#thorfinn is very much just a human

[queenbananya]

This week's episode of Vinland saga was deeply heartbreaking.

So far we have seen how terrible slavery is, but only (mostly) in theory. In the way one may look at a neighboring country with serious issues and think, yeah, that sucks.

This episode takes it to a personal level. Sure, we saw Einar's family die at the beginning of the season, but we didn't care for him then. We didn't know him. He was just one of many victims. Like Arnheid. She is first introduced as a mild, nice lady that won't harm a fly, fooling us into thinking her life is perhaps not too bad. And little by little, we're fed pieces of her misery.

Abused by the mistress of the house. Doomed to a life as sex slave, and pregnant with a child of the master. A dead child. A lost family. And yet she smiles through it all. She picks up the little crumbs of joy she can and gives up on her freedom, on her past life. She is able to laugh at last. Until the storm hits, and she's not able to let it pass. Just when she was starting to accept her fate, when she was settling in her life as a slave.

Garnar, her husband, ruined by slavery, shaped into a desperate beast driven by blind revenge finally reunites with her, only to die in her arms as he dreams about the life they can no longer have. And she can't even have that one moment in peace, because she's a slave, and surrounding her are men waiting to take her back to her doom. Her life is no longer hers. Her future snatched right out of her hands.

Just beautifully done. At the beginning of the season I used to think Thorfinn was being too hard on himself. He was just a child after all, when he was out in the war. However, living like this, amongst slaves, experiencing first hand their struggles and regrets, the sheer injustice of the abuse, how could he not blame himself? He, too, ruined lives, broke families apart. Killed indiscriminately and sent people into slavery.

[guideaus]

idk abt kind...

[recreationalfanfics]

Hey I was wondering how the gods and humans will react to a reader who is similar to Thorfinn from Vinland Saga with the whole “ I have no enemies.” Like how reader used to be this person that was filled with rage and hatred for the person who killed her father but slowly became a more forgiving person who let go of her anger and became a better person. I love your work btw ❤️❤️❤️

Hey! Thank you for the compliment, however, I'm not really familiar with the Vinland Saga, I'm sorry! I'm not really doing requests right now, either but I can try my best to answer in a small blurb.

So I can see some gods like Buddha and Thor finding you to be a very admirable person for letting go of your hate and such, Buddha for obvious reasons cause you chose the path of self improvement and Thor because he respects one's ability to hold a great amount of rage but learning how to control it. On the human side, Jack definetly admires you and maybe because he wishes he had your ability to forgive yourself and being able to not dwell on your past or it might just be because he genuinely sees your color and thinks it would be lovely. Hermes is very intruiged by your past, as well as Brunhilde. Hermes being curious because he wonders what you're abilities might be because he hears you were quiet the monster when you were alive and Brunhilde because obviously her sisters and people she cared about have fallen because of the Ragnarok and she'd definetly seek your console if the grief is too much for you. Adam just kinda adopts you as your new dad (and then he dies too) and just genuinely feels saddened because a child without a parent is such a tragic thing. Hercules is proud of you and admires you very much, amazed at how you accept your past and how you've grown from it. The people like Shiva, Loki, Raiden, and Zeus highkey just kinda want to see you go ape shit for themselves.

[4seasonsofart]

Hunter or the Hunted? | Hybrid Thorfinn (Part 1)

A young Snow Leopard hybrid meets a Siren hybrid in the most unlikely of cases. Will a friendship blossom, or will the tides of fate pull them under?

Season 1: 6 year old Thorfinn meeting you. S1 Spoilers!

Hybrid Thorfinn x Reader

Hybrid Thorfinn (Part 2) Season 1: Thorfinn sees you after eleven years.

1002: Iceland

The gentle breeze of Mother Nature has gone through the village occupied by so few. Small flakes of crystalline coldness settle on the ground as those few trek through it. A sultry sound mixes in with the ocean waves as if an angel fell to earth and was trapped beneath the sandy shore. The sounds of hungry animals can be heard far off as the lull of the inviting waves draws Thorfinn closer.

The young boy was banned from playing with the others after he broke one of the other kids arms. He couldn't understand why; he was just having a little too much fun.

● Thorfinn met you by chance that day, as he saw you tangled up in one of Leif's fishing nets and crying out for help. Your voice was like the sweetest music he had ever heard in his ears. He almost didn't realize you were crying until he inspected you closer.

● He is always told by his father to help both humans and hybrids alike. You seemed to be a hybrid, much different than him. You were dangerous; that's what Leif had told him. In one of his many long-winded tales, he was informed that Siren hybrids were some of the most dangerous and atrocious hybrids there are.

● They lure humans and hybrids underwater and drown them. Sometimes they eat them, and sometimes they mate with their prey. They may hate humans more than hybrids, but they are not kind to either. One almost forced Leif to marry her, or so he says.

● He couldn't believe his eyes to be in the presence of such a creature, and yet his childlike curiosity did not allow him to feel scared of you.

His tiny hands reach the edges of the net as his eyes scan your body to realize the indents of chains on it. Swollen purple bruises are adorning your starved body as your jagged ribs are sticking out of your skin at a ghastly angle. Even your tail did not come out unscathed from whatever horrors you witnessed last. Long gashes run along the sides of your tail as many glittering scales have been ripped from their very place.

Your music sounded so broken and lonely, as Thorfinn realizes something. You had the same chain marks as the human slave they found earlier in the snow.

His curiosity only grows rapidly as his rounded leopard ears stick up in the air at the sound of a ship approaching. He quickly gnaws you out of the net that was binding you and picks you up as if you were nothing more than a rag doll.  

● Thorfinn takes you back to the hut and tells his mother and older sister about what he found. They both stare at him in pure horror. Both are mixed with a distraughtness over your condition and a fear over your strange arrival at such an inopportune time, the same as the slave.

● While you are being taken care of, Thorfinn gets scolded for poking and prodding at you like a strange animal. You were a strange animal, but so was he.

● You are sleeping peacefully next to the slave as Thors speaks of the promise of Vinland to the both of you. The slave slips into the enigmatic afterlife as you curl up and refuse to make contact with any of them.

This confuses Thorfinn greatly. The young boy yearned for adventure and all that it could provide him with. The young Siren had already seen too much adventure in their short life.

● He cannot ponder that for long as Halfdan knocks down the door and ends up arguing with Thors.

"I found them. Pardon my bad manners, Thors. I'm the rightful owner of that slave and hybrid. Give them back to me."

● Halfdan is one of the cruelest creatures on the planet. That creature has a hybrid owner. One that thinks that any hybrid is below them as they are humans and therefore superior. Someone who locks hybrids up in horrific conditions or treats them like the finest trophies It was obvious that you got the short end of the stick with him.

● Thorfinn tries to defend you as Thors takes over the conversation. Soon enough, Halfdan is leaving with over half of their livestock and a promise of more to come. After all, siren hybrids are rare, valuable, and incredibly dangerous. Anyone with a handful of brain cells would know your worth. 

● Thorfinn pouts at the loss and continues to try to engage with you, but to no avail. He is told that you need rest and food before you are able to even speak again.

● Over the next few weeks, Thorfinn will continuously visit you in the extra room that Ylva set up for you in their now-half-empty barn. He tries to get you to speak and regails all of the stories he has heard from Leif. He is set on making you talk to him, and he will have to talk one day.

● Of course, he would never tell you how he was banned from visiting you in the first place. Everyone in the village was.

● You were seen by many as bad luck, and they didn't want you around. Thorfinn didn't mind you, though. He liked your company, despite how you didn't talk. He could already imagine all of the adventures he could set out on with a siren at his side. You could guide him through the seas and show him Vinland!

● One day is unlike the rest, as he comes in to see you finally sitting up. He runs up to you with an excited smile and invades your personal space. He just wants to know more about you. His tail is wagging excitedly, and his leopard ears are perked up to their highest extent.

He watches your sluggish figure push off the animal furs that cover your slowly recovering body. Your battered body was still covered in an assortment of wounds, although they were fading. Even your stomach seemed to be a little more rounded and your ribs less prominent. Thorfinn could barely contain himself as he saw that you had human legs now instead of a tail.

"Woah, you look so much more human now! No gills, talons, tails, or scary eyes." He states it in an innocent tone, although it could inadvertently come off as offensive.

He sits down next to you on the small cot and is practically buzzing with joy. You look at him with those tortured eyes, and he instantly feels his body shut down. As if time stopped for everyone but the two of you. Your mouth begrudgingly opens to form a single word.

"Sorry."

● He shakes you suddenly and begins squealing at the fact that you just spoke to him. He spends the next few hours talking your ear off once again as you warm up to him more. You were around his age and still so quiet. He is unable to understand why you wouldn't talk. You must know so much, and perhaps you even saw Vinland! He tries to coax you to talk more as he talks about his day and other random things.

"Then where does everyone who wants to run away from here... go?"

"One day we'll both go to Vinland. I am sure that you can lead me there."

"Thors took away my weapon. He told me that I didn't have any enemies. Halfdan seemed pretty evil to me. Wouldn't he be your enemy?"

"I almost got attacked by the sheep hybrid today just because I took his animal fur blanket! I was going to give it back. Just borrowing."

"I want to have some of that bread we had a few weeks ago. It was really, really good. There isn't anymore of it. Not a lot of crops grow here. The snow and stuff make it hard on the plants."

● Another week passes as you regain some of your mobility, and Thorfinn leads you out towards an empty warship. He leads you into the water and tells you to follow the ship as it moves. So you do.

● You were already getting anxious enough to be in one place for so long. Hunters never seem far behind in these lands, and you had a really high bounty on your head.

● You had no one then. You have Thorfinn now. So you follow him underneath the waves with immense difficulty. Your injuries aren't completely healed, and you can barely use your water magic. You are six; what does the world expect of you?

● You end up swimming under the water near a rock formation. You feel the hairs on your slimy skin stand up as you shriek. The underwater world goes dark as, above the water, a battle is raging.

● Thorfinn's life passed in the blink of an eye as he watched his father die at the hands of this vile man.

● In that moment, something breaks inside of him. That innocent expression on his face is now nothing but crestfallen hopelessness. He searches for a sign that you are alive under the water.

A single sign may save him from the hatred he is drowning in.

You're gone.

You disappeared.

You abandoned him.

Did you?

That innocence within him drowns under the tsunami of fury now ever present within. He will murder that man, as it is only his right.

Not just for his father, but for whatever happened to you.

[splendidissimus]

late 2001 - Petty

((Content warning: kidnapping, implied torture, caretaker turned whumper, whumper turned whumpee))

((Promptspiration: @whumptober 2023: day 20: "You're going to regret touching him." ))

((In response to the escaped Death Eater incident.))

Genre: whump

Romance level: none

Angst level: 1/5

Draco's headspace: --

((words: ~500))

------------------------------------

"I should thank you," Lucius said in the darkness, "for demonstrating just how simple it is to get a person out of Azkaban, now that the guards are merely human." 

He lit the lamp hanging from the ceiling. Dim firelight descended on the low earthen room, casting eerie shadows over Rowle, who was just starting to sit up in bleary confusion. Lucius stood on the bottom stair, looking down on him. 

Rowle looked around quickly to get his bearings, and recognition came with a hiss. The lamp was new, but otherwise the cellar was perfectly familiar. "Lucius." He clambered to his feet, but, unarmed, was too wary to advance yet.

Thorfinn Rowle was a Nordic giant of a man, with several inches on Lucius and built to match. The sight of it stoked the furnace of cold fury inside him. He had turned that strength wholly against a man fifteen years his junior and half his size… desperately ill… deprived of his medications… terrified, starved, neglected, physically weak and mentally fragile…

"It might interest you to know what your life is worth," he said mildly, savouring the anger like an old wine, letting it swirl around his mind and colour his perceptions. "Well, not your life; that has no value. But the going price of an Azkaban guard with the skill and leeway to extract a prisoner." 

"It doesn't matter, Malfoy. You've got your kid, let's just—"

He interrupted like he couldn't even hear him wheedling. "Fifteen thousand galleons." 

Rowle jerked taut and snarled. "You petty ponce—"

As well he might. He had been demanding only ten thousand in ransom for Draco. 

"The word you're looking for is 'angry'," he said coldly. "Very, very angry." 

Rowle was realising his situation now, recognising that he needed to try to escape. His eyes darted over the room, found only the stairs, and calculated that he might be able to make it; he lunged suddenly, aiming to knock him aside and run. Probably much like Draco must have done when he first found himself here. With an almost languid flick, Lucius lifted his wand and froze Rowle in place. 

Although, the wand was not his, precisely — there were some things it wouldn't do to have traceable back to one's own wand. 

"Twenty-nine days," he said, as he stepped off the stair. Rowle could hear and watched him with only his eyes, but could not move as he approached. "Twenty-nine days you held my son in this," he glanced around with the mildest sneer, "wretched hole. Yet he managed to survive you. What do you think that's worth?" He spun the disposable wand lightly against his fingertip, looking him over. 

"Twenty-nine hours of the Cruciatus?" Rowle's eyes took on a frantic look, darting around the cellar. 

"Twenty-nine pieces of you that don't need to be attached?" Rowle's eyes flinched back toward him, fear feigning defiance. 

"Or shall we just see if you can make it to thirty?" 

[cosmicjoke]

Some Issues I have with Vinland Saga

“Vinland Saga” is truly a masterpiece, and I love it to bits.  But I do have one criticism of it, which I’ve talked about before, and that’s how, at points, the story and the unfolding events in the story are forced and shaped to serve and fit the theme, rather than the other way around, letting the theme be shaped by the story’s events, letting the themes grow organically, or naturally.  Further, I feel that sometimes the story is so adamant in pushing its theme of peace over violence, pushing the notion that all conflict can be resolved through peaceful means, that it often resolves those conflicts without real consequence, in order to show the rightness and correctness of choosing a peaceful path.  And this can, at times, make for boring story telling.  Because often Thorfinn isn’t losing anything by choosing the peaceful path.  There often aren’t any consequences to him refusing to engage in violence, or any long lasting consequences, anyway, while on the other hand, there’s almost always consequences to him choosing violence over other means, which creates an unrealistic imbalance in the story.  Thorfinn’s never been placed in a position, for example, where if he didn’t engage in violence, someone close to him would die, absolutely.  He’s never been forced to take and test his philosophy of pacifism under any sort of extreme, and it paints what can come across as fantastical idealism over otherwise very grim and bleak realities.  The worst case of this, I think, is the conflict with Canute on Ketil’s farm, and how by simply making Canute laugh, Thorfinn is able to dissuade him from forcibly taking the farmland, and in turn, that leads to Canute disbanding his standing army in Norway.  All this after Canute had been engaging in some seriously mercenary and cruel actions in order to consolidate his power (assassinating his own brother, for example).  It felt like a glaring character shift for Canute, and while I understand that it was done as a means to demonstrate the effectiveness of negotiation and communication versus violence, it felt way too easy, and thus, smacked of falsity.  Another example is how Thorfinn is able to just get the Jomsviking’s to disband without much effort, just a half-hearted threat by Thorkill through order of the King, when before the Jomsviking’s had been shown to be a self-governing body of warriors who took orders from no one save their appointed leader.  Now of course, Thorfinn WAS their leader, for all of five seconds up to that point, but his authority was hardly established, and they even began to revolt before Thorkill intervened, which was, as “Vinland Saga” has tended to in it’s later arcs, played to comedic effect.  Once again, it felt like a forced resolution in service of the theme, rather than any legitimate effort to convey how peaceful resolutions can in fact work over violence or strong arming.  Then of course there’s the horrible character shift of Halfdin, and how he goes from a deliberately cruel and violent slave owner to a sort of lovable father who only pretends to be scary.  I get it.  The reality of the world is hardly so ideal, and very often, tragically, no peaceful resolution can be found to real world conflicts, and so we can’t realistically expect a manga artist to come up with believable solutions to problems which no human in history ever, really has.  But then, that’s sort of the problem too, that “Vinland Saga” wants so badly to send the message of peace over violence, and that war is bad, that it doesn’t often want to acknowledge the inconvenient reality that more often than not, when someone is really intent on violence, on waging war, they can’t be talked out of it, and violence then becomes the only solution.  I think probably the greatest, successful example of this in story telling of course is “Attack on Titan”, which more brilliantly than just about anything both shows us the horrors and tragedy of war and violence, without giving in to an idealistic or fantastical depiction of the world, in which all problems can be solved through peace.  It doesn’t undermine the tragedy of violence or war by doing this, but rather emphasizes it, through forcing us to face its inevitability. 

I know this sounds harsh, and I don’t mean it to.  Like I said, I adore “Vinland Saga”, and think it’s one of the best manga’s and anime’s I’ve ever been privileged enough to read and watch.  It’s legitimately made me cry more than once, and I’m about as attached to Thorfinn as a character as I’ve ever been to anyone.  But it’s not perfect, and particularly, the way it sometimes forces the harsh realities of it’s subject matter to fit the theme of pacifism over violence can be jarring and disingenuous, which is a shame, given the emotional weight and beauty of the rest of the story. 

I think the current arc in the New World has the potential to be the best arc, if it actually follows through on real history, and we see how relations between the Native American’s and the European settlers would eventually degrade over time, and how, inevitably, conflict would break out between them.  I think so far it’s doing a great job of conveying those problems.  It would be infinitely more interesting to see Thorfinn thrown into a situation where peaceful negotiation simply won’t work, and what he does in said situation, whether he can morally hold to his vow of non-violence, or whether he’s forced to choose between his vow and the life of someone he loves, for example, or the people under his leadership and care, and, if he does choose to hold to his vow and ends up having to pay a heavy price for it, what that then does to him as a result.  I just think that, sometimes at least, there should be some real consequences to Thorfinn’s refusal to fight, or his refusal to kill.  It would heighten the emotional stakes of the story big time, and make for more realistic and dramatic story telling.  It would help us to better understand Thorfinn’s own burden as well, to see the emotional and mental sacrifice he’s making by actually choosing pacifism over violence, if that decision has some real consequences for him and for others, and leads to him actually losing something important.  “Vinland Saga” can sometimes feel like there’s no real stakes involved because it wants so badly to convey the idea that violence is always bad, and it tries to convey that message by showing that everything can be resolved through communication and peaceful means.  But that’s just not true to reality, and in a story which revolves so much around reality, which takes place in such a real world setting, that can sometimes do the story itself a disservice.

This is all just my opinion, of course, and nobody has to agree.  Please don’t attack me for stating these things.  Like I said, I’m as big a fan of “Vinland Saga” as anyone, and I wish it was more popular than it is, because it absolutely deserves to be. 

[itoendme]

was having a conversation with my sister about stories that have a strong moral and how often the need to convey that moral takes depth away from characters and diminishes the emotional resonance media consumers have with them (my sister mentioned this as the reason she often has trouble engaging with satire), and since vinland saga is obviously a story with strong themes and a moral message, i feel the need to go into depth about it from this perspective.

some stories fall into the trap of putting the message over the actual characters, and some, like candide by voltaire even do this on purpose. now im not going to say that candide is bad, because it’s not. it certainly accomplishes its goal, conveys its messages, and does so in an entertaining manner. it’s also not preachy, as it critiques aspects of society rather than pushing a moral, however, it can be hard to become invested in it because the characters are purposefully one dimensional. they exist solely to convey a message instead of standing on their own, and that diminishes possibility for readers to have an emotional connection to the work.

and then there’s other stories (especially shounen like fairy tail, bnha, etc.) that straight up contradict their own messages by preaching about love and friendship then launching into a tournament arc, and i dont think i even have to explain why that takes away from a story. the point is that building a story around a strong message is a risky move because it’s hard to execute well.

i think vinland saga works so well because the moral message is so character driven. it’s easy to just say that violence is wrong. okay, sure. everyone has heard that before, but the reason we as the audience believe it is because thorfinn is such a well-developed and thoroughly human character. it literally shows thors telling thorfinn that violence is wrong and that he doesn’t have any enemies, but thorfinn doesn’t believe that until he has the realization for himself. being told something and believing it are two very different things, and vinland saga is aware of that.

we see thorfinn develop though trauma, we see him succumb to violence himself for his own self gain and for the sake of others, and we learn through him. see my pinned essay for a more in depth analysis about why thorfinn is such a good character because i don’t want to take up too much space here, but what im getting at is that the message is compelling because thorfinn is compelling. without layered characters and an engaging story, a message is useless. that would be like writing a thesis statement and calling it an essay.

writing a story centered around a moral, social, or political commentary isn’t wrong. in fact, when done well, it can add to a story, like i think us the case with vinland saga. the problem only arises when something becomes so preachy that the story and characters suffer.

[kraftpunk2763]

it's not completely crazy to say that Askeladd and Thorfinn have a father/son dynamic, but it's not a happy one. Thorfinn denies that they have any relationship outside of enmity, but he's a delusional character at that point, so no need to pay attention. Askeladd could be speculated to have all kinds of feelings for Thorfinn, but his actions indicate indifference, annoyance, and only the occasional respect or liking. Askeladd's tragedy stems from the fact that he was only able to become the kind of person he could have been all along in death. he's shown to be an intelligent man, not just cunning, but also thoughtful. however, no matter how philosophical he was, he was still living as a warrior, despite how much he epoused to hate the norsemen. it was in his final moments that he passed on to Thorfinn that possibility of freedom from the violence and pointless waste of their society.

I didn't see it this way the first time I read Vinland Saga, but Thorfinn obviously became attached to Askeladd. I just question whether that's something which should be treated as "cute." it's sad. his horror over Askeladd's death isn't really out of some deep love for the man. it was a repetition of the trauma he went through on losing his real father, a realization that even if he had killed Askeladd himself, it wouldn't have made anything better. he lost his purpose in life and watched someone who raised him die before his very eyes, a second time. he was so deeply hurt that he wasn't able to process his feelings, at all, and in fact hadn't been dealing with his feelings for years.

once he let go of his hatred and began to rebuild his life, he finally gained a new perspective on Askeladd. but it's not as simple as Thorfinn just thinking of him as a father figure. getting into his headspace, I think Thorfinn would feel regret that he hadn't listened to Askeladd when the man tried to get through to him. he would feel sadness over the life Askeladd lived, now that he's able to have empathy for him as a human being. he would recognize his childhood attachment to this man who was his enemy. canonically, even though he forgives Askeladd, he still feels uneasy and unhappy when he realizes how much of an influence the man had on his life.

[absolutebearings]

this month in i cant believe how fucking bad this thing i used to enjoy got so i salt about it in my enrichment enclosure for catharsis

as far as hild is aware all ivar did was protect his leader from being fucking murdered, and yet she still wants to kill him, because he's an Enemy Of Peace. we can guess why yukimura isn't making her try to murder the actual perpetrator, even though he changed shit around so a native american was the one initiating conflict -- because showing a white invader murdering a native american looks pretty bad, and he's done so much work to make sure the colonizers are presented in the best possible light, this would flush all that down the toilet. EVEN THOUGH THATS LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SOURCE HES MANGLING. a norseman murders a native american and there's no possible way to justify it as defense, they weren't defending against a random attack but lashing out at a defenseless innocent because their presence in a land that didn't want them was making them paranoid. but we gotta stack things in the colonizers favor so thorfinn speaking Wisely about compromise seems reasonable and not horrifying in context.

this fucking sucks in so many ways -- why is it hild, the person who chased thorfinn across the world for years to make sure he never murdered again, who is the one to instantly jump into solving this with murder despite the fact that there IS NO WAR RIGHT NOW. if vs is trying to make some point about the corrosive nature of violence hild is a poor choice considering she just had her big moment of forgiving the psycho who slaughtered her family a few chapters ago and none of this has been seeded in her personality at all. being open to negotiation in her opening scene is proof she didn't really have the will to murder, and after being 'talked down' she made it a very specific point not to kill the person who wronged her unless he proved through ACTION that he couldn't be trusted to leave innocent people alone -- but she's going to now murder someone for 1. defending thorfinn even tho she doesn't think thorfinn needed it 2. being sus. THATS IT!!! he didn't even kill the guy who attacked thorfinn, just cut off his hand

FOLD A BIT WHERE??? all they have been doing since you assholes showed up is accommodate you!!! what ground do they even have left to give you fucking plague of a human?? standing in land you mutilated talking about how the people you elbowed aside to fuck with it are going to have to give you even more????? fUCK this guy, and fuck every single descendant of colonizers making excuses for this abysmal fucking story. all pacifism really does in this shitass manga is make our selfish shithead protag feel better about his many atrocities and remove the capacity for people to deny him things that he wants by infusing that desire with moral authority. it serves no other function.

lmao einar stops being a satellite mouthpiece for 2 seconds and thats enough to record scratch so we can really marinate in how Disappointed thorfinn is to be questioned about his wise pronouncements >:[ i thought u were better than this einar. thinking about hypotheticals is Ebil.

'force'. 'have to'. that this repulsive asshole thinks he has any ground to FORCE these people into a compromise that allows him to consolidate his gains is indication there is a void where his sense of morality should be. it doesn't matter how hard the author puts his thumb on the scales trying to make him look like a paragon, how many wise speeches he stuffs in thorfinn's mouth about how violents is bad, he cant hide the reeking entitlement inherent to colonization.

i cant even console myself that the native americans are going to drive these greedy assholes out and tell stories for hundreds of years about how strangers from the sea are not to be trusted like what happened in real life, because the author has been complaining on twitter about how he doesn't want to end things on a 'depressing note' as he's afraid his fans will be mad at him for finally showing real unflattering history. he wants to change everything into a happily ever after ending, is it because after years of plying them with the good colonist fantasy he doesn't think any of them are equipped to deal with the truth? one wonders. i mean why else would he think they would be mad at him? and i know i've been complaining about since it started -- that this kind of writing isn't harmless. i want to him to course correct but he doesn't even seem to notice the problem in what he's writing, and i'm not convinced he'd care if anyone made him aware of how offensive this is. i'm being obnoxious and i can't stop myself, its just -- history matters, THIS history matters, what really happened is important to understand, and it could have been a good story too

[faroreswinds]

Interesting how edel fans seem to hate Dimitri’s character arc when it’s a less fleshed out version of Thorfinn from Vinland Saga, which I have seen nothing but praise for. (I recommend it, it’s a good manga) I find the tacit “if you do not meet my standards in any way I will consider you the scum of the earth” concerning. A refusal to let people grow and change, for better or for worse, is not a sign of a healthy society, IMO.

It's a current trend in transformative fandom - and online spaces in general - that if you not adhere to a very specific mindset or values, then you are one of the worst people on the planet.

Culture and society are not stagnant - expectations on proper societal behavior will always change. But people have always had specific expectations of others. What is happening now is not much different than... well, humanity has always been.

The difference now is with the advent of the internet, sharing your views and seeking out those who don't is easier than ever before. Witch hunts continue, just the type of burn the victims get presently is the one where they are relentlessly bullied until they give in to the aggressors. And in some cases, have their lives ruined. Basically, a societal death rather than a more permanent one.

[notachair]

lmao not me realizing all the trailers passed me by XD so here's me reacting to each trailer

Info: caught up with the manga, tho not really any spoilers

Einar & Thorfinnnnn my brotherssss

that "they're beasts, monsters in human skin" with tiny thorfinn's blank look a tiny child body standing in a burning battlefield 👌

I see which scenes they're putting their money into

bless, the anime made his scruffy looks look good XD lowkey gonna miss scruffy manga Thorfinn (admittedly while reading it even for a second time I was "I'm looking forward to seeing that fucking beard gone")

the moth thing is still so fucking hilarious

bruh what are they using all the best lines and moments in even one trailer for?

a-anime Snake 😳

fucking Canute. 😒 and omg short haired Canute!

!! more Canute scenes???? 👀

Ulf!

Who's that redhead being crowned? Harald? OMG THAT MEANS-?? 🥺 (fuck.) better see more of that sister. 😒

I see some I thought to be blondes are redheads here but glad about that small diversity

Oh that eye thing fancy

May we get a Canute in his seat resting/sleeping with a book over his face? 👉👈

Head time.

that "from today on you'll be friends" and about though it's literal, that combined with "cultivate, invest, harvest it" <3

Omgggggg more young Thorfinn scenessss

Also just, the cut on his ear is different now

*splat* (could say something more profound but I choose not to try articulate it)

Einar utilizing that macho voice, investing in Thorfinn's life and will to live.

Bro. 🥺 -

- Bro. 🥹

AAAHHH THE OP SONG!! I'm liking it, the vibe is certainly something

yesyes give me more flashback of that rabid kiddo

oh. looking back. it's thorfinn pov. it reminds me of a fight I read when I caught up just this weekend, it was interesting. I thought that way of visualizing it was a rather cool choice

sister gets to talk now, interesting how that line is framed there, true enough I guess thorfinn come over to make him laugh

those conehead brothers, are they emphasizing it? XD

ah those brothers huh. call that a Wake Me Up (vIOleNCE edition)

you're making me dizzy with those waves man

them dehydrated muscles 🥵 /s

"The strong kills the weak, it's only natural" 🧐S3 material (it was thorfinn saying that right?)? cause like, bruh-

idk what's up with that last frame of Thorfinn but yea he angsty (can I just gush about how I love how we gradually saw him become more expressive and smiley throughout the manga? like- 🥺 that's it mate)

RISE UP LIKE A PHOENIX- okay I just... yea... I've hyped myself up for this season and I'm genuinely so excited, the first 2 eps sticks very closely to the manga still so ✨

"I'm going to be reborn" + image of rising a farming tool to start making a field = farmland saga being all about "cultivating, investing and harvesting" a better You from the ashes of your former self that forms your heavy cloak

They really did get that beard looking thick huh, it's interesting. Like, the scruff in the manga made it sorta hard to see the connection between pre and post scruff face as "just add scruff to the face" cause it changed his face so much. Also damn does that make him look older than he is when it's a full beard, mate's like 19-22, sis did a good decision with that one.

This ED gets me fucking teary okay

💅

glad we're doing the falling thing, tho OP be drowning

CRISP, 1. literally and 2. not, in that order

imagine if Thorfinn did a manbun instead (oh- now I lowkey wanna draw a joke w the ponytail)

Pretty Thors profile with the contrast and other highlight (hm. imagine if he gained that same wavy gene)

Pretty eyes Canute what else is newt

Yes cry it out! 💪

I need my boys to cry it out together, bless 🙏

okay but oboi those parallels/foils with Canute this arc

[guideaus]

i noticed the vinland saga anime makes einar more aggressive which feels weird when it's his first day working with thorfinn lol. in the manga it feels our more optimistic and good-faithed einar's trying to have thorfinn support him in informing of them not being treated well, while in the anime einar has a much shorter temper and is yelling at thorfinn, almost like thorfinn's getting in the way of einar's freedom.

after snake's intro, the anime adds a completely new conversation: einar expressing how he knows cruel men dont think of weak people as human and that snake's men would kill them if snake didnt stop them, and thorfinn dispassionately says its inevitable, and anime einar gets mad. i personally think it'd be ooc for thorfinn at that point to have said that (not that he wouldnt think that, but elaborating it like that sounds like he's conscious of the fact he's given up, when i think he's just been running on autopilot), but einar there getting angry at him for saying that is, again, weird.

the anime also adds a scene where einar outright tells him what he should say (compared to complaining that hes not doing smth), and thorfinn doesnt say anything, which makes him seem purposely stubborn instead of just being a fucked up person that doesnt even understand a non-harmful action done to him. the scene also doesnt make sense when the chapter where this happens in the manga, einar embarrassed says "you could at least say thanks or something!" and thorfinn agrees and says it back, having learned it.

einar continues being baffled by thorfinn's attitude, and in ch 60 i think its important he spends most of it deciding what to make of thorfinn, which the anime kind of keeps, but instead we now have a suspicious einar making bad faith assumptions of a clearly depressed guy who has been honest in answering einar's questions.

i already said why i strongly disagree with this entire scene, and i still feel that way. it sucks the anime turned our new protag who is supposed to be an opposite of thorfinn, into a character like the rest and not even acknowledge it.

i noticed einar in the anime is a bit less full of life, though in comparison to the rest of the cast, he's probably still regarded as most optimistic, but he does have kind of a different vibe. einar's intro in the manga feels like he's very willing to lend sympathy and isnt afraid to ask for it and feel entitled to being treated fairly, while anime einar kinda gets to the point of being angry much quicker, which he wouldnt do with someone similar to him, as shown by his ability to not take his anger out on thorfinn. his perceptiveness in judging others for fairness is turned into him looking for reasons to fuel his hate and an inability to understand, and einar in the anime ends up yelling at thorfinn to be grateful to be alive instead of showing thorfinn kindness. its very disappointing how much the anime changed him and then acted like they didnt later

[4seasonsofart]

Hunter or the Hunted? | Hybrid Askeladd

● Askeladd is at the top of the hybrid hierarchy and is well aware of that. He stands at a proud 5'7" and is one of the mightiest hybrids there is— a griffin hybrid. The physical attributes he attained from being a griffin hybrid are a set of larger than average eagle wings, a medium-sized lion's tail, and retractable talons. He has thicker body hair than most, which has caused a thin layer of fur to occasionally grow on his body (he doesn't quite care enough to shave it off; he's proud of it).

-> Hybrid Heirarchy: Mythological Hybrids (Askeladd), Apex Predator Hybrids, Predator Hybrids, Omniclass Hybrids, Prey Hybrids, Plant Hybrids

● He uses the fact that he is at the top of the hybrid hierarchy against a lot of people. It is an effective bargaining tool and is even better used when instilling fear in the band's enemies. He often has to watch fights go down in between various hybrids in the band. He just watches. He knows the prejudices against him and those below him and will use them as a manipulation tactic. Never gets into the political side of things, as they are Viking warriors and not those high-end nobles.

● As a Griffin hybrid, he enjoys open spaces and places that don't have harsh winds. His wings are pristine and very hard to maintain, as they easily get ruffled. You should never even get him started on his shedding.

● Thorfinn has gotten a feather in his mouth one or two times and threatened to skin him like a chicken if it happened again. 

● "Baldy, if one of your stupid chicken feathers hits me in the face again, I will skin you alive—painfully." Thorfinn doesn't know the difference between a chicken and an eagle.

● The Griffin species is known to live anywhere from two hundred fifty to five hundred years. The variation in age range comes from the fact that there are only three Griffin hybrids in the entire world, and human explorers still haven't done much research on them.

● With that said, his physical senses are still as strong as they were when he was younger. He is barely an adult in Griffin terms. They have been known to reach adulthood around fourty-five to fifty years old. With this context in mind, Askeladd is only forty-four.

-> Sight: 10/10

° Able to see to up to twenty miles.

-> Hearing: 9/10

° Able to hear up to fifteen miles.

-> Smell: 9.5/10

° Able to smell up to fifteen miles.

-> Taste: 9/10

-> Touch: 8.5/10

● His scent is always painstakingly strong and overwhelming. It is quite a musky scent with hints of applewood and vanilla. The spring and summer months cause his scent to become more musky. When fall and winter come along, his scent decreases in intensity, and he smells more like the dormant trees around him.

● He has a wing span of about 9 meters (30 feet). The average male griffin hybrid wingspan is around 7 meters (22 feet). The average female griffin hybrid wingspan is about 8 meters (26 feet). The female griffins have naturally adapted to have larger wingspans, as they are more coveted among hunters and those who wish to own hybrids. Askeladd had a slight mutation in his genes, which caused his abnormally wide wing span (even among griffin hybrids).

● His wings are strong enough to create winds up to almost seventy miles per hour.

● Yes, his wings are incredibly strong but also very sensitive. Any change in temperature or sensation on his wings can cause either great discomfort or joy. His wings can get easily cramped if he folds them into his back, which is why they are always slightly out.

● He has the ability to talk to birds, and it is quite amusing. They will often land on him, and he will use them as scouts for the band.

● He also has the mind-reading and telepathic abilities that all mythological hybrids have. It makes it easy to discern who is a friend and who is a foe in this world. People's intentions aren't exactly secret to him. It is rumored that he has these powers among the band, but he never gives them a straight answer. Only Bjorn knows of these two abilities and is careful of what he thinks around Askeladd. Although Askeladd has assured him that he would never read Bjorn's mind unless given consent, he respects his second in command that much. He is often tempted to know what goes on in that man's mind but always asks instead.

● His retractable talons help him whenever he needs to cut something or someone. He has used them on the battlefield many times when he was without a weapon. They are sharper than any human blade and could leave a scratch on steel. Occasionally, he does have to trim them to make sure they don't grow out too long.

● He holds great disdain for any male hunters, humans, or the vile ones that try to own hybrids. His 'father' was one of the human scum that captured his griffin mother. He will never forget the Hel she was put through. He will never forgive humans for those atrocities. However, put in a situation where he must be cordial with one of them, he will, while secretly plotting their downfall with a passive expression.

● He does hold a softer spot for human women and other gender-nonconforming humans (as long as they do not try to own hybrids). He has spent his fair share of nights with human women. They always know how to treat a hybrid.

● He gets his soft spot from his younger years, when he was briefly cared for by a Viking human woman. He had been attacked by hunters and was saved by a female one. She taught him that not all humans were the same, and a select few were able to show kindness. He held some romantic feelings for her, but alas, the Norns are so cruel. It is a story he has never told anyone and doesn't want to get into.

● Flaunts himself during the spring and becomes very territorial toward his band. No one is safe as long as he is in season. He has the instincts of an eagle and a lion; let that sink in. So yes, he does like to build nests.

● He also has over twenty illegitimate children, and none of them are griffin hybrids. They are a strange amalgamation; hybrid genetics work strangely. He isn't even aware that he is the father of that many kids. However, it is probably better that way, as having to raise over twenty children at once would be a nightmare for him. He already has his band that he has to deal with, not to mention the prince and Thorfinn.

● Don't get him started on the headaches those two cause him.

● He had to hold himself back the time a man tried to buy Thorfinn. As interesting as it would have been if he actually went through with it, he was just unable to. He would only ever subject his worst enemy to being treated like a pet, like a slave. Nothing more than a toy that someone uses as a state symbol until they get bored and then locks away on their highest shelf. He went father mode on that man after Thorfinn was dragged away by Bjorn—to prevent him from killing the buyer.

● "Your services are not and will never be needed. I heavily suggest you never show your face around my band again unless you want to lose it."

● That man's face went white as snow, and he threatened to have Askeladd hunted down before immediately turning around and running away. Bjorn had a fun time hunting down the buyer with Askeladd, per his request. It wasn't very hard, as the buyer was just a human male. It sent a clear message to anyone who had the gall to try to buy one of his band members. Even the most annoying one.

● He has a very strong sense of justice, despite being a Viking raider. Those two sides of him are always quarreling over the morality of his actions. His griffin side is the little angel on his shoulder. His Viking side is the little devil on the other side of his shoulder.

● He is a mighty and proud hybrid, if not just as flawed and broken as anyone else. He has lived a life ranging from hating humans for owning him to learning to love one of them, if only temporarily. Human women have become his vice so as to fill that hole that such a human made. He will flaunt himself and use his status to his advantage while leading his band and raiding, as it is his birth right. He is still waiting for the day when Lucius Artorius Castus may come and save the hybrids from their human enemies.

[translationandbetrayals]

You Have No Enemies: The Brilliance in Vinland Saga’s Prologue

At surface level, the story written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura seems pretty much as another typical Shonen manga. A tale in which we expect to see lots of fighting, lots of violence, lots of epic moments, and lots of cheesy but uplifting dialogue between its characters in general. Moments that will surely have us at the edge of our seat and impatient to see what happens next, just how it has always been very common in this art expression since its early foundation, nowadays being one of the media’s most recognizable and if not most important characteristic.

As though Vinland Saga may seem like --and at times be-- this type of manga, the truth is that we are in the presence of something even more than that. A journey that goes through many complex and dark themes like war; hatred, revenge, and cold-blooded violence, but also one that in its core, its ultimately about human empathy, healing, and redemption.

Set on the Viking Age (793-1066 AD) --specifically at the very start of the 11th century-- we are introduced to the story of Thors, a Norseman who used to be part of the Vikings’ considered elite warrior group, the Jomsvikings, until one day, he suddenly deserted. The reason for his escape was simple: he wanted to live a quiet life far from the flames of war, in order to take care of his family and dedicate his life to them. However, it would be this humble and kind desire what would also bring him his demise. Leaving the Jomsvikings was considered treason, and even more aggravating of this was the fact that they were tricked by their own strongest warrior into believing he was dead, when he wasn’t. Thus, the Jomsvikings sought land and sea looking for him, ultimately finding him and killing him.

Its sad how Thors’ only wish was to live a peaceful life; to get away from the violent and hopeless Viking world, but not even escaping to the farthest and coldest land in all the Norse territory was enough for him to fulfil it. This sets the tone of the story, as we are also presented to a character who watches this great warrior die in front of his eyes, and that will angrily and blindly seek revenge on his death, until he later realizes where the true fight resides.

Thorfinn Karlsefni is the son of Thors, and so he is the protagonist of this story. By the time he watched his dad being murdered, he had already received the most important --and last-- wisdom that he could have received from his now deceased father.

These words from Thors were said to Thorfinn in an interesting and specific situation, where the child was digging into his father's belongings, finding a dagger which the warrior rapidly takes away from him after catching him by surprise. Thorfinn --as probably most of the kids who grew in this culture-- idolized war. He is seen playing with his friends with wooden swords and shields, pretending that they kill each other in the most innocent and childish way possible. Thorfinn saw his father, a big and strong man that everyone respected, but couldn’t understand how he was so pacifist. Hardly was the kid expected to understand those words considering what had just happened, ignoring them completely because he was blinded; filled with burning rage and a revenge desire. All Thorfinn wanted to do now was to kill Askeladd, the man that took his father’s life. And so, he devotes himself to it, joining along this man’s mercenary crew with the objective of one day dueling him and getting justice on his father's name.

For exactly 53 chapters, it appears everyone is right and Thors was wrong. Violence is the only way. There’s nothing else that can resist it, and nothing else is as useful against it but more and more of it. The fifty-fourth chapter is called "End of the Prologue", where Askeladd sacrifices himself for a specific reason, and Thorfinn loses --once again-- right in front of him the one purpose for which he’s been living. Our protagonist is then enslaved and sent to work on a farm and, now a shell of himself, he has constant nightmares about the people he killed and the crimes he committed during his sailing days with these brutal mercenary Vikings, hallucinating with mountains of corpses and having constant panic attacks as well.

This right here is where the real story starts, and therefore why Vinland Saga’s prologue is brilliant, because it shows us that this is not the tale of how a boy avenges his father, or even the tale of honorable Viking warriors how chapters from 1-54 hint, but a tale of how a shattered; traumatized boy must live with the legacy of violence that has been perpetuated on him, and which he himself has perpetuated. It’s about breaking free of this legacy, about recovery, and about trying to do better and be better in a brutal and murderous world.

At last, ninety chapters and almost fifteen in-story years later, Thorfinn finally understands what his father meant.

-Joaquín Romo.

[metalandmagi]

Summer 2019 Anime Worth Watching

Summer is here, and with it brings another new season of anime! In case you’re feeling lost and want to find some new shows to pass the time, here’s some of the anime I think are worth checking out...because some really good shows tend to fly under the radar. I think there’s some genuinely interesting stuff this season, so hopefully you’ll find something you like too. 

I also have a Winter list and a Spring list and a fall list now!

And here’s my master list for 2020

New Shows!

Given: A *cough* BL *cough* romance anime in which tsundere highschool guitarist Ritsuka Uenoyama is on the verge of losing his passion for music when he stumbles upon the sleepy-eyed Mafuyu Sato who constantly carries a guitar around that he doesn’t know how to play. Drama and musical shenanigans ensue. This was by far my most anticipated show of the season, because I happen to have read a few chapters of this manga and liked it a lot. The only reason I stopped was because I wanted to hear the music in this music oriented story...so naturally the anime makes me very happy. Not only is it sweet and cute with great animation, but it’s also hilarious. Sato is also basically a human incarnation of a lost puppy, and you just help but fall in love with him and the other characters! AND NOW WE HAVE TWO GAY MUSIC SHOWS THIS SEASON! 

Dr. STONE: An action adventure anime that takes place 3,700 years in the future after the world is struck with a mysterious phenomenon that turns the entire human race to stone. Our protagonists: the genius, scientific minded Senku Ishigami and the muscle-y comic relief Taiju Oki, must find a way to rebuild civilization and turn humanity back to normal using the POWER OF SCIENCE! It’s fun, good looking, and way more interesting than I thought it would be. I’m not very attached to the main characters yet, although it’s still early. I’m mainly sticking around for the plot, the comedy, and the answers to the crazy amount of questions I have after watching the first episode!

Fire Force: An action/drama where super powered fire fighters must protect Tokyo from people who are spontaneously combusting while our hero Shinra must find out who started the fire that killed his mother. More than anything, I’d say this show is definitely worth watching for the cinematography and action because almost every second has been high flying dynamic animation that really grips you. It reminds me a lot of Soul Eater, the story and characters have a lot of potential, and you know an anime will be good when the girls have muscles too!

If it’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord: Can you tell it’s based on a light novel? A slice of life set in a fantasy world where an adventurer named Dale stumbles upon an adorable lost little girl in the woods, who happens to be branded as a criminal. So of course Dale basically adopts her and tries to find out how she came to be with him. It’s basically fantasy School Babysitters without the tragic depth to it (but there’s room for potential). Yes, this is definitely the most wholesome show of the season, but it’s to be expected considering it’s basically Japan’s latest attempt to get people to have more babies. Personally, the most interesting aspect of this show is the fact that Dale and his “daughter” can’t speak the same language. Unfortunately, the light novel ends up pulling a Bunny Drop...so I sincerely hope the anime doesn’t try the creepy romance factor. So for now, if you feel like puking up some rainbows, give this one a try. 

To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts: An action drama where, during a civil war, one side used “forbidden technology” to enhance their soldiers and basically turn them into badass monsters. The only problem: the soldiers who were turned start to lose their humanity and end up killing humans for the fun of it. Now our protagonist must hunt down his fellow soldiers and kill them before it’s too late. Honestly, this show has some pacing issues and can be a bit stilted in terms of its character interactions, but what kept me watching was the last 5 minutes of the first episode. I was so not prepared for the roller coaster that was the first episode’s ending, and now I’m extremely intrigued. Besides it’s made by MAPPA so I would at least give it a couple episodes to see if it’s for you.   

Vinland Saga: The story of a young boy named Thorfinn’s journey to become a great warrior and while the adults deal with going to war. IT’S THE ONE WITH THE VIKINGS!!! It basically feels like a darker, grittier viking version of Moana. I’ve heard literally nothing but praise for this manga for so many years that my hopes skyrocketed as soon as I heard Wit was doing the adaption. And it has definitely lived up to the hype so far! It’s a great action historical drama to fill the void after Dororo. The only problem is no one will watch it because it’s on Amazon Prime.

Kochouki: Wakaki Nobunaga: A fun brightly colored historical anime about the famous warlord Nobunaga when he was a young teenager. I honestly don’t know what the tone of this anime is going to be from here on out, because it’s going to go from “fun thieving shenanigans with pretty boys” to leading people into battle, but it got me interested. I know putting Nobunaga in an anime isn’t exactly original, but this one seems like a fun ride...and it looks gay as fuck. 

And I have to shout out some that haven’t premiered yet...just in case...

Try Knights: This one doesn’t come out until the end of July, but you bet your ass I’m going to be watching it because it’s an original anime about PRETTY BOYS PLAYING RUGBY! And I have a feeling it’s going to be very... different from the other resident rugby anime All Out. 

Yokai Ningen BEM (Humanoid Monster BEM): Okay, this one’s not out yet either, but the trailer had a really cool vibe to it, so I’m including it anyway. It’s a remake of the 1968 anime in which a group of yokai who look like humans fight crime in the big city. If nothing else, the music is cool, and it’s made by Production I.G, so why not?

*UPDATE* The first episode finally dropped, and holy crap I’m so into this. It’s basically Durarara mixed with Psycho Pass mixed with Bungo Stray Dogs. The first episode has me completely hooked!

Next seasons and continuations!

As always there are some leftovers from the spring season that are continuing into the summer that I highly suggest!

Carole and Tuesday: The musical sci-fi anime directed by Shinichiro Watanabe wherein a rich runaway named Tuesday meets a streetwise girl named Carole, and the two decide to start a band together. Now Carole and Tuesday must rise to stardom in a world dominated by android created music. It was by far my favorite new show of the spring, and if you can find a way to watch it (because it’s still not available legally anywhere aside from Japanese Netflix apparently) I wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s got the best and most diverse music I’ve seen in an anime in a long time, an interesting setting (apparently it takes place in the Cowboy Bebop universe!?), and very well rounded fun characters. And I'm dying for a soundtrack release with all the songs!!!!

Fruits Basket 2019: Yes, the remake of the classic 2001 anime in which a girl moves in with a family who can turn into animals from the zodiac is getting a full run. And thank God because I just can’t say goodbye to it after only 12 episodes. It is so stunningly beautiful in both animation and story subjects that I don’t know what I would do without it. The characters feel so much more fleshed out, and I feel like I learn a lesson about life each week even though I already know most of what’s going to happen. If you never watched the original because thought you were too “cool” to watch a shoujo anime, give it a chance. Because if you think it’s just a generic love triangle romance show, you couldn’t be more wrong. The reboot is so good at portraying different kinds of love and how the presence of love and family can change lives AND IT’S JUST SO FREAKING GOOD! 

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba: In case you missed Ufotable’s newest project, this is a shounen anime that follows a young boy named Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko who has been possessed by a demon and their journey to turn Nezuko back to normal while fighting demons along the way. I still feel like this is a pretty basic shounen anime story wise, but I really like the characters, especially the villains. It has some of the coolest fighting/power mechanics I’ve seen in awhile, and the animation is very cool and different!

Ace of Diamond act 2: Our favorite shounen baseball anime is continuing into the summer. And I have very mixed feelings about this season so far. We are getting some fun new characters and some great scenes with the team, but the games are very...choppy and rushed. Apparently this is how it goes down in the manga, and we’re in for some good Sawamura development...but it’s still touch and go for me personally.  

That’s it for now. Most of these are available on Crunchyroll, except Vinland Saga, Carole and Tuesday, and Kochouki: Wakaki Nobunaga. Since Try Knights and Yokai Ningen BEM aren’t out yet, I don’t know where they will be available legally. 

See you next season!

[warlocks-and-warkeys]

Name: Thorfinn

Race/Class/Alignment: Neutral Human Variant Path of the Berserker Barbarian

Vitals: short and solidly built (maybe he’s not quite done growing yet? one can hope), with perpetually messy short blonde hair, brown eyes, light-skinned that is frequently wind-chapped or muddied with bruises and scrapes, dresses in multiple layers (he’s from a cold climate) and everything he owns looks well-used and rough around the edges and probably has some old bloodstains on it, a lot like him (art definitely not mine...basically pre-Kenshin-ified Thorfinn from Vinland Saga)

Personality: Thorfinn is twenty pounds of angry in a five pound bag. He has two modes: on or asleep. This boy does not know the meaning of the word “chill” beyond how to describe his homeland, and is the sort that the rest of the party decides to put a backpack leash on to keep him from charging off at whatever danger he can see in their path. He’s the sort that sleeps upright still holding his weapons with his back to a tree, and will leap onto and try to strangle anything that startles him awake. On the plus side, he’s at least a very specific kind of brave (i.e. doesn’t stop long enough to be scared of much), is a friend for life once he decides he likes someone, and doesn’t let adversity get him down. In fact once he makes his mind up to do something he’s more likely to die trying than give up on it. It’s not that he likes to fight, per se, he just has a god-awful hair-trigger temper and a stubborn streak a mile wild. He’s also quite content being left alone for some quiet time in those moments before he crashes like a toddler after a sugar high.

Bio: Every Viking story or film you’ve ever heard of. Dead family. Revenge quest. Took up with some local raiders. Yada yada etc.

Quote: (frenzied screaming in the distance)

Theme Song: “Do or Die” by Papa Roach

Play against type. Do a smol angry! :D

Not exactly an optimized build, since the dual-weapon thing doesn’t stack with the extra attacks from Frenzy, but whatever. It’s fun to play a tiny buzzsaw.