Manga Review: God of Martial Arts.
(AfroGamers.com) Manhua and manhwa have a thing with overpowered characters. This is especially true for average people who stumble into the realm of overpowered. One of the true definitions of this theme is God of Martial Arts by Yundouwongman.
This series is really something else. It has a fan base among English-speaking fans who get behind the protagonist Lin Feng. I have to admit, while God of Martial Arts comes off more like gaming manhua/manhwa, Lin Feng stands out as a character from others in the subgenre.
Lin Feng: The God of Martial Arts
Before we break God of Martial Arts down, let’s talk about Feng da Gawd. After a car accident, the Lin Feng from our realm dies and his soul and mind merges with the Lin Feng of a different realm. He able to do so only after the alternate realm Lin Feng is beaten close to death.
This alternate world is wuxia (fantasy martial arts) in nature. Martial artists are extremely powerful able to use their chi to amplify their strength, agility, and understanding. They can also materialize weapons and incredible attacks. The power of these attacks are typically managed in pounds of force. Also, there are demons, monsters, different sects or clans, and a hierarchy based on one’s power.
Before this merging of souls, Lin Feng was considered a weakling—or trash for most of the early comic. With this merge, he becomes much stronger and has the knowledge of modern Lin Feng. Another bonus is that he picks up new skills rapidly and increases power just as quickly.
Even with this new surge of power and our hero running through enemies non-stop, people still consider him trash. Apparently, news travels snail slow because whenever shows up after having destroyed an enemy, it’s “Oh, it’s that trash Lin Feng. Let’s f*** with him!”
Then Double Feng da Gawd, now very confident, goes on to challenge them to a death fight. Now, this is where he stands out from a lot of protagonists. Normally, they start to feel themselves once they get power but will come down when approached with how it could corrupt them.
Lin Feng is just straight up accumulating power and techniques, dissing people, challenging people to fights, and either kills them, cripples their cultivation—their soul/chi–or maims them grievously. In short: Feng wants all the smoke.
The Series
So, we know that Lin Feng is a hero not to be trifled with but is God of Martial Arts any good? Yes! It’s based on this really lengthy novel and there are some differences in the narrative. Fights that take place in the comic might not have taken place in the novel. There are certain techniques that named differently. Also, Lin Feng apparently dies in a car accent in the comic—I say “apparently” because it’s not revealed if he dies or if he’s in a coma. In the novel, he goes to jail for 8 to 10 years after being hustled.
The comic has some pretty good artwork and the characters are mostly well designed. Of course, as is the case with manhwa/manhua, women are often drawn to be buxom in the extreme and hover in that realm of mobile anime RPG designs.
Fight scenes and tournaments are the meat and potatoes of martial arts comics. To a degree, God of Martial Arts delivers, most of the fights in the early chapters are acid fights. They’re throwing spirit and elemental blasts or energy sword attacks. Lin Feng breaks things up when someone gets got by one of his sword attacks but for the most part, there’s lots of different color fireballs and fire blasts.
That said, you’ll never be short on fights in God of Martial Arts. It lives up to its name while giving you the drama and character development of a wuxia novel. This would be a hard 9-soft 10 comic but Lin Feng is just too OP so early in the comic.
RATING: 8 out of 10 (Highly Recommended)
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.
