English Dub Review: Vinland Saga: “Slave”

Overview: With Einar’s (Ian Sinclair) small village life destroyed, he must traverse how to find hope in the most harrowing of situations. 

Our Take: The sophomore season of the viking anime focuses on a farmer, Einar and his serene life with his mother and sister, tending to green pastures. They all have a playful, close-knit chemistry with each other that is endearing. 

His mom imparts wisdom to be appreciative for what they have and hopeful, if alive, despite his pessimism with the hardships they have faced, like burned lands and a deceased husband/father. It is a small bit of screen time they have together, but impactful in how she is utilized and the role she will play. 

A horrific attack upends that peaceful life with Danes killing his sister and mom in a distressing end. It is incredibly tragic, not only in their brutal deaths, but his mother’s commitment to those ideas, even on the brink of dying. The excerpt from Norse poem, Hávamál, is an effective narrative tool, expressing the utter desolation he does and will feel in having no family left.

Einar and the other slaves are nothing, but merchandisable products and abused when not submissive to their keepers, a grim fate. Although being given food, drink and a means of personal hygiene is nice for them, it will instill a surge of disgust in the vile reasons behind it. 

His mother’s lessons are effectively used in hope being lit within him, but flickering throughout with the inhumane ordeals he continuously suffers through. Erikson’s return makes for a powerful contrast in Einar’s depressing situation, having no living relatives versus Thorfinn, who still has a caring family searching for him, showing how fortunate the young warrior truly is. 

Getting sold turned out to be the ray of hope Einar needed in laying eyes on the bountiful lands. Various moments of beautiful art make up the lush green fields and warmer colored wheat fields. Unfortunately, that does not apply to all shots, with their being a handful of shoddy art littered throughout. 

With an enslaved Thorfinn working at the center of the farm, it makes for a good twist connecting back to the main narrative. As they meet one another, it makes for a fated and climactic ending to the series newest outing.