One of the most interesting aspects of Netflix at the moment is the degree of anime content on tap, and more so the diversity. Fans can tune into the likes of Vinland Saga to soak in Thorfinn's heartbreaking Viking journey and Norse crusades of old, while horror lovers now have Junji Ito's Maniac and an anthology of Japanese morbid stories to bask in.
Another popular series is Record of Ragnarok, adapting the manga that pits gods from various cultures against warriors from different eras of history. The first faction to seven wins will emerge as champions, with Earth's fighters hoping a victory avoids the gods destroying the planet. Admittedly, Season 1 only had a few fights, which now has fans eager for Season 2 come January 26. However, what's been on display so far was quite scary, especially in the first scrap involving Thor. Interestingly, as Thor crushed China's best warrior, Lü Bu, that wasn't his scariest murder in the anime.
Thor Smashed Lü Bu's Head Off in Record of Ragnarok
In their opening bout, Thor used his hammer to try to break Lü Bu's body. Lü Bu, though, had a special halberd imbued with the soul of a Valkyrie. Even so, Thor was too much, which led to his blows breaking Lü Bu's ankles. Lü Bu, however, jumped on his faithful steed, Red Hare, as it came out the shadows, and rushed at Thor after losing his arms. The God of Lightning lapped up the challenge but while many expected a comeback, the deity quickly cracked Lü Bu's head off.
It was a horrific sight -- a-la a Mortal Kombat Fatality -- that set the tone for the rest of the tournament. This made the humans' manager, Brunhilde, quite nervous, while buoying the pantheon of gods in the Valhalla arena. Simply put, they felt it'd be a pushover, celebrating so loudly that it echoed throughout the halls. However, Record of Ragnarok still had one more kill to give Thor as he tried to walk off.
Thor Also Brutalized Lü Bu's Loyal Servants
Chen Gong (Lü Bu's dedicated servant) and the rest of the legion -- armies who'd followed him from all over China -- entered the grounds and decided to charge at the Thunder god. Thor was admittedly distracted seeing Red Hare cry for its fallen owner, especially after Lü Bu used the horse as a mark of liberation. It's why Chen Gong took the horse and ran at Thor, unaware the god had shifted from a mode of compassion and sympathy to arrogance, laughing them off.
Thor smashed his hammer into the ground, using the Geirröd Thor's Hammer to basically create a nuclear explosion. It fried everyone in Lü Bu's camp, with their soul eviscerating into nothingness. Sadly, there's no more afterlife for these spectators -- including Red Hare, whose emotional link to Lü Bu crafted a bond that would make pet-lovers tear up. This mercy kill in Record of Ragnarok was ultimately done out of respect, but Thor also loved the violence and taking advantage of folks he thought were beneath him.