Warning: this article contains spoilers.
Despite what it seems like in the first few episodes, Vinland Saga is not just another revenge anime with cool Vikings. It is a slow-burn, character-centered anime that turns the warriors into philosophers and the villains into people you can’t help but root for.
In this anime, there is no lack of well-written characters. While picking only ten favorites is genuinely brutal, these are the ones who left the biggest mark, ranked by the quality of their writing, from side characters to protagonists, and even pathetic villains. Let’s dive in.
| TITLE | Vinland Saga |
| STUDIO | Wit Studio, MAPPA |
| RELEASE DATE | Jul 8, 2019 |
| MAL RATING (as of July 14, 2026) | Season 1: 8.78 / 10 Season 2: 8.83 / 10 |
| STREAMING | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Prime Video |
10. Ketil Is a Messy, Morally Complex Character
Ketil could’ve easily been the throwaway kind-hearted farmer that he appeared to be from the start. However, Vinland Saga doesn’t do that. While he starts off as someone who is really unique as a slave owner, giving his slaves the opportunity to buy themselves back, it turns out that he hides a very dark side to himself, since those same concepts didn’t seem to apply to the slave he had for pleasure.
Ketil isn’t likable in the traditional sense, as he is not a good person at all, but that’s the point. He’s selfish, insecure, and desperate to be seen as honorable while making terrible choices. All of that makes him a really well-written character; after all, a bad person can be a good character. However, he still ranks the lowest because of his actions.
9. Snake – An Underrated, Morally Gray Character
Snake is a character who appeared briefly in the anime, which is why he often goes unnoticed by fans. He was the head of Ketil’s farm guards, but he quickly showed that he was smarter than anyone gives him credit for. Snake plays every side to survive, and he’s not afraid to manipulate situations for his own gain.
What makes him interesting is that he is never good, and he is never bad either. He genuinely respects Thorfinn’s growth, but he’s also willing to be cruel when it benefits him. Snake represents the reality of a world built on slavery, where survival sometimes means playing dirty, and his sharp mind makes every scene he’s in amazing. We would have gotten Snake’s backstory if it weren’t for the production decision, as revealed by director Shuhei Yabuta himself (via X/Twitter).
8. Leif – The Mentor Figure in Vinland Saga
Leif is the guy who plants the seed of Vinland in Thorfinn’s head way before everything turns around. He’s warm, wise, and one of the only adults in Thorfinn’s childhood who actually treats him like a kid rather than a tool. In fact, for his time, Leif appeared to be one of the wisest.
Leif is relevant in the anime even when he is not physically there, since his stories of a peaceful land across the sea become Thorfinn’s whole reason for living later on. He is also the one who never gave up on Thorfinn. When he saw Thorfinn full of anger and bloodlust, he didn’t get scared; he simply saw the child he must bring back home. The only reason he is ranked this low is due to a lack of screentime; we didn’t get to see much of him.
7. Bjorn Was the Embodiment of Loyalty Itself
Bjorn is perhaps the simplest yet one of the most amazing characters in this anime. As one of Askeladd’s most trusted men, he follows him without ever questioning his ways, and that loyalty is what defines everything about his character. He is not a thinker; he is not even someone who would have the flashiest fight, but he is someone who would get the job done.
He ranks directly above Leif because his loyalty and death have direct emotional stakes within the actual ongoing action of the story, not just thematic seeding. He’s felt in the moment, not just referenced later. However, his simplicity is why he couldn’t rank higher in this ranking.
6. Gudrid Refused to Be a Background Character
Gudrid could’ve simply been the primary love interest of Thorfinn, and nothing more than that. However, the author gave her a lot of depth in a surprisingly short amount of time. She is someone who is genuinely curious about the world that is beyond her reach, and that is what drives her to move forward. This is something that contrasts with the actual condition of women in a society of that time.
Over time, she becomes someone that Thorfinn himself can rely on, and she slowly overcomes her own past just like him as well. The reason she couldn’t rank higher is that she also suffers a bit from the lack of screentime. In fact, she hasn’t even appeared properly in the anime yet, which is also the reason she is not ranked higher – as she is a totally new face for anime-only fans.
5. Einar – The First Actual Friend of Thorfinn
When there was no one else in Thorfinn’s life, Einar helped shape Thorfinn from a pacifist into an optimistic person. At the start of the Slave Arc, Thorfinn was a hollow shell of himself, having lost the will to fight or feel anything after Askeladd’s death. It was his growing friendship with Einar and their shared experience of loss that slowly drew out the more compassionate, forward-looking side of him.
Einar himself comes from tragedy, having lost his family to a raid, a similar kind of raid that Thorfinn himself took part in once. Yet somehow, he still holds onto the kindness and compassion instead of turning into another man filled with rage.
Einar challenges Thorfinn’s worldview without lecturing him, just by living his own values out loud. He wants a peaceful life; he wants to build something instead of destroy it, and that mindset rubs off on Thorfinn in ways that define the second half of the story. The reason he ranks perfectly in the middle is that he himself acts like a bridge in the story. His direct influence on the protagonist’s arc bumps him up.
4. Canute Had One of the Best Transformations
Canute’s transformation is one of the most fascinating in anime in general. He starts off as a frail, sheltered prince who seems completely unfit to survive, let alone rule. He was the kind of prince who would turn into a puppet for some other politician. Then Askeladd’s manipulation forced him to grow up fast, and he became a cold, calculating king willing to do whatever it takes to hold onto power. A total flip on his character.
Watching Canute get rid of his innocence is unsettling because you can pinpoint the exact moments where he loses himself. It’s because he had his own character arc similar to Thorfinn’s, but in a weird roundabout way, that he ranks so high.
3. Thors – The Strongest Warrior
Thors only appeared for a handful of episodes, and yet, his impact is there by the end of the story. He gave up war and everything to live peacefully with his family. However, he was eventually killed by deceit at the hands of Askeladd. Notably, he even died standing, which alone speaks volumes.
His influence on pretty much all major characters in the anime is why he is ranked in the top 3. Simply speaking, his impact-per-screentime is unmatched, which shows how well-written this character was. However, there are still two characters that surpass him.
2. Askeladd Is One of the Most Quotable Characters
Askeladd is what comes out when the author wraps chaos in charisma. He is manipulative, calculating, and never honest about his real motives until the story itself decides to show them. However, at the same time, he is also hilarious, surprisingly good to his men, clever, and was somehow likeable even after he killed Thors.
His final moments, which led to arguably the best episode in the anime, completely recontextualized everything about who he is and what he actually wanted. His dialogues are packed with quotable lines that fans still reference, and he is another one of the major influences in the life of the protagonist. He ranks this high because he’s arguably the most complex antagonist, but he’s still in service of Thorfinn’s story rather than being the story itself.
1. Thorfinn’s Growth Needs to Be Studied
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Credit: Wit Studio -
Credit: MAPPA -
Credit: MAPPA
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Credit: Wit Studio -
Credit: MAPPA -
Credit: MAPPA
There’s no other choice for the top spot. Thorfinn’s transformation from a vengeance-obsessed child soldier into a man who actively fights for peace is one of the greatest character arcs in anime history. His journey isn’t quick or easy. It’s slow, painful, and filled with real consequences for every choice he makes.
The author actually wanted to make him a kind-hearted person from the beginning, but decided that Thorfinn needs to see the other side of peace first. Thorfinn doesn’t just get stronger physically; he grows emotionally and morally in a way that feels earned every step of the way. His arc alone is reason enough to call this one of the best-written shows out there.
| RANK | CHARACTER |
| 10 | Ketil |
| 9 | Snake |
| 8 | Leif |
| 7 | Bjorn |
| 6 | Gudrid |
| 5 | Einar |
| 4 | Canute |
| 3 | Thors |
| 2 | Askeladd |
| 1 | Thorfinn |
Who is your favorite character in this anime? Let us know in the comments.
Vinland Saga is streaming on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Prime Video
