A Rash Attempt at Catching Up
Vinland Saga:
The short version: Thorfinn makes a friend, and Canute exits puberty a man.
To elaborate. Once they get back to work in the forest, Einar prods Thorfinn about his past, and he of course answers honestly–his participation in the wars, that he can’t remember how many people he’s killed, but nothing too terribly specific. Either way, we get some very nice growth from both of them by the end, and I particularly liked the last scene.
Thorfinn: Thanks, Einar. Einar: God, you’re slow!
And both said with all the love you’d expect. But the scene leading up to that exchange really explores both characters in very different ways.
The first part focuses on Einar and his struggle to accept Thorfinn now that he knows about the latter’s involvement in war. It’s rather dark, and very quiet. But it ends with him waking Thorfinn from another nightmare. Because, in Einar’s own words, “It’s not like he’s the one who killed my family.” (Although, that he said that makes me wonder whether Thorfinn might have killed them. Either that, or we’ll encounter whoever did at some later point. When a character says something like that, it usually shows up later.)
With Thorfinn’s waking, the scene shifts in tone to the more comical. Thorfinn can’t help wondering why anyone would keep waking him up like that, you see. And here Einar figures out no one’s ever really been nice to him like that. Which leads to another funny exchange.
Einar: That’s because you and I are friends. *a cricket chirps* Thorfinn: What?
Then there was chapter 61, where we suddenly switch to Canute’s point of view. So, apparently Thorfinn wasn’t the only one to grow up during the time skip, because Canute is now most definitely a man. Facial hair, scars, and everything. I wonder if he still cooks, though.
It seems Canute has met with some setbacks since last we saw him; he still hasn’t made much progress in his conquest for power. Though he comes off as a much stronger, more independent character now. Especially in how he deals with anyone going against him. Troops disobeying his laws? Off with their heads. Although, he doesn’t do much of anything when Thorkell tells him off. It was sound advice, I suppose, but still. Then there’s that last panel, where he gets this disconcerting sort of gleam to his eyes, like “Did you honestly think this would satisfy me?” Terrifying, I call it.
Oofuri:
Well, I don’t think I can neatly summarize these last two chapter, so I won’t even try. I will say things are starting to look up, at least. Though I do still have my doubts they can win.
As always, teamwork is paramount to what little success they manage to eke out – they managed one point, I think, and struck Bijou out two innings straight. But we’re left with the proposition that they might now change strategies. So who knows what’ll happen next? (Aside from those who have already read it.)
In related news, a second season of the Oofuri anime was announced for this spring, and I’m going to try to blog it. We’ll see what happens, though.
