How many Record of Ragnarok manga volumes are out right now? The short answer: 28 in Japan and 19 in English. If you’re looking to start collecting or figuring out how far the English edition has come, this guide covers everything — volume counts, reading order, where the anime leaves off, and where to buy.
Record of Ragnarok has one of the most irresistible premises in manga: the gods of every mythology vote to wipe out humanity, and humanity’s only chance is a thirteen-round tournament where history’s greatest humans fight the gods one-on-one. It’s wild, dramatic, and drawn with jaw-dropping intensity. The Japanese title is 終末のワルキューレ (Shūmatsu no Walküre), which you may see referenced on covers or fan sites.
Record of Ragnarok Has 28 Manga Volumes in Japan and 19 in English
Record of Ragnarok is an ongoing series that began serialization in November 2017. It’s serialized in Monthly Comic Zenon — a manga magazine published by Coamix in Japan. Like most manga, the series is first published chapter by chapter in the magazine, then those chapters are collected and released as individual volumes (the books you see on store shelves). This is how the vast majority of manga reaches readers.
The creative team behind the series is a trio: writer Shinya Umemura, artist Azychika, and story composer Takumi Fukui (a role similar to a story planner or co-writer who helps shape the overall narrative structure).
As of the latest count, the series has reached 28 volumes in Japan (Volume 28 arrived July 17, 2026). The English edition, published by VIZ Media, currently sits at 19 volumes (Volume 19 released July 21, 2026), with Volume 20 already scheduled for October 20, 2026. That gap is completely normal for an ongoing manga — English translations take time, and VIZ typically releases volumes on a regular schedule to close the distance gradually.
The key takeaway: the series is far from finished, and English readers have plenty of volumes still coming their way. If you’re jumping in now, you’ve got 19 volumes of content ready to read, with the confidence that more is on the horizon.
English Edition Breakdown — What VIZ Media Has Released
VIZ Media handles the English-language release of Record of Ragnarok. VIZ is one of the largest publishers dedicated to bringing manga — Japanese comics — to English-speaking readers. They publish this series in standard single volumes, meaning each English book matches one Japanese volume directly. There’s no content restructuring, reordering, or combining happening between editions. Volume 1 in English is Volume 1 in Japanese, and so on straight through.
Here’s what the current English release landscape looks like:
- Format: Standard single volumes (paperback)
- Volumes available: 19
- Publisher: VIZ Media, LLC
- Omnibus or deluxe editions: None confirmed at this time. (An omnibus is a collected edition that bundles multiple volumes into one thicker book — some manga series offer these, but Record of Ragnarok doesn’t have one in English yet.)
The lack of omnibus or deluxe editions means your only option for physical English copies is the individual volumes. That’s worth knowing if you were hoping for a box set or oversized hardcover — as of now, those don’t exist for this series in English.
The English release trailing Japan by several volumes is standard for ongoing manga. VIZ tends to maintain a steady release schedule, so new volumes arrive regularly. If you start collecting now, you’ll likely see the gap narrow over time as VIZ continues publishing.
For readers who prefer digital, VIZ also makes the series available through digital platforms including the VIZ Manga app, Kindle, Apple Books, and other e-book stores — a convenient option if shelf space is limited or you like reading on a tablet or phone.
Best Reading Order for New Readers
Good news: Record of Ragnarok has one of the most straightforward reading orders in manga. Start with Volume 1 and read in order. That’s it.
The series follows a linear tournament structure. The gods and humanity face off in a series of one-on-one battles, and each fight storyline — sometimes called an “arc,” meaning a self-contained chunk of the larger story — typically spans roughly one to three volumes. This creates natural reading checkpoints where you can finish a fight and take a breather before moving to the next one.
A few things worth noting about the reading order:
- No skipping recommended. Each round builds on the emotional stakes of the previous one. The series introduces new fighters, mythological backstories, and escalating tension as the tournament progresses. Jumping ahead means missing the buildup that makes later fights land so hard.
- No spin-offs required. Official spinoffs do exist in Japan (Apocalypse of the Gods, The Jack the Ripper Case Files, among others), but you don’t need any of them to follow the main plot — the main series is self-contained.
- The tournament structure keeps things focused. The main series stays locked on its central tournament premise (the spinoffs live in their own books, off to the side). This makes the reading experience tight and satisfying, even across a high volume count.
If you like to read in chunks, each completed fight makes a great stopping point. Grab the first few volumes, finish a fight, and see if the series hooks you. For most readers, the answer is a very enthusiastic yes.
Manga vs. Anime — What the Volumes Cover Beyond the Show
Record of Ragnarok has a Netflix anime adaptation with three seasons so far: Season 1 (2021), Season 2 (2023), and Season 3 (Netflix from December 2025, with Japanese TV broadcast following from April 2026). A fourth season was officially announced in June 2026. If you’re new to the relationship between manga and anime: manga is the original comic, and the anime is a TV adaptation made from it — similar to how a novel gets adapted into a movie or show.
With three seasons already aired, the anime covers a significant portion of the manga’s storyline. That said, the manga is still further ahead — it’s at 28 volumes in Japan and 19 in English, so there’s story beyond what the anime has adapted. If you’ve watched all three seasons and want to continue, the manga picks up where the show left off. Check which tournament rounds Season 3 concludes with and match that to the corresponding manga volume to find your starting point.
Here’s what the manga offers beyond — or alongside — the anime:
- More detailed fight choreography. Azychika’s art is incredibly dynamic on the page. Manga panels can convey movement and impact in ways that the anime’s animation didn’t always match, and many fans consider the manga’s visual storytelling to be stronger.
- Deeper backstories. The manga gives each fighter — god and human alike — extended flashback sequences that flesh out their motivations and histories. Some of this gets compressed or trimmed in the anime adaptation.
- Better pacing control. In manga form, you control the pace. You can linger on a striking two-page illustration (where the art stretches across both open pages for maximum impact) or tear through an intense sequence at whatever speed feels right. The anime locks you into its episode runtime.
For anime-first viewers, the transition to manga is smooth. The story follows the same tournament structure, and since the manga is the original version the anime was based on, everything in the show came from these pages — you’re getting the fuller version.
Where to Buy Record of Ragnarok Manga Volumes in English
Record of Ragnarok is published by VIZ Media, which means distribution is broad. You can find the series at:
- Major online retailers — the series is widely stocked
- Physical bookstores — chains and independent shops that carry manga should have it or can order it
- Digital platforms — including the VIZ Manga app, Kindle, Apple Books, and other e-book stores, for readers who prefer reading on tablets and phones
The latest English volume currently available is Volume 19 (July 2026), with Volume 20 officially scheduled for October 20, 2026.
For readers looking to start their collection, Volume 1 is the natural entry point and is widely available both in print and digital formats. Since the series is published by VIZ, it benefits from strong distribution — copies are generally easy to track down (stock varies by store and volume).
Record of Ragnarok, Vol. 1
A practical note on collecting: with 19 English volumes out and more coming, this is a series where buying a few volumes at a time makes sense. Test the waters with the first volume or the first fight storyline (Volumes 1-2), and if you’re hooked, you can build your collection from there. You’ll know when a fight ends — the conclusion is dramatic and unmistakable.
Digital editions are worth considering if you want to sample the series before committing to physical copies or if you’re short on shelf space. Digital and print carry the same numbered volumes; release timing can vary slightly by platform.
Is Record of Ragnarok Worth Reading?
If you enjoy dark supernatural battle manga with mythological themes, Record of Ragnarok is a fantastic pick. Here’s who this series is best suited for:
You’ll love it if you enjoy:
- Tournament-style stories. The entire series is structured as a thirteen-round death tournament. If you love stories built around escalating one-on-one battles, this series makes that the whole premise.
- World mythology. The roster pulls from Norse, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Hindu, and other mythologies. Gods like Thor, Zeus, Poseidon, and Shiva face off against humans like Lü Bu (a legendary Chinese warrior), Adam (yes, the biblical first human), Jack the Ripper (the infamous Victorian-era killer, reimagined as a cunning fighter), and Nikola Tesla (the inventor, wielding science against divine power). The fun is seeing how the creators reinterpret these figures for combat.
- High-stakes supernatural action. The fate of all humanity hangs on each fight. It doesn’t get more apocalyptic than gods literally voting to end the human race.
- Dramatic, detailed art. Azychika’s illustrations are a genuine highlight. The fight sequences are rendered with incredible intensity — dramatic poses, sweeping action panels, and character designs that make each god and human feel larger than life.
A few things to keep in mind:
- The series contains violent combat and intense imagery. These are fights to the death between gods and humanity’s greatest warriors. Expect graphic battle wounds, characters dying on-panel, and unflinching depictions of the toll these fights take. This series is best suited for older teens and adults.
- It’s an ongoing series with a substantial volume count. With 19 English volumes out and more on the way (28 in Japan), this is a longer-term commitment. The good news is that the tournament structure means each fight provides a satisfying mini-narrative within the larger story, so it never feels like you’re waiting endlessly for a payoff.
- The tone is dramatic and operatic, not subtle. This manga goes big with every emotional beat. If you want understated storytelling, this one leans in the opposite direction. If you want a manga that treats every punch like the fate of the world depends on it — because it literally does — this is your series.
Record of Ragnarok takes a bonkers premise and commits to it completely. Gods versus humanity, winner takes all, with some of the most dynamic art in modern manga. It’s a blast to read, and with the English edition still catching up to Japan, there’s plenty of Record of Ragnarok manga volumes to look forward to.
Grab Volume 1 and see for yourself.