One of the current biggest ultraviolent shonen franchises is Record of Ragnarok. Combining high-stakes fight scenes with gods, goddesses and religious figures from across various belief systems, the series fits right in with the battle manga and anime greats.
The series is currently making the rounds on Netflix thanks to its new anime adaptation, but the Record of Ragnarok franchise has been around for a few years. Here's what prospective fans should know about the series, as well as how to read the manga and watch the anime.
What Is Record of Ragnarok?
Debuting back in 2017 in Monthly Comic Zenon, Record of Ragnarok, known in Japan as Shumatsu no Valkyrie, is written by Shinya Umemura and Takumi Fukui and drawn by Ajichika. The story involves a council of Greco-Roman, Norse and other gods coming together and deciding the fate of humanity every 1000 years. They come to the mutual conclusion that humanity deserves to finally be removed from the Earth, but the intervention of a Valkyrie convinces them to decide otherwise and give the human race one more chance.
This manifests in a tournament in which humankind's most notable figures from throughout history duke it out with the gods throughout that same history. This sees Buddha, Lu Bu, Jack the Ripper, Nikola Tesla and the Biblical Adam facing off against Bishamonten, Odin, Zeus, Ares and even Beelzebub. It's a fight for survival as the mortal combatants wield incredible weapons against their divine opponents, with each weapon being tied to the life of their guardian Valkyrie.
Where to Read Record of Ragnarok
As mentioned, the series' chapters are published in Coamix's Monthly Comic Zenon, and have been since November 2017. So far, these have been collected into 11 volumes. It was recently announced that Viz Media is handling the English localization and license, and that the manga will begin releasing digitally in the Fall before hitting print next year.
In Japan, there's also a spinoff series titled Shumatsu no Valkyrie: Ryo Fu Ho Sen Hishoden. This series began in October 2019, two years after the original, and has so far been collected into 4 volumes. Hopefully, the success of the show will create a path for this series to have an English release, as well.
Where to Watch Record of Ragnarok
The anime series was announced back in December of last year, recently hitting its streaming home of Netflix. The series is produced by the Japanese branch of Warner Bros., while the animation studio behind the show is Graphinica. This original net animation is exclusive to Netflix, so those who wish to see the blood-pumping battle of the gods will need a subscription in order to watch it.
