Discussion Manhwa & Manhua Recommendations thread

[thornofcarrion]

First of all, a little about Manhwa:

Spoiler: A simple copy/paste from Wikipedia

Manhwa (Korean pronunciation: [manɦwa]) is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons (common usage also includes animated cartoons). Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean comics. The term, along with manga, is a cognate of the Chinese manhua.

Manhwa style
The first woodcut manhwa, published in 1908.

Manhwa has been influenced by the dramatic modern history of Korea, resulting in a diversity of forms and genres,[citation needed] including a mainstream style similar to manga. Distinctive manhwa can be found in editorial comic strips, artistically-oriented works, and webcomics serials.

Typical characteristics of manhwa:

* The face and eyes are often exaggerated in a cartoon style while the figure is more realistic in proportion.
* There is (usually) a more frequent use of gradient screentone.
* The left-to-right reading direction of the book.
* The Korean name of the author/artist. It is usually double-barreled and with syllables that do not exist in Japanese (usually the most reliable method of differentiating manhwa; exceptions being when a culturally-neutral pseudonym is used or when the artist is of Korean ethnicity but resides in another country).
* The Korean names of the characters in the manhwa.
* The untranslated sound effects (not always present) are in hangul.

There are now a number of publishers specializing in English translations of Korean comics,[citation needed] and by and large they are unafraid of calling them "manhwa." Though Korea's manhwa system developed later, the manga and manhwa industries can now be considered equal competitors, like "different brands of the same product."
[edit] Manhwa in the United States

Due to the explosion of manga's popularity in the Americas, many of the licensed titles acquired for the American market seek to emulate the popular elements of other successful series. Recently, long-running webcomics serialized via Internet portal sites (e.g., Media Daum) and personal homepages have become both the creative and popular basecamp among the younger generation in Korea.
[edit] Direction of text

Manhwa is read in the same direction as English books, horizontally and from left to right, because hangul is normally written and read horizontally, although it can also be written and read like Chinese and Japanese: vertically from right to left, top to bottom.
[edit] Adaptation of term

The relative obscurity of Korean culture in the Western world has caused the word "manhwa" to remain somewhat unknown in the English-speaking world. Instead, English translations of manhwa have achieved success by targeting the manga and anime community, to the extent that manhwa are often marketed as "manga."
[edit] Animation and live-action adaptations

Unlike Japan, animations based on Korean comics are still relatively rare (though there were several major hits in the late 1980s and early 90s with titles such as Dooly the Little Dinosaur and Fly! Superboard). However, live-action drama series and movie adaptations of manhwa have occurred more frequently in recent years. Full House in 2004 and Goong ("Palace" or "Princess Hours") in 2006, are prominent examples as both have been counted as the best dramas of their respective years.[citation needed]

In 2007, The Great Catsby, an award-winning Korean webcomic, was adapted into a live-action drama, after a run as an on-stage musical in 2006. The title was also planned to be adapted into a feature film in late 2007.

In 2006, SamBakZa produced There she is!! which is about the developing relationship of a rabbit and a cat.

Priest, a manhwa that has been translated to English, will go into production as a movie by U.S. film studio Screen Gems. To be released in 2010, it is produced by Sam Raimi, directed by Andrew Douglas, and will star Paul Bettany as the title character.

War of Money is another dramatized manhwa that has become immensely popular in South Korea, garnering much attention for its soundtrack and actors.

In 2004, Blade of the Phantom Master, a popular manhwa, was adapted into an animated film by a joint Korean-Japanese animation team.

Korean manhwa publishers

* Topaz Agency Inc.
* Daewon C.I.
* Haksan Pubing Co., Ltd.
* Seoul Culture Corporation
* Shinwon Agency Corporation

North American manhwa imprints

* ADV Manga
* CPM Manhwa
* Dark Horse Manhwa
* DramaQueen
* DrMaster Publications
* Infinity Studios
* Media Blasters
* Netcomics
* NBM ComicsLit
* TOKYOPOP
* UDON's Korean Manhwa
* Yen Press
* Curtis Comic (defunct)
* ComicsOne (defunct)

Purpose of this thread : The purpose of this thread is to recommend and promote manhwa to our friends on MH. This thread is not meant to discuss about a series in depth. For that we have dedicated threads for series, if there is none, feel free to create one in the appropriate section.

Guidelines for posting in this thread

I will really appreciate if we try to follow a specific format as given below:

Sample format for recommendations

About the series​

Detailed info about the series including Plot, Characters, other media, references. It will be so great if we take extra time out and post the contents here, rather than providing a link. Our aim should be to facilitate our friends.

You can also ask specific question about a recommended series that you intend to read.

Image/Cover​

This is optional so its up to you.

Personal Note​

This section will have your views about the series. It will be nice to hear what you like or dislike about the series and why you recommend it to others. Feel free to enlist the good and bad about the series, characters, storlyline, etc. However, I will appreciate if we keep it all friendly. We do appreciate constructive criticism.

Your rating​

How would rate it on a scale of 1-10.

Here is my recommendation:

Shin Angyo Onshi (Blade of the Phantom Master) ​

Type : Manhwa

Genre : Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Mature, Mystery, Seinen, Supernatural, Tragedy

Groups Editing : Cabbit, Erratic, Hikaru no Go Translations, KORAB-scans, Kazenoyume-Fansubs, NEGOKI, Sleeping Forest, KYF, etc.

No. of Volumes : 17

Status : Completed

Scanlated : Yes

About the series

Another copy paste from Wikipedia

Blade of the Phantom Master (新暗行御史, Shin Angyō Onshi?, 신암행어사 Sinamhaengeosa), translated as "New Royal Secret Commissioner", is a serial manga-manhwa and animated film created by Youn In-wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung-il.

The series takes place in a world reminiscent of ancient Korea, and follows the Korean-folktale-inspired adventures of Munsu, one of the few remaining guardians against corruption and tyranny, as he seeks to find those responsible for the destruction of his country. It was serialized from 2001 to 2007 in South Korea (as Sinamhaengeosa) and in Japan (as Shin Angyō Onshi), and was adapted into an animated theatrical-release film in 2004 in a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Japan and South Korea. In 2007, an English-language version of the film was released in the United States by ADV Films under the title, Blade of the Phantom Master. In 2008, the anime became one of over 30 ADV titles transferred to Funimation.

Plot

Spoiler: Plot

Shin Angyo Onshi takes place in the fictional land of Jushin, modeled after feudal Korea. In Jushin, there once lived secret government agents called the amen osa (or angyō onshi in the Japanese version), who traveled the countryside in disguise. They were charged by the king with finding and punishing corrupt government officials, and bringing justice to the country's citizens.

At the start of the series, Jushin has been destroyed, fractured into numerous fiefdoms and kingdoms, many of which are ruled by corrupt and tyrannical warlords. Blade of the Phantom Master follows the adventures of one of the remaining amen osa, Munsu, as he continues to wander the countryside and deals with the chaos caused by Jushin's fall.

Though initially episodic in nature, it becomes apparent as the series progresses that Munsu's travels are not random. In truth, Munsu is searching for the man responsible for assassinating his best friend, the king of Jushin, an act that led to the fall of the country.

But as Munsu grows closer to reaching his goal, he encounters old friends and comrades from his past, some who have since switched their allegiance to his enemy. Through them, it is revealed that Munsu was not always an amen osa and is himself partly responsible for the king's death and subsequent fall of Jushin.

In addition to the overarching plotline, the series also uses the exploits of Munsu and his companions to retell various Korean folk stories.

Amen Osa

In Blade of the Phantom Master, amen osa bear bronze medallions, given to them by the king and emblazoned with between one and three horses. The greater the number of horses, the higher the rank of the amen osa. Amen osa of first mahai rank have one horse emblazoned onto their medallions, which allows them to wield basic magic to fight ordinary soldiers. The most powerful medallions feature three horses, and allow the bearers, third mahai, to perform summonings and regenerate injuries. Two medallions may also be used in concert to further increase a qualified user's abilities.

Despite being made for use by amen osa, the mahai medallions will also work for normal people, so long as their convictions and willpower in executing justice are sufficiently strong. Hong Gildong, for example, successfully wielded a fourth mahai medallion. After the fall of Jushin, both first and second mahai medallions were rendered useless; only third and fourth mahai medallions still functioned.

Amen osa are also prohibited from having families, but they are allowed a single travel partner called a 'Sando', who doubles as a bodyguard. Sando tend to be individuals of great fighting prowess or intelligent beasts.

Characters

Spoiler: Characters

Munsu (文秀/문수)

The anti-heroic protagonist of the series and a third mahai amen osa from the fallen kingdom of Jushin. Despite the common perception held by Jushin's former citizens that amen osa are virtuous and bearers of justice, Munsu usually comes across as somewhat amoral and does not believe in helping people who refuse to help themselves. When he does help others, his methods almost always involve excessive bloodshed, lying, torture, and other questionable acts.

Munsu suffers from a curse that resembles asthma, which can only be alleviated by the inhaler-like charm he wears around his neck. This curse originates from during the Jushin period, where he convinced Aji Tae to switch the curse which was originally suffered by his lover Kye Wol Hyang unto him in hopes of relieving her pain. However, this was ineffective; not only did she die in the end while he retained the curse, Munsu actually fell directly into Aji Tae's scheme. In volume 11, Munsu confessed to Wonsul that despite claims that he was her killer, the truth was that Kye Wol Hyang killed herself by running into his sword while he was holding it right into her heart. He blames himself for her death and believes that he is her killer. When asked by Hong Gildong, he refused to deny that he was her sister's killer although his life was at stake. He went against the entire Hwalbindang after consuming a special drug that removed his asthma for a period of time, and managed to kill most of them. However, the drug had negative side effects when it wore off, and conveniently Aji Tae appeared while Munsu was at his most weak and wounded moment. Seeing his sworn enemy, his condition worsened and he started vomiting more blood, falling into a more critical state. Munsu swears that he will not die despite reality and that he will find Aji Tae in the end.

Before passing out, he asks Bang Ja to use an acupuncture needle in his pocket in order to prevent his death, but as soon as Bang Ja did it, Munsu's heart stopped beating. Everyone lost hope and believed that he was dead; however, after a few days despite the humid weather, Munsu's body did not decay. Later it was discovered that the needle contained mandrake extract and Munsu was affected with the infamous hallucinogen, allowing him to escape death. But being effected by the mandrake's poison means he will forever live in a fake world of his most desired dreams where he happily living with his loved one. Volume 11 shows the most treasured moments in Munsu's life and more about his past.

Sando/Chun Hyang (山道/春香/산도/춘향)

A beautiful girl with prodigious fighting skill. She acts as Munsu's 'Sando', or bodyguard. When she was kidnapped by a corrupt lord who wanted to make her his personal bodyguard, her lover embarked on a futile quest to become an amen osa. He died in the process, but not before making Munsu aware of her plight. After Munsu frees her, she decides to become his bodyguard in memory of her dead lover, and takes the title "Sando" as her new name.

Despite her fearsome natural fighting ability, Sando is quiet and shy, with a high moral stance. As a result, she is often in conflict with the amoral Munsu over his questionable methods. She has made it clear that if he ever becomes truly evil, she will no longer protect him. She also has a great fear of heights, and will refuse to cross bridges set over deep mountain gorges or valleys. Munsu finds this extremely peculiar, seeing as to how she often leaps several stories into the air during combat.

Later in the series, she is defeated in combat and leaves Munsu in shame to pursue greater strength. She learns the power of using her 'ki' from a friend of Aji Tae, attaining the strength she desires. She is last seen on Aji Tae's side, having become his latest bodyguard.

Bang Ja (房子/방자)

Munsu's unwanted but good-intentioned servant. Once the servant and apprentice of a first mahai onshi, his former master released him from service after Jushin's destruction. When his master and his sando were later killed in a rebel uprising against a corrupt lord, Bang Ja began roaming the country as a thief. He believes that amen osa should be virtuous and heroic, which is why Munsu's behavior often shocks him.

He is a third-rate Magician who summons animals to do his bidding, and he deeply takes his role as a Bang Ja seriously. This often leads to his being manipulated and bullied by Munsu, who often beats him or sends him on inane/impossible errands.

He was responsible for the main death of Won Hyo. After Sando left the group and Munsu almost died, Bang Ja used Yuui Tae's acupuncture needle on Munsu so that he lives. Bang Ja finds it difficult that Munsu is in a coma state situation that he is a lifeless body. After Yeongsil received the false information about the Mandrake cure, Bang Ja and Yeongsil traveled together to an icy mountain encountering Sando. Having joined Aji Tae, Sando attacked Bang Ja and Yeongsil.

Kye Wol Hyang (桂月香/계월향)

Is Munsu's deceased lover and sister of Hong Gildong. She is Munsu and Hae Mo Su's childhood friend. She has an illness that resembles asthma, which can only be alleviated by the inhaler-like charm he wears around his neck.

Munsu couldn't stand and watch Kye Wol Hyang suffer so he asked Aji Tae to perform a ritual to pass Kye Wol Hyang's illness to Munsu.


Later it is known that Kye Wol Hyang committed suicide but Munsu still blames himself for her death even when Hong Gildong asks for the truth.

Won Sul (元述/원술)

A master swordsman from Jushin, who was once a subordinate of Munsu. However, when Jushin fell he began serving Aji Tae, growing Yang Gwi Bi, a plant with narcotic properties, to ship to the west in exchange for weaponry. His weapon, Saruhyondo, is a sword with a blade forged from his killing 'ki', or killing intent. Aside from being impossibly sharp and hard, the blade is also extremely mallaeble, re-shaping itself into any killing form Wonsul can imagine. As it is made of pure killing ki, the blade is also invisible to the naked eye. Wonsul can manifest the blade so long as he has something to act as a hilt, such as a stick or his signature dragon's head sword hilt.

While working for Aji Tae, Wonsul was defeated and killed by Sando, while temporarily confused by her possession of Aji Tae's lucky charm. His death, however, proved temporary, as he was later resurrected by Aji Tae. Now effectively a zombie of sorts, Wonsul retained his mind and skill, but his body was like a living corpse, continuing to decay. Furthermore, his re-animated form proved extremely hard to kill, since it was already technically dead - even when decapitated, he still remained conscious and fully aware. He went on to serve as Munsu's sando in Chun Hyang's stead. When Munsu went against the Hwalbindang, Wonsul remained by his side. As their battle with the Hwalbindang comes, Aji Tae made his appearance, upon which Wonsul requested that the former end his state of living death. At first Aji Tae appears to oblige, disintegrating Wonsul's body. However, Aji Tae then states that so long as even part of his body remains intact, he wants Wonsul to remain alive, and "see everything through to the end". At this, Wonsul's head, the only remaining part of his body, begins to cry.

Later, when Munsu recovers from his mandrake-induced coma and prepares for a final battle with Aji Tae, Wonsul is dispatched to attack. Despite having been turned into an immense, grotesque mass of flesh (he is initially mistaken for one of Kaidaiten's demons), Munsu recognises his old friend and grants Wonsul his wish, exploding a nearby ammunition dump and engulfing the monstrosity in the blast. Back in his fortress, Aji Tae comments that Wonsul is finally dead.

Aji Tae (阿志泰/아지태)

A former scholar from Jushin and the man Munsu holds responsible for the destruction of the country. Many of Munsu's former allies and comrades have since switched their loyalties to Aji Tae, having been coerced by his power or duped by his charisma. His motives and purpose, as of yet, remain unknown. He possesses a large range of magical abilities, among them the ability to resurrect the dead, explode people with a mere glance, shapeshifting, and teleportation.

During the Junshin period, Aji Tae was General Munsu's second-in-command. At that time, he was smaller in size and sported short black hair and glasses. Despite his innocent exterior, however, the Jushin Aji Tae was already convinced of the inferiority and unworthiness of mankind, and was already plotting his conquest of Jushin.

As of volume 15, he has succeeded in conquering most of the former Jushin territories, having gathered together a formidable force of supernatural allies. This includes the resurrected Kaidaiten and its demon brood, an army of undead, black magic practitioners from the West, and Munsu's former bodyguard Sando.

Series origins

Spoiler: Series origins

Much of the premise for and characters of Blade of the Phantom Master were drawn from the classic Korean tale, The Legend of Chun Hyang. Youn said many Korean readers of the comic did not like his dark portrayal of the light-hearted classic tale, and he was sometimes told he had "bad taste." He explained that Blade of the Phantom Mask used the original, lesser-known version of The Legend of Chun Hyang, which is far more tragic, as its basis. He sought to not only draw on the beauty of the original novel, but also to arrange its message to fit modern times. Youn also drew upon other classic Korean stories, such as Amhaengeosa (Secret Royal Commissioner), and historical figures like Heo Jun for inspiration.

The model for Munsu was the historical figure Park Mun-su, from Korea's Joseon Dynasty period. According to Youn, he was originally a military officer in charge of training the army, and was active as an amen osa for only one year. However, his legacy was considerable, including not only seeking and punishing corrupt officials, but also stopping the invasion of the Korean peninsula by foreigners and saving the king from a coup d’état. Sando is based largely on Ju Non-gae, a figure from the Japanese-Korean Seven-Year War. Following the capture of Hanyang (now Seoul) by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's troops in 1592, Non-gae avenged the death of her lover, a soldier, by willingly giving up her life to cause the death of a Japanese general. The holiday Uiambeolje commemorates her spirit of patriotic self-sacrifice.

When developing the idea of using a story about amen osa, Youn said he worried that Japanese readers might find the idea too foreign. He later learned that Japan had similar people, called mito koumon, in its history, and eventually found that many places around the world had individuals of similar positions in their own histories. He felt this universality of such heroes who seek out and report corrupt government officials showed that good and evil don't differentiate between countries, races, or cultures. Youn admits to being influenced his portrayal of amen osa by Richō Angyōki (李朝暗行記), a Japanese manga by Natsuki Sumeragi. While a bit embarrassed at being so affected by a foreigner's portrayal of Korean history, he was impressed and surprised by the manga's historical accuracy.

Other Publication(s)
Shin Angyo Onshi Gaiden

Media

Spoiler: Media

Comic

The Blade of the Phantom Master comic was serialized from 2001 to 2007. In Japan, the series ran from 2001 April to 2007 September as manga in Monthly Sunday Gene-X.It was also published as manhwa in South Korea's Young Champ. The work was collected into 17 graphic novel volumes, which were published by Shogakukan in Japan and Daiwon C.I. in South Korea. As of 2005, these collections have sold over 2 million copies between the two countries. Translation of the comic from Korean to Japanese was provided by Manabu Okazaki. Many chapters included special author's notes to give background on Korean folktales and historical figures referenced in the story, and to explain instances in which the author chose to deviate from generally accepted fact in his portrayals. For instance, in volume 4, Youn provided information on Hwanung, a sage from the Korean legend, Dangun Shinhwa. He feared his portrayal of Hwanung as a summoned creature dressed in S&M gear might cause misunderstandings among readers of the comic, and explained that his development of the character in the comic was influenced by interesting but unsupported statements from the internet, whereas the Hwanung of legend holds a very high status in Korea, on a par with "that of Jesus Christ in Western society."

Japanese editions of the comic volumes also included omake-style humorous shorts detailing a variety of Youn and Yang's cross cultural and comic writing adventures, entitled "From Korea - Hello!!" Youn and Yang maintained their residences in Incheon, South Korea throughout most of the writing and publication of the series, often requiring the services of translators for dealings with their Japanese editor, Akinobu Natsume, especially early on, and necessitating multiple business trips to Japan. Youn studied Japanese and his proficiency improved as the comic progressed. He admitted, however, that it "took two hours while staring at a dictionary" to read his first Japanese-language fan letter.

Japanese editions of volume 8 of the comic were packaged with a bonus booklet entitled Osa-logy. It contained a short side story by the series authors, plus humorous comic shorts by guest authors and artists. Contributors included Airi Kawauchi (河内愛里 Kawauchi Airi), Minoru Murao, Itō Shin (真伊東 Shin Itō), and Kazuhiko Shimamoto. Also included were interviews between author Youn and actress Yoon Son-ha, and between Youn and the manga authors CLAMP (creators of The Legend of Chun Hyang, among other titles). A guidebook entitled Amenosa, This Reality and Mission (アメンオサ、その真実と使命 Amenosa, sono shinjitsu to shimei, 공식 가이드북) was also published, containing color art galleries by artist Yang, plus story summaries and character data. A "gaiden"-style volume of two side stories was also released for sale.

Since its original releases in South Korea and Japan, the comic has been licensed and published in French as Le Nouvel Angyo Onshi by Pika Édition, in Hungarian as Árnybíró by Mangafan, in German as Shin Angyo Onshi by Carlsen Comics,in Thai as Dtòo Laa Gaan Tá-mil Chà-bàp Pí-sèt (ตุลาการทมิฬ ฉบับพิเศษ) by Vibulkij, in Indonesian as Shin Angyo Onshi by Level Comics, and in Chinese by Jonesky (Hong Kong) and Sharp Point (Taiwan). No English-language adaptations have been published or announced as licensed.
[edit]

Animated film

In 2004, Japanese studio Oriental Light and Magic and Korean studio Character Plan collaborated to create an animated film adaptation of the comic, entitled Phantom Master: Dark Hero from the Ruined Empire. The project represented the first time Korean and Japanese creators had ever collaborated on an animated film, and funding was shared by sources from both nations. It was distributed by The Klockworx in Japan and Cinema Service in Korea. The film was co-directed by Ahn Tae-gun and Jōji Shimura, and produced by Yang Jae-hye, Lee Sang-don, Bunsho Kajiya, Lee Don-ki, and Shukuchi Kanda. It featured a musical score from composer Kow Otani and theme songs performed by BoA.Vocal tracks were recorded in both Korean and Japanese, though Korean actor Ji Sung's narration was retained in its original language for the Japanese release and augmented with native subtitles. Character Plan president Yang Jee-hye said his company was able to learn new skills and technologies, both of which have been maintained during Japan's long history of film-making, from Oriental Light and Magic, who completed about 70% of the work on the film.

Phantom Master: Dark Hero from the Ruined Empire was shown at the Sixth Bucheon International Animation Festival, 6 November 2004-9, in Bucheon, South Korea, at which it served as the opening film. It was released into theaters simultaneously in Japan and Korea on 26 November 2004, and had an encore run at the Seoul Ani Cinema for three weeks beginning 17 February 2005. Its North American debut was at the Fantasia Festival in Montreal, Canada on 15 July 2005, where it was shown in Korean with English subtitles. ADV Films released the movie to DVD in North America in 2007, with a choice of Japanese or English audio and optional English subtitles. The movie has also been locally released in Poland as Ostatni Strażnik Magii by Vision Film's Anime Gate imprint and in Russia as Povelitel' Prizrakov (Russian: Повелитель призраков, lit. Lord of the Ghosts) by MC Entertainment. The film was re-released on DVD by Funimation Entertainment on June 30, 2009 under the title Blade of the Phantom Master: Shin Angyo Onshi with the ADV movie trailer for the film as a special feature. The film features the English language track and the Japanese language track with English subtitles.

The film is an adaptation of early comic chapters, covering the stories of Munsu's desert encounter with Mong Ryong, his subsequent quest to free Sando, and one of the pair's early adventures together.

Other Publication(s)
Shin Angyo Onshi Gaiden

Image/Cover​

Spoiler: Image

Personal Note​

Art : I really liked the series and I think Koen liked it too. The art is pretty decent and I think manhwa are really improving in this area. I liked the backgrounds, characters design, settings, etc.

Characters : SAO (Shin Angyo Onshi) has bunch of interesting characters. The relationship between Munsu-Aji Tae and Munsu-Sando is very refreshing. Aji Tae character is deceiving in most part of the series, can't say more or it will spoil the ones who intend to read it. The character of Bang Ja brought humor to the series.

Storyline : A better storyline with sub-stories taking place in the series, which were an essential part of Munsu's journey to find Aji Tae.

Your rating and Recommendation​

I would rate it 9/10 and highly recommend it.

 

[R4n]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

you have to forgive me for not following the guidelines.
Four Daughters of Armian

It is a very amazing historical romance shoujo manwha and one of my favourite manwha of all time. Don't make the 'shoujo' label turn you off from reading it! It has amazing characterization, political conflicts, plot, and drama.

 

[shaheer]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

About the series
Name: ID
Genre : Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Romance
Demography: Shounen
Scannalating group : A-Team BNC Edited Mangas Grumpy Korean Manga Translations
authors :Kenny A.T. KIM Daewoo
Artist : Kenny A.T.

Plot/Story
A cliche fantasy story, an unnamed hero (at times mistaken for a heroine) is in an unknown land where he will inevitably decide the fate of the people and defeat some great enemy. With that said, the story begins with our hero finding himself in a dungeon full of jewels. Gathering some jewels, he is chased out by goblin hybrids and is saved by a party consisting of a high elf, wizard, dwarf and warrior. After saving the hero, the main hero joins the party where they begin their quest, first to a holy temple, and then to meet with the Gold Dragon
Characters
The characters in this fantasy are pretty cliche with a mystical hero possessing strange but unrivaled powers, a cliche dwarf with a temper shorter than his height, a cocky warrior, a calm high elf, and a wise wizard. With that said, it is during the comedic moments that these characters differ from their character templates, and become something more than just another person.[source Baka update]

Spoiler

Personally i would say Id is one of those fantasy series that will hook one up and wont let go..ie its addictive... the artwork and the humor are top notch. the character though not innovative arent disappointing.. they are much like a one forms within a RPG game ... any fantasy shonen, sword action fan will love it
my personal rating is 8/10 if i am too skeptic..if i am a giving the umber a bit latitude then 8.5

ps : i hope this was helpful .. and try ID guys its awesome

 

[p1xel]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

The Breaker.
My first manhwa, and it is awesome.
It is about a boy who meets a mysterious man, but to don`t spoil, he will start to train martial arts, and read it if you wan`t to know more:P
Fight scenes are awesome, characters are good, development is nice. One of my favorite series that is better than many mangas.
Give it a try.

 

[ashher]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

'Island'...dunno much info about it. Found that on Mangafox. Horror/gore/thriller type. Bits of religious things are thrown in the mix...not much of importance were attached to them plot wise. (kinda like how pages from bible were used as weapons in Hellsing). Has a badass hero looking like Ichimaru Gin, but only about 10 times better. Its actually collection of 2/3 stories...the last one being the best imo. Its unfinished, on hiatus prolly. Its a pity...but makes for a nice time passer. Not very highly recommended, but it does have great visual...and good badassery. 6.5/10.

---

Veritas: my favorite in shonen genre. Its already pretty well known. Check out Jammin's review in the review section.

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About the Breaker...i know its really popular, but i personally found it rather mediocre at best. Unless its improved significantly since a certain handicapped battle in a building (that's as far as i read), i wouldn't recommend it as strongly as others seen to do. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Asarii]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Bride of the Water God
Yun Mi-kyung​

Type: Manhwa

Genre: shoujo, historical fantasy, romance

Groups Editing: chiresakura, shoujo manhwa scans

No. of Volumes: 11 (as of Dec 2010)

Status: Ongoing

Scanlated: Yes

The following is from Wikipedia but made spoiler-free by me!

Plot

Spoiler

Soah is a girl from a small village suffering from a long devastating drought. In order to appease the Water God, the most beautiful girl from the village must be sacrificed. Soah is chosen to become Habaek's bride, but instead of dying at the hands of a monster, she is unexpectedly rescued by Habaek and brought to his Water Kingdom.

As Soah learns to live in a strange new world filled with gods, she is caught up in various intrigues surrounding Habaek and finds it increasingly difficult to know whom she can trust. In the midst of such trouble, she finds she has fallen in love with Mul, unaware that the young man is the true form of the childlike Habaek.

Characters

Spoiler

Main characters
Soah
A girl from a small village chosen as the sacrifice to please the Water God, Habaek. When she was a child, she was prophesized to love two men in her life. She finds herself attracted to Mui, who she believes is Habaek's cousin, unaware that Habaek (the child) and Mui are the same person.

Habaek
The Water God, a temperamental deity who has not allowed rain to fall in Soah's village for many years. He is a child by day (Habaek) and an adult (Mu-i) by night, with his powers being reduced in the presence of heat or sunlight. Habaek is able to use pools of water to see anything as long as it is reflected in the water. Soah recognizes the child as her husband, but is unaware of his transformations; Habaek, unable to explain, introduces his adult self as Habaek's cousin, Mui.

The Water Country
Hoo-ye
The commander of the Water Kingdom, also famed for being the best archer in the realm of gods. He appears to be loyal to Habaek, particularly after an unspoken incident involving Nakbin in the past.

Mura
The Witch of Chung Yo Mountains, who resides in the Water Kingdom and is knowledgeable with herbs and potions. She is in love with Habaek, who referred to her as a "goddess" out of kindness; however, because her love is unreciprocated, she resents Soah. She is especially adverse to Yeo-wa when she appears in the Water Kingdom with Nakbin's appearance.

Ju-dong
The God of Fire. He loves everything that is cute. He once stole a peach from Suh-wangmo's garden 400 years ago.

Yo-hee
A goddess who is friendly to, and very fond of, Soah, going to the extent of rebuking Habaek for sending her away without warning and going to see her without taking anyone else along. Although she appears and behaves like an immature child, she is several hundred years old and is actually Shin Nong's mother. As a result, she is one of the few beings who are aware of the methods to reach the Moon Palace.

Tae-eul-jin-in
A doctor and inventor in the Water Kingdom, a relatively recent inhabitant to the realm. He appears cordial and at times comic, but is perceptive and secretive. He appears to have his own motives regarding Habaek and Mura warns Soah not to trust Tae-eul-jin-in so readily.

Suh-wang-mo, Yanghee
The Queen Mother of the West and the Goddess of Death, she is Habaek's mother, a beautiful woman who is centuries old. She is the Goddess of Punishment, Torture, and disease, though ironically, she is also the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Her vast lands contain the Divine Orchard, where a rare peach tree grows with fruit that can grant a human 18 000 years of life. Habaek also does not appear to get along with her, though she seems to only want her son to be happy and wishes to protect him from the Emperor at all costs.

Yook-oh
A grandfatherly butler who serves the Water God. He previously served Habaek's mother, the Goddess of Punishment and Torture.

Series origins

Spoiler

The story of the god Habaek is one of the oldest myths in Korea and tells of the god of the great Yalu River. There are two well known stories involving Habaek, one detailed in Bride of the Water God revealed in the memories of Habaek and Hoo-yee and the second regarding the eldest of Habaek's three daughters, Yuhwa.

There exist another similar story in China, where a court official Xi Menqing (西门庆） stopped the yearly sacrificial ritual to the river god (河伯) by exposing the ritual as a fraud by the village head.

Personal Notes​

Art: The art is among the best I've ever seen. The page is rich with detail, and reading each chapter is like eating chocolate. Just like how too much can be a bad thing, at times it can be overwhelming. Nevertheless, the artwork is one of my favourites.

Characters: I adore the protagonists and all the servants from the Water Tribe. Even those with unkind personalities have redeeming qualities about them. Some of the characters provide unexpected comic relief, which I find quite funny. XD (Sorry it's been a while since I read this.)

Story: As I explained in the parenthesis, I haven't read this in so long so my memory on the details is quite fuzzy. I remembered loving the plot twists that are thrown in, and the fact that it's patient with developing characters and their relationship to one another.

Your rating and Recommendation​

8/10. I don't normally read manhwa nor shoujo for that matter, but I really enjoy Bride of the Water God. As a lover of history and fantasy, this is perfect!

 

[thornofcarrion]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Red Erewhon​

Author : Lee Jong-Kyu

Artist : Kang Jae-Sin

Demographic : Seinen

Genre : Action Fantasy Romance Seinen

Groups Editing : Easy Going Scans, OMFGG Scans, helz0ne

No. of Volumes : 03

Status : Ongoing

Scanlated : Yes

Plot

In a time when gods ruled with cruelty, no one dared to oppose them… A girl was offered to the wind god as a sacrifice. A tribe leader sets off on a journey of redemption while trying to save the girl he loves and make her his wife. Kiron, while defying the gods will, departs for a difficult journey. Will he be successful? And what kind of obstacles will the gods throw at him?



Characters

Spoiler: Characters

Kiron

The protagonist of the series and head of the Wind Tribe. In the begining of the series, it was given that Kiron has been cursed by God of Death. He has a body that is neither alive or dead. He is a generic protagonist, propelled by his will to save the woman he love. He

Aida

The woman Kiron choose after becoming the head of Wind tribe. According to the custom of the tribe, the leader may chose any woman he desire. But with Aida it is different, as she was born to be offered to the Death God.

Watan

best friend of Kiron, who believes in him and follow him around. Though, during the attack by Grassland tribe, he questioned Kiron's loyalty towards the tribe when he was absent.

Yakmo

He is the leader of the Grassland tribe. He invaded and killed all the males of Wind tribe in order to retrieve the severed head of king of the Grassland.

Image/Cover​

Spoiler: Image

Personal Note​

The series got me hooked from the first chapter. Perhaps, my liking for myths, fantasy, etc contributed in developing liking for the series. The artwork is good and the story so far has been going well. Sorry for not being much descriptive as there have been only 09 chapters translated. I would update it as the story progresses.

Your rating and Recommendation​

I would rate it 7.5/10 and recommend it, if you are looking for something simple and decent.

 

[Charlie]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Noblesse​

Author : Son Jae Ho

Artist : Lee Gwang Su

Demographic : Shonen

Genre :Action, Adventure, Comedy, Manhwa, School Life, Supernatural, Webcomic

Groups Editing : Easy Going Scans

No. of Volumes : N/A

Status : Ongoing

Scanlated : Yes

Plot

Noblesse (노블레스) is an online manhwa written by Son Jae Ho and illustrated by Lee Gwang Su. Noblesse is about a powerful, noble vampire - Cadis Etrama Di Raizel (also called Rai) - who has been asleep for 820 years with no knowledge of mankind's advancement and scientific successes. He has recently woken up in an abandoned building in South Korea[1]. He is starting to get used to the modern world, often with the much-needed help of his loyal servant, Frankenstein. Rai enrolls in Ye Ran high school and inadvertently befriended Shinwoo - an athletic teenager, Ik-Han - a computer geek, Yuuna and a few others. Noblesse follows the group's often dangerous adventures against a secret organization while uncovering Rai's past.

Source: Wiki



Characters

Spoiler: Characters

Cadis Etrama Di Raizel ( a.k.a Rai )

Rai is a very noble, elegant, and mysterious Noblesse. He has no knowledge whatsoever of the 21st century, and will often become lost and confused especially with regards to modern day technology (such as using a cell phone). He is often used as the manhwa's comic relief with his love of ramen and the errors he makes with technology. He has fallen into a deep slumber for 820 years, and had woken up in an abandoned building in South Korea. After seeing what most of the humans on the streets were wearing, Rai took on the uniform of a student from Ye Ran High School, which is under the administration of Frankenstein, and inadvertently followed the students there[2]. He currently resides with Frankenstein. He is shown to be extremely powerful with the ability of mind control, along with a technique called "Blood Field". Although he seems cold and apathetic on the outside, Rai has shown compassion towards human beings, though it is not known whether this is due to actual compassion or out of pride (an explanation of the past pointed towards pride for the Noblesse in general, but not Rai specifically). He always wears the Ye Ran High School uniform and a silver cross with chains on his left ear. In recent chapters it has been discovered that he is the "True Noblesse"

Frankenstein

Frankenstein is Rai's devoted servant. He supports Rai whole-heartedly and calls him "Master"[1]. He had tried searching for his master after Rai "disappeared" and had given up and went into hiding after failing to do so. Frankenstein is the principal/director of Ye Ran High School. He was stunned to find Rai in his school office after Rai had woken up and assumed the uniform of the school's students. Frankenstein is also immensely powerful, even though some of his powers had been sealed away by Rai. Frankenstein is a very cheerful person, but becomes quite serious and calculating when the situation calls for it, although during battles Frankenstein has shown somewhat of a sadistic side. He is also extremely organized and loathes messiness (Especially in his house). Like Rai, he is also very compassionate towards human beings, especially the students in his school. It seems like Frankenstein was an impressive scientist, who had also done immense amount of research, possibly on human modification before Rai "disappeared". All the research done was recorded down in his diaries, however due to unknown circumstances, it is now in the possession of Dr. Crombel and the organization.

List of other characters can be found here on wiki.

Source: wiki

Image/Cover​

Spoiler: Image

http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu223/ShinigamiPrincess/4054.jpg

uploaded by: ShinigamiPrincess @ pb

Personal Note​

I can’t say enough about this series! It is amazing in my opinion. It's a should read! If you like fantasy / action themes then you should check it out. The raws are posted on-line on Tuesdays. This is a web comic, so you can support the author simply by visiting their on-line site. I never thought I would like a story/comic about Vampires. The way this series is presented threw out all the standard cliche's out the window.

Watch out: Addicting ~

Your rating and Recommendation​

I would rate it 9.9/10 and recommend it, if you are looking for something thats fun to read, has a bit of mystery to it and will make you laugh a lot times.

---

ID The Greatest Fusion Fantasy​

Author : Kim Daewoo

Artist : A. T. Kenny

Demographic : Shonen

Genre : Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Manhwa, Martial Arts, Romance

Groups Editing : A-team

No. of Volumes : 25

Status : Ongoing

Scanlated : Yes

Plot

Id The Greatest Fusion Fantasy (Pronounced Ee doo), is a manhwa (comic) written by Kim Daewoo, with art by A. T. Kenny.

This is the story of man named Chun Hwa who is trapped in a world he does not come from. He soon takes the name of Id since he did not want to attract too much unwanted attention because of his name which would sound odd to the locals of the world he found himself in. As Chun Hwa progresses through this strange new world throughout the story he makes friends, enemies, and part of his past is shown indicating that there is more than meets the eye about his past. Around volume six his origins and his past are revealed, but many questions about him are still unanswered.

Source: Wiki



Characters

Spoiler: Characters

Chun Hwa / Id

Id is a human man with a feminine appearance who comes from a place called Middle Kingdom. Id landed in the Continent of Gressen after a dimension shift. When he became the owner of the sentient sword named Lamia he was also endowed with the Heart of the Dragon Greydrone who was the protector of the sword up to that point. He meets up with a party of travelers who initially think he is a girl, and decides to travel with them for a certain amount of time, and then temporarily leaves them and goes with Irlina to find the gold dragon . During certain scenes, Id is shown to be pretty clueless, mistaken for a girl numerous times and a bit naive about some things, yet he is incredibly strong. He performs feats that the others see as magic, but is merely martial arts using ki he learned from his home world and other times using the power of the Dragon's heart within him. The latter is dangerous for him however as it takes much time to sync his body with the power of the heart he was bestowed causing instances where he goes berserk as the heart takes him over leaving only the brutality of the dragon which is its natural instinct. At certain times a mysterious bracelet also appears on Id's arm that drains him of his energy unexpectedly. The only things that are known about it is that the reason he has it was to keep it out of the hands of someone he knew from the world he came from because of its importance, that the bracelet itself could be the reason Id was transported to the other world and that Id himself doesn't know what the bracelet is, or what it does either. Romantic interest in Irlina.

Lamia

She is the sentient sword created by Greydrone, the dragon, but choose Id as her master instead. Her spirit takes the form of a woman. Her abilities are not totally known. However, the manhwa hinted at Lamia holding the power of a god. She has magical abilities and the ability to change her physical appearance. Appearance that Lamia has assumed in the manhwa include the sword-form, a hairpin, and a belt. She frequently converses with Id in the entire manhwa and her real form is only known to Id. While Id was transported to the past, she lost her physical form and assumed a spiritual form which could be combined with Id. She is bonded to Id for eternity. While she seems to love Id, Id does not treat her as a female. Hence, she is often jealous of Irlina for being loved by Id and sulks by ignoring Id. She was guarded by Greydrone for 10000 years before Id appeared.

List of other character can be found here on wiki.

Soucre: wiki

Image/Cover​

Spoiler: Image

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/Calimbandil/Ankokumaru/011.jpg
uploaded by: Calimbandil @ pb

Personal Note​

One of my favorite series so far! It’s good and gets better, the art work has a noticeable improvement as the volume progresses. I would say this starts out somewhat as a "typical" shonen series and has some of those elements in it and improves rather cliche.

The “ID story" comes from a novel and has been turned into a comic. The comic has some variations in it. The story is described well in the plot (see above) so sit back and enjoy it. The main character starts out powerful from the get go, no useless training arc because he as already trained prior to the start of the story.

If you like fighting, action, adventures in a fantasy type setting, then you'll most likely love this.
It may start out a little confusing at the beginning but the details about the main character will be filled in as the story progress. The ongoing gag of the story is that the main character “Id” is mistaken for a girl, when he is a guy. Although by looks its hard to tell sometimes

Watch out: Addicting ~

Your rating and Recommendation​

I would rate it from a 9.5 - 10 also and recommend it, if you are looking for something thats fun to read, has elves, fantastic type of attacks, comedy, romance, you'll like this.

 

[•Sasuke•]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Legend Punch (Fist of Legend)​

Author : Lee Yong Kyu

Artist : Lee Yoon Kyun

Demographic : ---
Genre : Action Fight

Groups Editing : Mangacurse / A-Team

No. of Volumes : N/A

No. of chapters : Trans 5 - Raw 15

Status : Ongoing

Scanlated : Yes

Plot The story is about a tv show in wich old man have to fight for money. The show is based on the the past history of these men. In fact, they were all heroes in their time and they have all played a central role in their schools. The program's objective is to poke fun at those old glories...


Characters:
Lym Duk Kyoo (an old man divorced that has a poor job and enter the tv show to pay for his daughter's, Soo Kwong, mistake in the school)
Han Ji Suk (an employer of an Action world cable company who have to search for "legend of fist")

Image/Cover​

Spoiler: Image

​

Personal Note​

I just read the first two chapters! I think that's a good manhwa.

Your rating and Recommendation​

Rate 9/10 and recommend it.

>>> If you want to take a look click here to view the first 5 chapter eng scan online <<<

Spoiler

if you want to add anything please pm me and i'll edit the post tnx

 

[Day]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Z U S U N
Alternative: Jade Dynasty, 주선
Years: 2010
Status: Completed
Author: Ho Rang (Story & Art)
Manga Editors: The Company
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Historical, Romance, Shounen

Cover!​

Spoiler

Preview! <Warning: Large Image>:​

Spoiler

Personal Note!​

Spoiler

Read it! That is all. c:

Rating & Recommendation!​

Spoiler

7.5/10
I must say though, my opinion is highly biased because I translated the series from Chapter 5 onward. But I still recommend this Manhwa! The a r t is simply beautiful. It has a watercolor touch to them and each panel is filled with effort to the last detail. The s t o r y itself is a nice love story about a maiden, Maehwa of the Black Wind and a man, Mookyul of the Thousand Swords - two of which, are at war with one another.

 

[thornofcarrion]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Knight Run

About the series​

In the era of space exploration. Mankind is at war against monsters of unknown origin. The battle is grim, and the future looks bleak. Amidst the chaos, mankind plays their last hand; it's time for the Knights to step into the fray and turn the tide of this war.

you can get more information and discuss the series in its own thread here.

Image/Cover​

Personal Note​

I stumbled upon this series two days ago. I started reading it and I am half way there. It turned to be a very good read. The plot is very interesting, Knights meets sci-fi world. What this series lacks is art. Some drawings were not done as I would have wanted them. Overall, the art is reasonable but most other manhwa, using similar drawing techniques, have better art.

I recommend it to those who like action / fantasy series.

Your rating​

I will give it 8/10.

 

[Jammin]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

The Gamer

About the series​

The Gamer is about a young man (Han Jee-Han) who awakens a power that causes him to see his life to work like an RPG with stats, skills, crafting, and power levels all of which only he can see; and how this ability draws him into a world of supernatural powers and adventure.

You can read the series here and discuss here.

Image/Cover

Personal Note​

My favorite RPG themed series ever. The way he levels is surprisingly satisfying due to the way he's constantly getting popups telling him various skills are increasing and randomly picking up new skills; and the whole thing is made hilarious by how the world only works that way for HIM. As other supernatural powers in the gamer's world work differently. Which brings me to the characters, another place this series shines, using both artwork and generous amounts of personality to make these are people you are going to want to read about.

I recommend it to everybody. In fact, I'd even call it a must read.

Your rating​

I give it 10/10.

 

[kidopitz27]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

Soul Cartel

About the series

Soul Cartel is about a young boy named Si-hun Cha/Shioon who wants to be a Spirit Guide like his sister Su-in Cha and something went wrong when Si-Hun met an Arch Devil

Read Online​

Mangacow/Naver(RAWS)​

Image/Cover

Personal note
this is more like a back-up manhwa/webtoon that is always there if your favorite manhwa/webtoon is on break well that was my first take on it anyway then after reading a couple of chapters i got hooked and following it ever since
​

Your rating​

7.5/10​

Ultimate Legend - Kang Hae Kyo

About the series​

When delinquency became a major problem in Korea they created a unique school to fix the problem.​

Read online​

MngaCow/Naver(Raws)​

Image/Cover​

Personal note​

Pretty much this webtoon has potential but until the latest chapter(ch.21) all of the scenes are either introduction of characters and less action like 60% introduction and 40% action scenes and also when you first read it you will laugh ​

Your rating​

6.5/10
this webtoon has a potential to become an awesome martial arts genre​

 

[BASED Shinigami]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

My recommendation:

Over Steam

Type : Manhwa

Genre : Action, Adventure, Webtoon, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Tragedy

Groups Editing : Silent Sky, MiamMiam-Team

No. of Volumes : 2

Status : Ongoing

Scanlated : Yes

Info from Baka-Updates Manga & Batoto​

Brief Description ​

In the aftermath of a great war between humanity and creatures known as the Talaiv, the storms of war are brewing again.

Plot
N/A

Characters
N/A

Series origins
N/A

Author
Yoon Dong Hyuk

Artist
Seo Youn Kyo

Other Publication(s)
http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=98383

Media
N/A​

Image/Cover​

Personal Note​

Art : I believe the art is very graphic and colorful. It reminds of the The Gamer or The Tower of God. Probably a slight exaggeration, but you'll get what I mean once you read it.

Characters : I've only read less than thirty chapters, but the story seems to revolve around a young teenage boy who lost his parents at an early age because of war. Grew up to become a skilled thief or burglar under the tutelage of a cruel old man involved in underworld dealings. Also, there's a pretty older female (young adult) who has strange powers. Both of them seem to be the main protagonists. I won't say anything else! You'll just have to read the story!

Storyline : Well, the story involves dragons, supernatural powers, war, and half naked chicks It's an interesting comic. Definitely worth a read.

My Rating and Recommendation​

I would give it 7.5 or 8/10 and strongly recommend it to readers who like action adventure comics with a little dose of supernatural, fantasy, and tragedy.

 

[Miyuki16]

Re: Manhwa Recommendations thread

My recommendation:

100% Perfect Girl

Type : Manhwa

Genre : Action, Manhwa, Mature, Psychological, Romance, Shoujo

Groups Editing :

Status : Completed

Scanlated : Yes

Info from Baka-Updates Manga & Batoto​

Brief Description ​

From Kiss Manga: Jay Jin is the headstrong teenage rebel, determined to prove she's serious about making art. J. Max is the tall debonair foreigner, in Korea on business, with more--much more--to his background than he lets on. On the surface, it would seem as though Jay and J. have nothing in common... until a chance encounter in a hotel lobby sparks a mysterious attraction. Will true love prove strong enough to overcome the language barrier, not to mention the thousands of miles separating two attractive people? Then there are the interventions of friends and family who think they know best... as well as a disastrous encounter with spicy chicken kebab!

Author
Wann

Artist
Wann

Personal Note​

Good art, and a fantastic plot that is quite realistic compared to other things I've read...

My Rating and Recommendation​

9/10​

​