Highlights

• Martial arts Manhwa generally focus on the underground world of Murim and ancient settings rather than flashy displays of skill.
• Stories like “Volcanic Era” and “Heavenly Demon Reborn!” showcase elements of reincarnation, revenge plots, and deep world-building through martial arts.
• Manhwa such as “Murim Login” and “Infinite Leveling: Murim” mix fantasy, video game elements, and comedic tones with martial arts action stories.

Compared to traditional martial arts in action-packed shonen manga, martial arts in manhwa have a much deeper and richer cultural background. While martial arts manga often focuses on flashy displays of skill, the depiction of martial arts in manhwa often revolves around the Murim: usually depicted as the underground world of fighting and the Murim-in, or the martial artists who “reside” within it.

This cultural background often explains why many martial arts-centric manhwa often take place in the ancient past, or even the present, where the protagonists are drawn into a hidden world of fighters who use their fists to dominate the world. For both newcomers and martial arts fans curious about what’s on offer in these action stories, the manhwa scene surprisingly has plenty of excellent stories to offer.

10 Volcanic Era

My anime list: 7.21

Following the premise of a traditional reincarnation cultivation manhwa, Volcanic Era begins when protagonist Joo Seo-Cheon becomes the great elder of Mount Hua after surviving the Murim Era by sheer luck. However, when he finally dies, he returns to his eight-year-old self with his memories intact. Technically, this allows Joo Seo-Cheon to use his previous knowledge to overcome and survive in turbulent times. Soon, Joo Seo-Cheon acquires treasures and tomes that grant him powerful techniques. He also befriends valuable allies, such as a merchant, a child inventor, a poisoner, and even a swordsman.

Much of the fighting in the series is interconnected, often to achieve a “sub-mission” within a main objective of the protagonists. Despite the initial confusion with the characters’ interrelationships and the overall world-building, Volcanic Era takes readers into a deep world through various tricks that often lead to spectacular displays of martial arts. While it's not perfect in terms of storytelling, it has plenty of interesting story hooks.

9 Heavenly Demon Reborn!

My anime list: 7.47

Set against the backdrop of a world filled with martial arts, Unseong begins his journey in Heavenly Demon Reborn! as his life ends – on the brink of death at the hands of those who believe his master is practicing forbidden demonic arts. As Unseong dies, he is surprised to wake up as a child – this time training to be a soldier of the same demons his previous life detested. Now possessing a new power, Unseong Heavenly Demon Reborn! must embody exactly what his master was accused of, transforming his story into a fascinating tale of revenge.

Being a story of revenge, much of Unseong's journey in Heavenly Demon Reborn! involves avenging his master by defeating those who beat him to death. This soon revolves around a subplot of discovering the true mastermind behind his death. The pacing sometimes suffers due to narrative breaks when it comes to exploring the lives of other characters, but it more than makes up for this with spectacular fight scenes that show just how truly terrifying demonic powers can become.

8 We are dying Enter

My anime list: 7.74

When monsters unexpectedly entered Earth through portals known as Gates, it also came with the unexpected awakening of hidden powers within select individuals. This began a war that humanity eventually won, and a post-war economy involving raiding these Gates for plunder. Protagonist Jin Tae-Kyung begins We are dying Enter as a low-ranking hunter who has just been fired from his job. After an unfortunate turn of events, he finds himself trapped in a game called “Murim”, where being killed also means dying in real life.

Although similar to the plot of Sword Art Onlinethe premise of We are dying Enter Having a protagonist who can fight isn't just about leveling up mechanics. Despite being a low-class hunter, Jin's training in spearmanship allows him to become a weapon user, with many of his real-life experiences becoming the basis of his strategies for surviving in the game. Unlike other cultivation manhwa, We are dying EnterThe more comedic approach to fighting and conversations and the underlying mystery of the game and its residents make it worth reading.

7 Infinite Leveling: We Die

Webtoon: 9.65

When Yuseong Dan is killed on the battlefield under the misguided orders of his superiors, he is sent back to the past – but this time, with a mysterious leveling system. Thus begins Yuseong Dan's journey in Infinite Leveling: We Die, where he gets a second chance at life and makes a difference. While similar to other game-focused stories such as Sword Art Online where the protagonist makes sense of the mechanics of the world around him and grows to become mastered, Infinite Leveling: We Die presents a different level of adjustment: Yuseong Dan is a complete stranger to the “leveling up mechanics,” making it interesting to see him adjust to what he might consider magic.

In addition to this approach to a leveling system complete with Traits and Techniques, Yuseong Dan has decades of martial arts training that he can apply to a younger body. This is what he uses to amaze teachers and people he meets. Among his earliest displays of martial prowess is the use of massage techniques to cause an imbalance in the energy flow of opponents, immediately setting him apart from his peers.

6 The God of High School

My anime list: 7.67

Set against the backdrop of the prestigious martial arts competition of the same name The God of High School pits Korean high school students against each other for the ultimate prize: granting any wish. With all styles and weapons allowed, The God of High School The protagonists include taekwondo jin Mo-Ri Jin, karateka Dae-Wi Han, and swordswoman Mi-Ra Yu—all of whom become unlikely allies as they pursue deeply personal desires. Unbeknownst to them, the tournament they entered holds a darker secret, and the “God” in The God of High School may be more literal than some of them realize.

Boasting the length of a successful shonen manga, The God of High School is as packed as it gets when it comes to action scenes and story hooks. Its worldbuilding combines mythology and supernatural fiction, creating a street punk-inspired aesthetic that gives The God of High School quite a “strength” style that separates it from other manhwa of similar genres. Having received its animated adaptation The God of High School It's a fun binge in both televised and manhwa formats.

5 Nanomachine

My anime list: 7.97

As the name implies, Nanomachine adds a sci-fi twist to traditional historical martial arts cultivation stories. Set in ancient Korea, the story begins when a cowardly Yeo-un is hunted to death by assassins simply because he is the bastard son of the High Priest. As the assassins bring him to the brink of death, Yeo-un is saved in the nick of time by a descendant from the future – who then injects millions of nanomachines into his body. When Yeo-un wakes up, he suddenly has the body and energy flow of a potential martial artist. With half-brothers trying to defeat him and other martial artists at Mashin Academy, Yeo-un must test his new powers.

While framed as a typical revenge plot with an overpowered protagonist, the mere injection of a sci-fi element through the nanomachines adds a different level of excitement to the flow of events. The characters and their relationships with Yeo-un help add depth to the world, and seeing Yeo-un’s rivals keep up with him makes the fights exciting to watch. Unlike other manhwa with naturally strong protagonists, Yeo-un having to learn from scratch means that readers will see him outsmart his opponents before resorting to brute force.

4 Return of the Flourishing Blade

My anime list: 8.24

The story of Return of the Flourishing Blade blatantly follows the story of a reincarnated OP protagonist: Cheongmyeong of the Mount Hua Sect is surprised to not be dead, but only awakened a century after his defeat at the hands of the evil Cheonma. When he sees that the Mount Hua Sect is almost non-existent, he spends his second chance trying to restore his group to its former glory. Cheongmyeong doesn't turn out to be an infallible protagonist, and both his sect members and the villains are there to question his motives whenever necessary. The interactions between the characters enhance the overall world-building of the manhwa, leaving plenty of room for banter and action-packed scenes.

Martial arts in Return of the Flourishing Blade should not be underestimated, especially given its visuals. There is impeccable dynamism in the fights, showing that Cheongmyeong's skill still needs a bit of tactical skill and adaptation to prevail. The character designs reflect well the way they participate and commentate the fight, giving them all a bit of memorability for fans.

3 The circuit breaker

My anime list: 8.38

When the ever-bullied Shi-Woon Yi discovers that his new teacher Han Chun Woo is a skilled martial artist, The circuit breaker the protagonist coerces him into teaching him self-defense against his attackers. Although Chun Woo initially calls Shi-Woon a coward for not fighting back, seeing Shi-Woon's gentle spirit makes the martial artist feel sorry for teaching the boy. This sets off a chain of events that will push Shi-Woon deeper into the underworld of Murim, where Chun Woo's dark past will seemingly drag him back into the depths of Murim.

Such was the popularity of The circuit breaker as a modern cultivation manhwa that spawned two sequels: New Waves and Eternal Strength. Despite the story following traditional hero's journey tropes, the growth and power sets of Shi-Woon and his fellow martial artists never tread into OP territory. Additionally, martial arts fans will appreciate the depth of world-building in The circuit breakersince the characters' fighting techniques reflect their personalities and schools of origin.

2 Father, incomparable

Anime Planet: 8.4

After the death of his beloved wife, Ga-Jang No of Father, incomparable decides to retire from martial arts and instead work full-time to raise his three children. Due to his strength, constitution, and kindness, it is not difficult for Ga-Jang to find odd jobs and even become a guard if it means always returning to his children safe and sound. However, Ga-Jang begins to rely on his martial arts when a mysterious cult begins kidnapping children - especially if it means protecting his children from danger.

Unlike other action-focused cultivation manhwa, Father, incomparable combines intense martial arts moments with equally delightful moments of family bonding and comedic scenes. World building in Father, incomparable works well in fleshing out the characters' situations and backstories, adding more depth to each action scene. Given Murim's lack of frequent hardcore action and straightforward storytelling, Father, incomparable may not immediately catch the attention of martial arts fans. However, it serves as a recommended starter manhwa for the genre.

1 The Legend of the Northern Blade

My anime list: 8.40

The story of The Legend of the Northern Blade begins years after the dissolution of the heroic Northern Celestial Sect, where a world faces the threat of the Silent Night and its protectors are nowhere to be found. In fact, the last leader of the sect was forced to commit suicide after suspicions that he was in league with the enemy – and his son, Moowon, has disappeared into the mountains. With Moowon now trained in the special techniques of the Sect, he sets out to avenge his father and defeat the Silent Night.

Despite being a straightforward revenge story, The Legend of the Northern Blade fascinates with the way its confrontations and action scenes slowly build the world around Moowon. The interpoliticization between the characters and the way martial arts skills are displayed can make The Legend of the Northern Blade among the most captivating examples of cultivation manhwa, especially compared to other popular titles. Seeing Moowon prevail against his enemies, improve his skills, and even develop complex relationships with friends and foes can make you The Legend of the Northern Blade a worthwhile read.