Record of Ragnarok is a Seinen spectacle with an entertaining gimmick, pitting mythological and religious gods against mythological and historical humans. It creates a fun and simple debate among the readers about who the strongest characters in Record of Ragnarok are when empowered to fight to the death.
Be warned, there are series spoilers ahead!
The Strongest Characters in Record of Ragnarok So Far
While Record of Ragnarok is not over and is only about to enter Round 10 of its intended 13 rounds, the true strongest characters are yet to be confirmed. However, of the 9 rounds we’ve seen so far, in terms of sheer strength there have been some clear top contenders. While brute strength has not been enough to win battles throughout the series, it makes for some spectacular feats.
12. Leonidas
Leonidas’ strength is a purely honed one that reaches godly proportions by the time of Record of Ragnarok. He is Sparta’s proudest and most defiant warrior and was able to give Apollo an impressive fight, even if his Völundr was underwhelming for that round.
While his strength alone isn’t what defines the match, his determination and stubbornness win the respect of his opponent. But it’s worth noting that some of his most impressive blows against Apollo weren’t even aided by his Völundr.
11. Apollo
Apollo had a close match with Leonidas, but the proof was in the pudding throughout the relatively short Round 9. Apollo was not only strong enough to handle any challenger he came across, but he also possessed a radiant natural charisma that could win over his fiercest opponents.
This, combined with immense feats such as his endurance allowed him to bounce back from the mighty, Völundr-empowered Leonidas. It’s also noteworthy that Apollo was a participant in the Gigantomachy, an explosive clash between the Greek gods and the Titans, which is no mean feat.
10. Beelzebub
The Abrahamic Lord of the Flies himself enters this list with a combination of godly might and a lethally ominous presence. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes, either, and that his brains are behind Hajun’s reincarnation in Round 6, giving Buddha a serious run for his money.
Beelzebub’s might was enough to break through Nikola Tesla’s armor, and his mental fortitude was enough to shake off even Odin’s intensity, a character whom we’ve yet to see in battle.
9. Lü Bu
Lü Bu received a glow-up in his spin-off but was still a deadly contender in the first round of Record of Ragnarok as one of its strongest characters. With the swing of his spear, he could literally tear the clouds and skies asunder above him for miles. But unfortunately, his body had far greater limitations than his brute strength could ever rectify as we would soon find out.
8. Hades
Another of the Greek gods to appear on this list, Hades is among the strongest of them all. Hades was called upon after the upset of Round 6, seen as something of an ace in the hole with immense strength and accuracy we’ve yet to see in the anime adaptation. But as a participant in both the Titanomachy and Gigantomachy, it’s clear that Hades amassed an impressive reputation.
But his prowess on the battlefield was enough to threaten his opponent, Qin Shi Huang, with instant death if his blows made contact, and it’s no surprise that the ruler of the underworld would have impressive reserves of strength.
7. Hercules
Hercules, or Heracles, was the 4th round combatant, originally a mortal called Alcides until he consumed ambrosia, the nectar of the gods, and survived. In the Record of Ragnarok twist on his mythological exploits, the 12 labors of Hercules inhabit him as feats of strength he can summon, in exchange for massive physical pain indicated by his tattoos that cover more of his body with each use.
These labors allow him to transform his club into some deadly weapons, and even join with it to become an armored fighting machine. However, the series turns this Greek myth on its head by giving him Jack the Ripper as an opponent, a fighter so shrewd and clever he’d fit right in with the likes of Odysseus or Theseus. Hercules’ strength was undeniable, but in the face of a clever opponent, it was clear that strength wasn’t enough.
6. Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang was another example right up there with Kojiro Sasaki as a character who only served up a standout, upset victory against the gods. But his greatest individual achievement as one of the strongest fighters in Record of Ragnarok was in overwhelming the might of a god who fought in the Gigantomachy to score humanity their only lead in the tournament so far.
Qin Shi Huang was strong enough to single-handedly throw gods around like ragdolls and outright overpower them. While he might pale in comparison to the higher entries on this list, his fight was a stunning one we’re looking forward to in Season 3.
5. Adam
Looking back, Adam was an impressive fighter who tackled the fight against Zeus, possibly the strongest god across the entire series (unless Odin gives him a run for his money). What’s more, he does it using largely his strength and speed, aided by Divine Reflection with his Völundr coming in the form of a knuckleduster.
Adam has demonstrated immense physical strength, but the real highlight of his fight was just how insanely fast he was. Zeus was not even as fast as him, and if not for the limitations of Divine Reflection, Adam would likely have been content tearing through the other gods as well if he had the chance. But his ability to land a punch in Zeus’ face so early in the match, sending him tumbling across the arena, was something that felt like fanservice for any Dragon Ball aficionados in the audience.
4. Shiva
Shiva was part of one of the most interesting matches in the series because each character had a pretty equally compelling backstory. Shiva is the greatest brawler in heaven, the God of Destruction, and his Tandava Karma represented his greatest achievement in Round 5. He nearly died in the process, with his powers threatening to burn him away in the process, but it’s undeniably impressive.
While Shiva was not the strongest of the characters in Record of Ragnarok, his abilities pushed him to be among the top spots, but his control over his strength is what allowed him to survive. Tandava Karma feels like a bit of a cheat in the realm of raw strength, but it’s brought on by a physical phenomenon he imposes upon himself, stimulating his heart by ripping into his chest to empower his spiritual energy or atman.
3. Thor
Thor holds a special place in Record of Ragnarok in how he’s one of the few fighters to get out of the match largely unscathed. Thor was the superior fighter in Round 1, in a match that was more lopsided than any other fight that followed. His strength was so legendary that this version of the story made his gloves, Járngreipr, a means to protect his hammer from his strength, instead of other versions where it simply enabled him to wield it. In a word, this artistic liberty made Thor truly metal.
It’s tough to say whether he’ll retain his spot here, especially as he’s yet to fight with the other contenders who showed up. But his fight was what set the gods up as a force to be reckoned with from the start.
2. Zeus
The strongest of the gods so far, Zeus is the omnipotent God Father of the Cosmos strong enough to destroy heaven by himself. It’s nuts that he was given such a fitting opponent in Adam, but it’s also amusing and off-putting for DBZ fans to see a Master Roshi lookalike as a fighter who could not only win his assigned round but keep going and take on the rest of Brunhilde’s fighters.
The only other god that could foreseeably match Zeus’ strength who remains on the roster is Odin unless Siegfried takes a side in an additional round.
1. Raiden Tameemon
Allow me to explain this position. While Raiden ultimately faltered in his match, it was because his strength was immense to the point of being crippling and unsustainable. His muscles developed to godly levels from his childhood years, and he had to master techniques to limit his strength so he would not crush his bones by letting them run amok. Even in this limited state, he dominated humanity with his strength.
But when letting go of the Hundred Seals keeping his muscles in check, Raiden was able to unleash godly feats of strength without any limitations. His Völundr was only a way for him to harness his physical strength, making him the only human fighter to be a deadly threat to the gods with just his bare hands. He can grab the arms of even the strongest gods and crush them with his grip.
What’s more, it allowed him to achieve bizarre shapeshifting feats, turning his body into a multipurpose weapon. Sadly, pure strength is simply not enough in Record of Ragnarok as readers and viewers soon find out.
