Summary
Combining the best of the sci-fi genre and fantasy settings might result in one heck of a story. There are lots of manhwa where the line between science fiction and sword and sorcery becomes a thing, while there’s also the Awakened genre, a common trope in the Korean manhwa culture that combines action, fantasy, and sci-fi.
The following are the best manhwa that fans of these two genres might enjoy. From deep dives in a VRMMORPG to dystopian realities where a shadow government controls all, andpeople with superpowers rampage unbridledby the common laws. Buckle up, because these titles have the right mix between action and adventure.
1The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor
A Guy Takes His Hobby To A Full Immersion VMMORPG
In a world where Virtual Reality technology has advanced considerably, a new VMMORPG called Continent of Magic allows players to live a second life inside a fantasy game. It’s a fully immersive experience, which includes total mobility, pain, and taste simulation. In this setting,a young and hard-workingKorean student Lee Hyun loses all his money due to a loan shark pressuring him to pay his student debts.
He decides to sell his top character in a popular game for billions just to pay his debts and his family’s mortgage. But then, he creates a new one and decides to spend his time in the game playing however he wants. Without a thing to lose, Lee Hyun soon discovers he can translate his sculpting hobby to the game, and discovers a hidden class called Moonlight Sculptor. His sculpting skills become so good that he racks up fame and in-game money like crazy, and soon manages to make a living by playing as a sculptor in the game.
2Overgeared
A Combination Of Virtual Reality Immersion, Fantasy, And Advanced AI
In the near future, virtual reality immersion is so advanced that games like Satisfaction Online (SO) offer the possibility to live practically inside the game. With high-tech specs that simulate reality at a 100% accuracy rate, and advanced AI NPCs that are practically living and breathing beings, this game is the top of the notch in Fantasy VRMMORPGs.
Grid is a solo player of SO and is about to unlock a highly difficult quest when he discovers that he can unlock a Special Class called Legendary Blacksmith. From that moment on,Grid’s life in the game changes forever: he becomes a high-ranking player, amassing an enormous amount of wealth inside and outside the game, even marrying an NPC named Isabel and having a child with her.
3Eleceed
In A Dystopian Future, People With Powers Rule The World From The Shadows
In a dystopian future, humankind is ruled by a group of super-powered beings called Awakeners. These superhumans are vicious and selfish, and often fight for supremacy, while also ruling society from the shadows. In this setting, Jiwoo has been hiding his whole life, knowing that he is different from everyone else. He has special abilities that make him super fast, but he needs to hide them for fear of being segregated by his peers.
On a fateful day, while he feeds street cats, he is led by them to an injured cat lying in an alley. Jiwoo nurses him back to health and soon discovers that this is no ordinary cat, but an Awakener in disguise, and not just any superhuman, but Kayden Break, the strongest and most infamous of them all. Kayden is impressed by Jiwoo’s good nature and abilities and soon explains to the boy that the nature of his powers is similar to his. Thus,they become master and disciple, and together they forge a special bond. But danger lurks all around in this dangerous sci-fantasy story, and Jiwoo’s journey has just begun.
4Housekeeper
When A Dangerous AI Fights For Mankind
In a distant dystopian future where AI and robotics have advanced greatly, a dangerous virus of unknown origin has nearly wiped out mankind. The rich and powerful pressure the governments to exterminate the infected and survivors instead of helping them. This has led humanity to the brink of extinction and caused Hasty, a Robot Maid empowered by abattle AI to take extreme measuresto protect her master, Navil. As a super advanced Android, Hasty has near supernatural powers, thanks to a secret improvement that has been installed in her core.
The young master is infected, and Hasty will have to fight using all her skills to prevent his untimely death. But this loyal robot soon discovers that the future might well depend on her actions, and becomes an ally of the weak and unprotected. She will help humans take back the world from their evil overlords, searching for a cure for her master and the rest of humanity. The manhwa constantly deals with topics like the difference between a soul and AI, and high-fantasy tropes like transcension. It is part of a series called Super String, where Hasty is a recurrent character (with an alternate version) in this multi-verse, with lots of trans-dimensional travel, and several fantasy elements like superpowers and alternate worlds.
5Arcane Sniper
A Former Army Sniper Gets A Second Chance In A Virtual Fantasy World
The highly trained Korean army sniper, Sergeant Ha LeeHa, suffers a spinal injury during a combat deployment and gets honorably discharged. Not knowing what to do with his life from now on, and severely depressed for not being able to walk again, he is invited to play a VRMMORPG with a high fantasy setting where he can, at least, enjoy walking again.
But LeeHa is stubborn, and instead of choosing a good old-fashioned fantasy-like class, he selects the Musketeer class, not knowing it is the “worst class” or to be more precise, the most difficult to play.Far from getting discouraged by this rough start, LeeHa begins to progress in his class, until he finally manages a breakthrough, pushing the limits of his skills and unlocking the legendary Musketeer advancement quest. This will make him become one of the Three Musketeers, unique in the game, and he will also be known as the Arcane Sniper for his incredible marksmanship.
