Vinland Saga season 3 is one of anime's most noticeable no-shows in recent years. Despite featuring a rich, dense, and politically-charged story to rival the likes of Attack on Titan and Game of Thrones, there's been pretty much radio silence on Thorfinn's journey ever since the second season wrapped up in 2023.
Long stretches of time without news is nothing new to the anime epic, however. With that in mind, we thought it would be best to set sail for uncharted territory and uncover what we know so far about Vinland Saga season 3 so far. That includes release date speculation, which manga chapters could be adapted, and the cast of characters – from Einar, Leif, and Canute – that could crop back up in new adventures.
So join us as we run through everything we know about Vinland Saga season 3 so far. Then dive into our guide to 2025's big new anime – including My Hero Academia season 8 and One-Punch Man season 3.
Vinland Saga season 3 release date speculation: has the anime been canceled?
Last year, Vinland Saga artist Takahiko Abiru tweeted that "Thorfinn's journey will continue." That clears up one big question: Vinland Saga hasn't been canceled, but a third season has yet to be officially confirmed.
At this early juncture, then, we can only speculate on a Vinland Saga season 3 release date. There was a gap of four years between the first season (2019) and the second season (2023).
In our estimation, Vinland Saga season 3 will arrive in winter 2026 at the earliest. Why? Right now, 2025's anime line-up is stacked. Anything that hasn't been announced yet almost certainly isn't arriving in the next 12 months. Anime's typical January-March winter window is the next best port of call for it.
We also don't know who will be taking the reins on animation for a third season – and that could also affect its release date. If MAPPA continues for a second season in a row, then fall 2026 or early 2027 are far more likely destinations due to its increasing workload with titles such as the Chainsaw Man movie and Jujutsu Kaisen season 3.
Vinland Saga's anime may also be waiting for the manga to wrap up. Series creator Makoto Yukimura told Anime Corner in October 2024 that only a few chapters remained. At the current rate of releases, there might be an announcement on the anime's future – and how it will adapt all the way to the manga's ending – by the end of 2025.
Right now, there are a lot of questions and not a lot of answers, but we expect the picture to become far clearer in the coming months.
Vinland Saga season 3 story: what manga chapters will be adapted next?
Vinland Saga season 3 will almost certainly adapt the Eastern Expedition Arc (chapters 100-166) of the manga. Some smaller plot beats may be cut for time, but the cadence of the anime series so far has been one major arc per season, and there's no real reason to stop doing that now.
While we won't delve into spoiler territory, we can tease that the Eastern Expedition Arc is a slight roadbump on Thorfinn's trek to Vinland. Instead of heading there, he goes to Greece to raise funds for the trip. Inevitably, he butts heads with several fresh faces – and is caught in the middle of a factional struggle with the Jomsvikings.
But how did we get here? Vinland Saga revolves around the odyssey of Thorfinn, a young child who accompanies his father on a journey across the seas – only to witness his death at the hands of a brutal bandit named Askeladd.
From there, an odd dynamic springs up: Thorfinn joins Askeladd's army and, amid brewing tensions in 11th-Century England, soon stands alone as one of the defining forces in a country filled with vikings, invaders, and the man he wishes to kill.
In a twist of fate, Askeladd isn't killed by Thorfinn, but by Prince Canute – who takes over England from the slain King Sweyn and wrestles with the crown's corrupting curse.
The second season, though, takes the road less traveled. Where the first season's Thorfinn was prickly and tempestuous, the next batch of episodes sees the protagonist – now a young man – sold into slavery and striking up a friendship with Einar. He even rejects warfare and violence, much to the confusion of the newly-crowned King Canute after the monarch invades the farm where Thorfinn is kept.
Eventually, the pair are freed and Thorfinn returns to his original home of Iceland to see his family. He also reveals his intention to sail to the fabled land of Vinland, where he aims to set up a utopia in line with his father's dreams.
When can we expect a Vinland Saga season 3 trailer?
Right now, all we can do is wait for a Vinland Saga season 3 trailer. However, the anime's marketing history does help us narrow a release window down somewhat.
The gap between the initial announcement and airing of the second season was 18 months. A full trailer was also released three months before its January 2023 bow. With that in mind, we couldn't expect any teaser or announcement video until late 2025, with a trailer feeling as far in the horizon as Vinland itself. Our best guess? 2026.
Vinland Saga season 3 cast: newcomers and who could return?
Again, the Vinland Saga season 3 cast won't be confirmed until an initial announcement. However, we'd be very surprised – especially if you peek ahead at what the manga is adapting next – if Thorfinn (Yuto Uemura), Canute (Kensho Ono), Atli (Shin'ya Takahashi), Einar (Shunsuke Takeuchi), and Leif Erikson (Yoji Ueda) don't all return with their original voice actors in tow.
The Eastern Expedition arc will also introduce the likes of Sigurd, the female hunter Hild, and Garm the Hellhound who, you may have gathered from his name, stands out as one of Vinland Saga's biggest upcoming villains.
Where can I watch Vinland Saga?
The first two seasons of Vinland Saga are available to stream on both Netflix and Crunchyroll, though we'd give the Crunchyroll version the slight edge due to its superior translation. It's also available to watch on Prime Video.
Of course, no word yet on where Vinland Saga season 3 will be available, though we'd be surprised if it doesn't find a home yet again on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
For more, check out our picks for the best anime and best anime on Netflix you should be watching in 2025.
