Einar (Vinland Saga)

Einar (Japanese: エイナル, Hepburn: Einaru) is a fictional character from Makoto Yukimura's manga series Vinland Saga. Introduced in the series's second story arc, Einar is a former farmer from Northern England and becomes a slave when his family is killed by soldiers. He is bought by Ketil, a major landowner, to work on his large farm in southern Denmark; there, Einar is partnered with the protagonist Thorfinn. Across the series, Einar and Thorfinn befriend each other and share the same goals of becoming free, eventually desiring to create a utopia in Vinland once they are free from slavery.

Einar was created by Makoto Yukimura in order to create a supporting character for the manga in order to assist Thorfinn and help him come to appreciate his vitality. The staff from the anime adaptation decided to alter part of their story but keep his characterization intact which led to several discussions with his Japanese voice actor Shunsuke Takeuchi.

Critical response to Einar was positive for his kind portrayal and the brotherly bond he forms with Thorfinn even at their lowest. This bond is especially notable for how both seek to avoid the cycle of violence; the setting is used especially when deciding to form the utopia in Vinland.