Highlights

• Martial arts Manhwa generally focus on the underworld of Murim and ancient settings rather than flashy displays of skill.
• Stories like “Volcanic Age” and “Heavenly Demon Reborn!” feature elements of reincarnation, revenge plots, and deep world-building through martial arts.
• Manhwa like “Murim Login” and “Infinite Leveling: Murim” blend 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 representation of martial arts in manhwa often revolves around the Murim: generally 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 manhwas often take place in the ancient past, or even in 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 these action stories offer, the manhwa scene surprisingly has many 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 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 series' struggles are interconnected, often to achieve a "sub-mission" within the protagonists' main objective. Despite the initial confusion with the characters' interrelationships and overall world-building, Volcanic Era takes readers into a deep world through various tricks that often lead to spectacular displays of martial arts. While not perfect in terms of storytelling, it has plenty of interesting story hooks.

9 Celestial Demon Reborn!

My anime list: 7.47

Set against the backdrop of a world steeped in martial arts, Unseong begins his journey in Celestial 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 awaken as a child—this time training to be a soldier of the same demons he detested in his previous life. Now possessing a new power, Unseong Celestial Demon Reborn! must embody exactly what his master was accused of, transforming his story into a fascinating tale of revenge.

Being a revenge story, much of Unseong's journey in Celestial Demon Reborn! involves avenging his master by defeating those who beat him to death. This soon revolves around a subplot to uncover 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 demonstrate 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, this also brought with it the unexpected awakening of hidden powers within select individuals. This sparked a war that humanity ultimately won, and a post-war economy centered around raiding these Gates for plunder. Protagonist Jin Tae-Kyung begins We are dying Enter as a low-ranking hunter who's 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. Despite being a low-class hunter, Jin's spear training allows him to become a weapons user, with many of his real-life experiences becoming the basis of his strategies for survival in the game. Unlike other cultivation manhwas, We are dying EnterThe more comedic approach to fighting and conversations and the underlying mystery of the game and its inhabitants 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 in time—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 “level-up mechanic,” making it interesting to see him adjust to what he might consider magic.

In addition to this comprehensive leveling system approach 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 acquaintances. Among his earliest displays of martial prowess is the use of massage techniques to imbalance his opponents' energy flow, 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 in terms of action scenes and story hooks. Its world-building blends 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 pursued 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 awakens, 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.

Although framed as a typical revenge plot with an overbearing protagonist, the mere injection of a science fiction element into 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 thrilling to watch. Unlike other manhwa with naturally strong protagonists, Yeo-un having to learn from scratch means 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 virtually nonexistent, he spends his second chance trying to restore his group to its former glory. Cheongmyeong doesn't become 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 manhwa's overall worldbuilding, leaving plenty of room for banter and action-packed scenes.

Martial arts in Return of the Flourishing Blade shouldn't be underestimated, especially given its visuals. There's impeccable dynamism in the fights, showing that Cheongmyeong's skill still requires some tactical skill and adaptation to prevail. The character designs reflect well how they participate in and comment on 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 Murim underworld, 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. While the story follows traditional hero's journey tropes, the growth and power sets of Shi-Woon and his fellow martial artists never stray into OP territory. Additionally, martial arts fans will appreciate the depth of worldbuilding 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's easy 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 skills when a mysterious cult begins kidnapping children—especially if it means protecting his children from harm.

Unlike other action-focused cultivation manhwa, Father, incomparable combines intense martial arts moments with equally delightful moments of family bonding and comedic scenes. Worldbuilding in Father, incomparable works well in fleshing out the characters' situations and backstories, adding more depth to each action scene. Given hardcore Murim's lack of frequent action and straightforward narrative, Father, incomparable It 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, its protectors nowhere to be found. In fact, the sect's last leader was forced to commit suicide after suspicions of collusion with the enemy—and his son, Moowon, disappeared into the mountains. With Moowon now trained in the Sect's special techniques, he decides 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 their 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.