Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Vinland Saga Season 2 Part 2 continues the second season of the action-packed epic. The second season brings back the saga that became a fan-favorite with the core fanbase. Created by Makoto Yukimura, Vinland Saga Season 2 Part 2 contains episodes 13-24 of the second season. The second season has continued to reward audiences with more action-paced adrenaline and spectacle.

The second season of Vinland Saga features production by Akira Yonezawa (Blue Period, My Life as Inukai-san's Dog), Masae Yamato (Tokyo Mew Mew New, Blue Period), Naokado Fujiyama (The Ancient Magus' Bride, Burn The Witch), and Sei Matsumoto (My Deer Friend Nokotan, Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS). The season features animation production by MAPPA (Terror in Resonance, Jujutsu Kaisen). The second season continues to check off the boxes fans of the hit production have come to expect from the previous installments. Vinland Saga features voice-performances by Kenshō Ono and Mayumi Sako.

The second season of Vinland Saga continues. The saga is far from over. Things escalate when Arnheid’s husband manages to break free from his own shackles. Freedom is now in reach and the grasp towards something better pushes them forward. The path forward includes violent slaughters as battles are foraged in fighting to save Arnheid. A new escape plan is also undertaken as things heat up for the salvation of Einar. Meanwhile, Canute begins an invasion on the farm of Ketil.

Thorfinn decides to shake things up and considers a search for Vinland. Thorfinn has decided the possibility of working for peace might be a better solution to the never-ending tune of war and bloodshed causing chaos in the wake of war. Yet the path to peace simultaneously causes Thorfinn to consider changing his tune on non-violence – can peace be achieved through violent bloodshed as battle ensues?

For an action-production as centered on the battle sequences as Vinland Saga, Vinland Saga Season 2 Part 2 continues to focus on the action side of things. The action sequences are a fundamental to the production. The sense of style infused into the action beats is something that will keep the core fans continuing to return to the fold. The series understands this is one of the most fundamental parts of storytelling for the series. Saga fans will enjoy returning for more spectacle, high-octane action, and continuing journey.

These parts of the series are fundamental to the shonen genre and the action crowds. A series like Vinland Saga aims to bring in viewers who enjoy series like My Hero Academia or Attack on Titan, and to win viewers over with more high-energy stakes. Without these action beats as a fundamental to the production the stakes can’t be as high for the fans. For fans seeking more adventure on the same path and wavelength of the first half of season two, Part 2 doesn’t want to leave viewers disappointed and brings more of the ingredients established fans have come to expect with the series. Does it make the end result something that ranks amongst the best action anime series? Certainly not. Vinland Saga is a series with a specific fanbase and for the diehards it will satisfy but it doesn’t reach the higher echelon of the series.

Vinland Saga Season 2 Part 2 features noteworthy character designs as well. The character designs are by Takahiko Abiru (Trigun Stampede). The designs are reasonably well-done for the series. The main characters are quite distinct with a more realistic art style compared to many of the more kawaii animation style anime series. The designs provide a sense of semi-realism for the anime and the backdrop is grittier as a result. The aesthetic quality brings to mind something aimed at more mature audiences and not only the general audiences of a standard anime production.

The animation style on Vinland Saga Season 2 Part 2 is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the entire production. The animation features bold and vibrant art that showcases the characters and the action-packed landscapes of the series. Featuring gritty artistic direction by Yūsuke Takeda (Kimi ni Todoke - From Me to You, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), Vinland Saga Season 2 Part 2 continues providing the art style that made the first part of the season a success with fans. The season still continues to reward with more bold animation and the animators aim to provide an aesthetic more akin to something from HBO (think of Game of Thrones) and the darker genre tones of a more mature anime. The animators provide solid background animation and the art has good detail and vision. These aspects certainly help the series to achieve its intended aesthetic.

The score by Yutaka Yamada (Tokyo Revengers, Tokyo Ghoul) is a highlight of the production as it helps to build on the action and spectacle. The score works for the background of the production and amps things up. The music is a good part of the action and the intense score music is something that is an important ingredient for these aspects of the series to excel further and succeed. The composer has understanding of the genre and what is needed to bring out the best in the production – the backdrop with the action. The music fits the tempo and is a part of the puzzle to bring the series style forward in spades.

The visual language of Vinland Saga is enhanced by the cinematography by Yūki Kawashita (The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, The Ambition of Oda Nobuna) and Hisashi Matsumuko (The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World,  Digimon Ghost Game). The cinematography brings out a lot of style in the animation and provides a good backdrop to the landscape art. The visuals are grittier and darker than a typical anime production. The art on display with the cinematography even achieves an almost Western style art approach at times. An almost Spaghetti-Western style is even felt on occasion. As a result, the nice cinematography adds to the production.

Season 2 Part 2 features writing by Hiroshi Seko (Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign, Jujutsu Kaisen). The second season continues the dark style. The writing reflects the darker and grittier scripting with the emphasis on the action and epic battles a big part of the equation. The scripts aren’t aimed towards younger audiences and are more mature. The storytelling aims for the dark recesses of the saga and these elements are amped up.

Vinland Saga Season 2 features direction by Shūhei Yabuta (Alderamin on the Sky, Inuyashiki Last Hero). The direction is one of the key reasons Vinland Saga achieves a grittier style than many other anime productions. Director Yabuta understands how to bring forward the dark aesthetic and blood that ultimately makes the series a hit with the fanbase. For fans following along with season 2 who are anticipating the second half of the second season, the continuation here is sure to please the core fanbase.

Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation provides a deep color palate with good color reproduction for the series animation. The cinematography and encoding are top-notch for the release. The clarity and detail are well-handled. Crunchyroll preserves the detail in the animation and the grittier aesthetic of the animation.

Indeed, the Blu-ray disc format offers a distinct advantage over streaming video services. Streaming video platforms often provide video with lower video bit-rates. For enthusiasts and home theater aficionados wanting to eek out the absolute best in the presentation quality, the physical media release options continue to provide an advantage that can be worth seeking out – especially for big fans. Fans of the series wanting to own a permanent copy with the advantages of physical media have a good option available to them with the release.

Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes lossless audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release preserves the sound direction by Shōji Hata (Fairy Tail, Yo-kai Watch!) and the audio presentation brings out the best in the soundstage. The 5.1 audio selection on the English language version provides some more discrete audio separation with the audio track providing a more robust experience with room for the action scenes and sound effects. The audio is crisp and the score is well reproduced. The 2.0 audio option on the original Japanese language version still provides a satisfying audio experience for fans of the series to enjoy. Despite being limited to 2.0 on the sound mix, the audio is still pleasing overall and capably handles the soundstage. The audio has nice dynamics. English subtitles are provided. The English subtitles are well-done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

One of the core hallmarks of the Blu-ray disc format is the lossless audio encoding. Lossless audio is an important part of the physical media format. Streaming video services only provide lossy (non-lossless) audio presentations. Lossy audio (as found on streaming services) is more compressed and has lower bit-rates and cannot achieve as low or pure of a noise floor. For audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts wanting to eek out the best in the soundstage, the lossless encoding is something impressive to bring out the best in the presentation. For enthusiasts, make no mistake, the audio difference can achieve something meaningful in bringing out the best quality in a presentation. For some, the lossless audio is a significant selling point.

Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The first print run of the release includes a nice o-card slipcover. The slipcover artwork features unique key art that is different from the main cover art. The main cover art underneath the slipcover features an addition key piece of artwork. The inner art sleeve also features printed art on the back side of the cover art (though the art highlighted is non-reversible interior art). For collectable fans who appreciate slipcovers and the value added to the first pressing run, the slip adds some nice additional artwork for fans. The slipcover will look great in hand and on the shelf of physical media collectors.

On disc supplements:

Promo Videos (HD, 3:57)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:32)

Unfortunately, the supplements are underwhelming and leave a lot to be desired. The supplements don't add much value to the package. The release could have been more well-rounded with more engaging supplements. The release could have used some audio commentaries, making-of documentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, cast/crew interviews, photo galleries, art galleries, and more. The supplements don't add much value to the release. Sometimes a well-rounded supplemental package can mean the difference between a purchase or a pass for some audiences who may instead opt for a one-time streaming experience instead.

Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Vinland Saga: Season 2 Part 2 continues the second season of the action-packed saga. The season provides gritty action and darkness that will appeal to fans of more mature anime series. With an impressive art style for mature viewers, the series will appeal to audiences looking for anime like Attack on Titan and other similar productions. The series fanbase will continue to appreciate the series and can look forward to new installments.

The Blu-ray release provides a high-definition presentation and lossless audio. In addition to a nice presentation, the release provides a nice package design. The release comes with a o-card slipcover for the first pressing. The slipcover features unique artwork different from key artwork underneath the slip. The only real drawback to the release is a lackluster on-disc supplemental package. Nonetheless, series fans wanting to own a permanent copy for their collection may wish to consider a purchase. Recommended.