Hello, everyone!
This week I wanted to review a title that ventures away from reincarnation, but still encapsulates the action-fantasy genre. So let’s discuss a story about parenthood.
You can read Father Unrivaled on Tapas. We are reviewing up to Episode 12 with no spoilers.
Premise: 4 out of 5
What’s the catch, the hooker, and what makes this stand out?
If you’re into comedy and cute babies, I highly recommend Father Unrivaled by No Kyoungchan and Lee Hyunseok.
Gajang Noh is a vagabond who has no time to grieve after his beloved wife passes away in childbirth and leaves him with triplets. Gajang steps up to the role of father, providing for his new family to the best of his ability, but being a single parent to three children was nothing something he had ever expected.
On top of this immense shift in his life, Gajang Noh is now faced with the challenge of juggling fatherhood and warrior training. However, as a previous “failed” martial artist who has spent his life under the impression that he is average, Gajang Noh is surprised when he finds that his martial arts skills shine in comparison to the rest of the warriors in his new association. The story and skill progression unfold naturally, with Gajang providing the necessary entertainment and motivation as an action-fantasy protagonist who simultaneously demands respect as a father.
World-building: 3 out of 5
What is the world like? The rules?
Father Unrivaled takes place in a historical medieval setting. It feels as if this could have taken place in our world, albeit set a few centuries back.
As of episode 12, there are no suggestions of magical users. There are only well-trained martial artists and their respective organizations, whether publicly acknowledged associations or underground cults that kidnap children.
We quickly learn that there are universally respected martial art masters in this world. Warriors, including Gajang Noh, are often compared to these masters. His superiors wonder who Gajang’s master is, but Gajang just remembers him as a regular old man. The mystery that surrounds his master’s identity leads to the question of how strong Gajang really is.
Readers can gauge how strong warriors are based on their rank and roles, typical to any job in real life. If a character holds a higher warrior rank, they are likely stronger than their subordinates. But Gajang Noh’s appearance in this system almost ruins it, because everyone is taken aback by his level of strength.
Plot: 3.5 out of 5
Where does the story go?
During his youth, Gajang trained under a master he was never able to surpass. Convinced that he was not made to become a warrior in the martial arts world, he was satisfied acting as a “muscle-for-hire,” until that job is no longer enough to provide for his kids.
He applies to be a warrior, and he immediately catches the eye of his superiors by being ridiculously overqualified. Gajang, who is unaware of his own strength and skills, only briefly questions how quickly he breezes through the tests. He’s much more worried that his new job may compromise his safety and manifest his worst fear: leaving his kids without any parent at all.
Gajang quickly gets looped into a child kidnapping attempt on his first mission away from home, organized by a deadly organization known for being merciless. He takes everyone by surprise when he returns, both him and the child mostly unharmed. By the end of episode 12, it becomes clear that there are dark forces at play, but Gajang’s motivations are consistent. He just wants to make it home to his kids.
Father Unrivaled may have earned a higher score if not for the disorienting pacing, in which the first few episodes felt like a prologue on top of another prologue on top of another one. There are plentiful time skips to showcase Gajang’s journey before he becomes a father, but these move too quickly to feel natural. Still, it is easy to become invested, since the story is centered around the evolution of Gajang’s character rather than his martial arts trajectory.
Characters: 3 out of 5
Choosing to make the main protagonist a father was a risky move, but it paid off.
A majority of my readers are young adults. Many main protagonists in action-fantasy webcomics follow the trend of having a young, handsome, strong male lead that the readers can project onto. Gajang Noh is neither a teenager nor a young adult. He begins the series as an experienced individual—in life and martial arts.
Still, the authors do well to use his role as a father to evoke emotions in the readers. Even if you cannot relate to his hardships as a father, you can empathize. Right from the beginning of the story, readers are rooting for him to secure this career as a warrior.
The side characters are yet to be flushed out in the early chapters because of how much the time jumps. Gajang is quickly established to be in a position where he is powerful enough that the enemies can’t hurt him, but that’s not the case for his babies. This creates the tension needed to keep the suspense alive.
The mystery shrouding the history of Gajang’s martial arts master is another element that keeps the reader curious. Though we have yet to become attached to any side characters, we know Gajang is a good warrior, and that he is an even better father.
Art: 3.5 out of 5
The art of Father Unrivaled is a classic style that made me nostalgic for those days where we only had print comics.
After reading so many webcomics that rely on flashy, cool photoshop effects for the dramatization of scenes, I found this art style incredibly enjoyable. It did take some time to grow on me since I had become accustomed to smoother lineart and gradient coloring. But once I got used to it, I found it was actually more engaging; the simple art encourages readers to focus on the character and the story rather than the art.
Even the action scenes used the same effects as traditional comics you would hold in your hand and flip through. Nothing “popped” out of the screen. Usually, I would be hesitant of webcomics that do not utilize the mobile interface to its maximum potential, but Father Unrivaled didn’t need flashy effects to make the story immersive.
Final Score: 3.4 out of 5
If you’re looking for an action-fantasy webcomic that feels very much like a slice-of-life, I would recommend Father Unrivaled. Gajang Noh and his children will quickly warm your heart. Gajang is willing to do so much for his babies, and the babies are incredibly…cute(which should be enough reason to root for them). I have an inkling that the world will be explored even further, so I plan to keep reading as well.
Let me know your thoughts!