After all, initiatives by companies like Crunchyroll have finally allowed some excellent manhwa to get the anime adaptations they deserve. Aspiring fans who want to get intothe brilliance of manhwa should check out the following anime, which serve as great entry points into this wondrous world full of boundless imagination!
Updated January 12, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra:Manhwa has been steadily growing in popularity as a popular medium of entertainment, reaching a level that has left many fans eagerly waiting for some of their favorite manhwa to get the adaptations they deserve. Thankfully, several excellent anime adaptations already exist for certain manhwa. Fans of this medium who want to see their favorite stories in an animated format should definitely check out the following shows. With that in mind, this article has been updated to include the streaming platforms where these series can be found.
10 True Beauty
Where to Stream: Rakuten Viki
True Beauty is perhaps the only show on this list that won’t qualify entirely for being a manwha, as it is a webtoon. However, this series is still quite entertaining to watch, especially given how unique and interesting its premise is.
The idea of a woman mastering the art of makeup to cover up for all the bullying and harassment she’s dealt with over the years makes for a great watch that many people can relate to. Of course, the show leans heavily towards its comedic traits, but it doesn’t lose sight of the underlying message it’s wishing to convey.
9 Kurokami: The Animation
Where to Stream: N/A
Kurokami — or Black God, as it’s known on western shores — is a popular Japanese-Korean manga that has received an adaptation in 2009. While it might not be a manhwa per se, one can’t deny that its roots are steeped in Korea just as much as they are in Japan.
The anime follows Keita Ibuki as he tries to figure out the secrets of the Mototsumitama conflict, the Doppeliner system, and the reasoning behind his mother’s death. It’s a great way to get a taste of the brilliance that is Korean, manhwa before getting into the truly serious stuff.
8 Ragnarok: The Animation
Where to Stream: Funimation Now
Funnily enough, Ragnarok: The Animation isn’t exactly based on its manhwa. Rather, it’s based on the popular MMORPG Ragnarok Online, which is based on the Ragnarok manhwa. It might sound like a convoluted origin story, but Ragnarok: The Animation is really as simple as can be.
The anime is extremely faithful to the MMORPG and is a great watch for fans of the game. It might be set in a completely different time period than that of the manhwa, but there’s still a lot to enjoy here for fans of fantasy anime with a twist.
7 Timing
Where to Stream: N/A
Featuring four main characters with different powers set around the concept of time, the fittingly titled Timing is an excellent manhwa that avid readers can check out. This manhwa was adapted into an anime movie that serves as an entertaining watch for fans of simple yet captivating thrillers that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats all the way to the very end.
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The premise is localized to a single area where mysterious happenings keep on occurring, with the random suicide of a high school student being the breaking point that compels the protagonists of the movie to seek out and put an end to this threat once and for all. It’s a great watch, with the powers of the main characters being quite entertaining to witness in action.
6 Freezing
Where to Stream: Funimation Now
While Freezing might not be the most intelligent or captivating watch, it’s entertaining enough for fans of anime to watch both seasons. However, unlike the other shows on this list, Freezing is directly adapted from a proper manga, which makes for a fresh and familiar change of pace.
This might compel most people to question the validity of this entry, but both the writer and illustrator of this series are Koreans with a history in the manhwa industry. This is perhaps why so many fans of manhwa recommend this series for fans seeking out any anime adaptations of great manhwa.
5 When I Woke Up I Became A Bagel Girl
Where to Stream: Rakuten Viki
Gender-bender stories serve as great ways to show characters from a unique perspective in comedic situations. People who want to witness more ingenious stories in the same vein should definitely check out When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl.
Watching a loser turn into the girl of his dreams, only to fall in love with someone who’s helping him out, is a surprisingly entertaining watch. The show might not be the most polished watch, but it’s still an enjoyable viewing experience regardless and is worth anyone’s time if they want to watch a well-animated gender-bender tale with some funny quirks of its own.
4 Blade Of The Phantom Master
Where to Stream: N/A
Blade of the Phantom Master is a popular manhwa that received an adaptation in the form of an anime film that makes for a nice watch. The fact that this manhwa is inspired by Korean mythology and folklore is also a huge bonus for fans of this culture, which is particularly welcome since most anime don’t really touch upon this particular setting.
The main character of this movie is Munsu, one of the few guardians still fighting against the evils of the world. His quest for revenge as he seeks out the people who destroyed his hometown allows for an easy hook that will compel fans into watching the entire film before reading the manhwa that inspired it.
3 Noblesse
Where to Stream: Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll has recently taken on the brilliant initiative of adapting popular manhwa into anime adaptations to help new fans get into this medium. One of their most popular adaptations is Noblesse, a show that has become ridiculously popular due to its interesting premise.
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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 enrolls in high school and fights against a powerful corporation, which is as ludicrous and entertaining as it sounds.
2 The God Of High School
Where to Stream: Crunchyroll
MAPPA is one of the best animation studios around, with shows like Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen 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 Mori Jin 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 their game, and the work they’ve put into animating The God of High School shows the mastery of their craft.
1 Tower Of God
Where to Stream: Crunchyroll
Of course, 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 obviously want to see how this story develops over time. Unfortunately, until another season is greenlit for Tower of God, these valuable thirteen episodes will be the only animated portion of this story that fans will have to stay content with.
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