The amount of Viking and Norse mythology-inspired cartoons can pretty much be counted on your hands and feet. In my opinion, most of them are mediocre, and I will only recommend watching two of them, both have been produced in Denmark.
The first one is called the Saga of Biorn, this little golden nugget has been produced at The Animation Workshop in Viborg. This is not a million-dollar studio, but it’s actually a College, which means it was produced by students.
This animated short film is about an old Viking who desperately is trying to die honorably in battle so he may gain entry into Valhalla. The only negative thing is that there has never been a follow-up video to please millions of fans around the world.
The second movie that I am gonna recommend to you, and in my opinion the best Norse mythology cartoon of all time, is the cartoon Valhalla from 1986. This movie is partly directed by Peter Madsen, who is a famous Danish cartoonist, who also has been drawing the images for the film as well.
The movie uses the old Norse saga “Thor and Loki Journey to the land of the Giants” as its main storyline. At the beginning of the movie Thor and Loki stop at a poor farmer’s house to stay for the night. The family is so poor that they can’t offer the gods any food for dinner, so, therefore, Thor decides to slay his two goats “Tanngrisnir (Old Norse “teeth-barer, snarler”) and Tanngnjóstr (Old Norse “teeth grinder”)”, and share the meat with the family, but on the condition that they will not break any of the bones.
During the meal, Loki tricks the boy Thjálfi into breaking one of the bones, and as a result, he, and his sister Røskva are forced into being Thor‘s servants.
It is very difficult to find a version with English subtitles, and it is even harder to find an English version of Valhalla. Contact me on Facebook, if you find a good source, or have a new entry to this list of Viking cartoons.
| Name | Publisher | Language | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vikingskool (Viking Skøøl) | Disney+ | English | TBA, 2021 |
| Vinland Saga Season 2 | Kodansha | Japanese | April, 2021 |
| Vic the Viking and the Magic Sword | SDN, Universum Film GmbH | English | Dec 18, 2019 |
| Vinland Saga Season 1 | Kodansha | Japanese | July 7, 2019 |
| How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World | Universal Pictures | English | Feb 22, 2019 |
| How to Train Your Dragon 2 | 20th Century Fox | English | May 16, 2014 |
| Vic the Viking Season 1 | Network Ten | English | Jul 4, 2013 |
| The Saga of Biorn | The Animation Workshop | English | Feb 18, 2011 |
| How to Train Your Dragon | Paramount Pictures | English | March 26, 2010 |
| The Secret of Kells | Universal Pictures | English | Jan 30, 2009 |
| Asterix and the Vikings | SND | English | Apr 5, 2006 |
| Animated Epics: Beowulf | N/A | English | 1998 |
| DuckTales: Maid of the Myth (Season 1, Ep 61) | Disney | English | Oct 12, 1987 |
| Valhalla | Nordisk Film | Danish | Oct 10, 1986 |
| Grendel, Grendel, Grendel | Satori Corporation, Umbrella Entertainment | English | Jul 9, 1981 |
