The Vinland Saga anime is a narration of tragedies at war with themselves. It is a tale of constant rediscovery and redefinition, where the protagonist Thorfinn is often the center of all physical and psychological battles. The traumas and their countermeasures (vengeance, anger, and bloodlust) often result in an amalgamation of dark desires and soul-crushing realizations.
But there are a few other anime series where the protagonist shares a similarity of either thought or experience with Thorfinn. So, let’s dive into the world of anime and take a glimpse at the top 5 anime with an MC backstory similar to Thorfinn and Vinland Saga.
Top 5 anime with an MC backstory similar to Thorfinn
5. Berserk
Berserk and Vinland Saga share the same temporal space of Medieval Europe. While the former is a fantastical tale of loss, the latter is a narration that has been adapted from several historical tragedies. Despite their dissimilar approach to a similar period of time, both of the protagonists in Berserk and Vinland Saga are designed in a similar and imitating manner.
The themes of vengeance and a childhood of conflict run deep within the protagonists in Berserk and Vinland Saga, which eventually shape the entire narrative aspect of both shows. The imitation of Guts with the MC backstory of Thorfinn remains one of the most notable features that unites both of the masterpieces.
4. Arslan Senki
- Youth is a defining aspect of Arslan Senki, as much as it has been interrogated in Vinland Saga. The loss of a father and the tragedy of abandonment is a recurring trope in Arslan Senki as well as Vinland Saga.
- The protagonist Arslan in Arslan Senki is a young prince whose father was killed while he was very young, and it is a repetition of Thorfinn’s fate altogether.
Moreover, the assassination leads to a political overthrow and it is a striking similarity of thought being shared with Thorfinn’s life in Vinland Saga, making Arslan’s past a striking MC backstory similar to Thorfinn.
3. Rurouni Kenshin
While the theme of vengeance is a recurring one in Vinland Saga, it is the idea and the realization of redemption that leads Thorfinn to a life of fulfillment. The same is the case with Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, who travels across Japan in search of forgiveness and redemption for all his brutal misdeeds from the past.
While their backstories might differ a bit, Kenshin and Thorfinn are actually alike when it comes to their realization of the past, making them strong pillars of hope in a state of utter despair.
2. Attack on Titan
There is no better anime to define the making of a strong protagonist than Attack on Titan. The theme of redemption might not be a dominant trope of this anime, but Eren Yeager as a protagonist shares the same form of childhood loss that Thorfinn faces.
Moreover, he declares war against the perpetrators of that violence and both Eren Yeager and Thorfinn are burdened with the reality of growing up and maturing quickly to understand the darker difficulties of life. Eren’s tragedy of reflecting on the burdens and traumas of youth reiterates an MC backstory similar to Thorfinn.
1. Demon Slayer
For a character like Thorfinn to regain his composure after a lifetime of loss requires a sense of great strength and courage. One such character who is as forgiving and driven towards a greater cause as Thorfinn is Tanjiro Kamado from Demon Slayer. The character of Tanjiro emerges out of a tragedy, a quest for vengeance unfolds but the ends are always met with a warm heart and a flowing desire of forgiveness and hope.
Thorfinn and Tanjiro share a bond based on hope and forgiveness, and at the same time, they share a desire to end the misery of others and make the utopian dream a reality, making Tanjiro’s dream an MC backstory similar to Thorfinn’s.
Conclusion
The idea of drawing parallels between Thorfinn and other characters seems like a stretch, and at the same time looks promising. Characters with an MC backstory like Thorfinn aren’t difficult to find, but what really makes them similar is their ability to heal out of their hate and accept the love around them.