09/07/2021: an introduction to manhwa (by a reader)

We've noticed a severe drop in our readership in the last few weeks. We hope that it's not because you're growing sick of us! However, we've had to acknowledge that we've hit a bit of a rut, so we're shaking things up. Over the coming weeks, expect a series of posts submitted by YOU - our readers! We've got a few just to start, but please approach us with any of the brilliant ideas you have! (Even if you don't think they are, drop us a DM anyway because any idea from someone cool enough to follow BTC No Pico has to be at least pretty decent.) Anyway, today we've got Ichinose Tokiya-chan with an excellent introduction into shounen manhwa, which is something we rarely talk about on the site! Please enjoy:

If you want something different from manga, look no further than Korean manhwa. They have plots similar to what you would find in manga (like isekai, shounen, shojou etc.) but the authors usually write their manhwas with a twist, which differentiates them from most manga. If you are interested in manhwa, here are some of my favourites:

Tower of God

A true OG of the genre, Tower of God started being serialized in 2010. It follows the journey of Baam, as he climbs a gigantic tower in search of his companion, Rachael. The interesting thing about this tower is that each floor of the tower can only be accessed by clearing a game on each floor. It is enjoyable to see how different characters clear each floor differently and what each game is. The art gets quite good to the end, the characters are interesting and full of life and it is certainly worth the read. You can find this title for free on Webtoon.

Solo Levelling

This story takes place in a world which is overrun by Gates (which are similar to dungeons). Hunters kill any monsters within the Gates to ensure the safety of other citizens and for financial profit. Our protagonist, Sung Jin-woo, is humanity’s weakest hunter. After he sacrifices himself in a dungeon, he gains the ability to increase his power, which allows him to do some cool things in the manga. Solo levelling is an amazing title, and the author is very detailed about the lore. If you like the fantasy/isekai genre, please check out this title. You won’t be disappointed. You can find this title for free on Webtoon.

Trash of count’s family

Cale Henituse is a simple man. After being transmigrated into a nobleman’s body, all he wants to do is live a slack life. Unwillingly, he gets caught up in wars, rebellions and political disputes. Along the way, he meets a lovable cast of characters, such as two talking cats, an adorable baby dragon and other interesting and loveable characters.

This manhwa is truly worth the read because Cale is a masterful tactician, the humour is on point and the world in which they inhabit is interesting and vast. The original world in which our protagonist inhabits is also not our own- it has more similarities to Solo Levelling than our own regular world. Without giving too much away, this is one of the most interesting storylines I have seen in manga. The story is complex, the characters grow, and it is definitely worth a read.

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of all the good shounen manga out there. Titles like SSS Suicide Hunter or Omniscient Reader are also really good reads that have interesting storylines. Most of these manhwas can be found online for free (on Webtoon or Mangadex) and are accessible. Given that Mangadex is quite unstable lately, you can check out Bato.to, which also offers all types of manga (whether shoujo or shounen) without advertisements.

Thanks for the awesome submission, Ichinose Tokiya-chan! Please share this around and show it some love because a lot of love went into this post!