Lu Bu

Lore & Background

In Chinese history, Lu Bu (161–199 CE) was a warlord of the late Han Dynasty celebrated as the "Flying General," a title reflecting his unmatched speed on the battlefield and his terrifying combat prowess. He rode a famed steed and wielded a halberd, and his reputation for one-on-one duels made him a symbol of martial supremacy. His story is also one of shifting loyalties—he served Dong Zhuo, then betrayed him, and was eventually killed by his own subordinates. This duality of supreme skill and political instability defines his legend.

Record of Ragnarok distills Lu Bu down to his most iconic trait: raw, almost inhuman physical power. The manga strips away the political intrigue of his historical life and presents him as a simple, eager, and deeply loyal warrior who wants nothing more than a worthy opponent. His loyalty is directed at the idea of the fight itself and at the humans he represents, making him a grounded, almost endearing counterpoint to the scheming, ancient deities he faces.

His bout against Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, is framed as a clash of absolute force against divine annihilation. Lu Bu's halberd strikes carry enough kinetic energy to challenge a deity's defenses, and his speed—echoing his "Flying General" epithet—allows him to close distance and land blows that even a god must actively block. The fight is less about strategy and more about who can outlast the other in a storm of impact.

In Their Own Story

The arena floor cracked for the third time. Lu Bu didn't flinch. He simply reset his stance, the flat of his halberd planted in the fissure, and grinned through a mouthful of dust. Above him, Shiva's third eye blazed with a light that turned the air to glass.

"Again," Lu Bu said. Not a question. Not a plea. A promise.

He charged. The ground behind him shattered in a radial burst, and the halberd came down in a vertical arc that split the shockwave of Shiva's last strike clean in two. The god staggered. For one heartbeat, the colosseum was silent, and the humans in the stands—Jack among them—leaned forward.

Lu Bu pulled the weapon free, shook the dust from his shoulders, and charged again.

Reader's Guide

Lu Bu fights for the Human side in Round 3 of the Ragnarok tournament, where he is matched against Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction.

His origin is the late Han Dynasty of China, where he was a warlord famed as the "Flying General" for his unmatched speed and strength in single combat. The manga keeps this core identity—overwhelming physical power and a love of the fight—while simplifying his historical political complexity into a straightforward, loyal warrior who just wants to swing his halberd at something worthy.

Personality-wise, Lu Bu is eager, blunt, and almost childlike in his enthusiasm for combat. He doesn't scheme or monologue; he charges. His motivation is loyalty to his people and a deep, instinctive respect for a strong opponent. He bonds with the other human fighters through shared struggle rather than dialogue, and his relationship with Jack (the human leader) is one of quiet trust.

In the tournament, his role is the "powerhouse"—the fighter who wins through sheer force of will and body. His bout with Shiva is one of the most physically intense in the series, pitting mortal kinetic energy against divine destruction.

The manga's reinterpretation leans into the "Flying General" epithet, emphasizing speed and raw impact over the historical Lu Bu's political betrayals, making him a symbol of pure, uncomplicated martial spirit.

Did You Know?

• In Chinese history, Lu Bu earned the title 'Flying General' (Fei Jiang) specifically for his extraordinary speed and agility in battle, a trait the manga carries directly into his fighting style.
• His historical steed, Red Hare (Chitu), was so legendary that it became a symbol of martial excellence in Chinese culture, and the manga's emphasis on his mobility echoes that equestrian heritage.
• Lu Bu's Round 3 bout is structured as a test of pure physical endurance against a deity whose power is conceptually infinite, making his survival a statement about the limits of mortal will.
• Despite his historical reputation for shifting allegiances, the manga deliberately recasts him as a loyal, single-minded fighter, using his simplicity as a thematic contrast to the gods' ancient, layered motivations.