Vinland Saga Crew Talks Adapting the Manga to Anime
Vinland Saga is set to finally return with new episodes next year, as season two of the anime adaptation will arrive with Studio MAPPA taking the reins from Wit. In a recent interview, the creative minds behind the first season took the opportunity to break down a number of facets that they kept in mind in translating the manga to an anime of its own, with some of the elements that they kept in mind definitely coming as a surprise.
Head writer, Hiroshi Seko, dove into the challenges that arose when it came to creating scenes that originally didn't take place in the manga, especially when it came to making sure that Vinland Saga was true to its time period:
"We had to pay special attention when making the anime-original scenes. Say someone collapsed on the ground. In modern society, someone would apply first aid or call for help, but a Viking probably wouldn't. We kept that in mind all the time."
Adding to this, director Shuehi Yabuta further examined the idea of how vikings operated in the past and how these decisions would impact their series, which attempted to re-tell real-life events that, good and bad, helped forge the world that we know today:
"True. We had to bear in mind what kind of people the Vikings were. They formed military groups, certainly, but not well-disciplined, obedient ones. Instead, they were more like a gathering of individuals. And it was a strong sense of camaraderie toward an individual that brought them together. That's what Askeladd's band is like in Season One. We portrayed Askeladd as being able to take charge because others viewed him as powerful. We were also careful not to depict the supporting characters as overly dependent on their leader, as that would diminish their individual charm. We took a similar approach with the relationship between Snake and the Guests in Season Two, making their group seem less hierarchical."
What did you think of the first season of Vinland Saga? Do you think MAPPA will be able to live up to the high standard set by Wit? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Thorfinn and his fellow vikings.
Via The Official Website for Vinland Saga