Best Manhwa to Start Reading in 2025

Summary

• The Beginning After The End will have an anime adaptation in 2025. It is an exciting tale of survival, friendship, action.
• Reality Quest offers urban fantasy mixed with drama, ideal for power progression lovers. A gripping Manhwa with impending conclusion.
• Primal Hunter explores the dark side of humanity, morally grey characters. A survival tale with no heroes.

This season is almost over now, and Manhwa series left us with lots of intriguing endings and a few others taking their first steps into the market. But don’t lose sight of the upcoming season, as it will be surely filled with great opportunities to read cool and exciting tales of adventure, romance, and action.

With that in mind, here are some Manhwa series that fans should start reading in 2025. With many of them starting a fresh season early in January, the next season of Korean Comics and Webtoons is going to break the mold in more than one sense.

Updated March 31, 2025, by Lucas Simons: The Current Manhwa season has entered a renewal phase with several series returning after long periods of absence. Streamer Archmage, The Warrior Returns, and Academy’s Genius Swordmaster are back for more, and what better way to start this year than to read some of the most popular Fantasy/Action series currently ongoing? On the other hand, newer series like The Exiled Hero and Genius Mage Who Uses Fists are gaining lots of popularity, and might be a good option for those looking for fresher Manhwa series to follow each week.

14

Streamer Archmage

Looks Better Than Ever

• Genre: Action, Fantasy, VRMMO, Drama, Comedy, Adventure
• Author: Dedart
• Artist: SADU

Streamer Archmage (BJ Archmage) narrates the story of a broke young man who spends his life mining for gold in a popular VRMMO game just for the sake of his brother (who got paralyzed in an accident) and young niece. All of a sudden, he himself falls victim to the infamous ‘truck-gun,’ but instead of reincarnation, the shock of the accident makes him lose his biometric data and thus, cannot access his account anymore.

Desperate to enter the game that constitutes his only lifeline to aid his family, he uses a new account ticket he had been saving as a last resort. But suddenly, the vicious gacha system of the game lays bare before his eyes, and he discovers he has the ability to preview information about the rewards, classes, and other aspects of the game he couldn’t do before. And so, he picks the Legendary class ‘Archmage,’ and begins a life of ascension through streaming in the VRMMO game. It is a good story, with a main character who is charismatic, but not in an annoying way, and has a powerful motivation (instead of the usual selfish goals) to reach the top.

13

Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

Has Resumed After Seemingly Being Axed

• Genre: Reincarnation, Drama, Action, Dark Fantasy, Martial Arts
• Author: Seok Wando
• Artist: Sichi

In a cruel battle against an invading race of giants, Ronan is the last man standing. After slaying the strongest of the invader enemies, he discovers that his commander Adeshan is dying and tries to assist her. But before he can save her life, more invaders come, proving that the battle is far from over. Desperate to save mankind and its strongest soldier, Adeshan uses her time regression powers to send Ronan back in time.

A confused soldier wakes up in the body of his younger self, with the memories of future battles to come. Now, with more time on his account, he will brute force his way to the top of the elite members of a prestigious Swordsmanship Academy, to save mankind and his beloved Field Commander. Quite a decent story that appeared to be axed, but now it has returned, so it is a great candidate to read this year.

12

The Swordmaster’s Youngest Son

Will Take A Short Break But Return Mid-Year

• Genre: Adventure, Shonen, Dark Fantasy, Sword And Sorcery, Action
• Author: AZI, HWANGZE PENGUIN, SYS
• Artist: Mr. Big

If readers wanted a good reason to jump into the world of The Swordmaster’s Youngest Son, the recent events that have progressed the plot further down the point of no return has made it even more thrilling and exciting than it already is. A narrative that rivals that of series like TBATE and A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special, polished and defined art, and great and unique worldbuilding with fresh mythology and its own core identity.

This series remains one of the best, though the authors and artists really needed a break, so they will be taking a short one from April to May, to return with a new series of chapter releases one after the other. And if fans are already pumped up to see Jin finally facing Joshua, they won’t be disappointed to see the outcome of that clash.

11

The Warrior Returns

Another Manhwa That Avoided The Axe, And Has Come For More

• Genres: Dark Fantasy, Drama, Isekai, Action, Adventure, Reverse Isekai, Psychological
• Author: NARACK
• Artist: FUNGBACK

Just when fans thought that The Hero Returns would go on an indefinite hiatus, it came back rolling, and readers couldn’t be more pleased with this out-of-the-box, mean-spirited Isekai, where the Hero who was supposed to save the world is, instead, destroying it. Surprisingly refreshing for an urban fantasy series and considerably gory for a Manhwa, the story progresses at a fast pace and even before readers can notice it, they are already hooked.

Armed with powerful character motivations, a villain who has lost all hope of redemption, and a vicious conspiracy orchestrated by the one you least expected, this story is a powerful psychological drama that will break readers’ hearts mercilessly. A hero seeking revenge, a double agent dressed as a Magical Girl, a powerful Esper with absolute dominion over time and space, and the strongest hero of all time slowly becoming the demon lord who will destroy the world: which of these characters will remain alive at the end? Only time will tell.

10

The Exiled Hero

One Of The Newest Manhwa Quickly Rising In Popularity

• Genre: Fantasy, Action, Drama, Adventure, Martial Arts
• Author: Bluecliffe
• Artist: Ggulbeom

The Exiled Hero is a story about betrayal, regret, and rising to the top from the bottom. Jihan Yu was the Healer of a prestigious guild, and he was suddenly dismissed due to selfish reasons. But his luck is about to change when a sudden pact with an elemental spirit turns him into a powerful Wind Elementalist.

As he desperately looks for a way forward, a guild of misfits named Epic Guild offers him a new chance to become someone of relevance in this cruel world that always privileges those who get results over people who put in the effort. The quality of the series has been doing nothing but improve as the chapters go forward, and it has now collected lots of views and a solid fanbase. It is one of the best options for those who enjoy stories about underdogs rising to power.

9

Genius Mage Who Uses Fists

Fresh From The Manhwa Oven

• Genre: Fantasy, Action, Comedy, Adventure, Martial Arts
• Author & Artist: Wolcheon

With a cool and defined style, this Manhwa tells the story of Kim Jihoo, a MMA champion who was undisputed despite his advanced age. His dream was to fight the ultimate opponent, but now, as he slowly approached retirement age, he knew no-one would be able to face him on equal terms. But Kim Jihoo had a secret: he is a fan of Last Savior, an RPG game with extreme difficulty, and he has been playing like a madman for years, looking for the thrill of tough fights.

But as he finished the last battle in the game and became a champion in two different settings, he mournfully lashes out, unsatisfied with the results and craving more challenges. He is about to get more than he bargained for when a mysterious force draws him into the world of the game he was playing. He is reincarnated as the youngest member of the Arahan magic family, imprisoned for unknown reasons. Of course, he gets a game system like a screen, and some ridiculous powers that he combines with his knowledge of martial arts to become the most powerful melee magician this world has ever seen.

8

The Beginning After The End

It will Have An Anime Adaptation In 2025

• Genre: Isekai, Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery
• Author: TurtleMe
• Artist: Fuyuki23

With the upcoming release of TBATE’s anime next year, what better way to start the new season than reading its Manhwa? The story of Arthur Leywin is exciting, filled to the brim with action, and heartbreaking tales of survival and friendship.

This series’ worldbuilding is especially strong, and its colorful and beautiful art contrasts perfectly with the darkness of its main plot. It starts mild, then as Arthur grows, so does the plot. It is like the childhood’s end trope a floodgate opening to give way to some of the most brutal and visually impactful war scenes in the story. Worth reading for those who love fantasy and action.

7

Reality Quest

A Good Mixture Of Urban Fantasy And Drama

• Genre: Urban Fantasy, Martial Arts, Drama
• Author: Lee Joo-woon
• Artist: Lee Joo-woon

This story is ideal for those who love Manhwa about heroes that start with no powers and slowly develop as the story advances. This is the story of an orphan boy, desperate to figure out the truth about his father’s death and the events that connect him with the mysterious Sunshine Shelter.

For that, he will have the help of a game-like system that grants him power in exchange for him completing certain requisites or Quests. It starts small, then the “system” challenges him more and more to become powerful and break his rivals, becoming a true Urban Legend. Quite a nice Manhwa to start reading Next Season, as it is fast approaching its conclusion.

6

Dark Fantasy Paladin

A Grimdark Adventure That Will Take Readers For A Spin

• Genres: Grimdark, Dark Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Drama, Martial Arts, Isekai
• Authors: Jung Jongru, Neimdeu
• Artist: Sumsum

Dark Fantasy Paladin is a tetric tale of a person trapped in a soulslike game, which could be the dream of any Miyazaki fan, but the nightmare of Eden the protagonist of this story. When readers pick up this tale next year, they will be probably stepping in the next season of the series, which has around 70 chapters.

All the better to pick up early in 2025 and move forward as new chapters of this thrilling tale of survival are released. With the knowledge of impending doom, the MC struggles to become a powerful Paladin in this Dark Fantasy adventure that will take him far and wide, searching for a way to prevent the apocalypse.

5

The Primal Hunter

A Sordid Tale That Explores The Dark Side Of Humans

• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Seinen, Grimdark
• Author: Zogarth
• Artist: UnoDay Studio

Every action has a reaction, and in this story, there are many things that will cause certain reactions in the readers. From the get-go, the main character is not the hero everyone expects him to be. When his group of workers gets isekai’d to a mysterious tutorial world, readers will witness how humanity decays fast in a survival situation.

It never crosses the line, but stands really firm over a morally gray standard, where the MC has no choice but to kill or be killed. Even the good guy in the story is dubious and has a hidden agenda. So, if readers pick this up in 2025, trust no one: there are no heroes in this story.

4

Summoner Wars Academy

Based On A Popular Gacha Game, Still Worth Reading

• Genre: Action, School Life, Comedy, Sword and Sorcery, Drama
• Author: Tarzyan
• Artists: Grami

A mysterious elf is the director of this academy where only the best mages and summoners can excel and become vital members of the Imperium War Machine. Bound to service after their school years, these students will have to learn to summon and control their beasts to battle each other and reach the pinnacle of their class.

A thrilling tale where nothing is what it seems, with colorful art and great battle scenes. The good thing is that this Fantasy Manhwa barely started, so readers won’t have a hard time catching up if they start reading it next season.

3

Standard Of Reincarnation

A Reincarnation Tale, With A Twist

• Genre: Adventure, Shonen, Dark Fantasy, Sword And Sorcery, Action, Reincarnation
• Author: Ilhwang
• Artist: Ramwoo

The story of a cursed boy who grew up to become the worst arch-nemesys of the family who abandoned him. Even after death, he reincarnated as the youngest heir of the Adenca family, sworn enemies of the Samions. This is a great Sword and Sorcery Manhwa, with lots of action and cool character designs.

It has a Dark Fantasy setting and has quickly climbed the ranks of most-read series of the genre. But the best part is perhaps the continuous release this series has had for the past year, with the artist/writing team working non-stop to deliver new and exciting combat scenes as the protagonist grows into a powerful warrior.

2

ELECEED

A Secret Society Of Super Humans Rules The Planet

• Genre: Urban Fantasy, Martial Arts, Shounen, Drama, Comedy, Action
• Author: Son Jae-Ho
• Artist: Kim Hye-Jin

A dystopian urban fantasy action story about a boy learning to control his superpowers, and his mentor (A CAT) turning out to be the strongest super human on the planet. With many twists, intense battle scenes, and a growth-type hero that never ceases to amaze the readers with his perfect character development.

The story of Kayden and his pupil is both heartwarming, intense, and exciting. It will probably get readers hooked in no time, and since next year is going to be a big one for Manhwa, with many series having their debut as animes, it is probable that this popular comic also join their ranks. Be it as it may, it is a must-read for all battle-manhwa fans.

1

Star-Embracing Swordmaster

A Fan Favorite Quickly Rising In The Rankings

• Genre: Adventure, Drama, Dark Fantasy, Action, Sword & Sorcery
• Author: Q10 – Hong Dae Ui
• Artist: juno

The story of a knight apprentice of humble origins looking to prove himself in a world full of monsters. As the story progresses, this epic chivalry tale Manhwa will take the protagonist to face impossible choices. Overcoming every obstacle with pain, effort, and the help of his mentors, the young Vlad of Shoara is quickly rising in the ranks of the Bayezid household.

The Manhwa is also becoming quite popular as well, so if readers didn’t have a chance to visit this wonderfully constructed dark fantasy world, then what better time to start binging it next year? On the other hand, its storytelling is smooth and without plot gaps, so readers will find it quite easy to follow the story, despite it also being a complex tale of revenge and honor.