| Thorfinn | |
|---|---|
| Vinland Saga character | |
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Thorfiinfaces.jpg) Thorfinn as drawn by Makoto Yukimura with his four forms, as a child (bottom left), warrior (bottom right), slave (top left), and merchant (top right). | |
| First appearance | Vinland Saga chapter 1: "Normanni" (2005) |
| Created by | Makoto Yukimura |
| Voiced by | Japanese
English
|
Thorfinn (Japanese: トルフィン, Hepburn: Torufin), also called Thorfinn Karlsefni (ソルフィン・カルルセヴニ) and Thorfinn Thordarson (ソルフィン・ソルザルソン), is a fictional character and the protagonist of the manga Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura. Thorfinn is introduced as a teenage warrior of Askeladd's Viking company. He hates his commander for slaying his father Thors and has sworn to kill Askeladd in a duel. To earn the right to fight such a duel, Thorfinn must complete difficult tasks for Askeladd, such as sabotage or the killing of enemy generals. After over a decade of being a Viking, the adult Thorfinn starts questioning his actions and reflects on his earlier dream of a land without violence.
Yukimura based the fictional character on Thorfinn Karlsefni, as a soldier who initially commits horrible acts as a Viking but grows up to be more caring in later chapters, trying to understand other people and redeem himself. Thorfinn is heavily influenced in this by the king of Norway Olaf Tryggvason. In the anime adaptation of Vinland Saga, multiple voice actors portray Thorfinn's child and adult personas.
Initial critical response to Thorfinn was mixed. Although his backstory and loss of innocence were considered tragic, he was criticized for his rude demeanor. Nevertheless, his fight scenes were praised. The protagonist's growth across the story arcs was praised for giving the character further depth, most notably when living as a slave. The actors voicing Thorfinn were also praised.