Who Is Raiden in Record of Ragnarok & Was He a Yokozuna? Explained

Record of Ragnarok is an odd beast even among Shonen or Seinen battle series. While it may feature the usual musclebound warriors beating each other into a pulp with special powers, it does so with several characters based off of actual historical figures and mythological gods. One in particular is the legendary Raiden Tameemon, but given the backstory he has, you were likely left wondering: Who is Raiden in Record of Ragnarok, and was he a real Yokozuna?

Fortunately for you, we’ve done the research and have an answer for you.

Was Raiden Tameemon in Record of Ragnarok Real? Answered

To start, it’s worth explaining who Raiden Tameemon from Record of Ragnarok was, as he was in fact a real person from centuries past.

Alive from 1767 to 1825, Raiden was one of the most acclaimed Sumo Wrestlers in history. His exceptional size and strength, while not as supernatural as is shown in the series, was on a level that was extraordinary for both the time he lived in and by current standards. In particular, he was known for his extreme musculature, long limbs, large hands, and giant-esque 6’6″ height. He was also extremely fast for his size, and combined said speed with his talented use of Oshi-sumo techniques to devastating effect.

These traits gave him a huge advantage when it came to Sumo Wrestling, and he went on to rack up a career record of 254 victories and 10 defeats. This record stands as one of the best of any competitor from that era, and remains all the more impressive considering he never reached the highest rank allotted in the sport.

Why Wasn’t Raiden a Yokozuna?

Speaking of which, though it is well-known that Raiden never achieved the rank of Yokozuna, it’s a bit unclear why he was never given the honor.

While Record of Ragnarok doesn’t provide a clear theory on this matter, it does hint at how he may have passed on accepting the title due to his not being able to find a worthy opponent among his peers. This left him unable to enjoy Sumo Wrestling to its fullest, and resulted in him intentionally avoiding situations where he would decidedly destroy every single opponent he encountered.

However, the truth of the matter is a bit more complicated. Though a specific reason was never given for his lack of a promotion to the highest rank of Sumo Wrestler, historians have deduced that it was potentially due to the politics of the sport and wider country at the time.

Either due to the clan Raiden’s sponsor belonged to or the fact that he wasn’t a part of the school which decided who would be named a Yokozuna in a given era, he could have been passed over for someone that fell more in line with the views of those awarding the licenses.

It’s also worth noting that the honor wasn’t an official title within the Banzuke, or official Sumo rankings recognized by the wider sport, until the start of the 20th century. As such, personal sentiment would have played even more into a decision of whether or not he would receive the title in the 1800s.

That should be everything you’d need to know about Who Raiden is in Record of Ragnarok and Whether or not he was a Yokozuna. For more on the series, check out some of our related articles down below.