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Record of Ragnarok is a manga and anime series with a very simple yet effective premise: the gods from all cultures have decided that its time for humans to die and a Valkyrie calls for the Ragnarok clause, which leads to 13 men selected from Earth’s history to fight in a tournament for humanity’s survival. There are 13 combatants, one mortal against one god each, and the side that gets the most victories naturally wins.
The story is very fun, it shows a lot of knowledge of history, religion, and culture. The action, as well as the art, is phenomenal! So we it would be interesting to pick 13 characters from different anime series to represent humanity. The only caveat, in order to make things even more interesting, is that the main characters of each series are not allowed to participate so there can be a bit more variety.
1. Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)
Technically speaking, Aizen doesn’t qualify as a human, but his role, from a narrative perspective, would be too rich to ignore. This is a man who discovered the god of his universe, didn’t like it, and decided that he was going to become one to overthrow the status quo. A man known for deceit, manipulation, ego, and megalomania.
He’s perfect for this.
Aizen is also very smart and powerful, so he could definitely play a part in this story. And considering the many different elements of manipulation and backstabbing going on in the original Record of Ragnarok story, the Bleach antagonist would fit like a glove.
Plus, the gods would hate his guts.
2. Kazuma Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Kuwabara man not be a good representative of humanity, but he would be one of the most human. The man showed throughout Yu Yu Hakusho that he had the most heart, compassion, and dedication to help others, which is something that could play a huge role in this battle. Plus, he already has experience with life-or-death tournaments.
When it comes to battle, Kuwabara is a very straightforward swordsman but by the end of the Chapter Black arc, he has developed his Spirit Sword to far greater heights. His sword was capable of cutting dimensional barriers and Shinobu Sensui, a guy who was far stronger than him, was constantly dodging Kazuma’s attacks instead of blocking them, which suggests he could cut an opponent that overpowers him.
Considering that his track record as a fighter in his series is not the greatest, there is an argument to be made that he would lose. However, he is one of those characters who wouldn’t go down easily, and it would be an amazing battle to see.
3. Toji Fushiguro (Jujutsu Kaisen)
It would be easy to go for an overpowered character like Satoru Gojo or Ryomen Sukuna when it comes to Jujutsu Kaisen, but Toji Fushiguro’s fighting style and backstory would have a great narrative impact in the Ragnarok tournament. After all, this is a man without Cursed Energy that has to rely on special weapons to defeat his opponents, which is something that fits with the Valkyries aiding the humans to fight the gods in this series.
On the other hand, Toji was looked down upon in Jujutsu society because he was born without Cursed Energy, so his status as a perennial underdog could give him some incentive when fighting the gods and their egos. He is a tactical fighter and knows how to defeat a person stronger than him, which is shown in his first fight with Satoru Gojo.
4. Minato Namikaze (Naruto)
Naruto is a series with a lot of great characters for this hypothetical scenario but Minato Namikaze is the best choice. He is intelligent, cunning, and very powerful, and his super speed could be a massive game-changer in a battle against a god.
There are so many different scenarios where Minato could overpower a god, especially considering what has been shown in the original series. It would also be interesting to see him fight a worthy opponent at full force, which was rarely ever shown in Naruto.
5. Dracule Mihawk (One Piece)
If there is a character in the One Piece franchise craving for a challenge, that is the Warlord and greatest swordsman in the world, Dracule Mihawk. The man crosses the seas on his own looking for a man capable of giving him a challenge, so he would definitely take the opportunity of fighting a god, especially if a Valkyrie gives him the perfect sword for the occasion.
One Piece has never shown Mihawk at his absolute best but even after more than one thousand chapters in the manga, he is still rated as one of the absolute strongest. He is by far the best swordsman in the series and his use of Haki is top-notch, so it would be interesting to see how he could implement that against one of the gods at the Ragnarok.
6. Diamond is Unbreakable-era Jotaro Kujo (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Granted, it’s a technicality. Jotaro Kujo was the protagonist in the third part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but he was a supporting character in the fourth part, which is the version that is going to participate in the Ragnarok. And considering he already has experience defeating powerful, god-like entities in the past, this is an opportunity he would thrive at.
Considering that Jotaro’s Stand, Star Platinum, has massive power when it comes to hand-to-hand combat and can stop time for a few seconds, he could pose a challenge. He is also very tactical and cool-headed, especially during this era of the character as his explosive anger moments from Stardust Crusaders have reduced quite a lot.
Also, considering that the stadium of Record of Ragnarok has humans from all points in their history, it would be a nice occasion to see all the Joestar family members together at the same time.
7. Endeavor (My Hero Academia)
Once again, this is one of those cases where this choice fits a lot better from a narrative perspective. Endeavor is certainly the most complex and nuanced character in My Hero Academia, has committed a lot of mistakes and, at the same time, tries to fix what he did wrong to his loved ones, so it makes a lot of sense that he would be here.
The gods in Record of Ragnarok argued that humans had their chance and they blew it, so having someone like Endeavor, who has done a lot of questionable acts, as an example of the shades of gray in humanity would be a great narrative tool. It doesn’t excuse his actions, but it would be a great story to tell.
8. Gemini Kanon (Saint Seiya)
For the people who perhaps aren’t familiar with Kanon’s story in Saint Seiya, it goes something like this: he manipulated the god Poseidon and his men to execute his plan to take over the Earth. He was eventually defeated by the goddess Athena, the one he originally swore to protect and wanted to kill as a baby, and her Saints, but he eventually had a redemption arc, sacrificing his life for the greater good.
The series had a lot of strong candidates for this concept but Kanon’s redemption and his past manipulating a god was too rich of a narrative opportunity to waste it. This could also show Athena’s role in the story, supporting a mortal, and one who originally wanted to kill her, which could show humanity’s potential for redemption.
Of course, he would have to fight Poseidon.
9. Kyojuro Rengoku (Demon Slayer)
Sure, Demon Slayer has stronger characters than Rengoku but very few are as positive and inspirational as him. His extroverted personality and passion for life would be at full display in the Ragnarok tournament and would be a great sample of humanity.
Much like it happened in the original series while fighting Akaza, there is a very good chance that Rengoku would die but he would do so in a very epic manner. It could be quite similar to what Adam did against Zeus, only much more logical and convincing.
10. Isaac Netero (Hunter X Hunter)
The Nen master of Hunter X Hunter, Isaac Netero trained all his life to find an opponent worthy of how much he achieved as a fighter. A second chance at life to relive something similar to the fight he had with Meruem in the original series would be an opportunity that the old man is certainly going to take.
As of this writing, Netero is the absolute peak of the series when it comes to being a Hunter, so he is the most prepared among the human characters for this ordeal. Plus, there is also a dark side to his personality and philosophy that could be quite interesting to explore in this context.
11. Makoto Shishio (Rurouni Kenshin)
If Jack the Ripper was representing humanity’s potential for absolute evil in the original Record of Ragnarok series, then Makoto Shishio of Rurouni Kenshin fame, is that and then some. He is strong, vindictive, craves violence, and would do any dirty trick to win and kill his opponent, which could make for some very interesting drama in this tournament.
Shishio wouldn’t have any qualms about killing a god and would probably even curse them for the burns their fate bestowed upon him. This could mark a very interesting contrast to most fighters on this list, and Hercules would be a great opponent for him, continuing with that Jack the Ripper comparison.
12. Master Roshi (Dragon Ball)
Picking among the strongest human characters in Dragon Ball, Master Roshi would be the best fit from a narrative perspective. While his role in Akira Toriyama’s series has certainly decreased over the years, his life lessons and philosophy would be a great example here at the Ragnarok.
Master Roshi taught Goku and Krillin to always aim to be better versions of themselves and never stop thinking there is a more powerful challenger out there. He is a true master of the martial arts and a man who always tried to help those around him, so he would be a great representative of humanity’s constant desire for improvement.
