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Netflix has released Part 2 of Record of Ragnarok Season 2 – the most awaited arc where we see Buddha flexing his skills. But his opponent is equally formidable. Zerofuku is representing the Gods for the sixth round of theRecord of Ragnaroktournament, and he is quite an unorthodox choice for his role asthe Punisher of the Gods.
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No matter who faces him, they are in for thebest fightof their lives against this agent of misfortune who can bring anyone to their knees. Even though Buddha has the upper hand in the battle, we see Zerofuku using many tactics that would turn the scores for both sides if used against someone like Jack The Ripper.
Zerofuku’s Background
Zerofuku was originally a God who’d spread happiness everywhere. However, according to Brunhilde,his story is one of tragedyand transformation. When Zerofuku descended to Earth, he saw people having only suffering and hardship. Each day he awoke wanting to ease the burdens of others. He fed the birds, helped the poor, and healed the sick,absorbing all of their misfortunes within his body.
But slowly, this began to take a toll on him. The kindness that drove him to heal the broken became a burden that broke him. The final blow came when the little boy (now a grown man), whom he once saved with a smile, spit on him. Thus, the light within Zerofuku dimmed. And so he, who set out wanting to spread fortune, was instead turned into the God of Misfortune.
Divine Abilities
Zerofuku’s powers are said to grow in proportion to his misfortune. The more his attacks fail, the more strength he gains from the ensuing misery. If not defeated quickly, this accumulation of fortune could make him virtually invincible over time. And let’s not forget about his divine axe – made out of strong muscle fibers from his body.
So, it acts like a sponge for all the misfortunes, and with each dose, it gets tougher and tougher. Zerofuku’s weapon can turn into a multi-headed axe when he absorbs enough of it. It can also morph into a barrage of blades, all attached to one handle.While fighting against Buddha, his weapon constantly evolved.
Seven Forms
When Zerofuku became the God of Misfortune, his soul could split into theseven cardinal sins–pride, lust, envy, gluttony, sloth, wrath, and greed. These are better known as the Seven Lucky Gods in Japanese folklore. They are derived from various sources, including Shinto, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and each has different attributes.
The seven lucky gods are often seen on their ship, the Takarabune. In Record of Ragnarok, they are the Divine Policemen who punish Gods when they break Heaven’s rules. This responsibility metaphorically went to Zerofuku later because now he only picks up the bad in people. Nevertheless, these are his seven forms:Bishamonten, Ebisu, Benzaiten, Hoteison, Fukurokuju, Daikokuten, and Jurojin.
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At first, Heimdall only allowed Bishamonten to fight in the battle because it was meant to be a one-on-one bout. However, Bishamonten absorbed his other forms to face Buddha. In the past, they had always been angry with Buddha for taking away their followers. And as Hermes rightly pointed out –the 6th round was a battle of grudges.
Does Zerofuku Win In The Sixth Round?
Unfortunately, Zerofuku doesn’t win against Buddha.But he technically does win in the sixth round. In the big showdown between Zerofuku and Buddha, Zerofuku starts off strong and determined to take Buddha down. He pulls out a massive axe from his spine and goes all in, swinging wildly to hit Buddha. Unfortunately for him, Buddha proves to be too quick and nimble, dodging all his attacks.
Zerofuku’s axe even grows in size and sprouts spikes due to his rising frustration and misery, but still, he’s unable to land a hit. As the fight goes on, Zerofuku’s misery continues to increase, especially when he thinks he’s finally defeated Buddha, but Buddha survives. He keeps trying to attack Buddha with his weapon that keeps morphing into different forms, but none of his attacks succeed. Zerofuku realizes that he’s been jealous of Buddha forever and drops his weapon, choosing to fight with his fists.
He manages to hit Buddha a few times, but ultimately, Buddha knocks him out. In a tragic turn of events, just when Zerofuku decides to change for the better, he gets taken over by a demon named Hajun. This basically spells the end for Zerofuku. However, Buddha undergoes Völundr with Zerofuku, turning his soul into a weapon called the Sword Of Mahapari Nirvana. With this, they defeat Hajun together. In a way, Buddha wins the tournamentwithZerofuku. All this time, Zerofuku was spreading happiness while ignoring his own. Buddha finally tells him to love himself, which gives him the final redemption.
