Record of Ragnarok thrives on one of the oldest and grandest ideas in storytelling — mortals facing the divine to justify their own existence. The anime takes historical and mythological figures we’ve long held as untouchable and makes them bleed. In doing so, it captures something rare — that strange balance between reverence and rebellion, between admiring the gods and daring to punch them in the face.
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It’s no surprise that anime built around myth, conviction, and raw spectacle often connect with Record of Ragnarok’s audience. Some explore similar god-versus-human power dynamics through divine duels, while others focus on the mortal spirit — how sheer willpower become weapons that challenge fate itself.
7. Noragami
Noragami follows Yato, a minor god who dreams of fame and worship but currently takes odd jobs for five yen offerings. He’s the literal “delivery god” you’d call to fix your leaky faucet or exorcise a spirit. Struggling with loneliness and the constant threat of being forgotten, Yato’s story is one of identity and reinvention. What makes Noragami click for Ragnarok fans is that it personifies gods not as remote beings but as fundamentally flawed and painfully human. It’s an anime that trades divine wars for divine weariness, yet ends up just as compelling for anyone who loves their mythology laced with humanity.
6. God of High School
The God of High School is mythology slammed into a tournament arc and set to hyperdrive. It follows Jin Mori, a happy-go-lucky martial artist invited to compete in the titular tournament that promises any wish to the winner. But as the fights escalate, the show reveals its wild trump card: the participants can summon powers borrowed from gods, demons, and mythical beings — called “Charyeok.” Before long, battles involve not just martial prowess but divine energy. The anime might not be as philosophical, but it gets what makes divine fights irresistible: that primal thrill of humans standing toe-to-toe with the impossible.
5. Baki
Baki follows Baki Hanma, a teenage martial artist determined to surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma — the so-called “Strongest Creature Alive.” The story unfolds across several series (Baki the Grappler, Baki, Baki Hanma), each stuffed with underground tournaments, death-row superhumans, and training so extreme it borders on the supernatural. What makes Baki perfect for Record of Ragnarok fans is the intensity of its philosophy on strength. Both anime take fighting far beyond sport.
4. Saint Seiya
What if the fate of the world rested on the shoulders of warriors chosen by the constellations, each wielding divine armor and cosmic power? Saint Seiya follows a group of young warriors known as the Saints, who are chosen to defend the reincarnation of the Greek goddess Athena from forces of evil. Each Saint is aligned with a constellation and wears a mystical Cloth (armor) that grants them immense power. The story primarily focuses on Seiya, the Pegasus Saint, and his comrades as they face off against rival gods, powerful enemies, and overwhelming odds in their quest to protect humanity and maintain cosmic balance. For fans of Record of Ragnarok, Saint Seiya offers a similar appeal in its grand scale and mythological roots.
3. Drifters
Drifters begins with Toyohisa Shimazu, a real-life samurai from Japan’s Sengoku period, mortally wounded in battle — only to awaken in a mysterious realm where famous figures from across time have been resurrected. He soon joins forces with the likes of Oda Nobunaga and Nasu no Yoichi, fighting against another group of resurrected legends known as the Ends, who seek humanity’s destruction under the influence of dark gods. Tonally, Drifters is rougher, darker, and far more cynical than Ragnarok.
2. Dragon Ball Z
Decades before Ragnarok made humanity’s defiance against the divine cool, Dragon Ball Z was already showing that through sheer determination, a human (or Saiyan) could punch fate itself in the face. The story follows Goku, a Saiyan warrior raised on Earth who spends his life training, fighting, dying, coming back, and surpassing limits that once seemed impossible. Alongside his friends and rivals — Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, and others — he faces threats that evolve from tyrants and androids to literal gods of destruction and multiversal tournaments. Each arc is essentially a new “Ragnarok,” a fresh chance for humanity’s finest (even if alien-blooded) to prove that heart and resolve can match cosmic power.
1. Fate/Zero
Fate/Zero is the prequel to Fate/Stay Night and centers on the Fourth Holy Grail War, a secret tournament where seven mages summon heroic spirits (known as Servants) to fight for the omnipotent Holy Grail, which can grant any wish. These Servants are famous figures from history and mythology, such as King Arthur, Alexander the Great, and Gilles de Rais, each embodying a specific class like Saber, Archer, or Rider. The anime follows multiple perspectives, but the central narrative revolves around Kiritsugu Emiya, a conflicted assassin with an idealistic goal: to use the Grail to bring peace to the world — even at the cost of his humanity. Fate/Zero is Record of Ragnarok refined into psychological warfare.
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