If the prospect of opening a history book bores you to tears, you may expect Vinland Saga to do the same. You’d be wise to disregard any preconceived preconceptions you may have about this epic historical series since it’s one of the greatest on Netflix right now, as well as a model for how to tell storylines spanning long periods of time in real-world sagas.

The anime is a story about revenge and has some of the greatest action sequences in any anime ever. Want to know more about this beautiful Viking anime on Netflix? Then keep on reading.

What is Vinland Saga about?

Vinland, a region of North America, was previously home to Vikings with the arrival of explorer Leif Erikson in 1000 AD. The Vinland Sagas, two Icelandic books published in the 13th century, chronicle these adventures: The Saga of Erik the Red and The Saga of the Greenlanders. It begins with the Viking conquest of England in the early 11th century and follows a little child named Thorfinn Thorsson as he grows up under the guidance of his father, Thors Snoresson.

Thors participated in the famous Battle of Hjörungavágr and expected to spend a happy life with his wife Helga and their children. The battle, however, altered things, and when Thors dies, it is up to his son Thorfinn to continue on his heritage. It’s tough to see Thorfinn struggle with grief and anger, but this narrative lays the groundwork for an epic that would span years and years, all based on historical records.

Why should you watch the anime?

Vinland Saga features a likable group of people that are tremendously simple to fall in love with over the course of a long journey. This series is sympathetic to its players, even when they’re killers who have no problem cleaving others in two, from the opening scenes depicting heroic Thors in the midst of battle through his family dynamic.

There’s a long story here that will be told with great fanfare, and it gives every single character their due. If you’re wondering about how a certain character fits into the story, you’ll learn enough about them to comprehend their motives. And with such flawless animation and a terrific voice cast, it’s such an easy watch, even if you’re queasy, that you’ll melt from one episode to the next, albeit the first one is so riveting that you might want to see it again.

Stream Vinland Saga on Netflix and let us know if you guys liked the show or not.