Great discussion and can't believe almost done with the vinland chats O.O would be very curious what you both would think of Yukimura's other series, Planetes, available from Dark Horse. Worth a read for sure
I missed the detail about Baldr's wife. Seriously hard to believe that he is related to Floki. I think it took a tremendous amount of character for Hild to put her crossbow down. She is invested in Thorfinn and his struggle, it matters more than her revenge. I think she has the right to demand the same strength from Thorfinn. Daily she has to see the face of man responsible for all that has happened to her, to see him, laugh, eat, love, enjoy life...Thorfinn owes her more than what his death could repay
The line Thorfinn gives the imprisoned ex member of Askeladd’s gang, something like: “If you sow the seeds of violence, it is all you can feed your children” is one of the best quotes in the whole series. Sounds like something out of Malazan. While I don’t think this arc quite carries the same gravitas as the first two, (which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing, considering the lighter tone reflects how far Thorfinn has come as a character, and I do find it tonally refreshing) I think thematically it’s just as strong. I think it does a great job of portraying the absolute pointlessness and absurdity of war, almost to the point of parody. This may be in the next book, but it begins to convey the idea that the invisible lines that divide you and “the enemy” are completely made up. I quite like how the arc concludes as well, but I’m getting ahead of myself, I look forward to your next discussion!
I couldn’t agree more with your observations about the tone - this arc is the most comedic, and we discuss that in the next video - and the incorporation of themes, which remains excellent.
Awesome discussion. I love this arc as it challenges Thorfinn's ideals because he gets in some situations where fighting is inevitable and how he deals with them is cool too. I love how Yukimura keeps on challenging Thorfinn and we see more of it in the 4th Arc as well. Keep up the good work!😁 P. S. I love the thumbnails 😆
Took me a while to comment on this one since I took a few weeks to finish Book 9 and 10. Now I’m almost done Book 11 as well! Was busy with work and such. Absolutely loving everything about this arc and every page flip makes me tense. I honestly love Garm from the moment he showed up but agree he’s a simple character! I think I just like the trope of eccentric psycho who just wants to fight but is weirdly endearing and looks cool. Also really like the character of Baldr and it pains me that it seems like he won’t be able to join our cast on their adventure towards someplace other than here. :-( Also all of the existing characters continue to be amazing, and even Sigurd has grown on me oh so much. Yukimura is a great character writer!
One thing that surprised me was how much I ended up liking Sigurd, and that does indeed show how well Yukimura did with the character work. Best wishes for the last few books, Aidan!
Great discussion as always! 😀 As I have mentioned before Loki, Balder and Odin has some possible interesting “Mr. Potato Head” connections to Lugh, Balor and the Dagda of Irish Myth: Lugh is tied to Celtic Logus, who some tie to Germanic Wotan/Odin and might have connections to Loki. If so, the Blood Brotherhood between Odin and Loki gets an extra dimension: Aspects of one god divided into two gods (both are trickster gods to lesser or greater degree, with Odin having a magic spear same as Lugh. The heroic Lugh slaying his Fomorian monster-grandfather Balor, while the villainous Jotun Loki causes Balder, favorite son of Odin, to be slayed) with Odin and the Dagda also having commonalities (gods for magic and music/poetry tied to the afterlife: Valhalla and the Morrigan). And as mentioned even more previously (possibly one of my first comments to your videos Professor): While Balder is often thought of been given Christian themes, especially his Messiah-like return from Hel after Ragnarok, by the Christian monks and scholars writing the Norse Myths down in the 12-14th Centuries, I have a personal theory that the Christian aspects might (emphasis might) be from as early as the Migration Era (especially with the Franks) or even interaction with Late Imperial Rome (post Constantine the Great), given that we have the Illerup Find (possible sacrifice of the gear of a whole Auxiliary Army of Scandinavians that had served in Roman Army approximately 200-250 AD: 100+ mass produced Roman Swords and 1000 spears/lances, alongside combs only found in Norway), as well as a tomb from as far North as Vesterålen, Nordland, Norway, of a man in his 20s in Roman Soldier Gear from around 300 AD!
That theory could have some merit to it, MacScarfield. After all, many things we think of as very Germanic, like runes, were likely a result of contact with Romans during those centuries. I’m glad you enjoyed the chat!
While the death of Thors doesn't quite fit into the mythology surrounding Baldr, it does fit the bill for the folklore around Askeladd. One of the tales about Askeladden involves him tricking a troll into killing itself.
not to sure if you play games but you neeeeed to check out god of war , its based in norse mythology and if u like the creative liberties that vinland saga takes its amazing in god of war and god of war ragnarok
So, wait how many volumes are out in total currently? Zero hints on the stuff I know happen by reading like 5 chapters max somewhere past this vol. What I am missing but heard of in the chapters I read sounded like a volumes worth at least.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy i think i mightve come up with a better point- baldr got sent to hel right, and if garm is in mythology the gaurddog of hel and in the story the gaurddog of baldr, it kinda equates the jomsvikings culture/outpost to hel (and then we as modern day readers might convert hel to christian hell).
It was posted on Merphy Napier Vlogs, Merphy’s second channel. You can also find all the videos in the “Vinland Saga” playlist on my channel or Merphy’s second channel. I’ll double check to make sure, but it should be there still!
Love these discussions and BOTH of your channels. HUGE fan. Garm and Bug-eyes are both incredibly annoying characters imo - so much so that they came close to ruining this volume for me. There is so much nuance and complexcity to many of the other characters, and these two felt very ham-fisted and Garm a shallow plot device. Disappointing. Hope the next volume gets things back on track for me. Have LOVED every volume up to this one.
Thank you, Tom! The humor doesn’t always land for me in Vinland Saga, but I’m glad it’s there. I think Garm and especially Bug-eyes are part of the comic relief, and this arc definitely has more humor than the previous two, giving it a shift in tone that seems not to work as well for many fans of the first two arcs. There’s still a lot to enjoy, though, I think. All the best!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yeah, I just finished this arc and also have come to REALLY not enjoy the comic relief in this one - just not for me. Siggy's posse, for example - the bumbling idiot with a heart of gold - just is not enjoyable for me. Also, the crecendo in this arc really fell really flat with me - and bordered on annoying. Maybe I'm just too old and all get-off-my-lawn at this point in my life - 🙂. It's too bad becuase it's now affected my enjoyment of the series. The first too arcs were SO good, but then Garm... Ugh. I have too many other series that I want to read (Malazan, Faithful and the Fallen - which I just started, Robin Hobb, Joe Abercromie, etc.) that you and Merphy have brought to my attention - and with limited time - I may need to regretfully put Thorfin's story to the side. Regardless, I love your content Philip. Happy New Year and all the best!
For some reason, comments seem to be randomly disappearing -- not unheard of on TH-cam. If this happens to yours, please do resend it!
Great discussion and can't believe almost done with the vinland chats O.O would be very curious what you both would think of Yukimura's other series, Planetes, available from Dark Horse. Worth a read for sure
@@colinherzog8782 Thanks, Colin! It looks we’ll be taking on Vagabond next year, after the next Vinland Saga book comes out.
Dogland Saga is easily one of my favorite chapters. It manages to be so cute but relevant to the message of the story.
Dogs are the best people I know, and so I had to smile through Dogland Saga!
24:30 it is true, the way Garm fights is close to the japanese Naginata
Very cool!
I missed the detail about Baldr's wife. Seriously hard to believe that he is related to Floki.
I think it took a tremendous amount of character for Hild to put her crossbow down. She is invested in Thorfinn and his struggle, it matters more than her revenge. I think she has the right to demand the same strength from Thorfinn. Daily she has to see the face of man responsible for all that has happened to her, to see him, laugh, eat, love, enjoy life...Thorfinn owes her more than what his death could repay
Beautifully said about Hild! As for Baldr and Floki, we'll assume that Baldr got his nice genes from his other three grandparents. All the best!
Ya I will have to begin reading Vagabond with you guys if you're going to have more of these discussions lol.
It will be an honor to have you along!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy The pleasure is all mine!!! Im honestly excited because it gives off book club vibes but for manga!
Really loved the discussion as usual. This is one of my favorite volumes with the introduction of our new “friend” 😅
He’s quite a friend!
I love this review series so much. I've been binging all of them while I draw and they make me appreciate Vinland Saga so much more!
I'm happy that our discussions have helped your appreciation of Vinland Saga. Best wishes with your drawing!
The line Thorfinn gives the imprisoned ex member of Askeladd’s gang, something like: “If you sow the seeds of violence, it is all you can feed your children” is one of the best quotes in the whole series. Sounds like something out of Malazan. While I don’t think this arc quite carries the same gravitas as the first two, (which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing, considering the lighter tone reflects how far Thorfinn has come as a character, and I do find it tonally refreshing) I think thematically it’s just as strong. I think it does a great job of portraying the absolute pointlessness and absurdity of war, almost to the point of parody. This may be in the next book, but it begins to convey the idea that the invisible lines that divide you and “the enemy” are completely made up. I quite like how the arc concludes as well, but I’m getting ahead of myself, I look forward to your next discussion!
I couldn’t agree more with your observations about the tone - this arc is the most comedic, and we discuss that in the next video - and the incorporation of themes, which remains excellent.
Baldr is also like an alternate young Canute. But unlike him he gets to keep his good nature and escapes the fate of the crown by the end
Excellent point!
Awesome discussion. I love this arc as it challenges Thorfinn's ideals because he gets in some situations where fighting is inevitable and how he deals with them is cool too. I love how Yukimura keeps on challenging Thorfinn and we see more of it in the 4th Arc as well. Keep up the good work!😁
P. S. I love the thumbnails 😆
Thanks so much! I’m happy that you enjoy the discussions and the thumbnails too. 😊 I’m exiting read the fourth arc!
Been waiting for this one!
Cheers, Terry!
THAT STORY OF MERPHY EMAILING HIM IS SO GOOD 😂😂
I got a huge laugh out of it myself!
Took me a while to comment on this one since I took a few weeks to finish Book 9 and 10. Now I’m almost done Book 11 as well! Was busy with work and such. Absolutely loving everything about this arc and every page flip makes me tense. I honestly love Garm from the moment he showed up but agree he’s a simple character! I think I just like the trope of eccentric psycho who just wants to fight but is weirdly endearing and looks cool.
Also really like the character of Baldr and it pains me that it seems like he won’t be able to join our cast on their adventure towards someplace other than here. :-(
Also all of the existing characters continue to be amazing, and even Sigurd has grown on me oh so much. Yukimura is a great character writer!
One thing that surprised me was how much I ended up liking Sigurd, and that does indeed show how well Yukimura did with the character work. Best wishes for the last few books, Aidan!
Great discussion as always! 😀
As I have mentioned before Loki, Balder and Odin has some possible interesting “Mr. Potato Head” connections to Lugh, Balor and the Dagda of Irish Myth: Lugh is tied to Celtic Logus, who some tie to Germanic Wotan/Odin and might have connections to Loki. If so, the Blood Brotherhood between Odin and Loki gets an extra dimension: Aspects of one god divided into two gods (both are trickster gods to lesser or greater degree, with Odin having a magic spear same as Lugh. The heroic Lugh slaying his Fomorian monster-grandfather Balor, while the villainous Jotun Loki causes Balder, favorite son of Odin, to be slayed) with Odin and the Dagda also having commonalities (gods for magic and music/poetry tied to the afterlife: Valhalla and the Morrigan). And as mentioned even more previously (possibly one of my first comments to your videos Professor): While Balder is often thought of been given Christian themes, especially his Messiah-like return from Hel after Ragnarok, by the Christian monks and scholars writing the Norse Myths down in the 12-14th Centuries, I have a personal theory that the Christian aspects might (emphasis might) be from as early as the Migration Era (especially with the Franks) or even interaction with Late Imperial Rome (post Constantine the Great), given that we have the Illerup Find (possible sacrifice of the gear of a whole Auxiliary Army of Scandinavians that had served in Roman Army approximately 200-250 AD: 100+ mass produced Roman Swords and 1000 spears/lances, alongside combs only found in Norway), as well as a tomb from as far North as Vesterålen, Nordland, Norway, of a man in his 20s in Roman Soldier Gear from around 300 AD!
That theory could have some merit to it, MacScarfield. After all, many things we think of as very Germanic, like runes, were likely a result of contact with Romans during those centuries. I’m glad you enjoyed the chat!
While the death of Thors doesn't quite fit into the mythology surrounding Baldr, it does fit the bill for the folklore around Askeladd. One of the tales about Askeladden involves him tricking a troll into killing itself.
That does sound in character for Askeladd. Cheers!
If it isnt a great time to discuss Vinland Saga!
To be fair there aren’t many points In Time where it wouldn’t be great
its always a great time to discuss vinland saga!
It was definitely a great time for me!
Let's fricking go
Yes!
not to sure if you play games but you neeeeed to check out god of war , its based in norse mythology and if u like the creative liberties that vinland saga takes its amazing in god of war and god of war ragnarok
Sounds cool, James -- cheers!
So, wait how many volumes are out in total currently?
Zero hints on the stuff I know happen by reading like 5 chapters max somewhere past this vol. What I am missing but heard of in the chapters I read sounded like a volumes worth at least.
In English there are 12 volumes with the 13th coming out in January.
@@KalleVilenius OK. The chapters I read I think might be from Vol 13... they were the newest chapters when I read them.
Hello 👋 always like watching ur videos!! 🎥📽☃️🎄❄️
Thanks so much, Safina! I always like getting your comments! 😊
Whoo!!
Thank you, Britney!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy You are welcome!!
the thing is garm might also just also be a name for fenrir- who a son of loki
@@Delta350 Great point!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy i think i mightve come up with a better point-
baldr got sent to hel right, and if garm is in mythology the gaurddog of hel and in the story the gaurddog of baldr, it kinda equates the jomsvikings culture/outpost to hel (and then we as modern day readers might convert hel to christian hell).
@@Delta350 I like it!
💜🤗
Thank you!
I cant seem to find Book9 on either Phillip or Merphy... Anyone else? Or just me problem?
It was posted on Merphy Napier Vlogs, Merphy’s second channel. You can also find all the videos in the “Vinland Saga” playlist on my channel or Merphy’s second channel. I’ll double check to make sure, but it should be there still!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy oh thank you. I found it... Thanks for the great review
@@cupidthefallen6968 My pleasure!
I just want to see your thoughts on vinland saga chapter 191 whenever you eventually get there
Will start the vagabond journey with you two
Awesome! You are most welcome for the Vagabond read!
Love these discussions and BOTH of your channels. HUGE fan. Garm and Bug-eyes are both incredibly annoying characters imo - so much so that they came close to ruining this volume for me. There is so much nuance and complexcity to many of the other characters, and these two felt very ham-fisted and Garm a shallow plot device. Disappointing. Hope the next volume gets things back on track for me. Have LOVED every volume up to this one.
Thank you, Tom! The humor doesn’t always land for me in Vinland Saga, but I’m glad it’s there. I think Garm and especially Bug-eyes are part of the comic relief, and this arc definitely has more humor than the previous two, giving it a shift in tone that seems not to work as well for many fans of the first two arcs. There’s still a lot to enjoy, though, I think. All the best!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yeah, I just finished this arc and also have come to REALLY not enjoy the comic relief in this one - just not for me. Siggy's posse, for example - the bumbling idiot with a heart of gold - just is not enjoyable for me. Also, the crecendo in this arc really fell really flat with me - and bordered on annoying. Maybe I'm just too old and all get-off-my-lawn at this point in my life - 🙂. It's too bad becuase it's now affected my enjoyment of the series. The first too arcs were SO good, but then Garm... Ugh. I have too many other series that I want to read (Malazan, Faithful and the Fallen - which I just started, Robin Hobb, Joe Abercromie, etc.) that you and Merphy have brought to my attention - and with limited time - I may need to regretfully put Thorfin's story to the side. Regardless, I love your content Philip. Happy New Year and all the best!
@@rhubahb Best wishes for all those reads - they’re all fantastic!
I don't like this arc its isn't as good as first 2 arcs
Imo this arc is absolutely still Vinland Saga level, I love it
I ended up loving it, but one thing about stories is, depending on the person, some will land and others won't.