Ragnarok (manhwa)
Encyclopedia
is a manhwa
created by Lee Myung-jin and published by Daiwon C.I.
in South Korea
. There are currently 10 volumes in circulation, published in English
in North America
by Tokyopop
from May 21, 2002 to April 6, 2004.
The series is mainly based on Norse mythology
but is influenced by various other cultures. It falls into the genres of fantasy
, action and adventure
.
This manhwa became the basis of the widely popular Korean MMORPG
, Ragnarok Online
developed by Gravity Corp, which in turn was the basis for an adaptation into the anime, Ragnarok the Animation
. Currently, Ragnarok is on indefinite hiatus as Lee Myung-jin is helping with the development of Ragnarok Online.
c that cannot remember anything from before the last two years in his life. He resides in the city of Fayon, inhabited by a long lineage of warriors. The newest leader in line to claim the head position of the village is a young woman by the name of Iris Irine, who trains with her close friend Chaos to become a suitable leader for her people. Meanwhile, Fenris Fenrir searches for Balder's reincarnation to bring about Ragnarok.
Manhwa
Manhwa is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons . Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean comics. The term, along with manga, is a cognate of the Chinese manhua...
created by Lee Myung-jin and published by Daiwon C.I.
Daiwon C.I.
Daewon C.I. , short for Daewon Culture Industry, is a subsidiary of Daewon Media founded in 1991. This South Korean publisher releases domestic and imported comics, Newtype Korea Magazine, children's books, and light novels. With Haksan Culture Company and Seoul Cultural Publishers, Daewon C.I...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. There are currently 10 volumes in circulation, published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
from May 21, 2002 to April 6, 2004.
The series is mainly based on Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
but is influenced by various other cultures. It falls into the genres of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, action and adventure
Adventure (genre)
The adventure genre, in the context of a narrative, is typically applied to works in which the protagonist or other major characters are consistently placed in dangerous situations...
.
This manhwa became the basis of the widely popular Korean MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
, Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
developed by Gravity Corp, which in turn was the basis for an adaptation into the anime, Ragnarok the Animation
Ragnarok The Animation
Ragnarok the Animation is an anime and aenimeisyeon series based on the MMORPG Ragnarok Online, produced in the first quarter of 2004 and was broadcast on TV Tokyo of Japan. In 2005, it was broadcast on SBS in Korea. It has 26 episodes...
. Currently, Ragnarok is on indefinite hiatus as Lee Myung-jin is helping with the development of Ragnarok Online.
Story
Ragnarok follows the life and adventures of the warrior Chaos, who is an amnesiaAmnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
c that cannot remember anything from before the last two years in his life. He resides in the city of Fayon, inhabited by a long lineage of warriors. The newest leader in line to claim the head position of the village is a young woman by the name of Iris Irine, who trains with her close friend Chaos to become a suitable leader for her people. Meanwhile, Fenris Fenrir searches for Balder's reincarnation to bring about Ragnarok.
Protagonists
- Chaos: A Rune Knight who has lost the memory of his childhood. Chaos came to live in Fayon, a village of great warriors, and became best friends with Iris Irine, the heir to leadership of the village. When Fenris Fenrir arrived in Fayon, Chaos learned that he was the reincarnation of BalderBalderBaldr is a god in Norse mythology.In the 12th century, Danish accounts by Saxo Grammaticus and other Danish Latin chroniclers recorded a euhemerized account of his story...
, the God of Light. With his memories starting to return and his powers growing with every battle, Chaos struggles to unravel his past and find his true destiny. Chaos appears to be a newer name than his original in this lifetime. In a flashback, he wears the name tag of "Vermillion," from a dragon knight who found him in a bloody area with slain soldiers and a young girl in his arms. Despite his troubled past, he is a relatively good-natured young man who is somewhat clueless about romantic relationships, particularly with Iris Irine. He also is a very loyal friend, including to the very reticent Loki.
- Fenris: The reincarnation of the Wolf GodFenrisulfrIn Norse mythology, Fenrir , Fenrisúlfr , Hróðvitnir , or Vánagandr is a monstrous wolf...
, Fenris has become a powerful warlock upon returning to life began searching the world for Balder, who had also been reborn as a mortal. Fenris wields many forgotten sorceries, as well as the magical demon-slaying staff Laevatein. Notably, she has the curious ability to copy any spell that strikes her. During her journey, she has come to care deeply for Chaos as well as her memory of Balder, and sees Iris Irine as both a friend and a rival for Chaos's affections. She is a dignified and intelligent woman, seen as a big sister by Iris Irine and as an enigma by Chaos.
- Iris Irine: The heir to leadership of Fayon, village of warriors. Iris is a cleric in training and knows many healing spells. She uses Rune Cards (papers that are concealed with magic) inscribed with magical runes to debilitate the enemy and help her allies. Iris has been best friends with Chaos for years and cares about him a great deal (She even calls herself as Chaos' girlfriend sometimes). Though she considers herself dignified and lady-like, she's prone to throwing tantrums and acting childish when she's excited. She admires Fenris greatly and has a running rivalry with the thief Lidia. Currently, her greatest enemy is her half-sister the valkyrie Sara Irine. She wields the magic-destroying sword Chonryongdo, one of three legendary dragon blades. It should be noted that in the English version, there are multiple variations of the spelling of "Chonryongdo" (e.g., Chernryongdo) though none reflect the actual Korean spelling, Hepburn Romanisation suggesting instead Cheongryongdo.
- LokiLokiIn Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
: The most powerful member of the Assassins' Guild, Loki had never even been wounded twice in combat before encountering Chaos. When the Assassins Guild was almost totally destroyed by Skurai (who had framed the act on Chaos), Loki hunted Chaos down and attacked him. Chaos eventually managed to convince Loki that they were not enemies, and Loki has joined forces with Chaos to hunt down the true culprit. Loki is apparently totally devoid of emotions (though there is some debate on this topic) and has a hard time fathoming them in others. He wields "The Might" ("Cosmic Energy" in the English release), the most powerful form of magic in the world, and has been described as "the one who is human and not."
- Lidia: A thief who travels with a two-tailed cat named Ses. Lidia fancies herself a treasure hunter like her father, and is searching the world over for magical artifacts. Her greatest wish is to find Alfheim, the hidden city of the elves, the one treasure (The treasure of Avariel in the original release) her father could never locate. Lidia started hanging out with Chaos and the gang in order to steal Iris's dagger, Chonryongdo, and later latches on to Loki. She is known as Lidia in the English release.
- Reina (Name not stated in the original release): An elfish archer that Chaos and his friends have run into during their time in the city of Geffen. She appears to be the last of her kind and wishes to protect the secret of Alfhiem, the ancient city of the elves. She doesn’t like Lidia as she is trying to steal the treasures of Alfhiem but she puts aside her differences with her and Loki during their adventure in Alfhiem while battling a powerful assassin (Juliana Lucille) and wizard (The city Mayor). Since the manhwa has been halted it is unsure what will become of her after her, Lidia, and Loki’s adventure.
Antagonists
- Sara Irine: One of the twelve Valkyries of Freya. She is first seen attempting to hunt down Fenris Fenrir, although the warlock escapes. She then devastates Fayon with an army of Giants. Sara is, in fact, the half-sister of Iris. For some horrible, unknown reason, Sara's (and Iris's) father killed Sara's mother and tried to kill Sara as well. Sara fled the village of Fayon and became consumed with a thirst for vengeance. She met and killed her father during the attack on Fayon, earning Iris's hatred. Curiously, she saves both Iris and Fenrir from the witch Bijou, though she dispassionately tells her half-sister that she will finish her the next time they meet. She wields the legendary Sword of Retribution, Haeryongdo.
- Sakray/Skurai, the Cursed Prosecutor : A mysterious man with a terrifying power. Skurai wields the demon sword Talatsu (known as Tartanos or Talefing in some versions of the series), a weapon that drains the blood of whoever it injures, and receives also the memories of that person. Talatsu also learns the fighting techniques of the person it sucks the blood out, as Skurai stated in volume 10. Guided by the Beholders, Skurai arrived in Fayon while it was under attack by Sara Irine and slew all the non-combatant villagers, including Iris's mother. He then traveled to the Assassin's Guild and killed every assassin there, then framed Chaos for the entire event. He seeks the blood of Chaos, as he believes it can fully quench the thirst of Talatsu and free Skurai's soul from its bondage to the demon. Skurai's dark past hides a terrible tragedy: he was once an honorable knight and the selling of his soul to Talatsu was to allow him the power to save his lover, the princess Titania, who was killed however by another demon that was disguised as a prince.
- Himmelmez: Another of the twelve Valkyries, Himmelmez is a powerful necromancer and her necromancy has surpassed lich levels. Her undead forces encountered Chaos and his band while searching for the magical crystal known as the Heart of Ymir. She has vast hordes of undead beasts at her disposal, and her cloak of darkness can transform into many different weapons, including axe-blades, drills, and even a giant cannon. Her main weapon is called the "Wand of Hela", which controls zombies and it also transforms into the "Goth Rapier", which imparts lethal poison. No antidote in the world can dispel the poison from her Goth Rapier and only the "Ring of Ymir" can purge its poison, which she possesses.
- Bijou the Witch: A powerful witch with a deformed hand. She commonly uses glacial spells against her opponents. She was killed by Sara. Upon her death it appears that she and Himmelmez have been friends for a long time. She may have begun altering her body to better help her friend.
- Zenobia Sadi Freile: One of the twelve valkyries of Freya. She is a powerful sorceress of elven descent. Little is known about her abilities.
Other characters
- The Beholders: Huginn and Muninn, two mysterious individuals who are able to transform into crows. They are the eyes of Odin, Allfather of the Gods, and are acting to influence events in MidgardMidgardMidgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is an old Germanic name for our world and is the home of Humans, with the literal meaning "middle enclosure".-Etymology:...
. They are the ones who directed Skurai to attack first the village of Fayon, and then the Assassins Guild. They also acted to save both Skurai and Sara Irine from the dragon Nidhogg that Chaos summoned during the battle (by accident, but mostly sure, due to his flashbacks). Their true motives are a mystery. However, Muninn seems to have a more sadistic side than the silent Huginn, who displays occasional compassion, such as when he kills a monster about to devour a child.
- The Asgard Rangers: A wild band of strangely-dressed women who consider themselves to be the champions of truth and justice. However, they seem to simply attack targets at random, then declare their victims to be 'unrighteous,' justifying their own extreme actions. Their wild poses and wacky antics serve to hide their considerable fighting skills. They seem to be a parody of sentaiSentaiin Japanese language is a word for a military unit and may be literally translated as "squadron", "task force", "group" or "wing". The terms "regiment" and "flotilla", while sometimes used as translations of Sentai, are also used to refer to larger formations....
groups like Sailor MoonSailor MoonSailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
and Power RangersPower RangersPower Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
.
- Lord and Lady Irine: The father and mother of Iris. They both die at the hands of Skurai and Sara Irine. Lady Irine seems to be the brains behind the operation but the Lord is not dumb, just easily blinded by love of his daughter. Lord Irine is also father to Sara, by another mother, who he later kills for unrevealed reasons. Lord Irine's dying request is for Iris not to hate her sister. Lady Irine is implied to have been killed by Skurai in an attempt to protect the children (Nuri and Seri).
- Matthew and the Guards: The accomplished guards of Fayon are led by the massive, if not lovable, Matthew. His hair resembles a rooster's crest, leading Chaos to call him 'chicken head'. He has a blatant infatuation with Iris but never lets it get in the way of duty. The main weapon of the guards is a wall of lethal cannons. These valiant souls go down defending their home. Matthew is made into a zombie by Himmelmez in order to make a foe Chaos would not willingly fight.
- Ses (Sessy) the Cat o' Two Tails: This cat can talk, though Lidia would prefer it couldn't. He (A 'She' in the English release) seems to be more reasonable and rational then her owner. According to the Official Player's Handbook found at the start of each volume after the first, she provides a 50% bonus on Pickpocketing Saves. While this is relatively illogical both in wording and use, Ses does seem to do all the work in most of Lidia's criminal escapades.
- The Assassins Guild: This group of Arabic inspired warriors are dedicated to preserving the balance of power within the entire continent. This means favoring good OR evil as the balance shifts. The policy doesn't exactly make them friends with anyone. Most are slaughtered by Skurai. Taulin and a small band of others survive because they accompany Loki to battle Surt's minions. The survivors are eventually stationed at the Guild headquarters to rebuild and recover the heavy losses taken.
- General Karl Johann Spiegal: Commander of the forces of Volsug, he is a competent and good natured man. He is forced to imprison Chaos and his companions but assures them that he trusts them and would support them as a witness. When the forces of Himmelmez attack the city, he takes Fenris and Iris to the fragment of the Heart of Ymir. He becomes critically wounded but is stabilized in time.
- The White and Black Mages: These taciturn characters constantly show up in the background of any major crowd. They are mimics of their namesakes from the Final Fantasy RPG series. They appear to be a tribute to that popular series.
- Angelina Kidman: This spunky young woman is the announcer for the Geffen magic tourney and the prime secretary (As said in the original release) of the Witch Guild. She has a lecherous co-host, Frontain Rod, who is more concerned with the breasts of female competitors.
- Frontain Rod Kimacue: He is the co-host announcer of the Geffen magic tourney, by Angelina's side, and the account manager of the Gravity Research Union (As said in the original release). He is a rather perverted person, who keeps peeking on women's breasts with his binoculars. Although he seems to be only an old perverted man, he has a lot of knowledge about magic and fighting techniques. He regonizes every single move that Fenris uses and is being curious about who Fenris really is. Just like he stated in the original release; "I have no idea, that how I should be reacting to Fenris's techniques. She's a complete mystery, and I'd really like to know who she really is and where does she come from".
- Gustav Kube the Magician: A novice magician who explains the city of Geffen to our heroes. His character model would later be used as the basis for Mage in Ragnarok Online.
Additional information
This series is supposed to go on for 40+ books, but Lee Myoung-Jin has put it aside to work on artwork for Ragnarok Online instead.See also
- Ragnarok OnlineRagnarok OnlineRagnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
, an MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world.... - Ragnarok Online 2Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the WorldRagnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World was a MMORPG created by Gravity Corp. of South Korea and is the sequel to the popular MMORPG, Ragnarok Online. Most of the game's universe is based on Norse mythology. The soundtrack was produced by Yoko Kanno, well known for her work in Cowboy Bebop, Ghost...
a sequel MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world.... - Gravity Corp.
- Ragnarok The AnimationRagnarok The AnimationRagnarok the Animation is an anime and aenimeisyeon series based on the MMORPG Ragnarok Online, produced in the first quarter of 2004 and was broadcast on TV Tokyo of Japan. In 2005, it was broadcast on SBS in Korea. It has 26 episodes...
, an AnimeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....