In the anime Record of Ragnarok (also known as Shuumatsu no Valkyrie), the Valkyries play a crucial role as both supporters and strategists for humanity’s side in the battle against the gods. The Valkyries are powerful, divine beings, typically associated with Norse mythology, who serve Odin. In Record of Ragnarok, they are portrayed as characters who choose human champions and assist them in the fight against the gods by transforming into powerful weapons.
Key Valkyries in Record of Ragnarok:
- Brünnhilde
- Role: Brünnhilde is one of the primary Valkyries in the series and serves as humanity’s main strategist. She is deeply committed to humanity’s survival and has a strong sense of duty. Throughout the battles, she acts as the human fighters’ ally, guiding them and offering support in various ways. Brünnhilde is also a key figure in the creation of the tournament and often appears to counsel or encourage the human champions.
- Personality: Brünnhilde is determined, fierce, and highly intelligent. Despite the overwhelming odds against humanity, she believes in the potential of humans to win the battles and plays a key role in motivating the human fighters.
- Göll
- Role: Göll is another Valkyrie who works closely with Brünnhilde. She is portrayed as more gentle and compassionate compared to some of the other Valkyries, and she serves as the emotional support for the human champions.
- Personality: Göll is caring and soft-spoken, often providing comfort and encouragement to the human fighters when needed.
- Reginleif
- Role: Reginleif is another important Valkyrie who plays a supporting role in the series. She works alongside the other Valkyries to guide the human fighters.
- Personality: Reginleif tends to be more reserved and serious, but her dedication to her task is clear. She is also capable of great strength and is loyal to the cause of the humans’ survival.
- Sigrún
- Role: Sigrún is a Valkyrie who is summoned to fight in the tournament. She transforms into a powerful weapon for a human fighter.
- Personality: While Sigrún is more stoic, she is still a formidable warrior in her own right. Her transformation into a weapon signifies her pivotal role in the battles.
- Hrist
- Role: Hrist, like the other Valkyries, transforms into a weapon for a human fighter and is loyal to the cause.
- Personality: She is brave and confident in her abilities, though her personality is somewhat less explored compared to the others.
The Role of Valkyries in Record of Ragnarok:
In Record of Ragnarok, the Valkyries’ main role is to select human champions and help them fight against the gods. Each Valkyrie has the ability to transform into a weapon, which is then used by a human fighter in the tournament. These transformations are vital, as they give the human fighters the ability to challenge the much more powerful gods.
The Valkyries are not just warriors; they are also strategic thinkers and emotional supports, offering guidance and moral support during the intense battles. Their involvement is crucial to humanity’s survival and their belief in the potential of humans to win against the gods is a central theme of the anime.
The anime adaptation of Record of Ragnarok takes significant inspiration from Norse mythology, while adding unique character dynamics, especially with the Valkyries. These characters bring depth to the story by highlighting the importance of cooperation and belief in humanity.