Like its Japanese counterpart, manga, and almost every other entertainment medium, manhwa spans diverse genres. However, manhwa stories with gritty, gangster protagonists bring a special intensity to the medium and readers alike. In these stories, readers are introduced to the crime and violence-laced lives of the central characters as they pursue their objectives, which are often very specific but also very difficult due to the methods required to fulfill them.
From organized crime leaders to lone fighters seeking justice on their own terms, these character leads are known for their fierce determination andunique moral compasses. Therefore, this piece highlights the best manhwa with these gangster protagonists and their gripping storylines for readers who prefer such, all of which are listed below.
8Second Life of a Gangster
Anime- Planet Rating: 3.9 / 5
Second Life of a Gangsterisa thrilling seriesthat employs a good mix of second chances and high school delinquency. The story revolves around the 41-year-old protagonist, Oh Joong Seok, who has lived as a delinquent all his life, doing all sorts of misdeeds for his organization so that he can reach the top.
However, despite all of his infamy as the ‘Demon of Incheon,’ Joong Seok meets a rather pitiful end after he is betrayed and killed by members of his organization. However, in a moment of reflection and repentance, an angel gives Joong Seok another chance when he is returned 23 years into the past. On the condition that his soul can not be saved regardless of the second chance, Joong Seok must prove that he can live an upright life.
7Hectopascal
Anime-Planet Rating: 3.9 / 5
Hectopascalpresents the tale of a life where money and delinquency go hand in hand, especially for high schoolers likethe story’s protagonist, Park Hanjoon. The series follows Park Hanjoon’s life as he seemingly pays for his mistakes, having previously lived as the leader of the notorious gang Nexus.
6Mr. Baek
Anime-Planet Rating: 4.0 / 5
Mr. Baekexplores the intricacies of corporate crime and violence, and it all begins with the lives of identical Baek Twins. The series follows the lives ofidentical Baek twinswith the same face yet polarizing opposite lives. The central character, Yisu Baek, is a special government agent, while his twin brother, Dogyeong Baek, is the crime lord of a criminal gang.
Things quickly get irreparably complicated after Yisu is betrayed by the government and is supposed to be killed in a cover-up. Unfortunately, Dogyeong dies in his brother’s stead, leaving his criminal enterprise to his unprepared twin. Yisu, on the other hand, is only focused on getting revenge on his brother’s murderers. However, he must assume Dogyeong’s identity as the criminal boss to do so.
5The Bully In-Charge
Anime-Planet Rating: 3.8 / 5
The Bully In-Chargepresents a thrilling roundabout tale about trying to usefire to fight fire. The series follows the central character, Daegun Kwon, a high school dropout, former delinquent, and bully who now works part-time at a convenience store.
One night, after a not-so-pretty encounter with a group of thugs, Daegun is approached by a mysterious woman from the Education Foundation about a special bully project. She offers him the chance of a normal life but on the condition that he goes back to high school as the designated bully. By accepting her offer, Daegun returns to high school with one goal: To take down the other bullies and bring order back to the school.
4Reawakened Man
Reawakened Manpresents a rather odd and dark tale of wannabe heroism that escalates really fast. The series revolves around the protagonist, Hwan Seok, a high school student whose only disdain is to witness injustice in any form happening to anyone.
However, Hwan does not realize that some things need no intervention when he gets involved with some men targeting his neighbor and ultimately gets killed. After three days, Hwan mysteriously resurrects with a newfound resolve to rescue his neighbor, but he soon discovers that he may have gotten himself entangled in a plot much more sinister than he originally thought.
3Boss In School
Born with the body and instinct of a fighter, theBoss In Schoolseries revolves around the life of the protagonist, Seth Kang, the boy who promised his mother never to fight again. Seth’s life from middle school until high school sees him restrain himself to the extreme so that he does not break his mother’s promise until the death his father’s death.
Born to a crime lord and gang leader, Seth Kang’s self-restraint is removed after his father leaves him a message after death, telling him never to get his ass kicked by anyone. With the message more or less a warning, Seth Kang is finally relieved from pretending to be a weakling.
2Castle
Anime-Planet Rating: 4.1 / 5
Castlepresents atale of organized crimeand violence in its most thrilling and exciting form. The series follows the organization Castle, South Korea’s biggest and near-omnipotent syndicate, and the protagonist, Shin Kim, a Korean-born Russian contract killer whose only goal is to see Castle’s downfall.
Not leaving his ambition to chance, Shin Kim returns to Hoe-Am City, Castle’s stronghold in Korea, to fulfill his master’s dying wish. With his allies from around the city, Shin Kim sets his fiery rage for revenge on Korea’s biggest crime syndicate.
1Weak Hero
Anime-Planet Rating: 4.2 / 5
In this thrilling series,theWeak Heroseriesbrings to life all of bullying and delinquency, specifically in high schools. The story follows the life of the scrawny high schooler, Gray Yeon, who becomes the Eunjang High School’s center of attention after standing up to and defeating his bullies.
With his singular act, Gray’s presence threatens to disrupt the bullying order already established at his school. No more than 5'2 in height and with a body that can barely make a dent in anything, Gray is a one-man army threatening to destroy bullying at his school.
