It’s been more than a month of writing these reviews for you all, so I thought I’d switch it up a bit!
This week’s title deviates from the fantasy genre and takes place in a modern-day setting. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of action and suspense to enjoy.
We are reviewing up to Episode 17 with no spoilers.
Premise: 3.5 out of 5
What’s the catch, the hooker, and what makes this stand out?
If you’re a fan of sports anime, I highly recommend The Boxer by Jung Ji-Hoon(JH).
Yu is introduced as a mysterious young teenager who keeps to himself and stays silent, even as he gets beaten up. It’s soon revealed that he has incredible reflexes and inhuman strength, but he chooses not to use these abilities: under the tutelage of a famous trainer, Yu becomes a rookie boxer in the lightweight division, shocking just about everyone with how much strength he really has.
It takes a while to arrive at the beginning of his boxing journey. Because of that, this review will go a little further than the ten-chapter rule I've been following from my previous reviews–I plan to review up to Episode 17. JH carefully unfolds Yu’s character by utilizing the first ten chapters as a prologue of sorts, and that’s part of what makes the story stand out from the typical action webcomic mold.
World-building: 3 out of 5
What is the world like? The rules?
Since the story takes place in a modern-day setting, I will shift my focus to the world of the sport.
Instead of laying foundations for a fantastical world, the author uses boxing as the platform and main setting of the story. The structure of the sport in The Boxer is similar to that of the real world that we live in: you have the weight divisions, the amateurs, the pros, etc.
Sports webcomics/manhwa isn’t my general area of expertise, but I will say there are similar layers of tension and suspense in a sports versus a fantasy setting. The stakes are high, and though the chances of death in sport are low, they’re never zero, particularly when that sport revolves around sparring. The Boxer makes that very clear. The artist does not shy away from gory or bloody scenes between schoolmates; the fights and the art only get more graphic after Yu enters the official boxing world and competes in tournaments.
Despite the realism of the sport itself, the conditions are exaggerated and the abilities of Yu himself are very fictional. He is designed to be overpowering, and his skills are certainly not skills you can find in our world.
Plot: 3.5 out of 5
Where does the story go?
By using untraditional methods to set up the format and development of the story, The Boxer is able to offer an unusually nuanced and layered world. As noted, the first ten chapters are meticulously used to set up the type of storytelling The Boxer relies on. Even the story's main protagonist remains vague until the tenth chapter since Yu, his rival, and his classmate all get equal screentime. Yu runs through the boxing ranks at the speed of light, but JH takes their time introducing us to the characters he come across. Each of his opponents becomes the center of the story—if only for a few episodes.
We follow Yu’s journey, but we also follow his opponent’s stories. JH takes time to emphasize that everyone is human, with their own flaws. It becomes natural to root for Yu’s rivals as much as it is natural to root for him as the main protagonist.
The emotions invoked through Yu’s fights are unexpected, but not unwelcome. The Boxer has character-centered development, but JH purposefully keeps Yu’s character shrouded in mystery.
Characters: 3 out of 5
In a character-centered story, it’s pretty pivotal to have likable characters.
Despite how mysterious Yu is, JH does a really good job at portraying his main character’s values through his interactions with his opponents and the other people around him. The prologue On the flip side, Yu rarely actually feels like the main character, given how the focus is frequently on his opponents.
Yu is a secluded, quiet person. It’s just him and his cat until his very loud and very enthusiastic mentor comes along. From there, the characters he meets in the boxing world show varying levels of eccentricity and aggression, making up for how Yu’s character toes the line of being... a little boring.
Yu’s personality and values become clear within the first season; we learn about what he views as true strength through the people he chooses to admire. It makes the fact that we know nothing about his past even more curious. Do we know of his values? Yes. But do we know of his motives? Hmm, not yet.
I experience a conflict of emotions when I read The Boxer, because as much as I root for Yu, I root just as much for his opponents. Of course, it’s a losing proposition to root for anyone but Yu, considering how overpowering he is. I was continually wondering who and when an opponent who could actually take him down, or even seriously challenge him, would emerge.
Art: 4 out of 5
A common trend in webcomics is to focus on detailed artwork throughout in order to give the comic a consistent level of appeal. The Boxer forgoes that, putting all its eggs in one basket: the fight sequences.
The risk pays off. The effects of the art during the action scenes are enough to overcome the simplicity of the coloring. The distortion of artwork is paired with motion effects, creating an immersive reading experience during the fights and the battles. JH makes you feel as if you are there on the ropes with the characters—sometimes you’re throwing the punch, sometimes you’re wincing from the impact.
I’ve mentioned before that JH does an excellent job evoking emotion through the story, but JH also does an excellent job at portraying emotions in the characters. The artist depicts the tension and the fear that boxers and fighters would feel through powerful, artistic metaphors.
Since boxing is a sport that revolves around punching and blocking in a controlled environment, the fighting sequences could easily feel repetitive. However, that is not the case in The Boxer.
Final Thoughts: 3.4 out of 5
If you’re looking for a webcomic that eliminates the need to keep a chart of the rules of the world and the complications of its magic system, The Boxer is one I would recommend. The setting and the sport is familiar (and simple) enough to focus on the characters and the story without being overwhelmed by any worldbuilding complications. I would recommend reading up to Episode 17 to get a full grasp of the story’s direction.
Since this is the first non-fantasy webcomic I reviewed, let me know if you would like to see more of these!