December 2022 Issue

Brief Summary

Ao Ashi is a sport-based anime adaptation of the Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yugo Kobayashi and based on a concept by Naohiko Ueno. The story revolves around Aoi Ashito, a third-year middle school student whose main aim is to become a professional football player as soon as possible. A significant event in his quest to go pro happens when a youth coach for Tokyo City Esperion happens to attend a football match where Ashito plays as a striker, and invites him to the selections for the Esperion Youth Academy.

Characters

The main character, Ashito, is eccentric in general, but when he is trying to learn something new in football, he becomes serious and his thoughts are filled with it. The youth coach, Fukuda, has a laid-back approach to things, but like Ashito, he is also serious when it comes to his footballing goals. Ashito's family consists of his mother and brother, who don't get much screen time except in the first few episodes of the show. At the youth team selections, Ashito meets new people, notably Tachibana, a striker who came from a different youth system hoping that a new challenge will lead to further development, and Otomo, who is the comic relief of the show.

Art & Animation

The art style is great and the animation felt smooth. Each character had different hairstyles and facial structures, which made it easy to differentiate between characters. The OP and ending sequences were well-animated, but there was nothing too special about them.

Music

I felt like the music was good and fitted the themes quite well. There was nothing remarkable about them, but there was nothing to complain about at the same time. The soundtracks for the OP and ED were also quite good, and worth listening to.

Enjoyment

It is a slightly slow-paced anime, and for those who don't follow football much, it could be a bit of a bore sometimes. But for people who follow football, it is an amazing experience, well worth a watch. In my opinion, it is one of the most realistic football anime till now, and it even has intense matches and moments.

Ratings

Story:	9
Characters:	8
Art:	8
Music:	7
Enjoyment:	8
Overall:	8

Synopsis

Yeon-woo's twin brother disappeared five years ago, only for his pocket watch to suddenly fall into Yeon-woo's hands. Inside, Yeon-woo found a hidden diary. "By the time you hear this, I guess I will already be dead..."

Obelisk, the Tower of the Sun God, is a world where several universes and dimensions intersect. Yeon-woo's brother died after being betrayed while he climbed the tower, and after learning the truth, Yeon-woo decided to climb the tower with the help of his brother's diary.

"From now on, I am Cha Jeong-woo.”

Art - 10/10

The art is quite similar to Solo Leveling and other manhwas like “The Second Coming of Gluttony” and “The Beginning After The End”. The character designs have a charming appeal to them (super hot male characters uwu). I would consider it to have some of the best art in this genre.

Story- 9/10

The most important element of any main character is their drive. Here is his desire to take revenge for his twin brother. The story starts with the main character acing every single trial that is thrown at him. The way he tackles each trial uniquely is interesting and an out-of-the-box approach. The build-up is quite good, and even though the number of characters is numerous, the author handles them quite well. The development of the main character is quite well-progressed. The only drawback to the story is that remembering so many abilities can be difficult at times [perhaps the author addressed this later in the manhwa;)].

Characters- 6/10

Well, I would consider this the weakest part of the series. The side characters are just not that well-developed. Do I care about them? No. Will it be any different if one of them dies? No. That's the issue here. The whole series is overly dependent on the main character, although Yeon-woo does cover up for the lacunae of his comrades. The characters that I personally liked would be Edora, Martial King and Phante in the beginning of the manhwa.

Epilogue

Personally, this is one of my favourite manhwas and will remain at the top of my list for quite some time. Even though I have read numerous overpowered MC manhwas, Second Life Ranker touched my weebheart the most. I would recommend you this manhwa as a must-read.

"Until I understand what true strength is. I'm the Challenger! So I will always stand up."

After you have ripped and burned everything you have, what makes you stand? What makes you see the end? For a person like Ippo, it is his will to endure, his will to fight, and his will to win no matter what. This journey of Ippo is what will be presented to you in the animated series called "Hajime no Ippo."

Hajime no Ippo is a Japanese boxing-themed manga series written and illustrated by George Morikawa. It has been serialized by Kodansha in Weekly Shnen Magazine since October 1989 and collected into 133 tankbon volumes as of March 2022. The anime has had 3 seasons, 1 TV film, and 1 OVA. Many fans are awaiting the return of the anime with a new season.

The anime takes place in Japan and revolves around the main character, Makunouchi Ippo. Ippo is a character that many would call "too kind for his own good." In the beginning of the anime, we see that Ippo works really hard between his school and job to support his mother. It is clearly implied that his father has already passed away, and therefore he has quite the burden to handle. He also has another problem: being bullied by three of his classmates. Those 3 attack him mentally and physically simply for the sake of it.And it is implied that Ippo has been a victim of their bullying for a long time because he didn't and couldn't fight back against them. Though this bullying was ultimately what led to his journey as a pro-boxer starting,

The first season of the anime was released in 2000, which explains why it has the raw and rough texture that is characteristic of many of the older anime. The fight animation in the anime makes you crave for more, and the sound track and sound effects used during the fights take it up a notch. (Especially the use of shotgun firing sounds and jet plane sounds for punches.) The use of soundtracks in the anime is one of the best that I have ever seen.

The story of anime is one that uses the age-old Shonen story structure as its base, though that doesn't make its story less interesting. That's because it isn't a singular rise of the protagonist with ever-increasing power and feats; the protagonist has to suffer, he has to face defeats, and he gets into situations that he finds difficult to overcome. Also, the anime isn't solely focused on the main character; we get various episodes on the backstory and feats of many side characters. Also, anime tends to keep the characters consistent over time. The various training sessions shown in the anime are powerful enough to make any of us viewers want to train in real life.

The continuous character development of the protagonist is something I loved while matching the anime. He slowly develops his self-confidence, and he begins to pursue his goal towards the top of boxing.

For anyone looking for an intense and energetic sports anime, I would definitely recommend this. Even outside the sports genre, this anime is a gem.

Mushoku Tensei follows a 34-year old recluse, who gets reborn as Rudeus in a world filled with magic, after dying while trying to save some students. Sounds like every other generic isekai story? It's far from it. It has a Manga adaptation with 15 volumes and 2 seasons of anime adaptation so far (23 Ep + 1 OVA), and a good reason to believe that a 3rd Season is already under production.

• Extensive World Building:
  The world map is very well defined right from the first book. The main character, Rudeus, explores every part of it at some point in the story. Every city of the map has well defined descriptions and is expressed with extreme detail. Every place feels very much alive and the reader finds themselves immersed into the world. Culture, religion, technology, economy, and politics are all linked to the world and have their own history and origins. There is no narrator explaining how everything works nor convenient descriptions purely for teaching; it's just the readers getting the same intellectual experience as the protagonist who learns more about the world, the history, the languages, and social norms, over time. The first-person perspectives allow the readers to feel more connected with the narrative and learn at the same pace as the character.
  


• A well defined Power System:
  This example is for Magic, same ranks apply for Swordsmanship as well.

  Rank	Title	Scale
  1	Beginner	Basic mana (magic power) manipulation.
  2	Intermediate	Advanced mana manipulation.
  3	Advanced	Complex mana manipulation. Generally large area of effect.
  4	Saintly / Holy	Large scale complex mana manipulation.
  5	Kingly	Builds upon Saint-class Magic by increasing its effectiveness.
  6	Imperial / Emperor	Further enhances the scale of King-class Magic
  7	Divine / God	Continental scale magic.



• Intense fights:
  Despite having very talented magic and sword users, there are only a small number of fights and battles, with each one having meaning in furthering someone's motives or growth. Rudeus, the main character, tries to stay away from getting into fights as much as possible, but when they do take place, they are intense and spectacular. There are not too many fights but the big ones are masterpieces. Rudeus is a tactical genius and the main enemies are OP. The contrast of power and the strategies involved leaves a deep impression on the minds of the readers.


• Overarching Plots:
  The run of 26 books is just a prelude to the main story featuring the Reincarnation of the Demon ‘Laplace’. Laplace is said to reincarnate every 500 years after his death. The story starts 407 years after the death of Laplace. The last book ends in the year 481. Yes, the main antagonist, Laplace, hasn't been born yet. Mushoku Tensei is just a prologue to the main plot which is yet to start. The incident that brings our main character Rudeus into the world is also part of the larger story that has been explained only briefly. The entire world and many powerful characters that live for hundreds of years are preparing for the birth of Laplace, which doesn't even happen at the end of Mushoku Tensei. The anticipation of the prophecy that is yet to take place gives the readers the same feeling as the characters in the story. Despite being only a prelude to a much bigger story that is yet to take place, Mushoku Tensei is an incredible masterpiece in and of itself. The readers are left satisfied after every book and the grandiose plot makes so much sense as it's presented through one character's viewpoint. Yes, there are a lot of moving points and separate storylines, but the readers are unaware of the complete picture and are only presented as passing stories that Rudeus hears in his journey.


• Detailed Character Development:
  As the story progresses, each character grows and learns from their surroundings. There is always a change in attitude and drive of every character as the story progresses. Mushoku Tensei follows the entire lifespan of Rudeus. His experiences from all the events shape how he acts and changes how he thinks. Being a story that spans years the readers can see a contrast in each character's motivations and goals from when they were first introduced and when they return later.
  
  

  Lets meet a few Mushoku Tensei characters:

  
  

  Rudeus Greyrat: The Isekai’d Hero
  The main character, who has potential to be OP but never does throughout the run of the story. A lecherous 34 year old who decided to do better in his new life as Rudeus. He uses his knowledge to overcome the shortcomings of his previous life, and is careful not to get carried away. Rudeus tries his best to live this new life with no regrets to leave behind.
  The Light Novel is written from Rudeus’ first person perspective. The readers learn about the world along with Rudeus’ through his narration.

  
  

  Zenith Greyrat: The Doting Mother
  Rudeus’ mom, a cheerful healer who loves Rudeus a lot. She ran away from her home and joined Paul’s adventuring party. She has a warm, loving and gentle personality but can also be strict when needed. After seeing Rudeus’ potential for magic, she wants Rudeus to be a magician like her.

  
  
  
  

  Paulo Greyrat: The Useless Dad
  Rudeus’ dad, a skilled swordsman who became skilled in swordsmanship at a very young age. He has a bold and confident personality and is a known womaniser. After meeting Zenith, she made him swear to be faithful to her only. Paul has the tendency to jump to conclusions and act without thinking. He was always learning from Rudeus’ calm demeanour. Paul wants Rudeus to be a swordsman and trains Rudeus himself.

  
  
  

  Roxy Migurdia: The Loli Sensei
  The first heroine we encounter. Roxy is hired as Rudeus’ magic instructor by his mother Zenith. She might look like a little girl, but she is 44 years old when she meets Rudeus for the first time. Her heritage is that of the Migurdia clan, a demon race, who look like teenagers throughout their lifespan of around 200 years. She is a skilled magician and had been travelling the continent as an adventurer, before accepting the job as Rudeus’ tutor. Rudeus graduates from her tutoring after he learns everything she had to teach. Long after that Rudeus worships and prays on a particular piece of clothing (*coughs*) that was stolen left behind, and starts a secret religion in her name which has only one devout follower, Rudeus himself.

  
  

  Sylphiette: The Shy Childhood Friend
  Rudeus meets Sylpiette after graduating from Roxy Sensei's tutoring, while she was being bullied by the neighbouring kids. He saves her and she takes a liking to him. Unfortunately, Rudeus mistakes her to be a boy which leads to a certain…Err… situation (*coughs*).
  Sylpie is a shy and introverted half elf. She displays talent for magic thus Rudeus takes on himself the role of her teacher. They spend a lot of time together which causes her to depend on Rudeus a lot. She would break down crying when Rudeus would leave her. They were forcefully separated from each other when Paul decided to send Rudeus far away for a job.

  
  

  Eris Boreas Greyrat: The Hothead Tsundere
  Rudeus wants to earn money to attend the Ranoa Magic Academy (Roxy’s Alma mater). For this he has to tutor Eris, a problem child of noble origin. Eris is known to be very difficult to handle and many tutors before her were unable to withstand a single session with her. When first meeting Rudeus, she is defiant, pompous, condescending and impulsive.
  Over time she learns to be better and Rudeus is able to find a way to teach her. She remains the same hothead but learns to control it when it comes to Rudeus. She lacks aptitude for magic but is able to outperform Rudeus in swordsmanship.

  
  

Afterword:

Mushoku Tensei may have its morally questionable actions and views, a troubled protagonist and many personal problems that were present before his death and reincarnation, despite which the story has established itself as so much more than persistent action and generic isekai like its counterparts, with a stellar collection of characters and a deep and intriguing story.

Mushoku Tensei is first, and foremost, a redemption story, with a touch of humour and over the top fights against terrible odds, along with a romance fantasy narrative and offers something different with each volume and excels for the most part in whatever it takes to accomplish narratively and emotionally.

Rifujin na Magonote, the story's author, used a generic theme to create characters and a world, but unlike generic fantasy light novels, he puts effort into creating depth for the characters and its world. Mushoku Tensei is arguably the best Isekai story I have ever read. There are just too many elements to this story besides Rudeus’ development that leaves an impression. I can only praise how amazing the writing and storytelling is from start to finish. Every story element feels so well thought out that it feels like the author crafted the world and many plot points before he even began writing about the main character.

I'm really grateful that I got to read this series and am glad to have experienced the complex and bizarre yet touching and empowering, and genuinely a life-changing journey that is Mushoku Tensei. A must read for all Isekai Fans.

In a time when there are so many new Manhwas releasing every month, with some of them even getting adaptations like anime, games or even live-action dramas, here are some of the most popular action Manhwas as of now.

10. Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

"I am Dokja. A reader." As Kim Dokja finishes reading his favourite web novel "Three Ways to Survive an Apocalypse (TWSA)", he finds an author note, which allows him to download the whole novel before it becomes paid content. Once it is downloaded, the lights in the train he was travelling start to flicker, and scenes which he was all too familiar with were happening. The novel, TWAS, was becoming a reality, and Kim Dokja is the only one who has read it to the end. Will Kim Dokja be able to survive the apocalypse? Or will he conquer the stage while surpassing even the protagonist of the novel, a regressor with years of experience? Read this absolute hit to find out.

This adaptation of the popular web novel of the same name has all three things which make something worth reading: an awesome plot, stunning visuals and some awesome characters. If you pick this up and are awestruck by the story already, you will be dumbfounded to find out what's in store.

Status	Ongoing
Number of Chapters	130+

9. Overgeared

Shin Youngwoo is an unlucky loser in both real life and the most popular virtual reality game 'Satisfy' in which he plays Grid. When Grid finds the legendary class change item 'Pagma's Rare Book' in an S-class quest, he unfortunately dies, making him a level -1 player as a consequence of changing classes and dying in the middle of an S-Class quest. This manhwa focuses on Grid, as he makes his way from being the first negative-levelled player to the most powerful, or rather, 'Overgeared' character in the world of Satisfy.

The consistent pacing and development of the story over various arcs is what has held the Manhwa's popularity and allowed its creator to publish a 1750+ chapter web novel.

Status	Ongoing
Number of Chapters	155+

8. The God of High School

"The best fighter, I'm the best fighter." 17-year-old Mori Jin, a prodigy who learned Taekwondo from his grandfather, had no losses in any fights he participated in, that is until he was invited to the 'God of High School' competition. His first loss is when he fights the commissioner who invites him to the competition. After experiencing his first defeat, Mori Jin chooses to participate in the competition to fight strong people from all over the world. This absolute mixture of action, comedy and folklore has finally ended, making this probably the perfect time to pick it up (or pick it back up in case you left it during one of its many breaks)

While this series started as a way of merging different lores and myths through a fight show, the story has evolved into something far greater than what it is, leading to a grand universe of action which you just can't get tired of.

Status	Completed
Number of Chapters	569
Adaptation	Crunchyroll Anime

7. Return of the Blossoming Blade (alt: Return of the Mount Hua Sect)

Chung Myung, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, finds himself dying on the battlefield after killing the demon Chun Ma. However, he is reincarnated in a beggar child's body 100 years after he died against Chun Ma. What surprises the master of the blade is that the Mount Hua Sect, whose swordsmanship was recognized by Chun Ma as the strongest, is not even one of the top Twelve Sects. This story revolves around the reincarnated Chung Myung's efforts in restoring the Mount Hua Sect to its former glory.

This manhwa is known for the protagonist's seemingly two-faced behaviour and comedic expressions throughout the story, be it 'charming' his brothers into becoming stronger, or ripping off a merchant using his skills (mild spoilers; harmless without context)

Status	End-Season Hiatus
Number of Chapters	72

6. Mercenary Enrollment (alt: Teenage Mercenary)

After being separated from his family 10 years ago in a plane crash, Yu Ijin is finally reunited with his family in Korea. When he is enrolled in high school, he experiences a lot of new things, like friendships, PC cafes, gaming and even bullying. What most people don't know is that Ijin was one of the world's deadliest mercenaries. This Manhwa revolves around Ijin as he adjusts to his new life while encountering various friends and foes, new and old alike.

This manhwa is an absolute favourite among many for its action sequences and how it turns simple day-to-day events into comedic events without changing the pacing of the story as a whole.

Status	Ongoing
Number of Chapters	90+

5. Nano Machine

On the verge of his death by an ambush, Cheon Yeo-Woon, the illegitimate son of the Lord of the Demon Cult, finds himself saved by his descendant. When he regains consciousness, he finds himself healed of all his injuries. Furthermore, he hears a voice in his head. Nano Machine, a system of millions of nanobots present throughout his body, is programmed to assist Cheon Yeo-Woon. Read this Manhwa to see Yeo-Woon enter the Demonic Academy and become the strongest warrior in the Demonic Cult while taking revenge on those who have wronged him.

The sci-fi element that Nano Machine offers, combined with a Martial Arts setting, put together by its wonderful story and characters make it something which many people are hooked onto.

Status	Ongoing
Number of Chapters	135+

4. Noblesse

This manhwa is about Cadis Etrama di Raizel, or as everyone calls him, Rai. Waking up after 820 long years, Rai finds himself in the modern world. As he blends in using the most common type of clothing - a school uniform, he finds an old friend as the school's headmaster. Read this story about a 'noble', a being with supernatural abilities, as he learns more about life in the human world while also taking on the evils of the world.

This Manhwa gained popularity with its character designs and developments, while also including comedy in the most simple and seemingly obvious things.

Status	Completed
Number of Chapters	544
Adaptations	Crunchyroll OVA, Anime

3. Eleceed

From the author of Noblesse, this manhwa focuses on the adventures of a cat-loving boy, Seo Jisoo who is fast (and I mean really fast) and, you guessed it (no you didn’t), a talking cat. Kayden, a man with the ability to transform and use electricity, turns into a stray cat when he is injured. As fate would have it, Kayden’s the talking cat. Read this story to find out why Kayden was injured, how Jisoo adjusts to his powers and what the biggest mess this dynamic duo can get themselves into.

Why is it popular? It’s pretty simple. It has a new story concept, some top-tier comedy and most importantly, cats!!!

Status	Ongoing
Number of Chapters	190+

2. Tower Of God

25th Bam finds Rachel, the only person he has known his whole life, leaving him to climb the Tower. Searching for her, Bam finds himself entering the Tower as an Irregular, someone who has entered the tower but was not chosen by it. Watch Bam climb the tower in his quest to find Rachel, while making a lot of allies, going through tough ordeals, and large forces which act behind the scenes.

The fascinating thing about this Manhwa is how any reader will find something new every time they re-read the series. The author SIU has done a marvellous job with the plot and the characters.

Status	Mid-Season Hiatus
Number of Chapters	550
Adaptation	Crunchyroll Anime, Netmarble Game

1. Solo Leveling

Sung Jin-Woo, an F-class hunter with nothing specifically remarkable about his abilities, finds himself trapped in a double dungeon. Moments before his death, he gets a notification. "You have obtained the right to become a player. Do you accept it?" Once he accepts it, he finds himself in the hospital after being unconscious for three days. With all his injuries healed, and a status window with quests, penalties and much more, Jin-Woo starts pushing himself to become the best hunter of all time.

This is definitely the most popular Manhwa. While this Manhwa gained fame because of its art and story, it also became a trendsetter in many ways, the most common one being how most new Manhwas have a 'player system' for the protagonist. While this theme has been prevalent for a while, its use has increased by a drastic margin after Solo Leveling.

Status	Completed
Number of Chapters	179
Adaptation	Upcoming RPG, anime