Vinland Saga‘s protagonist, Thorfinn, is a true pacifist that refuses to use violence in any circumstance, flipping the most overused shonen trope on his head. In this genre, the protagonists are usually kind and ‘good’ people who, however, will use their strength and resort to violence to protect their friends or what they hold dear. Thorfinn’s absolute refusal of violence sets Vinland Saga aside in a genre overridden with stereotypes.
Shonen manga and anime fans are familiar with the ‘strong but kind’ type of character that has become so common it’s past obnoxious. The most famous franchises have paved the way for the popularity of this stereotype. Goku is ‘the gentle Saiyan’, who fights only to have fun and protect Earth. Luffy fights to liberate oppressed people and to protect his dream and his nakama. The clearest example is Ichigo from Bleach, who never hurt anyone before being forced to fight and kill as a Shinigami to protect his friends. What all these characters have in common is being generally kind and good-hearted, but also being willing to put this aside and use violence if necessary.
Thorfinn Is Different From All Other Shonen Protagonists
Thorfinn is absolutely different. His story in Vinland Saga begins drenched in blood and violence. After losing his father, a former warrior who then converted to pacifism, Thorfinn swears to avenge him and joins the warband of Askeladd, his father’s assassin, just to have a chance to challenge him. However, Askeladd was killed in front of Thorfinn’s eyes, depriving him of his only reason to live. After spending a long time as the empty husk of a man, tormented by the memories of all the people he killed as a Viking warrior, Thorfinn finally realizes that the only way to break the cycle of violence is to renounce it completely, no matter the circumstances.
This has become evident in the most recent episodes of Vinland Saga Season 2, where Thorfinn has gone from bloodthirsty warrior to peaceful farmer. Even when the prospect of Thorfinn and Einar’s freedom is threatened by the tumultuous events happening at Ketil’s farm, Thorfinn still refuses to fight. He openly contemplates if it is right to use violence when threatened or to protect someone, as all other shonen protagonists do, but his conclusion is radically opposite. In episode #17, Thorfinn is forced to fight Ebi, who is trying to kill Gardar. However, he does so unarmed and only tries to knock him out, while his opponent has a sword and is actively trying to kill him. Even if Vinland Saga is more easily identified as a seinen series (thus aimed at young adults), Thorfinn’s behavior draws meaningful comparisons with other famous shonen protagonists.
Thorfinn’s True Pacifism Makes Him A Unique Character
Imagine Ichigo trying to knock out Aizen, Luffy pulling his punches against Kaido, or even Goku stopping his final Spirit Bomb against Majin Buu. None of these scenarios would ever be possible in the context of those series. The only character who is comparable to Thorfinn is Vash the Stampede from Trigun, who is also a pacifist. However, even Vash has to renounce his vow and kill a foe at one point. Thorfinn’s decision, instead, comes from the unbearable weight of all the deaths he caused as a warrior, and his vow of peace is proof of his evolution as a character, unparalleled in any other shonen. By making Thorfinn a true pacifist who will not use violence even to protect himself or others, Vinland Saga has finally surpassed one of the most overused stereotypes of the shonen genre.
Vinland Saga is streaming on Crunchyroll.
