Vinland Saga is one of the greatest historical anime series. It follows Thorfinn, son of Thors, as he navigates life after losing his father and having their Icelandic village invaded by Vikings.

The anime as a whole deals with universal existential concepts that everyone at some point has felt. Imagine losing your parents at a young age. You don't know how to deal with that trauma. And you end up as a young killing machine for the person who killed them. It sounds like other anime. But, Vinland Saga presents those ideas in a complex web of stories. They are about power, self-reflection, and war.

Check out these designs inspired by this emotionally charged anime.

The Troll of Jom, Thors

Artist - Cyn Medina

The first tattoo design on our list kickstarted Thorfinn’s trauma. He watched his father, a virtuous man, get shot down by Vikings in an attempt to save their village and it was all to protect him. Technically, it was Thorfinn’s fault and this panel design expresses it so well. The small child feels guilt for the death of his parent — a bit like Simba and Mufasa in that respect.

Everyone Is A Slave To Something

Artist - Drew Ho-On

What are you a slave to? This manga panel tattoo design perfectly emulates what Askeladd says. He says it while a girl is hit for being a slave: “Everyone is a slave to something”. The image is not really of Askeladd. The chained hand holding the sword is Gardar’s. We meet Gardar in season 2.

Gardar was a warrior before succumbing to invaders and becoming a slave himself. In the series, we see him grow more erratic. This continues until he gets to Ketil’s farm and goes on a rampage for his wife, Arnheid. The crown is a nice addition by the designer. In the anime, kingdoms are at war for Denmark's throne.

Thorfinn Wielding Daggers

Artist - Nick Yarian

Throughout the first season, we see Thorfinn become a cold-blooded killer, only living to murder the people Askeladd invades. Here we see him in his element when he wields dual daggers. One is his father’s dagger gifted to him when he was alive while the other is one he found during his time with Askeladd.

Thorfinn’s weapons of choice make him a stronger warrior in any army. They allow more movement and height advantage for him as he’s quite small.

Thorfinn and Askeladd Color Tattoo

Artist - Chris Po

Having these two side by side is like asking for an explosion to happen since, as we mentioned earlier, Askeladd is the reason Thorfinn lost a daily and a home. But in an ironic turn of events, the man taught Thorfinn how cruel life could be during that period in history.

In a way, Askeladd contributed to Thorfinn’s character development. That’s why it’s satisfying to see Thorfinn do away with the darkness that this man caused him. He is finally free of the shackles of the death he caused; a reaction to the pain and suffering inflicted by Askeladd himself.

Hunter and Hunted

Artist - Alan Pinks

Lastly, we have a black and white, side-by-side panel design of what Thorfinn looked like before and after Askeladd. The one on top looks menacing because violence was all he had. A boy pushed into bloodshed and became one of Askeladd’s strongest warriors.

But after Askeladd dies, Thorfinn is bought by a different man. Ketil bought him and put him to work on his farm. After a decade or so, Leif Ericson finds him. By this time, he’s a reformed man who knows the true meaning of being a true warrior and has the scars to prove it, which the design shows.