List of Manhwa/Donghua to Anime adaptations
In recent years, the global surge in manhwa popularity—fueled by platforms like Webtoon and KakaoPage—has led to a wave of Japanese anime adaptations. With massive international fanbases, fresh storytelling styles, and visually dynamic art, manhwa offers a rich pool of content that appeals to both traditional studios and modern streaming giants. Chinese/Korean-Japanese collaborations and the rise of webtoon culture have made manhwa a new frontier for anime, blending commercial potential with creative innovation. The table below contains the list of some of the most popular/upcoming manhwa to anime adaptations.
| Title | Studio | Year | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tower of God | Telecom Animation | 2020 | Great world-building, solid atmosphere | Rushed pacing, limited emotional impact |
| The God of High School | MAPPA | 2020 | Stunning animation, martial arts action | Weak plot coherence |
| Noblesse | Production I.G | 2020 | Slick visuals, charismatic leads | Confusing narrative for new viewers |
| Lookism | Studio Mir | 2022 | Faithful tone, strong characters | Too short, slow pacing in parts |
| Solo Leveling | A-1 Pictures | 2024 | High production values, faithful adaptation | Slight localization issues |
| The Boxer (upcoming) | Xtorm (confirmed) | 2025 (TBA) | Powerful themes, unique visual style (expected) | Not yet aired |
| Viral Hit (upcoming) | TBA | TBA | Funny, raw, and modern (if faithful) | High-risk if fight scenes are poorly handled |
| Omniscient Reader (TBA) | TBA | TBA | Deep plot, devoted fanbase | Huge scope may be hard to adapt |
| Lord of the Mysteries | B.CMAY Pictures | 2025 (TBA) | Lovecraftian vibe, brilliant pacing (novel) | Donghua pacing is often hit-or-miss |
| Elected (unadapted) | TBA | TBA | Political strategy thriller, unique tone | No adaptation; niche genre, challenging to animate |
FINAL THOUGHTS
The future of manhwa and donghua adaptations into anime looks increasingly promising and globally influential. As streaming platforms like Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Disney+ continue to invest in diverse content, manhwa offers fresh narratives and visually distinct styles that appeal to modern audiences. We can expect more high-budget, cross-cultural collaborations between Korean, Chinese, and Japanese studios, with better storytelling quality and longer season formats. If successful, these adaptations could reshape the anime landscape by expanding beyond traditional Japanese manga sources and diversifying both genres and creative voices in animation.
Image credit A-1 Pictures
