Einar (Vinland Saga)

Role in Vinland Saga

Einar first appears in the manga’s 55th chapter. He is an Anglo-Norse farmer originally from Northern England. After his village was attacked, he was captured and sold into slavery, eventually arriving at Ketil’s farm. Einar openly despises war and injustice. At the farm, he meets Thorfinn, another slave, and the two develop a close friendship. Even as slaves, they suffer violence and poor treatment from their owners. Einar is not a skilled fighter, but he is a steadfast friend. When he and Thorfinn consider what to do after gaining freedom, Einar struggles because the slave he loves, Arnheid, does not want to leave the farm. Later, Einar and Thorfinn work against Ketil’s men to help Arnheid flee with her rebellious husband, Gardar. However, the mercenary Snake kills Gardar. In the following days, Ketil brutally punishes Arnheid, leading to her death and the loss of her unborn child. This fills Einar with rage, and he wants to kill Ketil, but Thorfinn stops him, afraid that murder would make Einar a sinner like himself. Together, they vow to create a peaceful utopia in Vinland so that no one will suffer as Arnheid did. After King Canute’s forces leave the farm, Thorfinn’s friend Leif takes him to Iceland. There, Thorfinn’s mother Helga learns what happened and adopts Einar into the family. After resting in Iceland, Einar joins Thorfinn on a journey to raise money for a ship to Vinland by striking a deal with the merchant Halfdan to earn funds in Greece. Along the way, they gather allies but are pursued by Vikings who want Thorfinn. The mercenary Garm, eager to fight Thorfinn again, kidnaps Einar, Leif, and Gudrid (who had secretly come along). He leaves behind Leif’s adoptive son, Bug Eyes, to send messages to Thorfinn. The captives are held in the Jomsborg stronghold of the Jomvikings. Though Einar and Leif are freed by a Jomviking named Baldr, they cannot rescue Gudrid, forcing Thorfinn to search for her. After Thorfinn disbands the out-of-control Jomvikings, the group is permitted to continue their voyage to Greece.

Creation

Manga creator Makoto Yukimura designed Einar as a counterpart to Thorfinn in the second story arc of Vinland Saga, much like Askeladd was in the first. Because the series centers on slavery, Yukimura made Einar a complete casualty of war and the slave trade. Unlike Thorfinn or Leif, who are based on historical figures, Einar is an original character meant to embody the suffering, grief, and victimhood that war inflicts. Yukimura stated that Einar could not be a physically strong person, which makes him the opposite of Gardar, another enslaved character who possesses great strength. Einar and Thorfinn develop a close bond, but their pasts are so different that they can rarely offer each other meaningful help. Through Thorfinn’s actions, the story explores how revenge affects people. Yukimura noted that Einar is useless in combat alongside Thorfinn, lacking the kind of fighting partnership seen in action series like One Piece. Still, the author wanted to highlight Einar’s courage and loyalty, and he questioned whether he succeeded. Yukimura explained that Einar, having lost his family and been enslaved, certainly feels anger toward violence, but that anger never turns into hatred of all warriors or all Danes. This internal conflict nearly drives Einar to lose his sanity, and Yukimura hoped the anime adaptation would improve on that portrayal. When director Shuhei Yabuta and writer Hiroshi Seko first read the manga, they were struck by Einar and could not pinpoint where his strength came from. After discussion, they decided to alter how Einar becomes friends with Thorfinn, believing this change was essential to the appeal of the second season. This decision required hours of planning. Yukimura kept reviewing their scripts because of the pressure they put on themselves, and he looked forward to seeing their interpretation. Despite the adjustments, Yabuta insisted that Einar remained the same character as in the manga. New scenes were added to deepen the friendship between Einar and Thorfinn. Yabuta described Einar as soft-spoken, kind, and strong, and noted that even within the series’ brutal setting, Einar holds onto his kindness.

Reception

When Einar first appears in the second season of Vinland Saga, critics from Anime News Network noted that his backstory is brutally violent, which fits the show’s established tone. UK Anime Network highlighted how Einar and Thorfinn build a quiet friendship, supporting each other through small moments. Manga News pointed out that Einar’s kindness offers Thorfinn the first real comfort he has felt since his father died. Anime News Network also found Einar relatable early on because he desperately wants to earn his freedom, which creates a clear contrast with Thorfinn, who seems indifferent to being a slave. Screen Rant observed that even as slaves, both Einar and Thorfinn face violence from their owners, who threaten to kill them. Comic Book Resources suggested that the second story arc gives them a chance to break free from the cycle of violence, despite their very different pasts. The Escapist noted that Einar becomes part of that cycle of violence and revenge, as the anime shows his family’s destruction by Vikings and his resulting hatred of warriors. Decider described Einar as the opposite of Thorfinn, since one comes from a civilian background and the other from a warrior’s life. Decider also praised Shunsuke Takeuchi’s voice acting, saying he delivers his lines with skill. Comic Book Resources commended Einar and Thorfinn’s shared goal of building a utopia in Vinland where no one suffers like Arnheid did, which strengthens their bond.

When Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama heard that Vinland Saga would focus on slavery, he became curious and started reading it. He found Thorfinn’s new, silent personality confusing and hard to understand. Instead, Isayama related more to Einar, whom he considered more realistic. He felt that Thorfinn matures as a person through Einar’s perspective while they work together on the farm. At the 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2009, Abhishek Sharma was nominated for Best Voice Artist Performance (Hindi) for his role as Einar, but the award went to Lohit Sharma for playing Satoru Gojo.