Record of Ragnarok

Record of Ragnarok began serialization in Monthly Comic Zenon with the January 2018 issue, released on 25 November 2017.

As of 20 November 2025, 26 collected volumes have been published by Coamix under the Zenon Comics label, with a total circulation surpassing 18 million copies by December 2024.

The series quickly gained popularity, with the first volume selling out and going into large reprints soon after its May 2018 release.

To promote the second volume, artist Ajichika released the entire first chapter on Twitter, significantly boosting the readership.

The franchise includes several official spin‑off manga.

It has also been adapted into a web anime (on Netflix), a TV broadcast version, and a live stage play.

The story is set 7 million years after the birth of humanity.

The gods of all pantheons convene the "Council of Valhalla" to decide humanity’s fate, and they vote overwhelmingly to exterminate mankind.

At this moment, the eldest Valkyrie, Brunhilde, objects and invokes a special clause: Ragnarok, the "Final Battle of Gods vs Humanity".

She proposes a series of 13 one‑on‑one fights between the mightiest gods and the greatest human champions, with the first to reach 7 wins deciding whether humanity lives for another 1000 years or is annihilated.

To give humans a fighting chance, Brunhilde leads her 13 Valkyrie sisters to use Volundr, or Divine Weapon Fusion.

Each Valkyrie merges body and soul with a human fighter, transforming into a unique god‑killing weapon in a bond called "All‑in‑One Fate"; if the human dies, the Valkyrie also vanishes from existence.

First Round – Lü Bu Fengxian vs Thor

The opening match is a brutal clash between Thor, the strongest war god of Norse mythology, and Lü Bu Fengxian, famed as the "Mightiest Hero of China".

Brunhilde pits the god of thunder against a man who dominated battlefields across the continent in search of worthy foes.

Valkyrie Randgriz becomes Lü Bu’s halberd through Volundr, forming the god‑killing Fangtian Huaji.

Thor, wielding his massive hammer Mjolnir restrained by the iron gauntlets Járngreipr, begins almost bored, as no enemy has ever drawn out his full strength.

Lü Bu, who once traveled Eurasia with his horse Red Hare slaying beasts and warriors until he realized he had become the "strongest of his age", finally finds joy in facing an equal.

He shatters one of Járngreipr, inadvertently awakening Mjolnir itself and unleashing Thor’s true power.

Thor’s technique Awakened Mjolnir pulverizes Lü Bu’s legs, but Lü Bu rides in on Red Hare and unleashes his ultimate strike Sky Eater, crafted in life for a "future strongest rival" he never met.

Both fighters collide at full power; Lü Bu loses his arm and is finally beheaded, dying ecstatic that he has truly gone all out, as Randgriz vanishes with him.

Second Round – Adam vs Zeus

To regain momentum, Brunhilde sends in Adam, the "Father of All Humanity".

His weapon is a pair of brass knuckles formed by Valkyrie Reginleif's Volundr.

Adam possesses Divine Imitation, allowing him to instantly copy any technique he witnesses from a god.

He uses this to perfectly mirror the attacks of Zeus, the chairman of the Valhalla Council and "God Father of the Cosmos", a sadistic battle maniac in a frail old man’s body who can bulk up into a colossal muscle form.

Zeus, unable to resist fighting, takes the second match instead of his original finale slot.

He eventually activates his ultimate compression form Adamas, concentrating his muscles to absurd levels at great strain.

Adam copies everything, including Adamas, and the fight devolves into a savage slugfest.

Even after Adam goes blind and technically dies mid‑exchange from the strain of Divine Imitation, his body continues punching on instinct for the sake of his "children", all humanity.

Zeus finally remains the last one standing, sitting down in exhaustion as Adam’s corpse falls.

Though officially a loss for humanity, Adam dies as the ultimate father who bore all pain for his descendants.

Third Round – Kojiro Sasaki vs Poseidon

With humanity down 0–2, Brunhilde is hesitant to pick a fighter against Poseidon, the terrifying "Tyrant of the Seas" whom even gods fear.

Unexpectedly, the "Greatest Loser in History", Kojiro Sasaki, steps forward.

In life, Kojiro never won a real duel, always retreating or losing, including his famous defeat to Miyamoto Musashi on Ganryu Island.

But every loss was fuel: he replayed battles thousands of times in his mind, refining his style Ganryu into a living algorithm of "future strikes".

Through this, Kojiro awakens Thousand‑Handed Divine Attack, anticipating and countering every move.

Valkyrie Hrist becomes the long sword Bizen Nagamitsu through Volundr, but Poseidon snaps it with a single devastating thrust.

Hrist reveals her second nature, "The One Who Roars", and performs Divine Weapon Refusion, splitting into a dual‑blade set that embodies both her trembling and roaring selves.

Kojiro reads the flow of air and vibrations to reach Ten Thousand‑Handed Divine Attack, predicting even a god’s hand.

He finally overwhelms Poseidon with the ultimate flurry Double Swallow, Tiger‑Cleaving Ten Thousand‑Blade Storm, cutting the sea god to pieces.

Humanity celebrates its first victory as Kojiro, battered but triumphant, leaves supported by Hrist.

Fourth Round – Jack the Ripper vs Heracles

Gods are rattled by Poseidon’s death, and Heracles volunteers to fight next to avenge Greek pride.

Brunhilde chooses the opponent she always reserved for him: Jack the Ripper, the "Killer of the Fog".

Jack is a gentlemanly serial killer from Victorian London, always quoting Shakespeare and sipping tea.

His right eye is a unique odd eye that sees emotions as colors, a "Gift" he believes God gave him to survive a vile world.

The arena becomes a replica of old London’s streets.

Initially, Jack appears to wield a massive scissors sword as his Volundr, then claims his two pouches are his true divine tools.

In reality, Valkyrie Hlökk has become a pair of gloves through Volundr.

Anything Jack touches with those gloves becomes a god‑killing weapon, from cobblestones to house walls to his own blood.

Heracles wields a lion‑headed club and his own body, covered in tattoos of the twelve divine labors that become the technique Twelve Calamities and Sins when activated.

Each use spreads a tattoo, causing immense pain and bringing him closer to complete annihilation.

Heracles fights openly and lovingly, determined to save humanity even as their executioner.

As the battle rages, he learns Jack’s tragic childhood: a brothel‑born child who believed in his mother’s love until he discovered she only used him to reach a writer she adored, not him.

Jack, who murdered his mother after realizing her love was false, now sees only "fear colors" as true beauty.

Heracles refuses to hate him, instead embracing his despair and vowing to save his heart.

In a final exchange, Jack gambles his life to coat his glove in his own blood, turning his bare hand into the divine blade Dear God.

He mortally wounds Heracles, who dies smiling, entrusting humanity’s salvation to Brunhilde.

Jack wins and realizes a new emotion he has never seen before in his own heart: sorrow.

He walks away, wanting to meet Heracles again someday, while Hlökk quietly labels him "a pitiful man".

Fifth Round – Raiden Tameemon vs Shiva

The score is 2–2, and Brunhilde sends in Raiden Tameemon, the strongest sumo wrestler in history, nicknamed the "Peerless Rikishi".

His opponent is Shiva, the Indian god of destruction and creation, "Destroyer of the Universe" and supreme deity of the Indian pantheon.

Raiden was born with monstrous muscles so strong they broke his own bones, forcing him to create a special "Hundred Locks" muscle system to restrain himself.

Even with power sealed, he became a living legend; his most powerful techniques were self‑banned to avoid harming weaker opponents.

Valkyrie Thrud transforms into the exoskeletal harness Super Muscle External Restraint, giving Raiden full command over his rampant muscles and allowing him to deliberately reallocate muscle mass for insane bursts.

Raiden finally experiences a life where he can go all out without restraint.

Shiva, once a carefree dancer, was dragged into ambition by his childhood friend Rudra, who wanted to stand at the top of the Indian pantheon.

Together they defeated 1115 powerful Indian gods, and when the time came to decide the single absolute god, Rudra surrendered, entrusting the throne to Shiva.

Their fist‑to‑fist battle in Ragnarok is pure martial artistry and willpower.

Raiden’s techniques tear off one of Shiva’s arms, while Shiva awakens his ultimate dance Tandava of Destruction, surpassing his limits.

Their final clash, pouring every last ounce of life into one strike, ends with Shiva crushing Raiden’s right arm and taking the win.

Raiden, who finally got to wrestle at full strength, thanks Shiva for giving him a match without regret, and both acknowledge each other as great men as Raiden vanishes with Thrud.

Sixth Round – Buddha vs Vaiśravaṇa → Zerofuku → Hajun

After Round 5, Zeus nominates Buddha as the next god representative.

Buddha, the founder of Buddhism and the most unapologetic "problem child" among gods, strolls into the arena and casually declares he will fight for humanity, not the gods.

Zeus accepts, citing that the only rule is "13 fighters per side, first to 7 wins", with no restriction on crossovers.

For Buddha’s opponent, Zeus chooses Vaiśravaṇa, one of the Seven Lucky Gods and leader of the heavenly executioners.

In truth, the Seven Lucky Gods are originally one deity that split into seven parts to hold back calamity.

When they reunite, they become the original cursed god Zerofuku, whose role was to absorb misfortune so others could be happy, only to fall into despair when people remained miserable even after he did.

Zerofuku’s Volundr weapon Axe of Misfortune grows more dangerous whenever he senses his own misfortune, swelling through absorbed negativity.

Buddha fights using his divine weapon Six Realms Staff, a flexible weapon whose form changes according to his emotions and the nature of the six realms carved into its prayer wheels.

Buddha’s main ability is Holy Clairvoyance (Correct Understanding of Alaya‑Consciousness), which lets him read the fluctuations of a soul and foresee the immediate future.

He mocks Zerofuku’s desperation while also understanding him deeply, stating that true happiness is not given by others but chosen by oneself.

Eventually, Zerofuku starts to realize Buddha understood him more than anyone.

They drop their weapons and trade punches; Zerofuku finds joy for the first time in simply being himself and is defeated with a smile, turning back into his benevolent form.

At that moment, a hidden "seed" inside his horn, implanted long ago by Beelzebub, awakens.

Zerofuku’s body becomes the vessel of the legendary Hajun (Papiyas), "Demon King of the Sixth Heaven", a monstrous being who once half‑destroyed the underworld.

Hajun’s overwhelming demonic power and shape‑shifting body crush Buddha, even shattering the Six Realms Staff.

On the brink of death, Buddha performs Divine Weapon Rebirth, using Zerofuku’s axe as material to create a new Volundr with him: the seven‑branched sword Great Nirvana Blade: Zero, inscribed with the Seven Lucky Gods.

With his faith in Zerofuku’s regained happiness, Buddha’s future sight returns stronger than ever.

He slices Hajun in half, and as the demon fades, Zerofuku’s remaining will smiles at Buddha, departing peacefully with the Seven Lucky Gods.

Buddha’s victory brings humanity back to a tie in an emotionally chaotic round where his opponent literally changes mid‑fight.

Afterward, Buddha slips out of the infirmary to ask Kintoki Sakata to investigate the mysterious hero Siegfried, hinting at deeper plots in heaven.

Seventh Round – Qin Shi Huang vs Hades

The gods must fill the vacancy left by Buddha’s defection.

Hades, king of Helheim and eldest of the four Greek brothers, steps up to avenge Poseidon.

Brunhilde chooses Qin Shi Huang, the "King of the Beginning" who unified the warring states of ancient China and came closest to the title of "Emperor Beneath Heaven".

He is blindfolded because of a condition akin to mirror‑touch synesthesia: any wound or hatred directed at others manifests as physical pain in his own body when he sees it.

To survive the hatred of millions in life, Qin trained himself to perceive the key "stars" in the flow of qi instead of relying on sight.

He also mastered the ancient demonic martial art Chi You, derived from a primordial Chinese war god he later defeated personally.

Valkyrie Alvitr fuses with him as the armor Shenluo Aegis, an ultimate defensive Volundr that can store and redirect damage.

During the fight, her resolve to protect Qin completely transforms the armor into the sword form Shenluo Aegis Kai: Shihuang Goucheng Sword, turning perfect defense into fierce offense.

Hades wields a bident, later fused with fragments of Poseidon’s trident and infused with his own life‑blood Pluto Ichor to create the devastating Four Blood Spears of Fate.

This weapon grows stronger by consuming his remaining life energy, a gamble Hades willingly accepts to honor his brothers.

The battle is a refined duel of kings, both recognizing each other’s regal dignity.

Qin loses his left arm and takes grievous damage, but refuses to bend, upholding his belief that "a king stands at the front, never wavering, never relying on others".

In the final clash, Qin’s star‑reading and Alvitr’s stored damage shatter Hades’ Four Blood Spears.

Qin’s blade cuts Hades down; the underworld king praises Qin as worthy of the "king" title, apologizes to his brothers for breaking his vow to avenge Poseidon, and fades, calling Qin his comrade.

Qin salutes Hades, calling him "ally" and thanking him for the battle.

With this, humanity earns its first lead over the gods: 4 wins to 3.

Eighth Round – Nikola Tesla vs Beelzebub

Hades’ death leaves many gods emotionally shaken.

Brunhilde chooses Nikola Tesla, the "Only Magician in Human History" (despite him despising the word "magic", insisting everything is science).

For the gods, Beelzebub volunteers.

He is known both as the "Lord of the Flies" and "Cursed by Satan", a genius mad scientist of heaven and one of its most feared, lonely figures.

Valkyrie Gondul becomes the armored suit Superhuman Automation: Beta through Volundr.

Equipped with three "Super Tesla Coils", it converts Gondul’s life energy into high‑voltage electricity, scattering Super Tesla Particles into the environment.

Tesla uses these particles to activate his crowning achievement: an anti‑gravity system enabling flight and instant teleportation Tesla Warp.

He openly explains his own weaknesses mid‑fight, believing that "secrecy only hinders the progress of science" and that shared knowledge is humanity’s engine of evolution.

Beelzebub controls vibration using his ability Devil’s Wings (Balmung).

His left hand specializes in defense, his right in offense; combined with his Volundr staff Apomyius, gifted by Hades, he can turn vibration into both a perfect shield and a lethal spear.

Haunted by tragedies, Beelzebub once killed his close angel friends Lucifer, Azazel, and Samael due to an uncontrollable destructive impulse he calls Destrudo.

He traveled with Lucifer’s childhood friend Lilith to find and destroy "Satan", only to discover Satan was his own alter ego, revealed when he murdered Lilith himself.

The tattoo Lilith gave him after forgiving him keeps him alive against his will, acting as a "prayer" rather than a "curse", according to Hades.

Unable to die, Beelzebub now seeks someone who can grant him a grotesque, painful death as atonement.

In the fight, Tesla’s teleportation and electric attacks severely wound Beelzebub.

Cornered, Beelzebub breaks Hades’ taboo and uses the ultimate vibration technique Void God (Kloges), a wave powerful enough to obliterate the arena.

Tesla counters part of it with his maximum output attack but still ends up critically injured, while Beelzebub also suffers severe backlash.

In their final exchange, Tesla unveils an evolved Tesla Warp that teleports only his arm to create a pincer strike.

Beelzebub, trusting Tesla’s intellect too much to believe he’d charge in without a trick, predicts and blocks the blow.

He then kills Tesla, whose last act is to console humanity, declaring that as long as humans never give up and keep advancing science, there will be no end for them.

Gondul appears beside Tesla as they both vanish, smiling.

Gods grudgingly acknowledge that Tesla fought in a way worthy of his "only magician" epithet, and Zeus admits only someone like Beelzebub could have survived his final attack.

Ninth Round – Leonidas vs Apollo

With the score now 4–4, Zeus appoints Apollo as the ninth god representative.

Apollo is the fourth seat of the Twelve Olympians, god of the sun, music, medicine, prophecy, and more, as well as a shameless narcissist.

Brunhilde selects Leonidas, the king of Sparta, called "the Strongest Rebel in Human History" and "the man who received more looks of admiration than any other".

At first Leonidas lazily refuses, saying he’ll only fight first or last, but when he hears the name "Apollo", his attitude flips: he wants to kill that god himself.

Leonidas hates Apollo because of an oracle that became a curse for Sparta.

During the Battle of Thermopylae, Sparta’s major festival for Apollo, the Carneia, forbade military action, and the elders wished to delay war until the festival ended.

Leonidas destroyed Apollo’s statue and declared he would decide his own fate, not an unseen god’s, then marched to war alone to avoid dragging Sparta into divine punishment.

Three hundred Spartan warriors chose to join him knowing they’d die, and he accepted them, moved by their resolve.

Valkyrie Geirölul becomes his shield via Volundr.

Packed with hidden gimmicks, the shield can extend on chains, transform into a mace, and serve as both the strongest defense and a cunning weapon.

Apollo wields the Volundr Artemis’ String, a pair of gauntlets that create threads of pure light.

These threads can become a lyre, an impenetrable barrier, or lethal arrows; combined with the giant statue Artemis’ Moonshadow, he fires what Hermes calls the "fastest strike in the divine realm".

In spite of Apollo’s smugness, his strength is fueled by tireless self‑improvement.

He was once a complete mediocrity in Olympus but turned every discipline he touched into a domain through unceasing training, earning Zeus’ respect as "a god who knows himself best, and thus can surpass himself".

The two clash in a battle of pride and aesthetics.

Leonidas rejects fighting for revenge or even humanity, claiming he fights now simply because "this is when I must fight".

Their last attacks collide: Apollo’s light spear versus Leonidas’ final charge with a shattered shield.

Leonidas dies with a grin, satisfied by his men’s praise that he was the "coolest Spartan ever", while Apollo, deeply moved, decides to keep his facial scar as a badge of their shared, soul‑scorching fight.

Tenth Round – Soji Okita vs Susanoo‑no‑Mikoto

Humanity is one loss away from extinction.

As Brunhilde hesitates, Soji Okita, the "Strongest Human Executioner in History" and first unit captain of the Shinsengumi, volunteers.

On the god side, Anubis was originally assigned to Round 10.

But Susanoo‑no‑Mikoto, the primordial sword god of Japan and "Strongest God Slayer in Heaven", barges in, insisting on fighting the legendary human swordsman he has long admired.

Susanoo requested the arena be modeled on late‑Edo Kyoto, his beloved era where swordsmanship flourished.

His Volundr is the reforged divine sword Oni‑Slaying Kusanagi, made by melting down the original sword and having chosen divine and human smiths reforge it.

In life, Susanoo quit being one of Japan’s top three "noble gods" to roam the land learning swordsmanship from humans.

He was forbidden to appear directly before humans or receive teaching but spent centuries secretly observing them, absorbing every style and concept across the world.

Through this, Susanoo mastered all "sword techniques created by humanity", eventually reaching a realm beyond gods called Shishin, "the ultimate sword".

Brunhilde calls him "the god who understands human greatness better than anyone".

Okita, who once died of illness before fully unleashing his potential, is a cheerful but deadly killer who lives for battle.

Valkyrie Skalmöld fuses with him to form a katana and later unlocks his "complete swordsman’s body" by dragging his past, present, and future potential into a single moment.

During the fight, Okita releases his inner "Ogre Child", a murderous instinct that once terrified even him.

He chooses to embrace it this time, for the sake of proving himself a true "samurai", even if it costs his life.

Susanoo, thrilled, reaches his final stage: abandoning the sword entirely to wield No‑Blade Sword, slashing with pure intent and technique.

In the final clash, Okita’s Heaven‑Soaring Triple Thrust pierces Susanoo’s body fatally.

Susanoo, whose body crumbles, laments that he can no longer swing a sword, but thanks Okita for the best match of his existence and disappears.

Okita’s heart stops and he begins to vanish, but the creator god Izanagi uses the technique Onogoro to restart his life, and Okita wakes in tears as his commander Kondo Isami confirms that he fought like a true samurai.

Eleventh Round – Simo Häyhä vs Loki (Setup)

Loki, god of mischief, is persuaded by Brunhilde to fight in the eleventh round.

Brunhilde chooses Simo Häyhä, the "White Death", a Finnish sniper feared by the Red Army in the Winter War.

The battlefield is set as a snowy Finnish forest, chosen by Loki.

Simo’s ability allows him to turn his organs into bullets through the power called Pact of Death, while Loki brings his own array of strange tricks and divine tools.

This match has only been set up in the manga so far, with details of the complete fight still unfolding.

The choice of a vast, stealth‑oriented arena contrasts sharply with previous one‑on‑one brawls, promising a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Brunhilde

Brunhilde is the eldest of the thirteen Valkyrie sisters and effectively the main protagonist.

Once reduced to human form in the past, she became a half‑god, half‑human, deepening her ties with humanity.

Outwardly she is calm, regal, and composed, but emotional spikes reveal a foul mouth and a terrifying temper.

When stressed, she binge‑eats her favorite bizarre dish, salmiakki pie.

Brunhilde orchestrates all of humanity’s strategy: scouting fighters, matching them against specific gods, and pairing them with appropriate Valkyries.

She hides her grief over fallen sisters and warriors behind a cold mask, breaking down only when alone.

Before the Council of Valhalla, she secretly prepared for Ragnarok, even visiting Buddha to learn the principle of All‑in‑One Fate.

Buddha himself admits that no one in heaven hates the gods more than she does and calls her terrifying for moving him to fight on humanity’s side.

Göll

Göll is the youngest Valkyrie, a trainee who adores Brunhilde and follows her everywhere.

She is boyishly energetic, often speaking in a casual, slightly rough manner, and is easily terrified by her elder sister’s provocations toward the gods.

Göll serves as the audience surrogate, reacting loudly to the battles and learning as she watches.

Over time, she matures as she witnesses the sacrifices of Valkyries and humans alike.

Lü Bu Fengxian

Lü Bu Fengxian is a warlord of the Three Kingdoms period, often hailed as the single strongest individual warrior of that era.

Brunhilde calls him the strongest and most terrifying fighter she has ever seen on a battlefield.

In life, Lü Bu wandered the continent with his horse Red Hare, seeking stronger and stronger opponents.

Eventually, he realized he had become the strongest of his age, and the lack of challenge plunged him into despair and boredom.

He intentionally threw himself into hopeless battles and even allowed himself to be executed by Cao Cao to end his stagnant existence.

Yet he still believed that someday he would meet a "true strongest opponent" and forged his ultimate technique Sky Eater in preparation.

In Ragnarok, he is ecstatic to finally find that opponent in Thor and to have a weapon, via Volundr, that will not break when he fights at full power.

His spin‑off manga Lu Bu Fengxian: Flying General Legend tells the full story of his life and battles.

Adam

Adam is humanity’s progenitor, a handsome, lean young man who fights wearing only a fig leaf.

Created in God’s image, he can replicate any divine technique he sees through Divine Imitation, but prolonged use overloads his nervous system and destroys his eyes.

In Eden, Adam lived peacefully until his wife Eve was framed by the serpent god for eating the forbidden fruit.

Adam ate the fruit in front of God to share Eve’s punishment and then viciously beat the serpent in retaliation before leaving paradise with his wife.

Although gods claim he hates them more than any other human, Adam himself fights not out of hatred but out of pure paternal love.

He simply wants to protect all his children, humanity.

Reginleif’s Volundr as brass knuckles lets him punch like a god.

Even blind and already dead, his body continues fighting on sheer instinct, making his battle one of the most emotional in the series.

Kojiro Sasaki

Kojiro Sasaki is renowned as Miyamoto Musashi’s rival in the legendary duel at Ganryu Island.

In this story, he is "History’s Strongest Loser", a man who never once won in life.

As a youth, Kojiro was considered a slacker, sleeping in late and surrendering when losing.

In truth he was a savant who turned every defeat into data, training alone to evolve his swordsmanship.

After leaving his dojo, he traveled the land picking fights with famous swordsmen, losing every time but storing every technique and movement in his mind.

He later fought them all in mental simulations, surpassing each one in a virtual world.

He appears in Ragnarok as an old man because his "prime" came after death, through centuries of posthumous training.

His style Ganryu, amplified by Hrist’s dual swords, becomes the pinnacle of all the swordsmen who ever fought him.

Jack the Ripper

Jack the Ripper is the infamous serial killer from Victorian London, reimagined here as a polite, theatrical gentleman.

He speaks like a refined actor, loves tea, and recites Shakespeare while butchering people.

He was born in a brothel to a prostitute mother.

He survived by reading the "color" of people’s emotions with his right eye; his mother’s pure love was his favorite sight until he learned it was all directed at a literary client and not at him.

When he tried to "save" his mother by strangling her, he witnessed a new emotion color — pure terror — and found it indescribably beautiful.

He stabbed her to see more of that color and later killed his probable father the same night.

After that, Jack became an artist of fear, murdering to create "pure terror" portraits.

Brunhilde despises him as the worst of human scum but acknowledges his terrifying utility.

In his spin‑off Record of Ragnarok Tale: Jack the Ripper’s Casebook, it is revealed he was never actually the "real" Jack the Ripper; he simply adopted the name because, as a prostitute’s killer, it suited him.

In Ragnarok, Hlökk forces Volundr onto him under duress, turning her into gloves he uses to weaponize the entire city.

Raiden Tameemon

Raiden Tameemon is the most dominant sumo wrestler in history, recognized across 2000 years of the sport as its absolute strongest.

His incredible body led to four of his favorite techniques being banned, turning him into a living myth: the ring’s unbeatable emperor.

He is cheerful, gluttonous, and lustful, happily sleeping naked among women before his match.

Yet his heart is tender, and as a child he was traumatized by being called a "monster" because his muscles harmed others.

His mother taught him to use his strength to help the weak.

When famine struck his village after the eruption of Mount Asama, he went to Edo to join sumo so he could send money and food back home.

Under master Tanikaze, he trained tirelessly and initially reveled in showing off his strength, lighting up the ring and sending aid back to his home village.

But when he saw the fear on his opponent’s face and realized he had become a bully, he wept and voluntarily sealed away his strongest techniques.

Thrud’s Volundr finally frees his muscles, letting him fight as he always wanted — for the joy of pure battle.

His gratitude toward both his village and his opponents cements him as one of the manga’s most likable characters.

Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang is the world’s first emperor, who unified China after 550 years of war.

Brunhilde calls him the human who approached "Heavenly Emperor" the closest.

As a child, he was a hostage in the state of Zhao, hated for a massacre he didn’t commit, specifically the Changping Massacre.

His mirror‑touch synesthesia caused every hateful gaze from the citizens to physically hurt him, making his entire childhood a constant torture.

He survived by faking cheerful smiles, treating the pain as punishment he had to endure.

Everything changed when his new caretaker and bodyguard, Chunyan, arrived.

Chunyan helped him cover his eyes with a cloth, taught him to be honest about his emotions, and gave him a taste of genuine family.

Later, assassins attacked on the way back to Qin, and Chunyan, mortally wounded defending him, revealed his own son had died at Changping and that he had taken the job to decide whether to kill or save the prince.

Chunyan chose to protect him and asked him to become the greatest king.

Qin swore to do so, later unifying China, defeating the demon Chi You, and mastering its martial art.

In Ragnarok, his arrogant speech and constant "No problem" attitude frustrate Alvitr, but his gentlemanly treatment of her secretly wins her heart.

Their synergy in battle shows that their personalities are actually perfectly matched.

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla is the genius inventor who laid the groundwork for modern AC electricity, wireless transmission, and much more.

In this story, he’s an exuberant, eccentric scientist surrounded by other famous inventors like Thomas Edison and Galileo Galilei in the stands.

He despises being called a magician, insisting everything he does is explainable by rational "science".

He believes information must be shared freely, so he joyfully explains both his own techniques and their weaknesses mid‑battle, infuriating allies.

As a child, Tesla admired his older brother Dane, who designed windmills for their village.

When Dane died after being struck by lightning while checking a windmill, Tesla was convinced science could keep him alive.

Years later, he rebuilt Dane’s windmill with improvements and proclaimed to the village that "as long as we pass on and develop science, people never truly die".

This philosophy shapes his relentless optimism.

His Volundr armor with Gondul is humanity’s technological ultimate move.

Even while dying, Tesla sees Beelzebub’s techniques as "wonderful research" and departs urging humanity to keep moving forward.

Leonidas

Leonidas is the king of Sparta known from the Battle of Thermopylae.

He is rude, explosive, and utterly uninterested in gods’ authority.

He delights in punching arrogant "god bastards" in the face.

He names Apollo the being he hates most in the world and loves the idea of breaking his nose.

Brunhilde tries to recruit him for Round 9, and he refuses until he hears Apollo’s name.

He instantly changes his mind, joining specifically to kill Apollo for the oracles that shackled Sparta.

Leonidas’ own motto is that Spartans should always fight by their own will, not by divine decree.

His Volundr with Geirölul symbolizes this defiant spirit, turning the classic Spartan shield into a weapon full of surprises.

He dies content, surrounded by the spirits of his 300 Spartans.

Apollo, in turn, accepts the scar Leonidas gave him as proof that both of them were "truly beautiful" in how they lived and fought.

Soji Okita

Soji Okita is the prodigy swordsman of the Shinsengumi, drawn here as the same version from the author’s other work Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem.

He is cheerful and playful, but when he fights, he becomes an unstoppable "human slayer".

Okita watches early matches with commander Kondo Isami, excited that such strong people exist.

He eagerly waits for his own turn, wanting to cross blades with legends.

He intervenes during a near‑brawl between Loki, the Seven Lucky Gods, Buddha, and others, joining Kojiro and Kondo on Buddha’s side simply because "it looks like fun".

He later gets emotional seeing Leonidas fight and remembers that in life he died coughing from disease, not on the battlefield.

Driven by regret, he asks Brunhilde to send him into Round 10.

His Volundr with Skalmöld pulls out all his sword potential across time, giving him a perfect swordsman’s body that lets him unleash his full "Ogre Child" strength.

After defeating Susanoo, he collapses and nearly experiences complete soul annihilation.

Izanagi’s intervention revives him, and as Kondo tells him he finally fought like a true samurai, Okita cries with relief and gratitude.

Michel Nostradamus

Michel Nostradamus is the infamous French prophet, portrayed as a hyperactive troll.

He steals Brunhilde’s clothes just to tease her, making her label him "the most unpleasant man in human history".

Despite his antics, Brunhilde recognizes his power and calls him their Joker: a trump card.

He is looking forward to his own turn as much as Qin and Okita.

Previously, he destroyed the Rainbow and Darkness Gate, a crucial device in heaven, purely because he wondered what would happen.

For this forbidden act, he became the only human ever thrown into the underworld, but he actually enjoyed his time there.

He has a free pass to the Abyss, the deepest part of the underworld, because Odin ordered him to act as Siegfried’s doctor.

After Round 10, he kidnaps Göll and takes her to meet Siegfried, hinting that the legendary hero plays a key role in Odin’s grand design.

Simo Häyhä

Simo Häyhä, the "White Death", is a legendary Finnish sniper from the Winter War.

Although he has yet to fully appear in the story, fan voting has already revealed his design, depicting him as a quiet, lethal hunter.

He is chosen specifically to counter Loki’s trickery.

His unique ability, the Pact of Death, lets him turn his own organs into bullets, suggesting an extremely high‑risk, high‑reward fighting style.

Kintoki Sakata

Kintoki Sakata, the heroic warrior known in folklore as "Kintaro", appears as a rough but reliable ally of Buddha.

Buddha calls him "Kin‑chan" and trusts him enough to ask him to investigate Siegfried.

He visits Buddha in the infirmary with Kintaro candy as a gift.

Later he roams the underworld collecting information on Siegfried, laying groundwork for future revelations.

The thirteen Valkyrie sisters are half‑gods whose usual job is to choose human warriors and bring their souls to Valhalla.

In Ragnarok, they rebel and instead merge with human champions as Volundr, sacrificing their own lives to give humans god‑killing weapons.

Each Volundr embodies the meaning of a Valkyrie’s name.

Their bond with their human partner is "All‑in‑One Fate": if the human dies or suffers soul destruction, the Valkyrie also disappears forever.

Randgriz

Randgriz is the fourth Valkyrie sister, whose name means "Breaker of Shields".

She forms Lü Bu’s halberd Fangtian Huaji, powerful enough to crack Thor’s Járngreipr.

She fights alongside Lü Bu from the very first round.

When Thor’s awakened Mjolnir destroys her weapon and beheads Lü Bu, she vanishes with him in light.

Hrist

Hrist is the second Valkyrie sister, whose name carries two meanings: "The Shaking One" and "The One Who Roars".

She is the only Valkyrie with two distinct personalities and powers.

She becomes Kojiro’s long sword Bizen Nagamitsu (nicknamed "Clothesline") in her "Shaking" aspect.

After it breaks, she performs Divine Weapon Refusion and splits into two blades that embody both of her sides.

Her dual swords let Kojiro transition from pure foresight to an offensive style that synthesizes all techniques he ever learned.

After his win, she supports his weary body off the arena and continues to stay by his side in later scenes.

Thrud

Thrud is the third Valkyrie sister, "The Strong One".

She becomes Raiden’s exoskeleton, Super Muscle External Restraint.

She is the tallest and most muscular of the sisters, yet she has a girlish crush on Raiden.

Hearing his resolve to finally stop betraying his love of sumo and go all‑in for once, she commits to supporting him even if it means dying.

As Raiden’s body begins to collapse from unleashed power, he asks her to release Volundr to spare her.

She refuses, saying she always intended to share his fate, and disappears with him at the end.

Geirölul

Geirölul is the fifth Valkyrie sister, "She Who Goes Forth Bearing a Spear".

She fuses with Leonidas as his shield.

Proud and quick‑tempered, she is considered the scariest sister when angry.

She gladly accepts Leonidas’ request to "make that flashy sun god crawl at our feet", sharing his hatred for Apollo’s arrogance.

When Apollo finally breaks the shield, Leonidas dies shortly after.

Geirölul vanishes with him, having never once bent her pride.

Skalmöld

Skalmöld is the sixth Valkyrie sister, "Time of the Sword".

She becomes Soji Okita’s katana and unlocks his full potential as a swordsman.

She calls herself a Valkyrie who has always stayed closest to "swordsmen’s souls".

In the fight against Susanoo, she pulls Okita’s past, present, and future as a swordsman into one body, giving him a perfect frame for his final, self‑sacrificing battle.

Okita’s death nearly takes her with him.

However, since he is revived by Izanagi’s technique, she also survives and continues to support him in recovery.

Reginleif

Reginleif is the seventh Valkyrie sister, "The Remaining One of the Gods".

She becomes Adam’s brass knuckles, enabling Divine Imitation to be expressed physically.

Physical damage barely reaches her due to Adam intercepting blows with his body.

But when Adam dies, she dissolves with him, his sacrifice pulling her along into oblivion.

Gondul

Gondul is the ninth Valkyrie sister, "The One with Magical Power".

She becomes Tesla’s armored suit, Superhuman Automation: Beta.

Brunhilde describes her as a face‑connoisseur with a thuggish personality, the type to "stab with a smile".

Even as armor, she shocks Edison and Galileo for touching her body by firing electric currents at them.

At Tesla’s death, she appears at his side, smiling as they both vanish together.

Their combined form represents humanity’s scientific ingenuity taken to divine extremes.

Alvitr

Alvitr is the tenth Valkyrie sister, "Guardian of the Army".

She becomes Qin Shi Huang’s defensive armor, Shenluo Aegis.

Initially she is exasperated by Qin’s arrogant behavior and refusal to practice Volundr properly.

She complains that she and Qin are a terrible pairing in temperament.

Yet Qin treats her as an honorable woman, making her heart flutter despite herself.

In the match, she scolds him when he wavers and, in a moment of shared resolve, pours all her power into evolving their Volundr into the sword Shihuang Goucheng Sword.

Despite the brutal injuries they sustain, they survive thanks to medical treatment afterwards.

Kojiro and Hrist praise their combination as one of perfect offense and defense.

Hlökk

Hlökk is the eleventh Valkyrie sister, "She Who Clatters Weapons".

She becomes Jack the Ripper’s gloves, the true source of his ability to turn anything he touches into a divine weapon.

Originally she protests Brunhilde’s decision to pair her with a serial killer.

But Jack appears and overwhelms her with terror, forcing Volundr without her consent.

After the fight, she returns to human form and asks Jack how it felt to kill a god.

Hearing that he now feels a new, unknown emotion, she identifies it as "sorrow" and calls him a pitiable man.

She later watches Ragnarok from her room alongside Jack, keeping a wary eye on him.

She is one of the most openly critical sisters toward Brunhilde’s more ruthless gambits.

Zeus

Zeus is the supreme god of Greek mythology and chairman of the Council of Valhalla.

He looks like a tiny, wrinkled old man but can transform into a towering mass of muscle, capable of supersonic punches and ridiculous flexibility.

He’s a gleefully sadistic battle junkie nicknamed the "Sadomasochistic Pervert God of Battle".

He originally planned to fight last but whined until Shiva let him take Round 2.

He genuinely respects strong mortals and gods alike.

He allows Buddha to switch sides because "the rules don’t forbid it" and picks opponents based on who seems interesting rather than purely strategic.

Zeus’ final form Adamas compresses his muscles to absurd density.

Hel Hermes estimates that in perfect condition he can maintain this state for only 12–13 minutes before reverting.

Thor

Thor is the strongest war god of Norse myth and son of Odin.

He is known as the "Berserker of Thunder", wielding Mjolnir and the restraining gauntlets Járngreipr.

In a flashback, Thor annihilates a 66‑strong army of giants single‑handedly.

Yet even this bores him; he longs for someone who can force him to use his full power.

Meeting Lü Bu finally gives him a true "friend" in battle.

After winning, he personally exterminates Lü Bu’s charging followers and Red Hare as a warped show of respect, ensuring none disgrace Lü Bu’s final stand.

Later, Thor is seen calmly watching Ragnarok from his room.

When Buddha defects, Thor smiles, interested in how things will unfold.

Poseidon

Poseidon is Zeus’ older brother and one of the Twelve Olympians, "Zeus of the Sea".

Cold, merciless, and absolutely confident, he is considered "the most godlike god" and "Most Terrifying God".

He believes gods are complete beings who need neither comrades nor schemes.

He once killed his older brother Adamas for plotting against Zeus and erased the memory of his existence.

He barely moves in battle, only striking when an enemy enters his range.

He never acknowledges Kojiro as a worthy opponent, even in death, and his destruction is mourned by few gods compared to Heracles.

Heracles

Heracles is a demi‑god hero of Greek myth who became a god by drinking Zeus’ blood (ambrosia).

He is beloved by gods and Valkyries alike, called "big brother" by many.

Even as a god, he strongly opposes humanity’s annihilation.

He enters Ragnarok intending to win and then use his influence to shield humans from divine wrath.

As a human, he was named Alcaeus and lived in Thebes, determined to always be on the side of the righteous.

When Ares invaded Thebes with the gods’ army, Alcaeus drank Zeus’ blood from a temple and survived, gaining divine strength.

He single‑handedly routed the vanguard and fought Ares to a standstill until Zeus intervened.

Impressed, Zeus offered him godhood on the condition he never again harm humans, to which Heracles agreed — on the condition that no gods ever invade humanity again.

His tattoos, born from his Twelve Labors, fuel his divine techniques but cause unimaginable pain each time they spread.

Fully covering his body results in total annihilation, which he accepts for the sake of his ideals.

Heracles’ death devastates gods and humans alike.

Even his opponent Jack recognizes he failed to twist Heracles’ pure heart, admitting his own "loss" on that level.

Shiva

Shiva is the supreme god of the Indian pantheon, embodying both destruction and creation.

He has four arms, three eyes, and purple skin, fighting bare‑handed.

Originally he just wanted to be "King of Dance" (Nataraja) with his friend Rudra.

But he joined Rudra’s dream of conquering the Indian pantheon one god at a time.

After their long campaign and the final duel, Rudra surrendered to let Shiva stand at the top.

Shiva has carried that burden ever since, motivated by both his love of fighting and loyalty to his friend.

His ultimate technique Cycle Dance of Ashes pushes his body beyond its limits.

Seeing Raiden’s full‑powered sumo, he rediscovers his own passion and vows not to lose in front of his cheering "family" of Indian gods.

Buddha

Buddha is portrayed as a relaxed, candy‑loving, sunglasses‑wearing free spirit.

He calls even Zeus and Brunhilde by affectionate nicknames and does only what he personally wants.

He once lived as the prince Gautama Siddhartha.

After seeing the hollowness of pre‑packaged happiness and how people label a life "happy" regardless of its reality, he left his palace to seek truth.

He is utterly self‑directed, ignoring conventional morality, sides, or obligations.

Brunhilde describes him as "the strongest adolescent in history", someone who refuses to be bound by anything.

His ability to see souls and glimpse the immediate future makes him one of the most formidable fighters.

Yet what truly terrifies gods is his willingness to walk away from heaven itself for the sake of his own values.

He holds affection even for those who try to kill him, like Zerofuku and Beelzebub.

He refuses to hate Beelzebub for planting Hajun’s seed, choosing instead to honor Zerofuku’s wish to walk together along a path of light.

Vaiśravaṇa and Zerofuku

Vaiśravaṇa is one aspect of a single deity that split into the Seven Lucky Gods.

He is stern, justice‑oriented, and hates useless killing but is merciless toward traitors.

When the seven reunite, they become Zerofuku, the original god of misfortune and happiness.

He originally absorbed misfortune so others could be happy, but when they remained miserable, he snapped.

Seeing Buddha succeed at bringing joy through teaching, he envied and hated him.

His desire to be recognized twisted into hatred, and he turned into a cursed god who spreads calamity.

Zerofuku’s fight with Buddha heals that wound, as Buddha directly acknowledges his pain and sincerity.

Tragically, his body is then hijacked by Hajun, killing him a second time.

Hajun (Papiyas)

Hajun (Papiyas) is a legendary demon whose existence is known only to a few, including Hades and Beelzebub.

He is said to have half‑destroyed the underworld ages ago before abruptly disappearing.

Beelzebub discovered remnants of Hajun’s essence and cultivated them into a "seed".

He implanted this seed into Zerofuku long before Ragnarok, planning to see what would happen.

Hajun’s new body, built atop Zerofuku’s, is much tougher than his original.

He mocks Buddha’s compassion and attacks with grotesque partial transformations and overwhelming physical strength.

But once Buddha regains his future sight and wields the Great Nirvana Blade, Hajun’s fate is sealed.

He disintegrates, leaving only the gentle smiles of Zerofuku and the Seven Lucky Gods behind.

Hades

Hades is the king of Helheim and eldest brother of Zeus, Poseidon, and Adamas.

Calm and composed, he holds a deep, sincere love for his brothers.

He once stopped a Titan invasion from Tartarus alone during the Gigantomachy, earning the title "the god most trusted by gods".

Even Beelzebub, a misanthropic recluse, respects him deeply.

When Beelzebub came seeking death, Hades defeated him and asked why he wanted to die.

Upon hearing his reasons, Hades told him that Lilith’s tattoo was not a curse but a prayer, urging Beelzebub to think about how he will live, not die.

He later gave Beelzebub the staff Apomyius and asked him to watch his own, ugly dying struggle.

In Ragnarok, he fights not out of duty but out of personal love for Poseidon.

His use of Pluto Ichor to power the Four Blood Spears is a testament to his resolve.

Even in defeat, he remains dignified, praising the human king who bested him.

Beelzebub

Beelzebub is both "Guardian of Fertility" and "Lord of the Flies", with a dual nature as god and demon.

Most gods avoid him, believing contact with him brings misfortune, and call him "Cursed by Satan".

He is a brilliant but twisted scientist who performs dangerous experiments in search of someone who can kill him.

His Destrudo makes him destroy what he loves most, explaining the deaths of his angel companions and Lilith.

Hades reframes his life, telling him that the tattoo he bears is Lilith’s prayer that he live.

Beelzebub changes course: instead of wanting a clean, noble death, he now seeks the worst possible one as atonement.

He rages at the sight of Hades’ death, wanting to slaughter humanity.

His fight with Tesla shows how far he is willing to sacrifice his own body, even defying Hades’ ban on using Void God.

After winning, he looks at Apomyius and grumbles that Hades has made him even more "troublesome".

Later, he confronts Odin, speculating that the All‑Father’s "long‑cherished wish" is the resurrection of a primordial god, and he admits to Buddha that he planted Hajun’s seed.

Apollo

Apollo is the radiant, multi‑talented sun god of Olympus.

He is adored by nymphs and goddesses, extremely vain, and unapologetically flamboyant.

Yet his arrogance is backed by relentless hard work.

Zeus and Ares both confirm that no one knows his own limitations better than Apollo and that he pushes beyond them constantly.

In a flashback, Apollo defeats the hated serpent Python in one blow, then returns daily to spar more as a way to help Python grow.

He tells Python that true beauty lies in facing oneself and burning one’s soul in battle, not in outward form.

His Volundr, Artemis’ String, channels light energy into any shape he desires.

He sets out for Ragnarok not because he cares about heaven’s politics but because he wants to show his followers a "truly dazzling" fight.

Leonidas’ raw, stubborn beauty impresses him deeply.

After the match, Apollo accepts his scars, greeting Python as they leave for the infirmary and celebrating that he got to shine along with such a man.

Susanoo‑no‑Mikoto

Susanoo‑no‑Mikoto is the primordial sword god of Japanese myth and the "Strongest God Slayer in Heaven".

He forged the essence of swordsmanship itself and now studies human sword and killing arts obsessively.

He once slew evil gods and monsters at the request of Izanagi and his fellow noble gods.

After descending to Izumo, he saw a human kill another with a sword and was electrified by the skill.

He named this art "kenjutsu" and, against the wishes of his fellow high gods, chose to spend millennia learning from humans.

Amaterasu exiled him under the condition he never appear directly to humans or receive direct teaching, only watch and "learn".

Susanoo subsequently absorbed the sword arts of every culture and era.

He sees Okita as the pinnacle of the "human slayer" path birthed by his own gift of the sword to humanity.

His sword, Oni‑Slaying Kusanagi, is a reforged version of the original.

When it shatters in Ragnarok, he sheds his last attachment to physical blades and attains the formless No‑Blade Sword.

He dies joyfully, having finally used all the techniques he cultivated for so long.

His childlike sadness at not being able to swing a sword anymore adds an unexpectedly tender note to his character.

Loki

Loki is the Norse trickster god, able to shapeshift and cause mischief.

He appears as a playful boyish figure with a sharp tongue and no patience for boredom.

He enjoys mocking other gods and humans but becomes deadly serious when he suspects treachery.

After noticing that Valkyrie Volundr weapons are far too powerful, he deduces that Brunhilde must have used Buddha’s All‑in‑One Fate to link Valkyries and humans.

He ambushes Buddha to interrogate him as a suspected traitor.

Later, when Buddha openly joins humanity, Loki’s usual cheer vanishes, and he becomes the most furious of all gods.

He agrees to fight in Round 11 at Brunhilde’s request.

His motives are complicated: he seems less interested in simple victory than in making the game interesting and exposing hidden plots.

Anubis

Anubis is the Egyptian god of the dead and originally slated to fight in Round 10.

He reluctantly yields his spot when Susanoo barges in demanding to fight Okita.

Anubis is fascinated by the scent of death and deeply regrets giving up his turn after watching Okita and Susanoo’s lethal duel.

He laments not being able to taste such "delicious death" personally.

Odin

Odin is the All‑Father of Norse mythology, who watches Ragnarok with icy detachment.

He wears an eyepatch and keeps ravens Huginn and Muninn on his shoulders.

He calls Ragnarok his "long‑cherished wish", implying he engineered it for a personal agenda.

He warns Beelzebub not to interfere with his plans, especially regarding Hajun and other underworld matters.

Later, Buddha and Beelzebub confront him directly about his goal.

When Beelzebub implies Odin wants to resurrect an ancient "primordial god", Odin’s rage flares, and a deadly standoff ensues before others intervene.

Hermes

Hermes is Zeus’ messenger and butler, a cool, tuxedo‑clad young man.

He serves drinks, provides exposition, and plays violin, even performing "G‑String Massacre on the Battlefield" for Zeus’ entrance.

He enjoys watching chaos unfold and once secretly cooperated with Adamas’ failed coup with Zeus’ approval, just to see what happened.

He also composes requiems for every fighter — god or human — whose soul is annihilated in Ragnarok, believing it is the least he can do.

Hermes spends most of the matches commentating alongside Ares.

His analytical insights help the audience understand abilities like Adamas, Four Blood Spears, and Void God.

Ares

Ares is the Greek god of war, muscular and handsome but somewhat outclassed.

He has a split chin and a loud personality, often panicking during fights.

In the past, he invaded Thebes only to be matched blow for blow by human Heracles, which he now brags about as a proud memory.

He calls Heracles his "best god‑buddy" and openly sobs at his death.

While many gods are insane or selfish, Ares is relatively sane and straightforward.

He provides a "normal god" perspective on the madness of Zeus, Apollo, Loki, and others.

Adamas / Adamantin

Adamas was once the thirteenth Olympian, a god of conquest and older brother to Zeus and Poseidon.

He attempted a coup when Zeus became supreme god but was defeated and torn in half by Poseidon.

Hades secretly saved his life by having Hermes and Beelzebub rebuild his body as a cyborg.

He now goes by Adamantin, living in the underworld and serving Hades.

His name comes from "adamas", the unbreakable metal from which Cronus’ scythe was made.

When Zeus first transformed into his final form, Poseidon thought he had become Adamas, inspiring the name "Adamas mode".

Adamas respects Hades intensely and resents Poseidon less than he lets on.

After seeing Hades die to Qin, he vows to kill both Brunhilde and Qin once Ragnarok ends.

Rudra

Rudra is the Indian storm god and Shiva’s childhood friend.

He first proposed the idea of climbing to the top of the Indian pantheon together.

He is serious, hardworking, and dreams of seeing how strong he and Shiva can become.

In their final duel, he refuses to accept Shiva’s attempt to throw the fight, choosing instead to surrender voluntarily and entrust his dream to him.

He now watches Ragnarok from the stands with former rivals like Indra and Vishnu.

After Shiva’s victory over Raiden, Rudra warmly welcomes his exhausted friend back, showing their deep bond.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of beauty and war.

She lounges on a throne made of muscular slaves whose hands hold up her enormous breasts.

She believes humanity is a "cancer" on Earth and readily supports its extermination.

She embodies the cold, aestheticized cruelty of many gods, more interested in spectacle than morality.

Heimdall

Heimdall is the "Guardian of the End", a Norse god who acts as Ragnarok’s ring announcer and commentator.

His horn, Gjallarhorn, signals the start of each match.

He has multiple spare horns hidden inside his clothes, which is fortunate because Buddha casually breaks one.

He brings high energy to every introduction, boosting the dramatic tension before each fight.

Ragnarok (God vs Humanity Final Battle)

Ragnarok is defined by Article 62‑15 of the Valhalla Constitution, the "God vs Humanity Final Struggle Law".

It allows humanity to challenge the gods’ destruction decree by choosing 13 fighters to face 13 gods in one‑on‑one matches.

Whichever side reaches 7 wins first claims victory.

If the gods win, humanity is annihilated; if humanity wins, they gain another 1000 years of existence.

The law assumed humans could never actually win.

Before Brunhilde invoked it, Ragnarok had never been used in all of history.

Valhalla Arena

The Valhalla Arena is a massive stadium where each match is held.

Its appearance transforms completely for each battle, based on the preferences or themes of the fighters.

Examples include a Chinese battlefield, Victorian London, Edo‑period Kyoto, and a Finnish winter forest.

The arena has separate, lavish waiting rooms for gods and human fighters, along with special VIP viewing areas.

Volundr (Divine Weapon Fusion)

Volundr is the Valkyries’ power to fuse their bodies with a human and become a weapon that perfectly matches the fighter.

Brunhilde describes it as "a cheat to counter godly cheats".

Loki points out that normal Volundr should not be able to kill gods.

To overcome this, Brunhilde used Buddha’s concept of All‑in‑One Fate to link the Valkyries’ souls entirely with their partners, amplifying their power into god‑killing tools.

The downside is catastrophic: when the human’s soul is shattered in Complete Soul Annihilation, the Valkyrie is also destroyed beyond reincarnation.

This makes each pairing a true shared suicide mission.

The term Volundr is inspired by Wayland the Smith, a legendary blacksmith in Norse myth.

It highlights the idea of Valkyries forging themselves into weapons for humanity.

Complete Soul Annihilation

Complete Soul Annihilation is what happens to the loser of a Ragnarok match.

Their soul is shattered into dust, making revival or reincarnation impossible.

This state is called Niflhel, referencing an underworld realm of Norse mythology.

It is the ultimate erasure — no afterlife, no rebirth, just oblivion.

This is why each match carries such weight: every defeat permanently removes a god or legendary human from the cosmic cycle.

Hermes’ requiems serve as the only memorial for those who suffer this fate.

Main Series

Record of Ragnarok is published by Coamix under the Zenon Comics imprint.

The series began its collected volumes under North Stars Pictures and later continued under Coamix, maintaining continuity across editions.

As of November 2025, 26 volumes are available.

The story in the volumes covers all matches through at least the beginning of Round 11 and continues to expand the lore of gods, humans, and Valkyries.

Lu Bu Fengxian: Flying General Legend

Record of Ragnarok: Alternative Tale – Lu Bu Fengxian Flying General Legend is a spin‑off focused on Lü Bu.

It is drawn by Takeo Ono, based on the original series.

It ran in Monthly Comic Zenon from December 2019 to January 2023.

All 38 chapters are collected in 7 volumes.

This spin‑off explores Lü Bu’s youth, his travels, and the origin of his obsession with finding a worthy adversary.

It enriches his appearance in the main story by showing how his legend formed.

Jack the Ripper’s Casebook

Record of Ragnarok Tale – Jack the Ripper’s Casebook is the second official spin‑off.

Drawn by Keita Iizuka, it began in the December 2022 issue of Monthly Comic Zenon.

As of November 2025, 9 volumes have been released.

The series follows Jack’s exploits in Victorian London, weaving detective and horror elements into his twisted "art of fear".

It reveals crucial details, such as the fact that he is not the real Jack the Ripper but chose the name.

It also delves deeper into his relationship with the city and the murders associated with his alias.

Forbidden Legend: God Apocalypse

Record of Ragnarok Forbidden Legend – Apocalypse of the Gods is another spin‑off based on the original work, written by Otohiko Naruse and illustrated by Ippei Okamoto.

It focuses on a tournament of gods fighting gods in the heavenly realm, exploring "taboo" divine battles.

Serialized in Monthly Comic Zenon starting with the August 2024 issue, it has 4 volumes as of November 2025.

This spin‑off expands the cosmology and politics among gods outside the main Ragnarok event.

The anime adaptation of Record of Ragnarok is produced primarily by Graphinica and Yumeta Company.

It was released first as a Netflix original worldwide, then broadcast on Japanese TV.

Season 1

Season 1 premiered globally on Netflix on 17 June 2021.

It covers the first three matches: Lü Bu vs Thor, Adam vs Zeus, and Kojiro Sasaki vs Poseidon.

It later aired on Japanese television from October to December 2021 on Tokyo MX, BS11, MBS, and Cartoon Network Japan.

Each TV episode included optional audio commentary tracks by the voice cast.

Season 1’s opening theme is "KAMIGAMI‑Kami Kami‑" by Maximum the Hormone.

The ending theme is "Fukahi" ("Inevitable") by Shimajii.

Season 2 – Record of Ragnarok II

Season 2, Record of Ragnarok II, was released on Netflix in two parts in 2023.

The first 10 episodes dropped on 26 January 2023, and the final 5 episodes on 12 July 2023.

It adapts the battles of Jack vs Heracles, Raiden vs Shiva, and Buddha vs Zerofuku/Hajun.

It then continues into early setup for Hades vs Qin Shi Huang.

The TV broadcast began in April 2023 on Tokyo MX, BS11, and MBS.

The opening theme is "Rude Lose Dance" by Minami, and the ending is "Inori" ("Prayer") by Masatoshi Ono.

Season 3 – Record of Ragnarok III

Season 3, Record of Ragnarok III, was announced in March 2025.

It is directed by Koichi Hatsumi with series composition by Yasuyuki Mutou, while Yumeta Company and MARU Animation handle production.

Season 3 is scheduled to stream on Netflix starting December 2025.

It will focus on Round 7 (Qin vs Hades) and Round 8 (Tesla vs Beelzebub), as well as deeper dives into Odin’s and Brunhilde’s schemes.

The opening theme is "Dead Or Alive" by GLAY, composed by Takuro.

The ending theme is "Last breath, Last record" by Saori Hayami.

Short Anime and Specials

Short web anime episodes are released on the Warner Bros. Japan Anime YouTube channel.

These shorts introduce characters, show Valkyrie "strategy meetings", and include comedic sketches like "Gods’ Physical Fitness Test".

Cartoon Network Japan also aired original short episodes alongside its broadcast of Season 1.

These specials offer humorous side content that fleshes out personalities in non‑canon scenes.

The stage adaptation "Record of Ragnarok – The Stage of Ragnarok" was performed from 27 November to 5 December 2021.

The venue was the Kokumin Kyosai Coop Hall (Space Zero) in Tokyo.

Brunhilde was played by Haruna Iikubo, with a cast including actors such as Masao Ouchi and others for gods and humans.

The play covered the early portion of the story, focusing on the initial rounds and the emotional stakes of humanity’s gamble.

Direction was handled by Rion Kaku.

The script was written by the creative group Spacenoid Writers’ Room, blending action, drama, and stage effects to recreate the larger‑than‑life battles in a theater setting.

Record of Ragnarok ranked 5th in the 2019 "This Manga is Amazing!" male readers’ list.

It also took 5th place in the 2019 "Recommended Comics by Nationwide Bookstore Staff" survey.

It placed 20th in the Next Manga Award 2019 (comics division).

Additionally, it ranked 7th in the 2nd Manga Newspaper Awards.

Several collected volumes have reached the #1 spot on the weekly Oricon comics charts.

Critics and fans praise the series for its over‑the‑top battles, unexpected character depth, and bold reinterpretation of myth and history.