10 Best Anime Adaptations of Manhwa

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As Korean manhwa started getting recognition in the entertainment industry because of titles such as “Solo Leveling”, “Omniscient Reader”, “The Boxer” and many others like those, people started to explore the vast amount of stories available in the form of manhwa. Most of these manhwas have captivated the audience with their awe-inspiring moments ranging from tear-jerking moments to breath-taking action sequences. Unfortunately, a lot of these manhwas never got recognised by the masses as this was a Read not Watch kind of entertainment, but this is bound to change very soon.

Companies like Crunchyroll have finally started taking the initiative to adapt some of the excellent manhwa into anime adaptations. Aspiring fans who want to get into manhwa will now have a medium to appreciate them in their anime adaptations. While there’s still a long way to go before all popular manhwas start being adapted into anime, here are 10 of the Best Anime adapted from Manhwas.

Solo Leveling

Unquestionably the most popular manhwa of all time, Solo Leveling took a bit longer than expected to receive an adaptation, but it finally happened. The most highly-anticipated release of the Winter 2024 season, A-1 Pictures show has gotten off to an impeccable start, showing genuine care and respect for the source material. As Chugong‘s creation is primarily recognized for its beautiful art and intense action sequences, the anime cannot afford to take any presentation shortcuts since that would undermine the story’s main selling point; fortunately, going by the first five episodes, A-1 appears willing to pull off all the stops to ensure a successful transition from Manhwa to Anime.

The God of High School

MAPPA is one of the best animation studios around, with shows like “Attack on Titan”, “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “Chainsaw Man” being some of the best names in their resume. So, the fact that they were adapting one of the most popular manhwa around was bound to excite fans to no end. Their work on The God of High School is another masterful combination of animation, music, and storytelling to make for a riveting viewing experience.

Watching Jin Mo-Ri fight against the odds in this competition for the ages is a visual treat that doesn’t get old anytime soon. MAPPA has truly been on top of its game, and the work they’ve put into animating The God of High School shows the mastery of their craft.

That being said, fans have rightfully called out the show for skipping a ton of the world-building, leading to a series full of pretty fights without a ton of back-story to give weight to these encounters. This resulted in the show just adapting the amazing battles without showcasing the emotions that drive these encounters to the next level, making the anime a glorious fight montage.

Noblesse

The series follows a noble called Cadis Etrama Di Raizel — or Rai for short — who has been asleep for 820 years and is unaware of the technological advancements that mankind has gone through in recent times. After waking up in an abandoned building in Korea, he enrols in high school and fights against a powerful corporation, which is as ludicrous and entertaining as it sounds.

While the show is certainly entertaining in its own right, some issues hold it back somewhat. For starters, the characters in the anime differ quite a bit from the manhwa, leading to fan favourite characters from the webtoon becoming rather forgettable anime adaptations. Some of these characters are pretty unlikable, and it’s a shame that the adaptation wasn’t a perfect success despite having its strengths.

Tower of God

It would be impossible to talk about excellent anime adaptations of manhwa without mentioning the phenomenon that is Tower of God. This show is easily one of Crunchyroll’s most popular original animations, with an excellent premise that will keep fans hooked for all thirteen episodes of this brilliant anime.

The story follows Bam, a boy who’s been trapped under a tower with his childhood friend Rachel for the longest time. However, after the latter decides to head into the tower of her own volition, a devastated Bam decides to climb the tower so that he can see his friend once again.

It’s a shame that this anime has lain dormant for so long since people would want to see how this story develops over time. Fortunately, Season 2 of Tower of God is set to release in July 2024. Fans can only hope that the pacing of the anime is more measured, allowing scenes to breathe before moving on to the next bombastic spectacle.

Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion

A great anime adaptation that is worth mentioning, Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion had a few elements slightly altered in translation to be more relatable for Japanese audiences. The story is an isekai revolving around Park Eunha (Hanasaki Rinko in the anime), a person accepted into a university of her choice only to be pushed off a building to what she presumes to be her demise. However, instead of dying, Eunha wakes up in the body of Raeliana McMillan, a baron who was part of a novel she was reading.

However, Eunha soon realizes that Raeliana is a character who gets poisoned and dies, which kickstarts the very events of the novel in question. This prompts her to change her story, leading to her professing her supposed love for Duke Noah Wynknight, the protagonist of this novel.

This leads to a hilarious series of events where Noah is blackmailed by “Raeliana” with all the knowledge she has gleaned from the novel, only for the Duke to fall in love with this character. The anime has adapted this story in a pretty nuanced manner that has led to many fans actively pining for a second season. Raeliana is the star of the show, especially during the anime’s first half when she is presented as a refreshingly productive character.

A Returners Magic Should be Special

A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special was released alongside some of the best anime within the same genre, so it struggled to stand out from the crowd. While nothing amazing, the series has a few positives in its favour, including a strong setup presented well in the first episode itself. Desir, a powerful mage, stands alongside a few chosen heroes as humanity’s final hope to confront an end-of-the-world threat; unfortunately, they fail, but the protagonist gets a second chance when he reincarnates as his younger self while on the verge of entering Hebrion Academy. With time not on his side, Desir must ensure that things play out differently to change humanity’s future.

Lookism

Lookism is quite a popular webtoon that has been ongoing for nearly a decade, producing 20 volumes in the process. It was only a matter of time before the concept received an anime adaptation, and Netflix swooped in to turn that possibility into a reality. 

Lookism follows Park Hyung Suk, a bullied teenager who is regularly attacked for the way he looks. One day, he randomly wakes up in basically a different body, a fact he uses to start a fresh life at school.

Although its premise is not particularly original, Lookism does an admirable job of making it feel fresh and emotional, especially since Park is quite a complex character rather than a self-insert protagonist. Admittedly, the manhwa is by far the superior product, but Studio Mir‘s adaptation serves as a good entry point for newcomers.

The Girl Downstairs

Technically, The Girl Downstairs adaptation is not an anime since it was handled by a Chinese studio; however, it still deserves a mention since it is among the better-animated adaptations of a manhwa. The story revolves around a romance between a college (university) freshman, Joon, and an idol, Duna. The latter recently left the entertainment industry and is trying to start fresh, a process that is anything but simple.

The 8-part ONA adaptation is a quick watch since the episodes are just a bit longer than 10 minutes each, so this series can easily be completed in a single sitting. The show does a great job of giving viewers an incentive to care about the main couple’s blossoming relationship, all the while providing some insight into idol culture.

Doctor Elise

The story of Doctor Elise and like “Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion” had a few of its elements slightly altered in translation to be more relatable for Japanese audiences. The story focuses on the titular protagonist Dr. Song Jihyun (Aoi Takamoto in the anime) a prodigy among world surgeons, known for her skill in saving patients no matter their condition. In her past life as Elise de Clorance, the ill-mannered wife of the emperor, her jealousy and greed had led to the loss of her loved ones and ultimately her death.

After a fatal plane crash, Elise finds herself once again in her former body. With her previous knowledge of modern medicine and now a chance at mending her mistakes. “Doctor Elise” is a very light-hearted isekai romance that fans of the lighter series will enjoy, which is why we are recommending it. Her adventures in an isekai world, which are filled with romance, humour, and light-hearted adventures will surely bring a smile to your face.

Kurokami

Kurokami is special in that it is a manga title written by South Korean “Lim Dall-young” and is one of the “oldest” titles on this list; although technically not a manhwa, we still included it on this list because it’s a great title that also has historical value.

The story follows Keita Ibuki a 19-year-old independent and struggling freelance computer programmer. On his way home after a night out, Keita stops at a ramen restaurant. As he barely begins his meal, a scantily clad and hungry young girl asks for the same thing.

Keita gives her his bowl because she doesn’t have the money to pay. He is unaware he is dealing with a Mototsumitama – a guardian of balance on Earth. Keita is seriously injured when a mysterious man attacks the young woman, unwittingly caught up in the fight between them. But when he wakes up the next morning, his body is intact, but his life will take a completely different turn after the events of the previous night.

For more content like this visit our Manhwa page.

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