Humans taking on Gods?
With the anime culture crossing out almost every possibility it could touch, this great mismatch is no longer surprising.
Although, what intrigues the fandom is how the creator of Record of Ragnarok could pull off an epic battle involving overpowered gods versus an inferior race without boring everyone out.
We'll reveal the key that prevented the lowly humans from perishing in a snap later on. Forgive us for the Thanos reference.
But as we share more details on the first bout between the supposed thunder god, Thor, and the strongest of The Three Kingdoms, Lu Bu, let us warn you of spoilers. We will spill all the beans, so please stop reading this content if you don't want to ruin your innocence of the story.
Synopsis
Record of Ragnarok begins in the Council of Valhalla, as the gods vote unanimously for the destruction of humankind. But with a valkyrie's intervention, the court rules to hold the event Ragnarok, where mortals battle to the death with 13 gods in a desperate attempt to humanity's survival.
Warning: Spoiler from this point to the end.
Record Of Ragnarok: Episode 1 - 4 Overview
The show started in Valhalla's chamber with an old man and a butler commanding the floor of what came across to be a formal hearing. The subtitles eventually revealed that they were the supreme Olympian gods, Zeus and Hermes, and that this was a meeting that will decide the fate of mankind.
The animation often shows reactions of the Indian god Shiva, and the beautiful goddess, Aphrodite. It also deviates to the silent Norse god Odin, who exudes a mysterious air, while the two ravens on his shoulders are the ones who did the talking.
Collectively, everyone in the assembly voted in favor of humanity's extinction as they expressed huge disgust and disappointment. But thanks to Brunhild (Netflix translation shows Brunnhilde), the gods bit her lure to progress with Ragnarok — a one-on-one match between select deities and mortals.
In this deciding event, thirteen humans will need to secure at least seven wins against the participating primal divinities for humanity to continue living for another 1000 years.
Old Zeus tasked Brunhild, a Valkyrie who he often refers to as "vixen," to assist the humans on their road to salvation.
The Valkyries And How Can Humans Match The Power Of Gods
Let's stop there and talk about the female warrior's role in this entire conflict.
Through the span of episodes 1 to 4 that covered Thor and Lu Bu's deathmatch, the backstories revealed that Brunhild is the eldest of the thirteen valkyries — demigod beings demoted to join the ranks of humans. Still, they retained their distinct power and abilities that could match that of a god.
Brunhild is the one who gathered the roster of humans and decided their order as well. For every human, a Valkyrie will dedicate her body to fuse with the mortal through a technique called Volundr. Through this ability, they take the shape of a special weapon. In addition, they merge with the human and presumably lend their power, too, filling the gap of strength disparity between gods and humans.
Being the major player who holds the reins of humanity's fight for their lives, Brunhild also determines which of her Valkyrie sisters would be perfect for the chosen representative.
Brunhild and her youngest sister Goll are two of the important audiences in the matches, giving reactions to every turn of events. As the show progresses, Brunhild's wrath manifests, and it grows as the gods continue to irk her with their words and actions. The true reason behind her anger is still unknown, though it's a question we all want to save for later.
Thor Vs. Lu Bu
Going back to the story, while we thought that Brunhild would dive deep into an adventure to find the humans and train them, the episode cuts short to the first fight.
In a vast coliseum, an excited Heimdall stood with his trumpet to announce the opening of the ultimate deathmatch between gods and mortals. After the introduction, he revealed the names of the combatants.
Nothing is special about the announcer. While MCU and other media depict him as a well-built watchman in fine Asgardian armor, Heimdall appears in Record of Ragnarok like a street punk of the heavens with a silly purple jacket, a baggy pair of shorts, and clown's shoes.
While we don't care much about Heimdall's appearance, Record of Ragnarok's version of Thor is the one that would draw attention: long red hair and pale skin lined up with small, yellow strips. His Mjolnir is like a giant mecha-mace, and if you want to enjoy this show, you need to get past Chris Hemsworth's Thor.
Our only confusion with this character's design is his outfit. While he is a Norse god, he wore light, comfy clothes like the Greeks. His design strays from Odin's, who wore a black robe, and kept his left-eye patch. We understand it's not a big issue, and the author may have a reason for it, though it's a detail we couldn't ignore.
Eventually, you'll accept that this universe's Thor is the real badass and more god-like than other illustrations. He was the first to enter the arena through lightning teleportation, suggesting that he might use such devastating power on a formidable foe.
After deities showed an air of confidence on their bet, Heimdall readied everyone for the arrival of the human contender. Welcomed with gong, drums, and a marching army, Lu Bu, the strongest of the Three Kingdoms, emerges through the uproar with his crimson stallion.
Lu Bu is a battle-scarred warrior with dragon tattoos. He is tall, muscular, and keeps his unmaintained hair tied with a bun and long golden antennae. Apart from his Easter dragon marks, he wears a tattoo brand on his left chest that says, "Flying General."
For those unfamiliar with Chinese history, the real-life Lu Bu, according to records, is a famous warlord. Though he was a mighty fighter, Lu Bu was infamous for backstabbing and inability to control his subordinates.
However, the Record of Ragnarok anime honored the man with loyal soldiers who would literally march to death for him. Even if Lu Bu's history revealed his self-centeredness and thirst for power, his followers continuously grew.
While the presence of the gods is intimidating enough, the warlord maintains his confidence, and the next events would explain why.
The strongman extended his hand to the sky as if he is waiting for something to drop for him. Seconds later, the heavens gifted him a special halberd called "Sky Piercer," which he would use to break the Norse god in front of him.
Later, the flashback revealed that our valkyries met the sisterhood, and the one in the front line, Randgriz, offered her body and life force to assist Lu Bu.
Brunhild also filled Goll with how the gods cheat this battle with powerful weapons like the Mjolnir and armors like the Jarngreipr, both used by Thor. But with the Volundr technique, it is now possible to harm the gods, who they think are all tricks.
To the surprise of many, the first exchange of attacks left every mouth agape. Lu Bu blocked Thor's seemingly fully-charged attack and countered him with a quick slash on the chest.
The god curiously examined the blood gushing out of his body and became more excited.
Reactions from different sides overflowed in the battle. The scene would navigate from the fight to Shiva, Aphrodite, Zeus, Hermes, and to Odin and his ravens from time to time. Cheers from the crowd, particularly of several Chinese heroes, is also prominent. We would also see Brunhild's smirk and her scared sister's cries as they await the outcome of Ragnarok Round 1.
The battles would often give way to a voice that passionately narrated a fighter's past. This execution reminded us of Kengan Ashura's story-telling style. At the same time, the quick inserts of the narrator during the skirmish resembled that of Hunter x Hunter during the Chimera Ant Arc episodes.
Thor's Boredom
Heaven was once a peaceful place guarded by archangels. But because the angelic army became complacent, the giants, known as Jotunns, devised a plan and shocked them with an organized attack. Though the winged warriors are formidable defenders, their experience was no match to the evolved way of predation. Soon, Heaven's forces perished, and the citizens fled on their own.
In the palace's entrance, where surviving inhabitants took refuge, Thor appeared and opened the doors to engage with the 66 Jotunns. He obliterated the wave of giants with his Mjolnir. Though he did this by himself, he remained unsatisfied and bored.
Lu Bu's Thirst For A Good Match
Like Thor, Lu Bu is a lone wolf seeking worthy opponents. In his search for the strongest, he grew the hardest and have won endless battles. While he gets lost in the adventure, he built a loyal army that followed him wherever he went.
Unsatisfied with his life, Lu Bu begged the emperor to end his life in an execution. But before these events, he trained hard alone in the mountains, swung every halberd for hundreds of thousands of times, until he discovered his ultimate move: the Sky Eater.
Record Of Ragnarok Round 1: The Fight Continues
Thor remained sublime despite the wound inflicted on him. Truly a godly facade to wear.
However, the gods are in a deep conundrum until Zeus realized the valkyrie's plot and resolve. Instead of worrying, the vixen's determination to slay the gods aroused him, that he ridiculed Brunhilde even more with his perverted flying kisses.
To add stress to the lower-ranked gods who filled half of the stadium, Lu Bu successfully destroyed one of Thor's Jarngreipr, which everyone believed to be protecting the god from the destructive power of Mjolnir.
Brunhilde explained Randgriz's distinct ability, "Shield Breaker," which allowed Lu Bu to break the Jarngreipr easily. This event made us fathom that the elder valkyrie gave a hell of thought to pairing her sisters with the human fighters.
Indeed, Lu Bu and Randgriz's combination is the perfect shot against Thor, in Brunhilde's thoughts considering her knowledge of the godly weapons and the legendary tales.
Due to Lu Bu's excellent parrying skills, Thor dropped the Mjolnir to the ground. Now that he's stripped of his armor and weapon, everyone thought they'll see the first death of a god in the hands of a human.
Shikashi... (Japanese translation for "however")
A sounding throb dominated the coliseum. Everyone searched for it, but only Thor knew where it came from.
Remembering the legends, Zeus followed soon enough. He unveiled that the Jarngreipr, which many believed to have shielded Thor's hands from irrecoverable damage of wielding Mjolnir, is a complete misconception.
While Jarngreipr acts as a strong armor, it also serves as a security precaution to avoid Mjolnir's destruction from Thor's powerful swings before it awakens.
The Mjolnir emitted immense heat as it rested on the ground. Soon, the orichalcum that surrounded the hammer broke, and huge veins finally appear. Soon, it commenced to a series of loud thumps.
Mjolnir was later exposed as a living being when Thor said that it finally woke up. Before it melted the stadium, the god picked up his enormous weapon, signaling that it won't be that easy to slay a god.
Aghast, Brunhilde appeared to have lost it. Still, she did not give up on Lu Bu and continued cheering for him with her sister Goll.
Thor vs. Lu Bu: A Noble Fight Between The Strongest
Continuing the fight, Thor began executing his ultimate attack — the one he used to obliterate Jormungandr. He threw Mjolnir with a forceful swing, which Lu Bu effortlessly evaded. However, it returned to the god as he intended to use its centrifugal force to add more power to the real finishing blow.
And then, it happened.
As soon as the attacks collided, the stage was in shambles. Dust and blinding explosion covered the two fighters. When the smoke clears, all witnessed both Thor and Lu Bu holding their ground with their weapons crossed.
Shikashi...
Lu Bu stood shakingly, his legs broken.
The power of the awakened Mjolnir and the god Thor was too much for him to handle.
As they disengage, everyone thought Lu Bu was done for. This was the air until Red Hare, the crimson stallion who has been with him since time immemorial joined him on the battlefield. It is not that hard to perceive that Lu Bu's four-legged friend would serve as his limbs, and they'll strive as a centaur would.
This time, Lu Bu got no choice but to unleash his trump card, the Sky Eater. With a perfect and vigorous swing, the power from this attack can tear skies apart. His loyal army saw it happening as he holds the end of his special halberd, and they resumed their cheers and loud cries for their hero. Thus, humanity's hope was alive again.
In a final charge, Lu Bu made sure that his attack would hit as he and Red Hare rushed forth to deliver their god slayer attack. Thor made his favorite giant serpent killer attack where he swung with full power, only for it to come back to him so he can use the accumulated force for another divine pounding. Once again, the battle stage is on fire.
We loved that the first round consisted of these noble fighters who have high respect for each other. Like what the narrator mentioned, if they were only born in the same race and grew up together, Thor and Lu Bu would have been best friends.
But the bitter truth was harsh — Lu Bu lost both his arms and Randgriz, from a weapon now back to her former self, fell lifeless from the clash.
At this point, Lu Bu was sure that he met a foe stronger than him. Now that his dreams have come true, it's time to face the calling.
Just like a defeated warrior of honor would want it to end, Lu Bu wished to die in the hands of a worthy rival.
Unarmed (sorry for the pun), Lu Bu rushed with Red Hare for the last strike at Thor. There, one of humanity's hopes, the strongest of all kingdoms, lost his head in a merciful swing.
Record of Ragnarok Round 1 Winner: Thor
Lu Bu's army came down to join the mourning Red Hare on the stage after Thor's triumph. They decided to engage with the god who killed their master even if it cost them their lives. To repay his friend, Thor did what he has to do, and Lu Bu's followers perished with a smile on their faces.
The aftermath saddened us all, especially when Goll asked what would happen to those defeated in battle. The frightful confession broke her into tears:
Ragnarok is a battle of souls, and those who paid their lives would turn to dust. A better way to say this is oblivion — simply nothingness.
Lu Bu, as it turned out, is someone who lived in the past. Names in the fighting roster are the souls of those who once lived as human beings. In the afterlife, they retained their form at their prime.
Soon, Lu Bu's lifeless body, including Randgriz, Red Hare, and the Chinese army, broke into particles and vanished into thin air.
Final Thoughts
To fans who might ask what we thought of the show, we didn't read the manga before watching the anime. Thus, we enjoyed the curated fights, and everything seemed satisfying to us. We reached the end of this round without much expectations. Our complete ignorance of the story made the Record of Ragnarok experience awesome.
The adverse reactions from mortal and god audiences helped build the hype of the fight. While the narration comes in a sporadic manner, they inserted them when the moment begs for it. Thus, it's not irritating nor it did not murder the construct.
The sudden twist of events recanted the expected dullness. What grew on us is the confusion around the Prose Of Edda and it taught us that the danger of misinformation could push us a step down the brink of extinction.
With this, we believe that this misconception is what gave the round to Thor. Brunhilde failed to learn the facts around the prose.
There must be a brief before fights and Lu Bu must have been taught how to use Randgriz with efficiency. However, they should have prepared for the unpredictable. After all, humans are faced-off against gods.
With the valkyrie throwing themselves into the mix, it releases the vibe that gods feel more vulnerable and pressured to maintain their grace. As an audience, it is quite a torture for us to just think that Record of Ragnarok Season 2 won't take place until 2022.
The entire fight made us forget that Thor is supposed to be the God of Thunder, not of you-know-what. Did he hold back on this fight? Though he was wounded and grateful, it is still a mismatch for us. Despite it, the execution was sound, and it kept us begging for more.
We hope to see more of Thor soon, though we are clueless about his fate after this since we don't read manga while the anime is ongoing.
We want to leave Otaku Fantasy readers with a cliffhanger, as there's still too much to see:
The outcome of Thor vs. Lu Bu fight favored the gods. However, the event disclosed that these divine entities are not as invincible as they seem to be. While humanity has not achieved a tangible result as of this point, they knew that with the right strategy and fighter, there's still hope. Thus, the clamor on their struggle for their existence continues.
Final Verdict:
Battle Intensity: 6/10
Character Hype: 7/10
Story Execution: 7/10
Surprise Element: 9/10
Animation: 7/10
Thor vs. Lu Bu Fight Overall Score: 7.2
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