Summary

  • Solo Leveling showed manhwa potential, opening doors for popular adaptations with rich libraries.
  • The World After the Fall, Terror Man, and Latna Saga promise gripping stories and engaging characters.
  • Seasons of Blossom, Gosu, and Tomb Raider King offer diverse styles, from mellow to edgy, in anime adaptations.

Solo Leveling is one of the most popular anime of all time, especially after a stellar second season that had fans on the edge of their seat with its intense action and excellent animation. Beyond its popularity, Solo Leveling showed the potential of manhwa when adapted correctly.

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There have indeed been several disappointing Korean manhwa adaptations in recent times, but with Solo Leveling, there is growing hope that some other manhwa that have been slated for adaptation could be just as popular, if not more so. There is a rich library of manhwa to pick from and, if they are done right, could knock Solo Leveling off its top billing.

1 The World After The Fall

From The Creator Of ORV

Start Year

2022

Status

Ongoing

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Creators

Sing-Shong (Story), Eondedeu Gamja (Art)

The World After the Fall is a web novel that was then made into a manhwa, which will also be getting an anime adaptation that tells a story of a world gone mad after the appearance of strange "Towers" with a few people called "Challengers" able to fight in these towers.

The story has a very engaging protagonist in Jaehwan, who is introspective and gritty. The art is also gorgeous. If Solo Leveling’s story was easy to access and understand, The World After The Fall takes a little bit more work to get into. But with a good studio behind it, this is a story that could really get fans excited.

2 Terror Man

A Fast-Paced Thriller That Lives Up To Its Name

Start Year

2016

Status

Finished

Genre

Action, Psychological

Creators

Dong-U Han (Story), Jin-Ho Ko (Art)

Fans were naturally very happy when it was announced that the fast-paced thriller, Terror Man, would be getting an anime adaptation. Terror Man is simply about Min Jung-Woo, who can see disasters before they happen, and how this ability has led him to get tangled with all sorts of adversaries.

Best Full-Color Manhwa You Should Read cover including Solo Leveling, The Greatest Estate Developer, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, and Epic of Gilgamesh
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The art for Terror Man is amazing, but what sets it above many other stories is its character development. Min Jung-Woo is a well-written protagonist, and his handling of the definition of an anti-hero is impeccable. Unfortunately, not much is known about when the anime will finally get made, but there’s optimism that there will be news soon.

3 Seasons Of Blossom

A Touching Story To Warm The Heart

Start Year

2020

Status

Finished

Genre

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Creators

HONGDUCK (Story), NEMONE (Art)

Solo Leveling is rightly identified as an action powerhouse, but that is not all that makes a story, and more mellow, melancholic stories can also grip the anime fanbase. For that, it is hard to look further than Seasons of Blossom, a story that follows various characters as they deal with life, love, depression, and growing up.

The story is masterfully written, and the characters are sympathetic and feel all too real. The skill it takes to carry an audience on a journey through the four seasons and tell a unique story that all syncs up well at the end is no mean feat, and if the anime adaptation gets it right, it could be one of the best slice-of-life shows in a long time.

4 Latna Saga: Survival Of A Sword King

An Overpowered Protagonist Who Is Also Gritty

Start Year

2019

Status

Ongoing

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Creators

Sun-Gyu Gwon (Story & Art)

The overpowered MC is a very common trope within isekai, and Latna Saga doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel. Ryu Han-Bin is transferred to another world, but is stuck in a tutorial stage for centuries, where he continues to survive against monsters by growing stronger.

Ryu Han-Bin is incredibly powerful and pragmatic enough to do what needs to be done; in this way, he is similar to Sung Jin-woo of Solo Leveling. The difference lies in the fact that Ryu is a lot funnier and there are more moments of levity in Latna Saga. With the animation to be done by Pierrot studios, there is hope that it will receive an amazing adaptation.

5 Gosu

One Of The Best Murim Manhwa

Start Year

2015

Status

Finished

Genre

Action, Adventure, Comedy

Creators

Gi-Un Ryu (Story) Jeong-Hu Mun (Art)

Gosu’s story is deceptively deep, but it starts pretty simply. The protagonist, Gang Ryong, seeks revenge for his master, but the ones whom he wants to take out are either dead or have disappeared, so he must navigate a complex world and make new allies as he journeys on.

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Gosu’s fight scenes are intense and incredible, and if Toei Animation, who are the ones to adapt it, can do it justice, it will certainly be the talk of the anime world. Gosu’s protagonist is also compelling, as while he is used as comic relief a lot, he feels like Gintama: funny, but complex.

6 Tomb Raider King

For The Ones Who Like Edgy Protagonists

Start Year

2019

Status

Finished

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Creators

Yoonz (Story) 3B2S (Art)

Edgy protagonists are not for everyone, but they have their appeal with the likes of Hajime from Arifureta or Naofumi from Rising Of The Shield Hero. Tomb Raider King features Joo-Heon Suh, who is on a quest for revenge after being betrayed by his organization.

Joo-Heon Suh is fueled by greed, willing to manipulate anyone to get the strongest relics first. It feels a lot like Solo Leveling in terms of the system, elements, and even some of the enemies. Joo-Heon Suh is a meaner character, though, and that could make it feel more engaging.

7 Eleceed

The World’s Strongest Cat

Start Year

2018

Status

Ongoing

Genre

Action, Comedy, Supernatural

Creators

Jae-Ho Son (Story) Hye-Jin Kim (Art)

Eleceed is the fruit borne from the hard work of the creator of Noblesse (Son Jeho) and the art of Girls Of The Wild’s (ZENA), and they created an epic story with a lovely protagonist in Jiwoo Seo, who rescues a cat who turns out to be an OP person called Kayden Break.

Kayden Break is well-loved by readers everywhere, and the great action, art, and development make Eleceed a potential top-tier anime. It is being handled by Dandelion Animation Studio, which most recently did the highly acclaimed The First Slam Dunk. Since that movie used a mix of CGI and 2D animation, it is believed Eleceed will look the same.

8 Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

One Of The Most Anticipated

Start Year

2020

Status

Ongoing

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Creators

UMI (Story) Sleepy-C (Art)

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint takes a little while to warm up, but when it does, it hits like a truck. The premise follows Kim Dokja, a regular office worker who is also the only reader of an apocalyptic book. When this book ends, and suddenly the world around him transforms into the world of the book, Dokja is the only one with the skills to survive.

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Kim Dokja is one of the smartest protagonists anyone will come across, and the brilliant way in which the story is interwoven makes this one of those that should be a sure-fire success if animated well. There are real stakes, incredible characters, and insane plotting.

9 The Boxer

Potential Peak

Start Year

2019

Status

Finished

Genre

Action, Drama, Sports

Creators

Ji-Hun Jeong (Story & Art)

The Boxer is a gritty story that is flawlessly executed. The story of Yu, a bullied kid with nihilistic tendencies, who gets picked up by a legendary boxing trainer, has resonated with many. Yu was inspired by J, a powerful fighter who was a light to Yu’s darkness.

The story is emotive and takes a look at Yu’s opponents, making them humans worthy of being empathized with. Yu is sometimes the monster, and its deep philosophical themes and religious allegories make The Boxer an anime that, if handled well by Netflix, could be something incredible.

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