NOW
The latest invader from Korea arrives.
First it was Lee Myoung-Jin's Ragnarok that introduced me to the term 'manhwa' (Korean comics/manga). Now another manhwa about kung-fu, mysticism, fantasy and cute super-powered kung-fu girls has caught my eye.
That book is Now by Sung-Woo Park. Set in the time of the Three Kingdoms era of ancient Korea, this tale centers on the battles fought over a powerful fighting style known as Sashinmu. A mysterious force is after the secrets, and it is up to a small company of heroes to either protect Sanshinmu or master it's powers for the good of the land.
The heroes are a mixed bunch; there's Bi Ryu (pictured above), a 16-year old who has mastered Sashinmu to an extreme degree. Young, spritely lass Rin Yhun may look like a harmless, barefooted pixie, but she's the daughter of a powerful fighter and is superhumanly strong. Then there's Cho Ryung, a fierce and speedy cat girl who's Bi Ryu's apparent pet. Finally, there's Yu Se Ha, a young bookworm and the last surviving member of the fighters charged with protecting Sashinmu.
The art is pretty clean and eye-catching, though not as complex as Ragnarok's later volumes- I am hoping that Mr. Sung Woo improves as much as Myoung Jin-Lee did. The character designs are quite nice and have a unique feel from your usual manga. Like Ragnarok, it's not that far in look from Japanese art, but you can tell the difference if you've seen other manhwa titles.
As for the story, the premise brings to mind those old 'Buddha Magic Palm' kung fu epics where warrior clans and heroes fought tooth and nail over powerful martial arts secrets. I'll be sure to collect this series and see where it goes. Good stuff.
The latest invader from Korea arrives.
First it was Lee Myoung-Jin's Ragnarok that introduced me to the term 'manhwa' (Korean comics/manga). Now another manhwa about kung-fu, mysticism, fantasy and cute super-powered kung-fu girls has caught my eye.
That book is Now by Sung-Woo Park. Set in the time of the Three Kingdoms era of ancient Korea, this tale centers on the battles fought over a powerful fighting style known as Sashinmu. A mysterious force is after the secrets, and it is up to a small company of heroes to either protect Sanshinmu or master it's powers for the good of the land.
The heroes are a mixed bunch; there's Bi Ryu (pictured above), a 16-year old who has mastered Sashinmu to an extreme degree. Young, spritely lass Rin Yhun may look like a harmless, barefooted pixie, but she's the daughter of a powerful fighter and is superhumanly strong. Then there's Cho Ryung, a fierce and speedy cat girl who's Bi Ryu's apparent pet. Finally, there's Yu Se Ha, a young bookworm and the last surviving member of the fighters charged with protecting Sashinmu.
The art is pretty clean and eye-catching, though not as complex as Ragnarok's later volumes- I am hoping that Mr. Sung Woo improves as much as Myoung Jin-Lee did. The character designs are quite nice and have a unique feel from your usual manga. Like Ragnarok, it's not that far in look from Japanese art, but you can tell the difference if you've seen other manhwa titles.
As for the story, the premise brings to mind those old 'Buddha Magic Palm' kung fu epics where warrior clans and heroes fought tooth and nail over powerful martial arts secrets. I'll be sure to collect this series and see where it goes. Good stuff.
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