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Korean online comics have existed since the early days of the internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The industry saw significant growth when Naver launched its Webtoon platform in 2004, fueling Korea’s digital content expansion. Popular series like Solo Leveling, Tower of God, and Noblesse later received anime adaptations in Japan, strengthening the connection between Korean webtoons and Japanese anime.

A major announcement in a leading South Korean financial newspaper revealed that Naver Webtoon’s Japanese service, Line Manga, is launching a project this year to produce 20 webtoons as anime adaptations. CEO Kim Shin-bae emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader effort to expand webtoon-based intellectual property (IP) into new formats, including TV dramas, films, and anime.

Naver's New Initiative Could Represent The Future Of Anime Korean Webtoons And Japanese Anime Studios Join Forces

Kim Shin-bae, who leads Line Digital Frontier, explained, "We are focusing on...

With its soaring popularity and success, Solo Leveling has completely changed and reshaped the landscape of manhwa as a medium. The series started as a bestseller and is currently dethroning other anime in the Shonen genre. Truly, it is a big feat for the franchise but that is not the end of it all.

Sung Jinwoo in a still from the anime | Credit: A-1 Pictures

Being the third-highest-rated anime, it is also one of the most widely read manhwas which highlights its overarching influence. It is this impact and influence that is pivotal which makes it the “Dragon Ball” of manhwas as opposed to one of the Big 3 and here’s why.

Solo Leveling crowned the most-watched anime

In 2016, Solo Leveling began its journey as a serialized manhwa and has since then witnessed a surge in popularity. It has made waves among readers worldwide and has only gone on to garner its celebrated fanbase.

Noblesse, the manhwa rising in fame and taking the world by storm, is so unique that even its illustrator is having some trouble with a specific character, the protagonist himself. At the heart of the story is Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, (referred to simply as Rai) an ancient and powerful vampire. His kind are called Noble in the webtoon and he is the titular Noblesse.

His silent presence, regal demeanor, and lack of expression made him an enigmatic person in the webtoon. This depiction, however, hasn’t been the easiest on Lee Kwang-soo, the illustrator for Noblesse. He speaks about this experience in an interview with Naver.

Note: Some context from this interview might get lost in translation and may not convey the exact message.

Cadis Etrama Di Raizel from Noblesse. [Credit: Production I.G]

This challenge didn’t make Lee back down from providing the best for Rai’s portrayal and despite his expressionless face,...

Vampires have been a far reach of human imagination with their charisma exceeding boundaries and mediums of storytelling. These immortal beings have found fertile ground that allows narratives to jumble up traditional vampire lore with unique Japanese storytelling sensibilities. The fusion has given rise to a diverse array of vampire anime series, each projecting its own interpretation of these mythical creatures.

This top 5 vampire anime is approvingly ranked based on their overall impact on the genre. From Gothic horror and post-apocalyptic landscapes to supernatural and modern urban settings, these anime shows draw attention to vampire stories in Japanese animation.

5. Noblesse Cadis Etrama Di Raizel From Noblesse | Credit: Production I.G.

Noblesse brings a fresh take on vampire stories, mingling modern-day settings with ancient vampire nobility. The story moves around Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, an ancient and powerful vampire who awakens after 820 years of slumber. As he tries to adjust to the new world,...

In recent years, manhwa and webtoons have experienced a boom thanks to incredible adaptations such as Solo Leveling, Tower of God and Noblesse, which have quickly become international successes and have millions of followers. This popularity has led many studios to acquire the rights to several popular manhwas, such as Omniscient Reader Viewpoint, to adapt them into anime to the delight of fans around the world.

However, even though theres a great variety of manhwa with anime currently in production, there are still excellent works that, if adapted, could revolutionize Japanese animation by offering a different and exciting experience for both fans and new viewers alike.

From fantasy isekai, far from the typical Japanese tropes of the genre, to game-themed stories and revenge journeys that display the best of martial arts, there is no doubt that if these manhwas are adapted, they have the potential to increase the number of masterpieces in anime.

The big three manhwa depend on who you ask, but generally, the most popular series include Noblesse, Tower of God, and The God of High School. These action manhwa are reminiscent of shnen manga, and much of that contributes to their stardom. But after reading these iconic series, what can compare? There are thousands of manhwa series to choose from on apps like Webtoon. These platforms make popular manhwa stories accessible to fans, but only a handful are on the same tier as the big three.

While the big three is dominated by shnen action manhwa, there are romance, fantasy, and drama series that are on par. Many other genres also outperform the big three on Webtoon, with series like unOrdinary receiving 2.4 million more likes than Tower of God. Manhwa is a diverse space with plenty of hit series, so oftentimes, views and ratings aren't indicative of a perfect series.

The Best Vampire Anime with an Op Main Character - Main Image

For decades, vampires have always captivated audiences with their beauty, mystery, and overpowered abilities in films, series, and even anime. From Noblesse to Dance in the Vampire Bund, here are some of the best vampire anime with an Op main character.

Do you have any vampire anime recommendations? Let us know in the comments below and follow us on Facebook for all the latest anime news!

Korean manhwa like Noblesse and Solo Leveling are gaining international popularity and being adapted into successful anime series. The gender-swap comedy When I Woke Up I Became A Bagel Girl brings a fresh take but may feel familiar to fans of the genre. Blade of the Phantom Master and Tower Of God offer unique and gripping stories with feudal Korea-inspired settings and shocking plot developments.

Manhwa, manga, and webtoons from Korea have been going through a boom period in recent years, with many Korean-made series like Noblesse, Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp, and Lookism quickly becoming massive international franchises with millions of devoted fans all over the world.

Because of this popularity, many studios are acquiring the rights to manhwa and adapting them into anime. Many of these anime series have been the highlight of the season they were released in, often beating out big-name Japanese franchises,...

Solo Leveling's immense popularity and high rankings showcase its well-deserved hype and success in the anime world. A-1 Pictures' animation in Solo Leveling exceeds expectations and delivers stunning visuals that leave no room for complaints. Solo Leveling's incorporation of Korean gaming elements brings a fresh and unique perspective to the anime world, contributing to its rising success.

Solo Leveling is already the season’s biggest anime, ranking number one in popularity on MyAnimeList’s Winter 2024 catalog with over 400,000 members and a score of 8.45/10 (as of episode 5’s release). The series also takes the second spot on Crunchyroll’s all-time popularity list, beating out series like One Piece, Frieren, and Spy x Family.

Although Solo Leveling gains an edge in popularity lists due to it being new, many reasons suggest the level of hype the series has gathered is here to stay. Not only does Solo Leveling live up...

The isekai formula is simple — the protagonist is reborn or transported to another world, often caused by sudden death. With memories and knowledge of their previous life, the protagonist experiences their new one with a desire to grow stronger, avoid dying or set out to fulfill their dreams. Lately there has been a rise in “shojosei” isekai. If you’ve been around long enough, you’d have figured out just from seeing the term that it merges “shojo” and “josei,” two genres marketed toward different audiences: younger women and adult women, respectively. One of the earliest examples of shojo isekai is Fushigi Yugi , but in the years since, we’ve seen a heavier emphasis on isekai with male protagonists. It’s already tough as a shojo fan (more on this in another article), but it’s another to be in communities where we’re constantly swept off to the side...

Solo Leveling's new opening song, "LEvel," breaks the tradition of using mainly Japanese lyrics and artists in anime, which is an unprecedented and welcome development. The collaboration between Tomorrowxtogether and Hiroyuki Sawano in creating the song pays homage to the fact that Solo Leveling's source material is from South Korea, and the studio animating it is based in Japan. The anime adaptation of Solo Leveling has the potential to revolutionize how manhwa (Korean comics) are adapted and could serve as a blueprint for future projects, with its dedicated fan base and faithful adaptation.

Solo Leveling has been destined for greatness from the moment it began publishing chapters, and its new opening song to accompany the anime adaptation shows how different it is from the rest of the pack. The second episode of the anime featured both the opening and ending songs, quickly becoming popular among fans.

Titled LEvel, this song is classified as being K-Pop.

Manhwa, like manga, has seen tremendous success globally, with popular ongoing titles like Solo Leveling, Noblesse, and The God of High School. Manhwa offers additional benefits, such as colored pages and immediate global access, that make it an appealing alternative to manga. The ten series highlighted in this article showcase the range and quality of manhwa content available, indicating the beginning of a manhwa content revolution.

While manga may have been created in Japan, that hasn't stopped similar mediums, like South Korea's manhwa, from adopting and adapting the medium to phenomenal success, as proved by the best ongoing manhwa of 2023. Manhwa offers readers much of the same entertainment value as manga but also comes with additional benefits including colored pages and immediate global access.

With the success of manhwa titles such as Solo Leveling, Noblesse, and The God of High School, 2023 has been a pivotal year for the manhwa industry's...

The rising popularity of Korean webtoons has encouraged major companies like Crunchyroll and Netflix to comb through the treasure trove of available stories and adapt them into animated and live-action titles. As a whole, webtoons had long been a largely overlooked part of the anime and manga industry until now.

This has led to an explosion of Korean webtoon adaptations, much to the delight of longtime fans. Aside from just receiving anime adaptations, some Korean webtoons also have manga series or even mobile gacha games of their own.

Update on December 12th, 2023 by Hannah Grimes: This list has been updated to include more excellent adaptations of Korean webtoons and to reflect Cbr's latest style change.

Related 20 Bl Webtoons Taking The Fandom By Storm Boys Love Webtoons are thriving online, which means the amount of outstanding content is always growing and producing even more fan-favorites. The Tower of God Webtoon Spans...

This article is sponsored by Webtoon. Gift your favorite Webtoon stories In Print this holiday season!

There are more content platforms and storytelling venues than ever before, and we’ve been loving seeing so many awesome stories from these enter the mainstream. Anime and manga fans have found equal enjoyment in webcomics, and Webtoon, with its over 85 million users, is the webcomics hub. It’s become home to some of the most exciting new voices in comics. Several of Webtoon’s biggest series, like Tower of God and Noblesse, have received anime adaptations. And now you can bring many of these series home in graphic novel format from Webtoon Unscrolled. Here are a few recommendations for holiday gift giving and beyond!

Freaking Romance by Snailords

It’s never easy to break out on your own – especially when you discover that your new apartment is haunted by a handsome spectral stranger!

On paper, vampires should never make a great husbando. In the anime world, however, logic doesn't have to enter into the shipping equation – there are plenty of other valid things to consider. Vampires are powerful and bloodthirsty, but from gothic novels to anime, they are historically written to be highly romantic.

Vampires are immortal, so when one pledges their heart and allegiance to a loved one – it's for forever. Even a vampire's bloodlust is romance-coded; they can hear heartbeats and are drawn to the carotid artery in the neck. It's always a good idea, too, to have a protective and loving vampire in the wings when traversing a dangerous world.

Related: 10 Most Ruthless Anime Waifus, Ranked

Kaname (Vampire Knight)

Kaname may not have been the best person for Yuki in Vampire Knight, but he's still an eligible bachelor. Indeed, he's the 10,000-year-old school prince that many swoon and vie over.

Manhwa (a term that usually refers to South Korean comics) has exploded in popularity over the last handful of years, but after fans finish smash hits like The God of High School, it's only natural to wonder what the most underrated manhwa are. From relatable romance stories to high-octane fantasy action tales, covering as many themes as people are interested in, a variety of fresh and unique experiences await those looking for them in the realm of Manhwa.

Some manhwa titles, including Tower of God, Noblesse, and The God of High School, have become popular enough to receive praiseworthy anime adaptations and extend their reach beyond their core communities. Most titles, however, are unfortunately unable to achieve the same levels of acclaim, having nothing but a small yet dedicated fanbase to sing their praises outside of their native Korea. Manhwa is a diverse genre, meaning there are a wide variety...

Given their seemingly impenetrable popularity and influence, it isn't easy to "kill" an anime genre. However, some anime were so bad or groundbreaking that they killed the genre they were a part of. Some of these genres managed to adapt to a different world, while others were seemingly disappeared overnight despite their previous fame.

Related: 10 Perks Of Watching Modern Anime Series

At best, a particular anime genre was just ruined. These genres are still around today, but it's difficult to take them as seriously as one would just a few years ago. In more extreme cases, the genre went extinct. These genres only survive today as historical footnotes, or as obscure references that few (if any) viewers would understand.

The Eminence In Shadow (Edgy Isekai & Isekai Parody)

At first glance, The Eminence in Shadow was yet another "deconstructive" isekai anime that conflated juvenile edge with genre subversions. While this was true to an extent,...

See You in My 19th Life will return with new spinoff episodes along with its live-action adaptation this June.

Webtoon revealed the platform will release a special See You in My 19th Life spinoff called Memories shortly after the live-action adaptation's premiere. Fans can read the first five episodes on June 21 when the spinoff drops. Meanwhile, as they wait, fans can check out the live-action adaptation, starring Shin Hyesun and Ahn Bohyun as Ban Jieum and Moon Seoha, on June 17, where it will stream on Netflix.

Related: What Webtoons Share the Same Universe As Lookism?

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Per Webtoon's synopsis of Memories:

The special spin-off episodes, “Memories,” follow young siblings Juwom and Seoha after their mother passes away and has not yet been reincarnated, as they search for an old necklace their mother lost in a small countryside town she frequented and embark on an adventure down memory lane.

See You in My 19th Life...

In a time of reboots, remakes and sequels, Wattpad Webtoon is aiming to bring more original stories to Hollywood and counter that franchise bloat. As Wattpad Webtoon Studios president Aron Levitz tells Variety, the goal is to show production banners and media platforms that loyal webcomic and series fans will tune in to their TV adaptations of those titles. And so far, it’s working.

The Webtoon-adapted K-drama “Sweet Home” and Wattpad-originated young adult film series “The Kissing Booth,” both on Netflix, has given the company an early boost in making Hollywood inroads. And now, the recent hire of former Fox Entertainment and AMC Entertainment president David Madden as head of global entertainment is another example of the company’s move to further ramp up its entertainment industry presence.

“We’re better and stronger with two massive IP libraries, united with tons of stories and over 166 million people around the world coming to create,...

Viz Media has appointed former Crunchyroll executive Sae Whan Song to the newly-created post of VP of content (animation). He will lead Viz’s content acquisition strategy and be responsible for execution of the company’s co-production strategy.

Song began his career in licensing at Toei Animation before moving over to Crunchyroll where he was instrumental in its transformation. There, he was helped build a successful rights management team before transitioning the company from a licensing and acquisitions model to co-productions and original productions strategy. Crunchyroll was acquired by Sony in 2021 and has since been integrated with Sony’s Funimation. His credits at the company include “Blade Runner: Black Lotus,” with Alcon Entertainment and Warner Media; “Tower of God,” “God of High School” and “Noblesse” with Webtoons; and “Fena: Pirate Princess” and “Shenmue the Animation,” with Adult Swim.

“Sae’s expertise has set an unparalleled standard in today’s highly competitive anime acquisition business.

“One day, you will receive a message from an unknown sender. The message will only include your name, the fact that you are going to hell, and the time you have left to live. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide—no escape. When the time counts down to zero, supernatural beings manifest to condemn you to hell. As the nation falls into unrest, a new religious sect begins to interpret the bizarre occurrence as the will of the divine. Could this be a sign of something grander—a blessing in disguise, a holy reckoning, or an evil curse? Amid social chaos and increasing hysteria, the people must find a way to survive this inexplicable terror.” (Dark Horse Comics)

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Yeon Sang-Ho has certainly already made his mark on the film industry with “Train to Busan” gaining international acclaim, while his animated works “King of...

Eleven months in to 2021, and Warner Bros. movie streaming strategy on HBO Max is still going strong. Now the list of new releases for November 2021 on HBO Max is highlighted by yet another big ticket film.

King Richard, starring Will Smith, is set to arrive on HBO Max and in theaters on Nov. 19. The movie will tell the story of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams. Smith is already getting some early awards buzz for the role so Oscar-heads may want to check this one out.

Read more TV Peacemaker: All the DC Heroes and Villains in that HBO Max Trailer By Jim Dandeneau TV House of the Dragon: Game of Thrones Prequel Trailer Breakdown By Alec Bojalad

Aside from that, it’s a relatively light month for originals on HBO Max. The streamer is clearly attempting to step up its non-English...

November is a good month for saying goodbye on HBO Max. The streaming platform will host the final 2021 episodes of HBO late-night staples “Real Time with Bill Maher” and the Emmy Award-winning “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the season finales of Max originals “Love Life” and “Doom Patrol,” and also provide home viewers their last opportunity to watch “Dune” on HBO Max until sometime in 2022 (“Dune” leaves HBO Max on November 21).

But beyond those conclusions, there are some huge premieres as well: Oscar contender “King Richard” arrives on November 19 with Will Smith in the lead role, the back-half of “Gossip Girl” Season 1 will make its debut at some point, and the HBO Music Box series continues with the Alanis Morrisette documentary “Jagged” (which the singer roundly criticized) and a new feature on Dmx. All of that content, plus a number of library classics, including but not limited to “Moonstruck,...

Everybody has heard of Netflix and Amazon Prime, but if you are looking to watch something a little bit different or want to watch content from other countries, you may find that subscribing to some of the more niche international online streaming services may give you more of the content you are most interested in.

Often, for people who want to watch a particular type of international content such as Korean dramas, Bollywood movies, British comedy, or anime, the choices available on US services like Hulu and US Netflix can be very limited. While it is possible to watch shows from other countries using Vpn services, it can also be a real boon to find a specialist streaming service that has lots of the content you most like to watch, ready to go, subtitled in the language you want.

Here are five great international streaming services for all kinds of...

Exclusive: The world’s largest digital comic publisher Webtoon is expanding with its newly launched production division Webtoon Studios. The new production arm connects Webtoon’s huge library of titles and creators with entertainment platforms including film, television, interactive entertainment, licensing and merchandising.

“Today marks a huge step for Webtoon,” CEO Ken Kim said. “Webcomics have grown into a cultural phenomenon over the past 15 years – especially for younger generations. This is another important step in building a greater bridge from our creator’s works on Webtoon to film, TV and beyond.”

Taylor Grant, SVP of IP development: “Webtoon IP has had a tremendously successful track record in other mediums. Recent global hits, Tower of God, Noblesse and The God of High School, all released in 2020, showcase how beloved our series are around the world.”

Webtoon has formed partnerships with companies like The Jim Henson Company as well as Crunchyroll. The...