Copyright Screen Rant
Few anime have captured the broad viewership in the way that Solo Leveling has in what's rapidly approaching two years. The series has faithfully captured the novel and manhwa adaptation's addictive storytelling and vibrant action, but now, it's a feeding frenzy for webcomic adaptations. Thanks to Warner Bros. and Webtoon's new partnership, there are even more animated shows coming. Confirmed by a Webtoon press release, Warner Bros. Animation has entered a partnership with the webcomic giant to release a new slate of animated adaptations. This includes a mixture of hit Korean manhwa on the service as well as American webtoons, producing a diverse mix of exceptional stories brought to the screen. There are currently 10 series planned for release. Webtoon and Warner Bros. Confirm 10 Animated Adaptations Alongside the announcement of their collaboration, Webtoon and Warner Bros. have confirmed four of the 10 upcoming adaptations. Of these, there's an evenly-split slate of manhwa and American webtoons with viewership crossing approximately 877.1 million alone, with six other unannounced titles coming. It appears rival service Tapas' Solo Leveling isn't the only game in town for hit webcomic adaptations. The series confirmed for Webtoon and WB's collab so far include the following: The Stellar Swordmaster by Hong Dae Ui, juno, and Q10 Hardcore Leveling Warrior by Sehoon Kim Down to Earth by Pookie Senpai Elf & Warrior by AC Stuart, Victor Rosas II While there are surely even more exciting reveals on the horizon, Down to Earth alone accounts for over half a billion views on the American Webtoon portal. It's an astonishing collaboration with the studio that brought fans Creature Commandos as well as collaborations with Korean studios like My Adventures with Superman, alongside Webtoon Productions and Japanese IP business teams. Manhwa and Webtoon Anime Are Enjoying a Bright Future With Webtoon's latest partnership, there's a clear acknowledgment of the webcomic company's appeal to the mainstream, and its presence with Gen Z audiences. While Solo Leveling's anime is crushing the charts, sweeping awards, and enjoying its status as an anticipated series on all fronts, other manhwa and webtoon adaptations vie for similar success. “Bringing together the world-class artistry of Warner Bros. Animation and the vibrant storytelling of WEBTOON creates an awesome combination and opportunity to build something special. I cannot wait to get started!” -Sam Register, President of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe While some, like The Beginning After the End, are certainly more monumental successes as comics than anime, others, like True Beauty, enjoy a niche status and are generally well-loved, alongside other aeni like Lookism. But others, like Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, garner all-consuming enthusiasm at the prospects of a good adaptation. But none have been confirmed a Solo Leveling killer anime. The true test for WB and Webtoon's latest move is to see whether they can successfully bring a real hit to life out of even those announced. While Hardcore Leveling Warrior might be dismissed as derivative, it actually predates Solo Leveling's novel by several months, and is considered quite excellent. There's strong potential even in this early slate. “WEBTOON has become one of the most exciting sources of original storytelling in entertainment today. Our Creators are building franchises that Gen Z audiences love, and working with Warner Bros. Animation gives us an incredible opportunity to take those stories further alongside one of the most respected names in animation.” -Yongsoo Kim, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global WEBTOON.
