Voting Round 1 Vinland Saga vs. One-Punch Man

[Arjuna]

It should be. And might as well be.

It is published in Seinen magazine actually.

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 3, 2017, Original Post Date: Oct 3, 2017 ---

BTW why can we see the poll results?It should be hidden.

 

[Jammin]

It is published in Seinen magazine actually.

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 3, 2017, Original Post Date: Oct 3, 2017 ---

BTW why can we see the poll results?It should be hidden.

Somebody forgot to check a box would be my guess.

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 3, 2017 ---

@Jammin I see where you're coming from with the Berserk bias, but I didn't really see it like that. Their character arcs have similarities, the overall experience from the 2 is different. OPM/Saitama have originality in their favour, and this is a campaign so don't mind me keep hacking away (and Fubuki almost wins it for me).

---

Yukimura followed the epic prologue of VS with what is called Farmland Saga by some people lol. It was quite a bold move from the author to sacrifice the war setting and it's best character; then have Thorfinn trade his weapons for a shovel - all to develop Thorfinn.. The Farm arc was great imo. The only arc I think that is dragging a bit is the current one, well it's more that it's lacking a little direction.

OPM will probably never do something so drastic, and it shouldn't need to. OPM needs to keep it's charm though. I wouldn't completely disagree with someone if they said the satire has become stagnant and requires fresh ideas. I personally don't see it that way, since I was quite entertained by the Suiryu fight, was hyped to read the chapters (and felt teased a lot throughout it).



One slight advantage for VS is the hardcover volumes, I really like those.

VS also has an inherent disadvantage being a gritty drama. It has no sexiness. One Punch-man..

Spoiler: .. has no such weakness.

]

 

[Sky]

Please dominate me.

 

[Spirit]

The Characters of Vinland - Part 1​

Some say that Vinland could never bring itself back up to what it started off with. Some just don't understand. Vinland has that special quality that One Punch Man simply does not possess. Anybody could come up with a gag manga that pokes fun at Shounen troupes and teases its own demographic. OPM doesn't have characters with as much lasting appeal as those of Vinland. Instead there are a few recognisable ones among countless others that just get forgotten. It doesn't actually teach you anything, which is something only a truly special story can.

Thorkell the Tall

You think Genos or Saitama's insane strength is entertaining? Wait until you get a load of Thorkell the Tall. Imagine if Kenpachi Zaraki was a Viking. You'd have Thorkell.

Insanely strong and bloodthirsty, always looking for a good drink and a fight. But here's the thing. He's far from the boring berserker stereotype that most other manga would utilise such a character. Thorkell is a character that you grow very attached to from the beginning. He's far from static as a person, always questioning the ideals of others, and sometimes even his own. He is a prime example of wartime prowess of that age.

Spoiler

​

Askeladd

Then we have Askeladd. Praised as the best character Vinland Saga had to boast of during the Prologue, and a great deal of characters could even hope to boast this level of majesty.

Thorfinn's personal antagonist and the slayer of the Strongest Man in the world is a prudent warrior who uses wit and intelligence as effectively as ruthlessness to succeed on the battlefields of the British Isles. The deep meaning that Askeladd holds in the MC's life is tragically masked by Thorfinn's Inner Rage and turmoil.​

I can't think of a single character in One Punch Man who's actions or motives hold such sheer meaning and weight akin to that of Askeladd.​

Spoiler

​

 

[MonkeyD-Dragon]

I decided to go with OPM here, Vinland has gotten a VERY great start and an amazing character in Askeladd, however after Askeladd Vinland lost some of its charm for me (in Farmland arc) and with some of the changes that don't meet up with my tastes Vinland did fall a bit off for me, which gave OPM the boost to choose it here.

Though fucking Askeladd is godly

we can agree on that much.

 

[Spirit]

I'm tuckered out. Part 2 and more coming soon

 

[Brandish μ]

VS also has an inherent disadvantage being a gritty drama. It has no sexiness. One Punch-man..

I'll add some Fubuki pics

Spoiler: Cover from chap 80

Spoiler: My fave

 

[Jammin]

I think by now I've pretty thoroughly made the case of why One Punch-man deserves your votes over Vinland Saga.

Not really much more to say. If you like fun. vote One Punch-man. If you lean more in the hipster direction and want something not popular or fun, Vinland Saga is your baby.

So with that done. Time to post more awesome One Punch-man fanart to celebrate.

 

[Organizized]

One Punch Man is fun. Its funny. It's good-looking. It's good satire. I always enjoy reading it and recommend it to everyone.


...


I voted Vinland Saga because it is far superior. Others have made the case quite clear.

 

[Dunno1978]

I vote for OPM, it's a parody, and as Shiro from FSN says: Nobody said that a fake can't surpass the real deal.

 

[The President]

Really? A kid raised on the battle field. Betrayed by someone he thought a friend. He tries to kill him and then is defeated but survives. Which only serves as a long prologue to what comes from there. The real story begins.

Sure they were "raised" on the battlefield but their circumstances were completely different. Thorfinn was never betrayed by any friend, he didn't have friends till Farmland. He tries to kill Askeladd not because he was ever a friend or he betrayed him, but because he killed his father and he tries NUMEROUS times to the point that you could call it sport, not some big battle that holds both character arcs in the balance and has had massive lead-up to it.

Does that sound familiar? Because I'm describing Berserk.

Yeah and I realized it right off the second sentence.

My ancestry is Scandinavian and German and my grandparents were extremely into their Swedish roots. As I result I've probably read up on it more than the average person. But some stuff I think everybody should be able to notice easily enough. Like Vikings were deeply superstitious. All the time. Religion wasn't just a hype tool for war it was a world view. It bled into everything they did. You see bird circling? It means something. You see a dear somewhere you usually don't? That means something too. Vinland Saga barely touches that.

Religion was very loose for Vikings. They ditched some customs and accepted others without much thought. It was all folk tales and jargon to make the time pass by.

With the combat it's mostly absurd superhuman manga stuff. With minimal use of organized small group tactics. Which is how Vikings actually fought. In the context of fictional work that doesn't matter but in a historical series it ruins the very thing your trying to do. Vinland Saga treats it like dynasty warriors.

There are small doses of superhuman acts but for the most part its extremely accurate to how fighting actually takes place. As for group tactics, we saw plenty of it. Almost everything Askeladd did was some kind of raiding tactic. It is extremely accurate in that regard.

You don't go up and down in Viking social class very often either. The real Thorfinn was born a noble and died a noble. None of this thrall stuff. Probably wasn't a jedi-ninja viking either.

You cant go into something expecting a 100% accurate adaption because that is quite literally impossible. Especially when tackling history that occurred over a millennium ago. Of course the author is going to take artistic liberties to fill in the gaps and drive some kind of narrative, I don't see how you can possibly use this as any sort of argument against a series.

​

 

[Jammin]

Religion was very loose for Vikings. They ditched some customs and accepted others without much thought. It was all folk tales and jargon to make the time pass by.

Wow, dude. Just.. wow. Way to dismiss an entire culture you don't understand. Though I guess I can't blame you if your getting your info from Vinland Saga. They would sacrifice their own children to this stuff and willingly to be burned alive. That's how seriously they took it.

Have you ever seen in a movie where the husband dies and the wife chooses to ride out on a ship with her husbands possessions and then set fire to it? That was real thing. Danish Vikings were crazy. And Norwegians were crazier than them.

There are small doses of superhuman acts but for the most part its extremely accurate to how fighting actually takes place. As for group tactics, we saw plenty of it. Almost everything Askeladd did was some kind of raiding tactic. It is extremely accurate in that regard.

Only as a backdrop to some character or other dueling it out with some other major character in a samurai showdown. With extra's getting slaughtered in between. Which, again, I have no problem with unless it's in the context of a historical series. Because that suggest realism and fighting like that is about as realistic as if everybody pulled out ray guns.

You cant go into something expecting a 100% accurate adaption because that is quite literally impossible. Especially when tackling history that occurred over a millennium ago. Of course the author is going to take artistic liberties to fill in the gaps and drive some kind of narrative, I don't see how you can possibly use this as any sort of argument against a series.

"Artistic liberties" Everything is made up. At that point you might as well just make it fantasy.

​

 

[xi0]

Personally, I don't even think of historical accuracy or lack thereof as a strength when it comes to Vinland Saga. It had a loose basis with this and became it's own thing. So I really wouldn't consider such a thing one of it's selling points in the first place.

 

[Jammin]

I think this thread needs another dose of One Punch-man fanart because you can never have enough. It is one of the greatest things on the internet.

 

[The President]

Wow, dude. Just.. wow. Way to dismiss an entire culture you don't understand. Though I guess I can't blame you if your getting your info from Vinland Saga. They would sacrifice their own children to this stuff and willingly to be burned alive. That's how seriously they took it.

Can you explain to me then why they adopted a new religion like christianity at the drop of a hat then? I know a few religious fanatics, I couldnt make them break one simple rule from their religion let alone adopt an entirely different one.

Only as a backdrop to some character or other dueling it out with some other major character in a samurai showdown. With extra's getting slaughtered in between. Which, again, I have no problem with unless it's in the context of a historical series. Because that suggest realism and fighting like that is about as realistic as if everybody pulled out ray guns.

We have had like what, 2-3 1 vs 1s so far? And lets not pretend like they never happened. You are acting like the whole series centers around 1 vs 1s, lets not exaggerate here. We have seen countless times Askeladd employ deceptive pillaging tactics, we have seen countless times various fort defence mechanisms enacted and people fighting people with damn near no "samurai showdowns" aside from the select few challenges.

And I pity you feeling that way, because you are truly missing out on some great series. I dont see why you feel so offended at the prospect of a manga drawing material from historical events also taking creative liberties to propel the story forward. I dont think there is any "based on true story" manga that doesn't.

"Artistic liberties" Everything is made up. At that point you might as well just make it fantasy.

The setting is not made up. Many of the characters arent made up. The journey (locations visited, thus far) haven't been made up. The way Vikings fight and pillage is not made up. The historical tension between different groups and countries is not made up. Lets be honest here, the majority of it is not made up. The things that are are you being nit picky.​

 

[Jammin]

Can you explain to me then why they adopted a new religion like christianity at the drop of a hat then? I know a few religious fanatics, I couldnt make them break one simple rule from their religion let alone adopt an entirely different one.

Prepare for a boring explanation. But remember you asked for it.

It was partly because of how thoroughly they believed in mysticism and partly political. Norse were polytheistic, meaning they believed in more than one god. These societies are much more tolerant and accepting of "new" gods because they just view them as other peoples gods. Monotheistic religions like Christianity are historically the ones to reject other religions violently because it's based around the concept of one god. Other gods are usually heresy. Their conversion to Christianity was a gradual process driven by a lot of political forces at the time and tons of missionaries from Europe. Declaring yourself the chosen leader of the Christian God and converting people was a good way to consolidate power. But the logic they openly used at the time was the Christian god was "stronger" than their gods.

The famous example that's always used is that a Christian Priest suggested a test of divine power. They built a huge fire and then walked through it unharmed and dared a warrior priest to do the same. He couldn't and so proved the christian god stronger. So in a way it's because they were so devoted to mysticism that so many converted like they did.

We have had like what, 2-3 1 vs 1s so far? And lets not pretend like they never happened. You are acting like the whole series centers around 1 vs 1s, lets not exaggerate here. We have seen countless times Askeladd employ deceptive pillaging tactics, we have seen countless times various fort defence mechanisms enacted and people fighting people with damn near no "samurai showdowns" aside from the select few challenges.

And I pity you feeling that way, because you are truly missing out on some great series. I dont see why you feel so offended at the prospect of a manga drawing material from historical events also taking creative liberties to propel the story forward. I dont think there is any "based on true story" manga that doesn't.

I'm not offended. I just don't think the historical aspect is worth even a shred of praise. Other parts of it are. Like the artwork. Which I've said.

Not as good as One Punch-man's though.

​

The setting is not made up. Many of the characters arent made up. The journey (locations visited, thus far) haven't been made up. The way Vikings fight and pillage is not made up. The historical tension between different groups and countries is not made up. Lets be honest here, the majority of it is not made up. The things that are are you being nit picky.

The names aren't made up but just about everything else is. Thorfinn wasn't even known for being a warrior. He was an explorer.

It don't dispute Vinland Saga's entertainment value as an action/drama(except for the slave part on the farm which bored me nearly to tears). I do dispute it's historical value. Which is somewhere between nothing and less than nothing.

 

[Aizen]

The Characters of Vinland - Part 1​

Some say that Vinland could never bring itself back up to what it started off with. Some just don't understand. Vinland has that special quality that One Punch Man simply does not possess. Anybody could come up with a gag manga that pokes fun at Shounen troupes and teases its own demographic. OPM doesn't have characters with as much lasting appeal as those of Vinland. Instead there are a few recognisable ones among countless others that just get forgotten. It doesn't actually teach you anything, which is something only a truly special story can.

Thorkell the Tall

You think Genos or Saitama's insane strength is entertaining? Wait until you get a load of Thorkell the Tall. Imagine if Kenpachi Zaraki was a Viking. You'd have Thorkell.

Insanely strong and bloodthirsty, always looking for a good drink and a fight. But here's the thing. He's far from the boring berserker stereotype that most other manga would utilise such a character. Thorkell is a character that you grow very attached to from the beginning. He's far from static as a person, always questioning the ideals of others, and sometimes even his own. He is a prime example of wartime prowess of that age.

Spoiler

​

Askeladd

Then we have Askeladd. Praised as the best character Vinland Saga had to boast of during the Prologue, and a great deal of characters could even hope to boast this level of majesty.

Thorfinn's personal antagonist and the slayer of the Strongest Man in the world is a prudent warrior who uses wit and intelligence as effectively as ruthlessness to succeed on the battlefields of the British Isles. The deep meaning that Askeladd holds in the MC's life is tragically masked by Thorfinn's Inner Rage and turmoil.​

I can't think of a single character in One Punch Man who's actions or motives hold such sheer meaning and weight akin to that of Askeladd.​

Spoiler

Is it really fair to say that anyone could do what ONE and Murata have done? I mean not only is Murata one of the best in the business art wise (tbf so is Yukimura), but there really are not any other mainstream parody manga out there of OPM's level, minus Gintama that I know of. So if anybody could do it, then why are there not more extremely popular ones out there?

Again I disagree with these comparisons that assume teaching you something = better. If we comparing similar manga in tone (as in serious vs serious) I can see it, but this is completely different. You don't read OPM to learn stuff, you read it to have a great laugh (assuming this is your style of humor) and marvel at the great action sequences that take place on a frequent basis. It is something that not only former/current shonen fans can enjoy, but superhero comic fans can enjoy as well since it arguably makes fun of them equally. I don't have any issue with some preferring Vinlands style, in fact in most cases I do too, but inferring it should be a clear choice when they are so different, is in my opinion, not entirely fair.

As for the characters, I agree OPM does not have an Askeladd (who I regard as one of the best characters in manga period), but it does have a very colorful cast of characters that do have far more depth than they would ever need to have for this type of series. Saitama alone is unique in that he is an MC that is arguably the author in written form, the way he tears down the hype and nonsense we see in common shonen/superhero series.

Overall, you could say Vinland changed its tone to some degree and that is a turn-off in some ways, or you could say OPM's satire and parody antics get old, but either way for the people that connect with these different types of series, you cannot do way better than these two in my eyes.

 

[Spirit]

Is it really fair to say that anyone could do what ONE and Murata have done? I mean not only is Murata one of the best in the business art wise (tbf so is Yukimura), but there really are not any other mainstream parody manga out there of OPM's level, minus Gintama that I know of. So if anybody could do it, then why are there not more extremely popular ones out there?

Again I disagree with these comparisons that assume teaching you something = better. If we comparing similar manga in tone (as in serious vs serious) I can see it, but this is completely different. You don't read OPM to learn stuff, you read it to have a great laugh (assuming this is your style of humor) and marvel at the great action sequences that take place on a frequent basis. It is something that not only former/current shonen fans can enjoy, but superhero comic fans can enjoy as well since it arguably makes fun of them equally. I don't have any issue with some preferring Vinlands style, in fact in most cases I do too, but inferring it should be a clear choice when they are so different, is in my opinion, not entirely fair.

As for the characters, I agree OPM does not have an Askeladd (who I regard as one of the best characters in manga period), but it does have a very colorful cast of characters that do have far more depth than they would ever need to have for this type of series. Saitama alone is unique in that he is an MC that is arguably the author in written form, the way he tears down the hype and nonsense we see in common shonen/superhero series.

Overall, you could say Vinland changed its tone to some degree and that is a turn-off in some ways, or you could say OPM's satire and parody antics get old, but either way for the people that connect with these different types of series, you cannot do way better than these two in my eyes.

Yes yes this is the mandatory pick apart the oppositions arguments period of the round.

 

[Phileos]

I like One punch man more, though Vinland Saga has a better plot in my opinion.

 

[Lambu]

So, reading all comments I get that Vinland Saga surpasses OPM in story and character development, while OPM shines with its comedy and engaging battle scenes (art is top notch in both of them). The campaign for VS is being quite good so far and its making me doubt my vote more than I expected.
I guessed I should take more time to think over it before placing an irrevocable vote but there's something it made me decide faster.

The point I was trying to make is that Vinland Saga has a variety of themes which the author handles at a very high level. That's something which counts a lot from my point of view. Does OPM need complexity or depth? Not really, as you said. But if I have to choose between a manga which only never fails to make my eyes sparkle and a manga which does the same, plus gives me a ride of feels, makes me think about the story, question the decisions of characters and so on, then this becomes - as much as I like OPM - an easy choice for me.


I started to watch S&W, but dropped it right after Lambu's betrayal got revealed in the Mafia Game.

#Not.my.fault.

I just realized that you nominated OPM. u.u"

You know, I agreed so much with the first part. Previous posts and WYIS analysis did a great job at convincing me and, as I considered your opinion quite valid given the seriousness you are showing while explaining your choice, it almost got my vote.

But thats until I read the second part...

I mean, you got pissed at me for showing my evil side in the MG, I can understand that, but you still hold a grudge against me thinking I acted that way out of revenge and ressentment when in the end I didn't even target you in the first place.
To think I took your recommendation about Tower of God seriously to the point Im up to date with it in such a short time but you wouldn't take seriously my reccomendation worth a month of rational campaign because you died early in a game thats about lying...

Truly disappointing @syx , now Im the evil and resentful one?

This made me change my mind and think about voting OPM again, at the very least I know that series (even if Jammin's campaign using gifs from the anime and hot fanarts is not that convincing)

Still, this had to happen:

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 2, 2017, Original Post Date: Oct 2, 2017 ---

Come now, syx. @Lambu's well established nature as a traitor and fake lover of Holo the Wise does not in any way diminish your own sins.

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 2, 2017 ---

It does put him below you on the moral superiority chart though.

Wat?

Congrats @WithYouInSpirit , Vinland Saga gets my vote thanks to your efforts and for a certain nominator's slip. I hope this turns out to be like Margi's vote in the semifinals of the Waifu Wars and you win against the mainstream manga here, I really do.