Record of Ragnarok has one of the most interesting concepts you can find in anime. The idea of 13 humans from history, fighting alongside Valkyries, going to death matches against 13 gods is immediately engaging. It naturally makes you curious about which humans will be chosen, what their abilities are, which gods they will face, and who will end up winning. As a premise, it works extremely well.

My main issue with the anime is that it does not really develop its story beyond the fights themselves. Almost everything revolves around the battles, with flashbacks placed in the middle of them to give some context. While those flashbacks are often interesting, they also highlight how much is missing outside the fights. The world, the build up, and the overall narrative feel underdeveloped, and that is the first big problem for me.

The animation is another weak point. The fights lack fluidity and choreography, often relying on very short cuts between movements instead of showing continuous action. This makes many battles feel stiff rather than intense. There is also a moment near the end of one fight where, instead of actual animation, the scene is presented through still images, which completely breaks the immersion. The facial expressions and mouth movements are also inconsistent and often look awkward.

Considering that the anime is almost entirely focused on fights, the animation should have been at least solid across the board. While the art style itself is good and the character designs are strong, especially for the fighters, the execution does not live up to the potential of the concept. Having large crowds in the background of almost every scene is impressive visually, but it cannot compensate for the lack of movement during key moments.

One thing Record of Ragnarok does very well is unpredictability. It is rarely clear who is going to win a fight, and matches often swing back and forth between fighters before reaching a conclusion. That tension is one of the most enjoyable parts of the anime. The mid fight character development also works in its favor. Through flashbacks, you get a good understanding of who the fighters are and what they represent, which makes the outcome of each battle more engaging, especially when it comes to the humans fighting for the survival of mankind.

One of my biggest disappointments was the conclusion of a specific fight where both characters are portrayed as equals for several episodes, only for one of them to win while taking almost no visible damage. I was expecting the winner to at least be heavily injured after such a long and even battle. I understand why the result was written that way, but I still do not find it satisfying.

Overall, Record of Ragnarok had the potential to be something much better. The manga deserved a stronger adaptation, and the anime ends up feeling mediocre largely because of its animation and presentation. With a studio known for action and choreography, this series could have been truly great.