Manhwa’s rise in popularity granted its reader base access to a slew of titles, and this demand in turn prompted more narratives to be written. However, it’s not all pros. The more series are released, the harder it becomes to stand out. And so, common tropes from successful series are frequently adapted, resulting in saturation. Regression manhwa is a good example of that.
Much like tower climbing and transmigration, there is no shortage of manhwa utilizing this trope. Certainly, not all of them utilize the trope well — at least, not enough to be considered masterpieces. As such, here are 10 regression manhwa that are worth reading.
Level Up with the Gods
Level Up with the Gods sees Yuwon Kim and his companions face utter defeat against what they call Outer Gods. What’s worse is that defeat came after conquering the infamous Tower and uniting the entire Tower’s fighting force. But just as they are to lose all hope, one of the Inner Gods — Kronos — steps in. He sacrifices himself to send one of them back in time. To no surprise, the chosen one is none other than Yuwon.
What makes this manhwa compelling is that despite the fact the main character is now armed with knowledge of the future, he still has to work hard to alter the future. Not only does he have to conquer the tower, but he must do so while preparing for the inevitable grand war against the Outers.
Level Up with the Gods can be read via Tapas.
A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special
In A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special, we follow Desir Herrman, one of the last survivors of humanity’s war against the Shadow World. After a decade of relentless fighting, mankind stands on the brink of extinction. Just when all seems lost, Desir is miraculously transported back to his days as a student at Hebrion Academy. Now, with his knowledge of the future, he’s determined to rewrite history, preparing his friends and allies for the dark times ahead.
Desir’s story is compelling because of how it blends magic and strategy. Much like in Level Up with the Gods, Desir’s knowledge of the future is simply a tool to save the people he holds dear. But unlike the former, A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special is a regression manhwa that features a much more unique world.
It can be read on Tapas.
My S-Class Hunters
In My S-Class Hunters, Han Yoojin is nothing more than an F-rank hunter, seen as weak and insignificant. Even his S-Class Hunter brother has abandoned him, leading him to live a miserable life. But just as he is about to be killed in a dungeon raid, his brother sacrifices himself to save him. With his skill that allows him to use his deceased teammates’ abilities, he defeats the boss monster and earns a Wish Stone as a reward. He then uses the stone to return to the past.
While My S-Class Hunters seems a lot similar to the above titles, its focus is less world-saving and more on saving his younger brother. Furthermore, it puts a lot of emphasis on building character relationships, especially between the overly protective Han brothers.
My S-Class Hunters can be read on Webtoon.
Doom Breaker
Doom Breaker takes place in a world on the brink of destruction, where Zephyr, the last human warrior, faces off against the final nemesis, Tartarus the god of destruction. But just as he meets his end, the gods, who already abandoned the world but found his struggle entertaining, send him back in time for another round. Thrown back to when he was a slave, Zephyr now must work to become stronger than he was, fight back against the merciless gods, and hand Tartarus his backside.
What makes Doom Breaker a great regression manhwa is its high-octane action and Zephyr’s relentless determination. You can witness Zephyr’s adventure unfold through Webtoon.
Return Survival
Moving on from dungeons and hunters, we focus on another fantasy setting — zombie apocalypse. Return Survival is set in a world where zombies have taken over the world. Yohan, the main character, meets his end, but not ultimately. He gets sent back in time, specifically six months before the apocalypse begins. Even though he now possesses knowledge of the future, he does not have a system or any superpowers. He can only prepare as much as he can to, hopefully, survive the second time around.
Return Survival can be read via Tapas.
To Be an Actor
Jang Youngkuk has always lived a life of poverty. Even so, his loving mother does her best to support him. Unfortunately, Youngkuk despises her as she reminds him of poverty. Youngkuk aims to hone his acting skills and climb his way to fame and fortune. When he does, he still actively pushes his mother away. Only after losing her does he realize that fame and fortune does not equate to happiness. As such, he decides to end his life. However, he gets sent into the past instead.
This time around, he vows to live an ordinary life with his mother, but the universe aligns and paves the way for him to be an actor. So, how exactly will he fare in his new life? You can find out via Tapas.
Rescue System
In Rescue System, Kim Soohyuk awakens a system after a tragic incident that allows him to go back in time. With his newfound power, he can foresee disasters and is tasked with rescuing people from them. The more he saves, the better he becomes as a fireman. Now, he must use his newfound ability to save the people dear to him from upcoming perils.
Rescue System breathes a new life to the regression trope in manhwa as Soohyuk does not aim to end monsters but tragedies. While he does become almost supernatural, he isn’t all-powerful. What do I mean? Find out by reading Rescue System via Tapas.
Infinite Leveling: Murim
Infinite Leveling: Murim follows Yuseong Dan, a warrior who dies an inglorious death on the battlefield. However, after his death, he is granted an unexpected second chance at life with a mysterious leveling system. Each time Yuseong completes a quest, he becomes stronger, but the tasks he faces are increasingly more dangerous and challenging. Now, Yuseong must use his newfound abilities to avoid repeating his tragic fate and rise as the hero he has always aspired to be.
Infinite Leveling: Murim interestingly uses a unique combination of traditional martial arts themes with an RPG-like leveling system. Yuseong’s progression feels earned, yet his abilities remain within the bounds of martial arts.
Witness his martial arts journey by reading Infinite Leveling: Murim on Webtoon.
The Return of the 8th Class Mage
The Return of the 8th Class Mage follows the story of Ian Paige, a once-loyal archmage to the empire. However, his loyalty to the emperor is not only left unreciprocated, he is even betrayed. But before his death, Ian uses time magic to save himself and return 30 years into the past. This time, he is determined to seek vengeance for his tragic fate.
As a revenge regression manhwa, The Return of the 8th Class Mage combines devious plotting, magical battles, and serving justice. Furthermore, the series is already completed, so there won’t be any cliffhangers. You can read the manhwa’s entirety on Tapas.
Tomb Raider King
Tomb Raider King presents a world where mysterious tombs suddenly appear, each housing powerful relics. Jooheon Suh, a tomb raider who was betrayed and left to die, is sent back to a time before the tombs appeared. Armed with his future knowledge, Jooheon begins his quest to plunder tombs, gain unimaginable power, and take revenge on those who betrayed him.
Yet another revenge manhwa, Tomb Raider King will satisfy your thirst for justice. Unlike The Return of the 8th Class Mage, Tomb Raider King does it in a very grand way. Not only that, it’s also already finished and is available on Tapas.
Published: Oct 8, 2024 08:06 am