Webtoon is both a mobile app and a website that contains a wide range of webcomics. The genres of webtoon comics include romance, action, science fiction, and drama. Many of the cartoons have grown extremely popular, with adaptations into other mediums as well.
Webtoons or Manhwas are one of the growing mediums of entertainment since the start of the lockdown. Webtoon has always been filled with amazing stories but it never got the deserved spotlight until the start of the covid era.
But now people are considering them at par with Mangas mainly due to captivating and unique storylines and the colorful character designs that make reading fun.
Webtoon unlike Manga complies with digital advancement on so many levels. It has a long panel that you can swipe up like the Facebook newsfeed to continue reading. Plus it has colors, unlike black-and-white Manga art.
Crunchyroll and Netflix have now taken initiative to make anime adaptations for fans to enjoy. Here is a list of Anime based on Webtoons so keep reading!
What is Webtoon?
Webtoons are a form of digital comic created in South Korea that is typically read on smartphones.
While webtoons were generally unknown outside of Korea when they first appeared, there has been a boom in international popularity, owing in large part to the rise in popularity of manhwa and the fact that most manhwa are posted as webtoons.
While digital manhwa has become more widespread in the country, print publication of manhwa has declined. The amount of information published in webtoon form now equals the amount published offline.
What is the distinction between a webtoon and a manga?
In Japan, manga refers to any type of comic book. Yet the rest of the world started to refer to the Japanese comics as “mangas.”
Webtoons typically share the following characteristics: each episode is published on a single long, vertical strip. Some feature music and animations that play during each chapter, and, unlike the majority of East Asian comics, they are usually in color rather than black-and-white because they are posted digitally on a website or app rather than physically in a magazine.
They got their own category because of how large, and distinct the manga business is in comparison to the majority of other comics around the world. That is where the phrase “manga style” derived.
Mangas in Japan are often published in volumes. As a result, they are designed for the format with the idea that people will read it like a book and flip through the pages.
When reading, you have two pages open. You flip the book like a normal book, except from right to left rather than the other way around.
Webcomics are webtoons, and they are read on mobile devices. Because the screens are small, the format had to account for this, which is how vertical scrolling came to be.
When you open an entire manga page on your phone screen, it can be difficult to view smaller bubbles/letters. Manga pages have several panels, and there is a lot going on in one manga page. So, for mobile users – for webtoon readers – the text is larger, and there are fewer panels/action per screen/page.
Instead of leveraging flipping to their advantage, webtoon authors make excellent use of scrolling and the usage of empty space between panels. That looks like a movie storyboard.
Does Webtoon have Anime?
Yes, webtoons can be turned into Anime but the company taking on the project must be confident that the Anime adaptation will be profitable.
In terms of webtoon adaptations and Manhwa Anime, there are a number of popular Manhwa that are likely to be adapted into Anime. People are looking for Manhwa after the enormous popularity of the Tower of God. Maybe Solo Leveling may receive an Anime adaptation soon.
To be perfectly honest, the ultimate purpose of any industry is to generate money, and just like Mangas, animators usually strive to choose the most popular Manhwa since they are more likely to bring in the cash.
These immensely popular Korean Webtoon adaptations, ranging from Tower of God to True Beauty, have been a long time coming and are well worth the wait. Webtoons can certainly be turned into Anime, but many of them are from Korea, where they are unlikely to become Anime. Crunchyroll has begun to adapt Webtoon comics into Anime series.
Here is a list of all the webtoons that have Anime adaptations:
Tower of God
| No. of Episodes | 12 |
| Genre | Action, Fantasy |
| Streaming Platform | Crunchyroll |
It was first published in 2010 on the Webtoon app. It has been 12 years since this webtoon but its popularity has not decreased in these past years.
It is still known as the best action-packed webtoon the platform ever produced.
Along with its Anime adaptation, this webtoon also has an RPG game named Hero’s Cantare in 2019.
Plot
Tower of God follows the story of Bam and Rachel. Anyone who reaches the top floor of the tower can fulfill their greatest desires.
And even though Bam has no desire to reach the top, his only motivation is a girl, Rachel. Rachel has been his only friend amid the blinding darkness that surrounded him.
This is the story of a girl on a journey to see the stars and a boy who only wants her.
Noblesse
| No. of Episodes | 13 |
| Genre | Action, School, Supernatural |
| Streaming Platform | Crunchyroll and Netflix |
Crunchyroll has lately taken the great step of turning popular Manhwa into Anime adaptations in order to introduce more audiences to this medium.
Noblesse, a sitcom that has grown incredibly successful due to its intriguing premise, is one of its most popular adaptations.
Plot
So far, Noblesse’s plot has been divided into seven seasons, each with various arcs. Each arc is further subdivided into three “Blood” arcs.
The plot centers around the main character Cadis Etrama Di Raizel and his devoted servant Frankenstein, as well as the human friends they make, as they fight against a hidden human organization while learning more about Rai’s background. The story takes place primarily in Korea.
The God of Highschool
| No. of Episodes | 1 |
| Genre | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Supernatural |
| Streaming Platform | Crunchyroll |
The God of High School is a Webtoon written and illustrated by Yongje Park that has grown from the Naver webtoon website to an Anime series and a mobile game.
The God of High School is still widely acclaimed in the Webtoon community. It weaves together a captivating combination of fantastic action with references from old Korean and Chinese mythology.
Plot
Mori Jin, a 17-year-old martial artist, is invited to compete in a Martial Arts event named “The God of High School” for the chance to win whatever his heart desires.
Mori, on the other hand, quickly understands that there’s more to this tournament than meets the eye, as his competitors are all from different regions of Heaven and Hell.
When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl
Comic gender-bender stories are always a treat to watch. This Manhwa shows the characters from a unique perspective and funny situations.
It is more of an ingenious tacky story unlike the other adaptations on the list. You can stream this series on Rakuten Viki.
Plot
What will happen if a loser turns mysteriously turns into the girl of his dream? Absolute comedic chaos!
Although this series is not the best out there it surely will make you laugh. It is a worthy watch for anyone looking for a Quirky gender-bender Anime series.
What is Animated Manhwa called?
It depends on which company takes the responsibility to adapt it into an animated version. If an Anime production company takes the task into its hands then it will definitely be adapted into an Anime. However South Korean animated productions cannot adapt to Anime.
Usually, Korean Webtoons and Manhwas are not adapted as frequently as Mangas mainly because of the following:
- Art style
- Popularity
- Japanese dominance
Art style
We all know that, unlike Manga, Manhwa is colored, giving the artist more material to work with to make it more visually appealing. In contrast, only black and white are utilized in the Manga.
As a result, it is nearly impossible to reproduce the Manhwa in animation with the same quality, which irritates many admirers.
Popularity
Webtoon and Korean Manhwa isn’t as well-known as other mainstream graphic novels, though this is changing.
Japanese dominance
Everyone is aware that the relationship between Korea and Japan is not exactly favorable due to their respective histories.
The animation industry is primarily made up of Japanese corporations that do not wish to portray their country in a bad light, as depicted in many Manhwas. As a result, they try not to animate any Manhwa that portrays Japan negatively.
What is the most viewed Webtoon?
The most popular Webtoon is Lore Olympus right now on the app.
Lore Olympus is a Webtoon made by artist Rachel Smythe that debuted in 2018. It soon gained popularity and has been unbeaten since. Lore Olympus explores a wide range of contemporary themes and is beautifully illustrated.
Each character is distinct in appearance and personality. Fans can’t help but enjoy the romance because it is so pure and wholesome.
Plot
This webtoon is a retelling of Hades and Persephone from Greek mythology. It’s their love tale from the beginning and involves a diverse cast of gods and goddesses.
The ability to scroll across pages, which allows for a more dynamic reading experience, such as surprise dramas and big beautiful romance panels that make readers say “aww” out loud, has added to a portion of the attractiveness.
To make the webtoons feel more alive, the artists behind them occasionally add music and graphics to make them even more fascinating.
Conclusion
- After all, initiatives by companies such as Crunchyroll have eventually made some fantastic Webtoons to be adapted into Anime.
- Fans are excited to see what new titles will rule the app as Webtoons continue to increase in popularity.
- Webtoons can be transformed into Anime, but many of them are from Korea, where they are unlikely to become Anime.