The best action Manhwa that focuses on melee combat

Summary

• Manhwa offers numerous titles that feature protagonists with incredible fighting skills using hand-to-hand combat.

• Some isekai manhwa protagonists refuse to be heroes, becoming anti-heroes, villains, or simply adapting to a new world.

• Stories like “The Breaker” and “Weak Hero” feature intense action, character growth, and stunning artistry in martial arts narratives.

Manhwa has a peculiarity of offering thousands of specific tropes and genres, where the heroes only fight using hand-to-hand combat, for example. In this particular case, there are countless titles about main characters who develop incredible fighting skills that use their entire bodies as lethal weapons to fight evil.

In some cases, however, evil strikes back and must face some of the most dangerous street fighters in the world. Heroes fall, heroes rise and anti-heroes also roam in these tales of martial prowess and cool fight scenes. This topic focuses on the best action manhwa that focus on hand-to-hand combat, considering how good their action scenes, character designs, and story quality are.

7

Cracker

An intense hand-to-hand experience

• Genres: Urban Fantasy, Martial Arts, Drama, Shounen, Action, Adventure
• Author: Jeon Geuk-jin
• Artist: Kamaro (Park Jin-hwan)

Cracker has become a classic among martial arts manhwa lovers. Its impressive story is about a mild-mannered student named Shioon Yi who, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious martial artist, begins his training and path to become the strongest in the world.

With its beautiful art, intense action scenes and a rising hero as the main character, Cracker and its direct follow-up The Breaker: New Wavesthey are stories built for those who enjoy real martial arts action without an ounce of filler.

6

ELECT

Quickly rising up the ranks as one of the best Manhwa fighters

• Gender: Shonen, Action, Comedy, Urban Fantasy, Martial Arts
• Author: Jeho Son
• Artist: ZHENA

Eleced tells the story of Jiwoo, a young man with a special ability who has hidden it from the rest of the world for the past fifteen years, for fear of being labeled a freak and taken by the government to experiment. But when he meets a stray cat who happens to be a superman in disguise, his life takes a turn.

Accompanied by his master Kayden, he begins training as an Awakened, and plenty of hand-to-hand combat ensues as he is introduced to the secret world of super-powered humans fighting for supremacy in the shadows. A great story of friendship, filial love and overcoming weakness through hard work.

5

The Quest for Reality

His fists carve a bloody path to the truth

• Gender: Urban fantasy, martial arts, drama
• Author: Lee Joo-woon
• Artist: Lee Joo-woon

One of the best manhwa to start reading this year, The Quest for Reality offers a thrilling story of self-reinvention through hard work, with the help of a mysterious quest system that guides the main character to the truth about what happened to his father. An orphan seeking justice, a shadowy group of young delinquents and a battle for supremacy that will set the stage for a series of dramatic encounters.

This series is a must-read for any lover of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. With stunning art and incredibly detailed action scenes, the story of shy Ha Dowan, from a bullied weakling to a powerful street thug who will smash everything (and everyone) in his path to justice, is a masterpiece.

4

Gosh

Underrated but one of the best Manhwa fighters

• Genres: Historical Drama, Martial Arts, Comedy, Adventure, Fighting Manhwa
• Author: Gun Ryu
• Artist: Mun Jeong Hoo

A story of revenge following Gang Ryong, a martial artist like few others in the world. Behind his jovial demeanor sits a full-grown tiger, a mighty fighting disciple of the sage known as the Destroyer of Heavens. Gang Ryong works as a tavern delivery boy and has traveled far, experiencing dozens of adventures and having fateful encounters with many other martial artists and memorable characters.

Gosu is a masterfully crafted martial arts story, heavily inspired by classic martial arts films, with a dash of humor and beautiful art that reflects the fluidity of martial arts like few other stories in the genre.

3

Weak hero

Good enough to deserve its own movie

• Genres: Martial Arts, Drama, School Life, Action, Shounen
• Author: Seopass
• Artist: Razen (Kim Jin-seok)

This story is about Gray Yeon, a skinny student who everyone abuses because they think he is weak. But Gray Yeon hides a sharp mind and a daring that few others can imitate. His unique fighting style makes him a master of improvised tactics, using his environment and whatever is at his disposal to counter his enemies and defeat you despite his lower complexity.

This manhwa is great because it focuses on friendship and the power of those who are a minority, instead of spotlighting the most popular kids in school like most shonen series do. Throughout this story, Gray Yeon evolves greatly, reaching the peak of human physical capabilities and earning the surname White Mamba. It's a cool and refreshing take on street fighting/martial arts dramas.

2

Mercenary registration

A battle-hardened young man decided to become a protector of the weak

• Genres: Action, Drama, Martial Arts, Fighting Manhwa, Adventure, School Drama
• Author: YC
• Artist: Rakyeon

Ijin Yu lost his parents at a young age and was thrown into a spiral of violence, survival and constant danger. Forced to become a mercenary in a foreign land, he has developed a powerful set of abilities, a very particular set of abilities that make him a nightmare for those who oppress the weak.

And if readers were able to catch this reference, it's because the main character of the series is the very representation of that character in the film. Cool and collected, determined, ruthless and relentless. He will use his skills gained in battle not only to survive the bullies in the academy, but also to protect those oppressed by them. Great story with great action scenes.

1

Infinite Leveling: We Die

A warrior goes back in time and becomes the most powerful martial artist

• Gender: Martial Arts, Adventure, Action, Time Travel, Shounen
• Author: Gonbung
• Artist: Jinwoo Kim

Dan Yuuseong died on the battlefield, desperately trying to protect a mysterious object from a band of robbers. He then regressed back in time to his days before becoming a mercenary and soldier of the Dying Alliance. Deciding to do things differently this time and unlocking a mysterious quest system, he began a journey to become the strongest martial artist in the world.

Through incredible fight scenes, heartwarming moments of friendship and dramatic storytelling, Infinite Leveling: We Die tells an incredible story of adventure and overcoming weakness through sheer force of will. A must-read for those who love hand-to-hand combat scenes, although the main character is also a master of weapons.