Record of Ragnarok

Once a millennium, the gods from every mythology — Greek, Norse, Hindu, all of them — sit down and vote on whether humanity deserves to keep existing. This time, they unanimously vote to wipe us out. But Brunhilde, the eldest Valkyrie, crashes the meeting with a counteroffer: Ragnarök. Thirteen gods versus thirteen of humanity's greatest warriors across history, one-on-one fights to the death. If the humans take seven wins, mankind survives. The gods think it's a joke. Brunhilde is dead serious. This 12-episode ONA from Graphinica is basically a tournament arc as its entire premise, and honestly, it knows exactly what it is. You're here to watch legendary historical figures throw down against actual gods, each fighter getting backstory that makes you care before the blood starts flowing. The Valkyries themselves become weapons for the human fighters, which adds a cool layer to the power system beyond just punching harder. The vibe is dark and emotional but never pretends to be more than spectacle with heart. It's a seinen manga adaptation, so the gore is real and the stakes feel heavy. If you liked the Servant battles in Fate/Stay Night or the historical figure mashups in Drifters, this scratches a similar itch. Fans of Killing Bites will recognize the "explain the ability, then watch it play out" structure. It's straightforward tournament fighting with mythological flair, and it commits fully to that premise.