin. "Slaves like you should be grateful you can even eat a day. For someone so small and little, you sure talk big. We helpers wake up each and every day to bring food to lowly rats like you! And none of you even have the brains on how to thank someone for it!"

With a shaking gasp, Einar stepped back. The mere tone. The way the spit splashed on his face as he talks with that knowing glint in his dull eyes.

How could someone be like that? Just a year ago, he was surrounded by normal people, a village and family.

Once again, the helper spits as he scoffed. "Say it, dog," The grin grew ever so crooked as Einar's shock quickly transformed into rage. "Say 'thank you for the food'."

Breath hitched as the brunette took everything within him not to batter the man here and there. Balling a fist, he pulled back - before a smaller figure squeezed himself between the men and held out the crumbs of bread in his hands.

Thorfinn avoided the helper's gaze and looked down, as if giving a woeful prayer. "We thank you for the food."

Einar observed the tension dissolving, face that of an fish out of water, as Thorfinn returned to his work as if nothing happened.

In the afternoon, Einar hauled a sack of hay on his shoulder, heart feeling disarrayed.

Up ahead he followed Thorfinn who carried two sacks on his shoulders. He wondered how he does it despite his shorter and hunched form.

In fact, the blonde always seemed to hunch so far. He wondered how he does the entire labourous work in the first place.

"...How can you do all of this so easily? And with an empty stomach, too, day in and out. Chopping off the trees and then hauling them off the ground...like that old donkey was of any help." He pouted at the memory of the helpers bringing in an old, weak horse as 'aid' while they snoozed under the trees, "And you were so obedient to these jerks, too."

The walk continued to be quiet. The brunette continued to pout, making an even longer face at the one-sided conversation.

"You know, you can report that to the master! No, we should, have to do that! We are his property and these jerks treated us like were are lesser than that! He should know how his slaves are being treated and get rid of these pigs!"

The walk was silent after that as well. Thorfinn did not turn his back away neither show any sign of taking in his words. Einar only pouted even more and bit his tongue - momentarily.

"You're really strange."

As if struck by lightning, the blonde stopped. A force jolted through his muscles and bones that almost threatened to have him let go of the hay. The same force took a hold of his heart, like a fist squeezing it so tight with the intent to kill him. It won't let go.

Calming down from the start, Einar sped up in front of him with raised brows. The blonde's face was frozen in fear.

"...Thorfinn...?"

"What did you just say?"

"Uh," Quickly, he stepped back. Even the way Thorfinn managed to utter the question, jaw agape and frozen as well, perplexed him. "I said you're strange. Like, it's not like I dislike you it's just…just that I thought we could talk more. You're so quiet all the time but then get so obedient around these jerks but then act like you don't care-"

Agonizingly slow does he regain his body. With each word Einar spoke, Thorfinn nodded along, listened and had it ring in his head like a chant. Just as slow, he began walking again. "...I really am, aren't I?" He muttered after taking a deep breath.

"Eh, uhm, what?"

"Strange..."

I'm Trying To Find The Place Where I Belong...

Thorfinn was allowed to call it a day early for teaching Einar.

Today's chores were almost completed anyway with how tenacious his new companion had been. It was an insistence he could not comprehend.

The brunette did not expect much when Thorfinn showed him the way to the small barn, pointing to the heaps of hay and buckets at the corners. The master's house was across the road at least and the well free for him to use.

Einar also expected not much from his peer, as he had learned today when he quickly dozed off. He believed him to be anyway, when he stayed silent through all his questions.

Einar was strange...but the blonde reckoned he was, too.

That night, his visions turned into nightmares once again - but only to be left forgotten again in the morning.

A dark blue sea and an equally dark sky above. The wrath of the gods over the clouds and a hoard of monsters waging further away. He found himself lucky he wasn't so close.

But that relief was cut short by the freezing pain in his abdomen, as he looked down at you, teeth gritting like a beast. When did he grow taller than you?

He always thought you were the same height. Or were you the taller one?

With a growl, you swayed back with the dagger out of his flesh and thrusted it into it again. Labored breaths tried to escaped your gritted teeth, nosetrils flaring up as you only scolwed at him. With great effort and little strength, you drew the blade back and stabbed him again.

"Liar..." You croaked out, the smallest of hints of tears in your eyes, "This isn't where we're supposed to be. You liar..." Another sob and another attack. Blood oozed out of his open stomach like a broken spring and while the pain was unbearable, Thorfinn remained standing.

"You were supposed to take me somewhere that isn't here!"

He watched with terror as you drowned in his blood.

Einar shot up at the ear-splitting shriek. He wondered how none of the master's family had heard.

All he vividly remembered on his first night on the farm as a slave, was Thorfinn feeling up his abdomen in a mad frenzy, his eyes wide and jaw agape in a silent scream.

Until I Do, I Guess I'll Carry On...

The sun rises and the reek of manure still dwells in his nose. Einar was not dreaming of the farm.

But as he followed Thorfinn's demure figure, anxiously keeping up with his chores and strength, he cannot keep his eyes off of him. Of this strange guy and his hushed whispers in the night.

Again, he observed and stayed back this time as the blonde accepted the spit thrown on his face and food. The amount of labor he carries on his broken back with an lost look in his eyes.

So small and dry, brown so hazy and milky, he wonders if he can even see.

Einar stays back and listens as the master and his employers give him more work, more duties, more praises, more insults. He takes it all the same.

Then, at the setting of the sun, the young man still stays back and watches with the rest of the slaves nearby as Thorfinn dropped all he had carried diligently to the master, and sprinted to a small person further away.

His heart beat in his ears, ringing against his skull and Einar found himself surprised as he prayed that Thorfinn would not get in trouble for whatever he was doing there.

Not getting in trouble for the calloused hand that reached out for that person's shoulder, how they yelped out and whipped their head around at the contact with the man.

How they watched as Thorfinn's hopeful face slowly dimmed to shock - then reverted back to his nonchalant ignorance.

What a fool he was. No, it couldn't be. The words he heard, they weren't yours. This little slave, just a terrified child, may have talked like you - walked like you, had a stature like you, looked like you - but in their place, you wouldn't have frozen on the spot. You would have killed him, or he you, when you gazed upon him as you did time and time again.

Without another word, he let his hand fall to his side and dismissed Einar's concerns. The brunette apologized for Thorfinn's stead but the man was already on his way to the barn.

He didn't even know what he was thinking. How his mind could see a silhouette that could resemble you, mistake you, and start running after you. Thorfinn didn't know what he was doing.

The master was already used to his behaviour. Perhaps that's why he wanted to get rid of him while still gaining a bit of gold.

Trapped In Every Sacrifice, Feel Like I'm Gonna Lose My Mind...

Another night. Another new slave - a young, blonde woman - another curse from Einar about wars and beasts and another nightmare. It's what Thorfinn finally reckoned them as.

The demons that haunt him as he stabs them down for the earth to swallow. Your bloodied body holding a blade. The insults and spits thrown at him, his insides falling down into the sea. Your flailing arms as you cry for his help as the ground splits in two.

In the dead of the night, he checks for his companion, still seeing him to be asleep. Limply, Thorfinn forced himself to sit up.

The stars were as bright as ever. They were when you two were together but in the past year, the nightsky seemed different. Under it, all alone, he mumbled your name under his breath to remember you by.

That's right, he did not even have anything to remember you by, did he? Not a weapon, not a trinket, nothing. All that was left of you were the nightmares haunting his mind.

He hoped it was even less. In this cool, dark night, Thorfinn hoped you were dead. All would be easier for you to bear if just bones remained of you - and it would be easier to bear for him on his heart and mind.

You'd be free.

No Freedom, Without Love...

Scorching was the sun that morning as Ketil appraoched Thorfinn and Einar on his horse once again. Pater accompanied him with another in tow. Shackles of splinted wood around their swollen wrists. Their head hanging low.

"Thorfinn, Einar!" Ketil called out and began his usual prattling. His face bore that same, kind smile even when his words fell on some deaf ears. All Thorfinn could really focus on were lidded eyes slowly moving from the dirtied path up to him. Eyes that were drooped, limp, cold and familiar.

A shaky gasp. Air that got stuck in their lungs. Ketil halted in surprise as they stepped closer in hesitation, their bound hands rising and Pater yelling out about authority and respect of a property to follow.

All Thorfinn could hear were their breathless gasps, the darting eyes, hollow and in tears as their chafed hands gingerly cradled his face - as if unsure if he was really there.

Then, the shock turned into sorrow and anger.

"...You were supposed to be in Iceland..."

Pater yanked them away from him, the familiar warmth gone as they disorientate. Thorfinn could barely breath.

[rmorde]

What's happening with MAPPA ?

Their scheduling is simply terrible and its killing animators on the inside. Many big name animators are posting online how little of a time they are being given to work on the episode. I have seen one artist post how they only have 5 days (!) to draw a sequence. The Choso vs Yuji episode only finished post-production BARELY A DAY before it aired. It's insane.

Shibuya Arc is action-heavy and the expectations for the animation is high. Artists HAVE to deliver high quality work on the project because their reputation is on the line.

Some of the artists have been posting how hellish it is to work on MAPPA. The director of the last episode felt so bad about how "terrible" it is and apologized. Some have barely enough time to submit their sketches, in-between art, key frames, corrections, etc.

Now, for us, the episode is great. However, "sakuga" fans are more discerning and would see how its faltering in some parts. They can tell how the staff is struggling and are being forced to produce "subpar" results because of the 7 day production schedule.

*Sakuga = High quality Animation = 24 frames (drawings) per second

The staff takes great pride in their work. So, having to deliver subpar "sakuga" to audiences is horrible for their mentality and confidence. They do not want that to be their legacy - which is a big deal for them.

Think these episodes look great already? Had the animators have more time, they would have looked even better!

The fact that the staff can still make episodes look so good by sheer will and god-like drawing skills despite their schedule should be given a lot of respect and admiration.

Now, why haven't the staff been given more time?

It's because MAPPA is greedy. Not only is the studio producing JJK. They have other big projects going on alongside it: AOT, Vinland Saga, CSM. All of them had to look good. The staff have barely any time to breathe as they are treated like machines to deliver high quality animation season after season.

While CSM is being produced, the staff are already working on JJK 0 and then JJK S2 Hidden Inventory. It resulted with CSM's last few episodes being janky. JJK 0 was great and Hidden Inventory, obviously, was really polished (at the cost of Hell's Paradise being average imo tho).

Then we have Shibuya Arc. In all honesty, I wished they have delayed this a bit later. Maybe turned it into a winter season anime because again Shibuya Arc is:

Very very hyped. It HAS to look good and polished.

Lots of Action. Action is like the crowning jewel of any shonen anime and JJK has the reputation of being the best at delivering it. They CANNOT mess this up. *Cue PTSD to the insane complaints of the Toji vs Gojo Round 2 + Yuji vs Locust Curse episodes*

The solution should have been: Delay the anime so the animators can breathe and deliver their best which would make Shibuya Arc as polished, if not better, than Hidden Inventory.

Sadly, with MAPPA's insanity, it is impossible:

The staff are juggling so many high-tier projects. They have no room to "take their time" so to speak. They have to "GO! GO! GO!"

The "airtime" has already been reserved. Any delays would cost them losing a slot of airtime which meant the series MAY NOT completely be televised (which I think was the fate of ZOM100). Lost airtime means lost profit and MAPPA can't have that.

Fan anticipation. I wish I could lie about it but I just know some entitled assholes would harass the studio and the staff about animating Shibuya Arc ASAP. Fans can really put a lot of hype and pressure for JJK at the same time.

Now here are just my own opinion. But other factors may be:

4. MAPPA wants to capitalize Halloween. Just look at all the merch and collab events! All profits from those would go to the studio and not Gege. Gege's profit are JUST from the manga. Anime-related merch/products would be for the benefit of its manufacturers, studio, and shops only.

5. Timing things with the manga. Prime example: Gojo. (I am not too sure about this tho).

One reason I am excluding is the staff not working on the project because they may be busy with something else. JJK is a huge! New animators would love to have that as part of their portfolio. Big names in the industry would have wanted to work on it too because of the challenge it poses and their love for the manga series or animation in general as well.

TL;DR: It's all MAPPA's fault and not the staff. The studio wanted everything out of greediness while the animators just want to bring out their very best at their own pace.

[uozlulu]

Finished the second season of Vinland Saga today. It was a difficult but rewarding season. I really liked watching Thorfinn grow from someone who hit rock bottom to someone who can choose his own destiny after everything that’s happened to him since he ran away from home. Some parts of season 2 were very difficult to watch and I did indeed employ the fast forward button in places, but I think over all it was worth watching especially for its anti-war and anti-slavery, messages and character arcs. 

I hope the anime will return sometime so we can continue this journey. I’m looking forward to what kinds of philosophy might crop up and how Thorfinn and the others will grow and change as they move on to the next adventure.

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V3 3

Vinland Saga S2 - Arnheid went to see her husband in captivity. Wrong move. Gardar used her presence there to lure one of the guards to them and then bite out the guy's throat. No shitting, this was probably the most graphic thing I've seen depicted on this show! He convinces Arnheid to cut the ropes binding him so he can kill all the other guards and make his escape. Back at the farm, a talk between Thorfinn and Einar further establishes Thorfinn's desire to never kill or resort to violence in any conflict ever again, and to find some way of sufficiently and significantly atoning for every life he took, like creating a place where "no one needs a sword." Einar sas that such a place must be beyond man's reach, prompting Thorfinn to finally remember it: Vinland. He needs to go find Vinland!

Hunter x Hunter - After Killua ends up not only sparing Ikalgo but saving him, telling him he's cool and that they might've been friends under better conditions, he goes ahead and becomes the target of two aquatic Chimera Ant siblings (with one of them voiced by LittleKuriboh) as they throw fish darts at a special board that project the darts to skewer different parts of Killua's body, and it really seemed like Killua was a goner for a while, even after he turned the tables and decapitated the twins (which they're still alive after, don't worry!), he's at risk of dying until, wouldn't you know it, Ikalgo comes along to save his life! Some good deeds do get rewarded! The other episode I watched focused largely on Gon's sketchy alliance with Meleoron, who claims he wants to kill Meruem for having killed his father figure, and we see Meruem's off playing games with humanity. And I mean literally, he is challenging humans to different human games after learning the rules in record time, beating them, and killing them. And now he's to play Gungi...against a blind girl??? And the current ED credits suggests this goes somewhere pretty big.

SHUFFLE! - Summer is apparently fast approaching in this anime's world, which seems so foreign to me when we're currently in the midst of a cold winter season. The students all study for their final exams and undertake them, with Sia getting some help from Rin. There's also talk of rainy days and memories of when Sia met Rin.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works - The grand finale looms ahead, so you know what that means - the Rin/Shirou sex episode!

KonoSuba - This episode just kept changing gears on me, setting itself up to be about Darkness wanting to join Kazuma's party but Kazuma being resistant to her because he can see how masochistic she is and doesn't want another weird girl to put up with, then it centers on Kazuma learning the "Steal" ability from this white haired Yuffie Kisaragi-esque thief girl (and Kazuma can compulsively only swipe panties off from girls because of course he would), and then out of fucking nowhere, flying cabbages start migrating towards the civilization and all warriors are called to fight them so that they can be eaten, complete with casual and silly exposition on this little harvest season from Aqua, and Darkness shielding other knights from the cabbages' blows because she loves getting hit repeatedly. So Kazuma ends up accepting Darkness for a harvest job well done.

Symphogear XV - Episode 2 again does this thing where we're at one point in time but then flash back to what happened to lead up to it, only this time the past timeframe was last episode's present, where at least we're treated to some peak Kirika/Shirabe goodness, and they even manage to get the better of one of their new adversaries. S.O.N.G has taken in the mysterious Annunaki mummy they found in Antarctica, and Fudou is very displeased with his son and his workers as of late. Then Tsubasa and Maria do a joint concert that, as I'd expected, gets attacked by another new enemy and geezus, this psychotic freak actually managed to put Carol to shame in the heinous department, creating several casualties and even butchering an innocent child right in front of Tsubasa. She escapes justice for this and Tsubasa feels like a failure, as though she just lost Kanade all over again. Times are certainly getting bleak!

Eureka Seven - While Holland continues to grapple with his self loathing and how horribly abusive and irresponsible he'd been with Renton, the moment of dread comes when Renton opening up to his new dad Charles and outing himself as Adroc Thurston's child gets Charles to start prying more about the Nirvash and how things were like with Gekko State, and luring Renton right into a military sky assault where he comes clean about him and Ray being mercenaries for the Federation out to destroy Gekko State, and Renton's absolute devastation is itself devastating to watch. He seemed so close to a healthy home environment and a real family he could live peacefully with only to have the illusion broken, which conveys to him that no matter where he goes, warfare and his prior involvement in it will always follow him. Hence the episode's title being "Paradise Lost." Ray and Charles, to their credit, still love Renton like their own child and give him the choice whether or not to leave them. And he does.

Gintama - None this week.