The Troll's Son

People call vinland saga a slow building manga. I was against this as a manga reader till this episode. Its an anime only episode with an ova-like episode of the manga. And its slow. They could have shown us a bit, as a flashforward, of what thorfinn became just like the manga began an the series skipped. Still a good episode to build Askeladd's character, someone who is not what you think he is.

This episode shows the impact of Thor's death for others and how Thorfinn pogresses through that. It is clear he knows it was his fault and is trying to make up for that desperately. It keeps building up more and more and the pay-off will most likely be amazing.

The animation isn't anything too amazing or anything. The soundtrack works well and the voice acting is incredibly good in english and japanese.

Askallad is the highlight of the episode by far. He is both honorable and dishonorable in the same time. There is an excessive coolness coming off of him. There is more to him that I don't know of yet and I'm excited.

9/10.