Record of Ragnarokcontinues its path forward for better and for worse. As the second season concludes its inexplicable mid-season break and returns to complete its narrative, the enjoyable elements remain fun, and the weak points stay prominent. The five new episodes of season 2 depict the sixth round of the brawl between humans and gods, giving one of the series' favorite characters the spotlight.
Most anime genres have archetypal characters that pop up across tones, subgenres, and franchises. Some examples are more generic than others, but almost every manga will feature figures with a lot in common with existing material.In Record of Ragnarok, the familiar characters are given new impact through a unique structure that consistently shifts focus to a new battle.
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The rules are out the window in thesixth round of Ragnarok. The gods are winning 3-2, but a sudden shift in allegiance threatens to disrupt the contest. Buddha, a human who became a god through enlightenment, steps onto the field only to walk straight past his fellow deities and join the human team. From his first appearance, Buddha immediately became a fan favorite. He’s one of the show’s most striking designs, and his personality makes him considerably more likable than most. Buddha’s competition is a fictional deity called Zerofuku. Zerofuku is created by combining theJapanese Seven Lucky Gods. Creating a deity with almost nothing to do with the mythological source material feels bizarrely lazy when there are so many gods to work with. As they’re introduced, it’s not hard to guess which competitor is being set up for victory.
The battle between Buddha and Zerofuku is the entirety of this part of the season. The fight routinely takes time out to explore the backstory of both competitors. The structure is identical tothe previous five competitions, but this bout features opponents who know each other. Zerofuku was a minor deity who became revered for his ability to pull pain from his subjects. Zerofuku suffered the agony of those he helped, but he never felt appreciated for the misery he endured. On the other hand, Buddha taught his subjects to love themselves and give up their worldly chains. When Zerofuku sees how happy Buddha’s followers are, he goes mad with envy. Buddha is a moral paragon, a living embodiment of freedom and kindness. Zerofuku is motivated by jealousy and vengeance. It’s a clear moral argument that takes some engaging twists and turns.
Buddha vs. Zerofuku isn’t the best fight in the show so far, but it isn’t the worst. Buddha has several striking similarities with another immensely popular anime character,Satoru Gojo fromJujutsu Kaisen. Their commonalities are so obvious and numerous that some will call Buddha a direct ripoff of Gojo.Record of Ragnarokbegan publication beforeJujutsu Kaisen, but it’s unlikely that either mangaka took inspiration from the other. Instead, both fit into a larger trend of unstoppable mentor figures in the genre. Characters like Kakashi fromNarutoand Kishibe fromChainsaw Manfit neatly into the same archetype. These figures are often the most beloved of their casts, partially because of their overwhelming power but also because of their lack of annoying teenage traits. Framing Buddha as the spiritual guide to Zerofuku, a deity defined by his adolescent angst, is a very clever use of the character. This element of the battle carries the narrative stakes until a big third-act twist completely upends the story in favor of another exchange of power levels. Old habits die hard.
The problem withRecord of Ragnarokis that it never seems to know what it wants to be. Fans are broadly divided on which aspects of the story appeal to them. If handled well, the anime could simultaneously tell a great story and appeal to the kind of big-number fan thatwishesDragon Ball Superstill had scouters. Scale shouldn’t be the enemy of depth. Engaging ideas are explored in the lives of historical figures and mythological deities, but most take a back seat to the uninspiring action set pieces. In a world withChainsaw Man,Jujutsu Kaisen, andJojo’s Bizarre Adventure,Record of Ragnarokcan’t hope to compete in thefield of creative fight scenes. If this show wants to cement itself among the big names, it has to let the story inform action rather than pausing every emotional beat for another exchange of blows.
Record of Ragnarokseason 2 will be a better watch for anyone who put it off until now. It’s a complete season, even though the tournament structure keeps long-term development from being too engaging.The season concludes with ateaser for the next bout. The series is halfway done, and though it’s not going to be anyone’s favorite action anime, there are far worse options out there. Jump back into the tournament and await the next round because there’s a lot to like about theRecord of Ragnarok.
