VINLAND SAGA

[🇯🇵] ヴィンランド・サガ

Synopsis:

Thorfinn is son to one of the Vikings' greatest warriors, but when his father is killed in battle by the mercenary leader Askeladd, he swears to have his revenge. Thorfinn joins Askeladd's band in order to challenge him to a duel, and ends up caught in the middle of a war for the crown of England.
(Source: Kodansha Comics)

Main Characters:

Thorfinn Karlsefni

🇯🇵 トルフィン

Character ID: 10138

About Character and Role:

Thorfinn is a courageous young man armed with two twin blades he inherited from his deceased father. He's traveling with Askeladd, who is the leader of a ruthless group of mercenaries who take jobs from whoever they think can offer them a reasonable reward. Besides, Askeladd is the man who killed Thorfinn's father, Thors, and the only reason Thorfinn is traveling with Askeladd is so he can defeat him in a duel and win back his father's pride. Thorfinn only wants to win his father's pride with a fair duel. Askeladd only agrees to these duels when Thorfinn completes a certain task (like bringing him the head of the opposing armies general on the battlefield). He does not fight for the love of battle, but is still prone to losing his composure when in combat. This hotheadedness often costs him battles against more experienced opponents.

After Askeladd is killed, Thorfinn entered a rage and tried to kill Canute, which resulted in him being sold into slavery and bought by a farmer.

Voiced by Shizuka Ishigami during his childhood in the anime.

Askeladd

🇯🇵 アシェラド

Character ID: 13020

About Character and Role:

Askeladd is the commander of a small but powerful Viking band, which owed its success to Askeladd's exceptional intelligence. Ten years before the main Vinland Saga storyline, Askeladd accepted a contract to assassinate Thors, father of Thorfinn. During the Viking invasion and war in England, he manipulated Thorfinn's desire for revenge against him as a way of keeping the gifted young fighter in his service. Askeladd is one of the most skilled fighters in the series, and is particularly adept at predicting his opponents' moves in combat. Askeladd shares the name of Askeladden, a Norwegian folk character known for his cleverness.

He is half-Danish and half-Welsh, being the son of a Welsh princess captured by a Viking raider. He believes in the legend of Avalon, which inspired him to support Prince Canute's bid for kingship of the Danes and ultimately sacrifices himself assassinating King Sweyn in order to install Canute as the Danish King and to ensure the safety of Wales from Denmark.

Voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi during his adolescence phase and by Maki Kawase during his childhood phase in the anime.

Canute

🇯🇵 クヌート

Character ID: 17438

About Character and Role:

Canute is a 17-year-old prince of the Danes. He is initially portrayed as timid and womanly, with a bishounen appearance and inability to function without his retainer Ragnar. These traits, along with his strong Christianity, earn him the mockery of the Vikings with whom he works. After Ragnar's death, however, he has a sharp reversal of personality, becomes strong and kingly, and develops an ambition to create utopia on earth before God's return. Towards this end, he plots to overthrow his father Sweyn Forkbeard and take the crown of the Danes. Canute is based on the historical King Canute the Great, the most prominent Danish ruler of England.