Yukimura
The creator of Vinland Saga, a manga about a Viking's journey from revenge to pacifism.
Makoto Yukimura is the Japanese manga artist who created and illustrated Vinland Saga. The series is published by Kodansha and was first serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April to October 2005 before moving to Monthly Afternoon, where it ran from November 2005 to June 2023. Yukimura structured the series into four story arcs: the War arc, the Slave arc, the Eastern Expedition arc, and the Vinland arc. He created Vinland Saga to convey that violence does not lead to positive outcomes, designing protagonist Thorfinn to evolve from an aggressive teenager into a mature individual.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Manga Artist
- Affiliation
- Kodansha
- Key association
- Vinland Saga
Lore & Background
Yukimura was inspired by the historical figure Thorfinn Karlsefni to write Vinland Saga as a story about slavery. However, his editor opposed the original idea of Thorfinn being a slave, so the character was changed to a Viking. Yukimura accepted this change because he wanted Thorfinn to understand the tragedy he caused as a Viking in later parts of the story. He projected his feelings during the Cold War and the September 11 attacks onto the overall themes of the story. Yukimura found it challenging to draw the Slave Arc because of the impact it would have on readers. For illustrations and fight sequences, Yukimura visualized them mentally before drawing, citing Battle Angel Alita and its creator Yukito Kishiro as major influences. He typically worked with three assistants for nearly twelve hours a day, aiming to produce 30-page chapters. Some techniques required 18-hour workdays, and he maintained a pace of one completed page per day. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Yukimura transitioned to a hybrid workflow from chapter 168, continuing to hand-draw and ink before scanning and digitally finishing the pages.
Reader's Guide
Yukimura's creative process focused intensely on Thorfinn's psychological development across the series' four arcs. While Thorfinn's appearance evolved, Yukimura concentrated on his inner transformation from a bloodthirsty, revenge-filled teenager to a pacifistic young man. The author noted that Thorfinn lacked notable skills or an imposing physique, so his main character's distinction came from his experience of human pain. For research, Yukimura traveled to Canada for artistic inspiration. Although the manga draws from the Saga of Erik the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders, he found their length challenging to read in full. His fascination with Vikings began with anime he watched as a child, and he was intrigued by aspects of their culture, such as lenient sentences for crimes. Yukimura structured the series into four arcs: War, Slave, Eastern Expedition, and Vinland, with the final arc expected to span more than 50 chapters and 1,000 pages.
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