Ever since the Vinland Saga manga series dropped back in 2005, fans have been truly mesmerized by it to the core. Over the years, it became popular enough to even be adapted into an anime series of the same name which became a prized possession to the fans. Yet, despite such popularity, the anime hasn’t won any awards to date.
Even at this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards, fans were left disappointed as the saga won nothing. In fact, this disappointment of having Vinland Saga devoid of any awards despite having more than 50 nominations has fans comparing it with Better Call Saul — the anime’s Hollywood counterpart that has suffered the same fate as it.
Vinland Saga seems to share the same fate as Better Call Saul
Vinland Saga has been long hailed as one of the best manga cum anime projects to have ever been created. Yet, despite its massive success among fans, it has been snubbed one too many times at The Anime Awards, being left on the nominated stage only.
Illustrated by Mangaka Makoto Yukimura and brought to life by director Shūhei Yabuta, the saga encompasses the story of Thorfinn, who decides to defeat the powerful Viking Floki for having killed his father all the while fulfilling his lifelong desire to discover the land of Vinland.
Having such a fan-loved story, the anime has received a whopping 53 nominations over the years at the Anime Awards. However, it has managed to win none. As a fan (@NakeemHere) recently pointed out on X:
9 years
50+ nominations
0 Awards #AnimeAwards pic.twitter.com/AtfPoh5Tir
— 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐦 (@NakeemHere) March 2, 2024
These include nominations in the Anime of the Year, and Best: Antagonist, Opening Sequence, Ending Sequence, Director, Animation, Character Design, Fight Scene, Drama, VA Performance (German), Continuing Series, Cinematography, and Main Character categories.
At the recently held Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024 as well, fans were once again hoping for the saga to finally hit its long-deserved jackpot and win at least one accolade. However, this year’s results were as disappointing as the ones from all those years.
In fact, it has grown so disappointing to get snubbed again and again, year after year, that some fans are now even comparing the star-studded anime series with the superhit Breaking Bad spin-off series, Better Call Saul for sharing the same fate when it comes to awards.
Just like Vinland Saga, Better Call Saul has also faced devastating snubs year after year after year at the Emmy Awards, despite being one of the most beloved TV shows to fans. In fact, this spin-off series had more seasons and episodes than the anime series.
But despite having around 63 episodes spread across six stunning seasons, Better Call Saul was left with only 53 nominations and 0 wins at the Primetime Emmy Awards over the course of nine years that it was nominated.
This is why devastated fans are now comparing the two blockbusters for sharing the same defeated fate.
Devastated Fans are comparing Vinland Saga with Better Call Saul
Considering how both Vinland Saga and Better Call Saul have stunningly similar numbers of nominations and snubs at awards over the years, fans are saying that both the series share the same fate when it comes to misfortune.
While some of them cite the over-popularity of the other animes as the reason behind Vinland Saga losing so much, others are even calling Mangaka Makoto Yukimura’s work the Better Call Saul of the anime world. Here’s what they’re saying on X:
Popularity trumps all in the end…smh
— ONITSUNKA (@MuziUrameshi) March 2, 2024
Vinland Saga and Better Call Saul can never be beaten as the most robbed shows
— lolguy (@_drypork_) March 3, 2024
Truly the Better Call Saul of Anime
— Dimmadam (@OOOyediran) March 2, 2024
It is really the Better call saul of anime🫠
— Ironking (@Ironking9899) March 3, 2024
It's just like an better call soul 😭😭
— Jai (@jai2532004) March 2, 2024
The better call Saul treatment pic.twitter.com/FsQua3XoLY
— GJOVRDVBJIBN (@gjovrdvbji65880) March 3, 2024
This just shows how criminally underrated Vinland Saga is
— 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐦 (@NakeemHere) March 2, 2024
Well, for what it’s worth, Vinland Saga and Better Call Saul may have failed rather brutally at the anime awards, but at least they won all the fans’ hearts, right? (Wipes tears)
You can stream both Vinland Saga and Better Call Saul on Netflix.
