Best Martial Arts Manhwa
Best Martial Arts Manhwa
- Manhwa martial arts often focus on the underground world of Murim and ancient settings over flashy displays of abilities.
- Stories like "Volcanic Age" and "Heavenly Demon Reborn!" showcase reincarnation elements, revenge plots, and deep world-building through martial arts.
- Manhwa like "Murim Login" and "Infinite Leveling: Murim" blend fantasy, video game elements, and comedic tones with martial arts action stories.
Compared to traditional martial arts in action-packed shonen manga, martial arts in manhwa have a much deeper and richer cultural background. Whereas manga with martial arts often focus on flashy displays of abilities, the depiction of martial arts in manhwa often centers around the Murim: usually depicted as the underground world of fighting and the Murim-in, or the martial artists that “reside” in it.
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This cultural background often explains why many manhwa centered around martial arts often take place in the ancient past, or even in the present where protagonists are dragged into a hidden world of fighters who use their fists to dominate the world. For both newcomers and martial arts fans curious about what's on offer when it comes to these action stories, the manhwa scene surprisingly has a lot of great stories to offer.
Volcanic Age
MyAnimeList: 7.21
Following the premise of a traditional reincarnation cultivation manhwa, Volcanic Age begins when protagonist Joo Seo-Cheon becomes Mount Hua’s great elder after surviving the Murim Age through sheer luck. However, when he finally dies, he returns to his eight-year-old version with his memories intact. This technically allows Joo Seo-Cheon to use his foreknowledge to outpace and survive through turbulent times. Soon, Joo Seo-Cheon acquires treasures and tomes that provide him with powerful techniques. He also makes friends with valuable allies, such as a merchant, a child inventor, a poisoner, and even a swordsman.
Much of the fights within the series are interconnected, often to achieve one “sub-quest” within a major objective of the protagonists. Despite the initial confusion with character interrelations and general worldbuilding, Volcanic Age eases readers into a deep world through various hijinks that often lead to spectacular displays of martial arts. While not perfect in terms of narrative, it doesn't lack interesting story hooks.
Heavenly Demon Reborn!
MyAnimeList: 7.47
Set against the backdrop of a world engulfed with martial arts, Unseong begins his journey in Heavenly Demon Reborn! just as his life ends - right on the verge of death at the hands of those who believe his master is practicing forbidden demonic arts. While Unseong dies, he’s surprised to wake up as a child - this time training to be a soldier of the very demons his previous life detested. Now possessing newfound power, Unseong of Heavenly Demon Reborn! must personify the very thing his master was accused of, transforming its story into a riveting tale of revenge.
Being a revenge story, much of Unseong’s journey in Heavenly Demon Reborn! involve avenging his master by defeating those who beat him to death. This soon revolves around a subplot of discovering the true mastermind of his death. The pacing suffers at times due to narrative breaks when it comes to exploring the lives of other characters, but it more than makes up for this with spectacular fight scenes that show just how truly terrifying demonic powers can become.
Murim Login
MyAnimeList: 7.74
When monsters unexpectedly entered Earth from portals known as Gates, it also came with the unexpected awakening of hidden powers inside select individuals. This ushered in a war that humanity eventually won, and a post-war economy involving the raiding of these Gates for loot. Protagonist Jin Tae-Kyung begins Murim Login as a low-rank hunter who has just been terminated from work. After an unfortunate turn of events, he gets stuck in a game called “Murim” where being killed also means dying in real life.
Albeit similar to the plot of Sword Art Online, the premise of Murim Login having a protagonist who can fight isn’t solely predicated on level-up mechanics alone. Despite being a low-class hunter, Jin’s training in using the spear allows him to become a weapons user, with much of his real-life experiences becoming the basis of his strategies for surviving the game. Unlike other cultivation manhwa, Murim Login’s more comedic take on fights and conversation and the underlying mystery behind the game and its residents make it a worthwhile read.
Infinite Leveling: Murim
Webtoon: 9.65
When Yuseong Dan is killed on the battlefield under the ill-guided orders of his superiors, he is somewhat sent back to the past - but this time, with a mysterious leveling system. Thus begins Yuseong Dan’s journey in Infinite Leveling: Murim, where he’s given a second chance in life and makes a difference. While similar to other game-focused stories such as Sword Art Online where the protagonist makes sense of the mechanics of the world around them and grows to become overpowered, Infinite Leveling: Murim showcases a different level of adjustment: Yuseong Dan is a complete stranger to “level-up mechanics,” making it an interesting ride to see him adjust to what he might consider as magic.
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On top of this take on a level-up system complete with Traits and Techniques, Yuseong Dan has decades of martial arts training he can use on a younger body. This is what he uses to surprise teachers and people he meets. Among his first displays of martial prowess include the usage of massage techniques to cause an imbalance in the flow of energy in opponents, immediately setting him apart from his peers.
The God Of High School
MyAnimeList: 7.67
Set against the backdrop of the prestigious martial arts competition of the same name, The God of High School pits Korean high school students against each other for the best prize: achieving any wish. With all styles and weapons allowed, The God of High School protagonists comprise taekwondo jin Mo-Ri Jin, karateka Dae-Wi Han, and swordswoman Mi-Ra Yu - all of whom become unlikely allies while pursuing deeply personal wishes. Unbeknownst to them, the tournament they’ve joined harbors a darker secret, and the “God” in The God of High School may be more literal than some of them realize.
Boasting the length of a hit shonen manga, The God of High School is as packed as it gets regarding action scenes and story hooks. Its worldbuilding combines its take on mythology and supernatural fiction, creating a street punk-inspired aesthetic that gives The God of High School quite the stylish "oomph" that separates it apart from other manhwa of similar genres. Having received its animated adaptation, The God of High School is an enjoyable binge in both its televised and manhwa formats.
Nano Machine
MyAnimeList: 7.97
As the name implies, Nano Machine adds a sci-fi thrill to the traditional historical martial arts of cultivation stories. Set in ancient Korea, the story begins when a wimpy Yeo-un is chased by assassins to his death simply because he’s a bastard child of the High Priest. While assassins bring him to the verge of death, Yeo-un is saved in the nick of time by a descendant from the future - who then injects millions of nanomachines into his body. When Yeo-un wakes up, he suddenly has the body and the energy flow of a potential martial artist. With half-siblings out to defeat him and other martial artists in the Mashin Academy, Yeo-un must test his newfound powers.
While framed as a typical revenge plot with an overpowered protagonist, the mere injection of a sci-fi element in nanomachines adds a different level of excitement to the flow of events. Characters and their relationships with Yeo-un help add depth to the world and seeing Yeo-un’s rivals keep up with him makes fights exciting to watch. Unlike other manhwa with naturally strong protagonists, Yeo-un having to learn from scratch means readers will see him outsmart his opponents before using brute force.
Return Of The Blossoming Blade
MyAnimeList: 8.24
The story of Return of the Blossoming Blade unashamedly follows the story beats of a reincarnated OP protagonist: Cheongmyeong of the Mount Hua Sect is surprised that he’s not dead, but rather merely awoken a century after his defeat at the hands of the evil Cheonma. When he sees that the Mount Hua Sect is nearly nonexistent, he spends his newfound second chance trying to restore his group to its former glory. Cheongmyeong doesn’t become an infallible protagonist, and both his sect members and villains are there to question his motives whenever necessary. Interactions between characters enhance the manhwa’s overall worldbuilding, leaving a lot of room for both hijinks and action-packed scenes.
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The martial arts in Return of the Blossoming Blade isn’t one to underestimate, especially given its visuals. There’s impeccable dynamism in fights, showing that Cheongmyeong’s skill still needs a bit of tactical prowess and adaptation to prevail. Character designs reflect well in how they participate and commentate on combat, giving everyone some measure of memorability to fans.
The Breaker
MyAnimeList: 8.38
When the ever-bullied Shi-Woon Yi discovers that his new teacher Han Chun Woo is a skilled martial artist, The Breaker protagonist coerces him to teach him self-defense against his bullies. While Chun Woo initially calls Shi-Woon a coward for not fighting back, seeing Shi-Woon’s kind spirit makes the martial artist feel sorry enough to teach the kid. This begins a series of events that will thrust Shi-Woon deep into the underground world of the Murim, where Chun Woo’s dark past will seemingly drag him back to the Murim’s depths.
Such was the popularity of The Breaker as a modern-set cultivation manhwa that it spawned two sequels: New Waves and Eternal Force. Despite the story following traditional tropes from the hero’s journey, Shi-Woon and his fellow martial artists' growth and powersets never tread into OP territory. Moreover, martial arts fans will appreciate the depth of worldbuilding in The Breaker, as fighting techniques across characters reflect their personalities and schools of origin.
Father, Unrivaled
Anime Planet: 8.4
After the death of his loving wife, Ga-Jang No of Father, Unrivaled decides to retire his dedication to martial arts and instead work full-time to raise his three children. Due to his strength, build, and kindness, it’s not hard for Ga-Jang to find odd jobs and even become a guard if it means always coming back to his kids safe and sound. However, Ga-Jang finds himself relying on his martial arts when a mysterious cult begins kidnapping children - especially if this means protecting his kids from danger.
Unlike other action-focused cultivation manhwa, Father, Unrivaled matches moments of intense martial arts with equally delightful moments of family bonding and comedic scenes. Worldbuilding in Father, Unrivaled works well in fleshing out the situations and backstories of characters, adding more depth to each action scene. Given its lack of frequent hardcore Murim action and straightforward storytelling, Father, Unrivaled may not immediately get the attention of martial arts fans. However, it does serve as a recommended starting manhwa for the genre.
The Legend Of The Northern Blade
MyAnimeList: 8.40
The story of The Legend of the Northern Blade begins years after the disbandment of the heroic Northern Heavenly Sect, where a world faces the threat of the Silent Night with its protectors nowhere to be found. In truth, the Sect’s last leader was forced to commit suicide after suspicions that he colluded with the enemy - and his son, Moowon, disappeared in the mountains. With Moowon now trained in the Sect’s special techniques, he sets out to avenge his father and defeat the Silent Night.
Despite being a straightforward revenge story, The Legend of the Northern Blade mesmerizes with how its confrontations and action scenes slowly build the world around Moowon. The inter-politicking among characters and the way martial arts abilities are displayed can make The Legend of the Northern Blade among the more captivating examples of a cultivation manhwa, especially compared to other popular titles. Seeing Moowon prevail against his foes, improve his skills, and even develop complex relationships with both friend and foe can make The Legend of the Northern Blade a worthwhile read.
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