(AfroGamers.com) I’ve gotten back into reading out manhua and manhwa recently and it’s just as enjoyable as it was when I first discovered it. Like manga, it has its tried and true tropes (or tired and due, depending on how much you’ve read and what stuff you’re tired of). But also, there are storyline tropes that seem distinctly Chinese or Korean in nature.
Let’s look at the common trope of bullying and what you’ll encounter whether you’ve read for years or just started minutes ago.
The Bullying Tropes in Manga
The effects of bullying tend not to be explored heavily in manga. When it is, it’s often fuel for the protagonist(s) to improve themselves and go beyond what they were before. You know, the bully target who was either quiet or a good soul and now they’re powerful and social or powerful with an even greater heart.
Manga’s approach will see the protagonist just endure and power through either to improve themselves or prove their bullies wrong. Who knows, the bully might even become a friend now that they have respect for the former weakling protagonist.
Never mind actually addressing the bullying or finding out what the f**k is the bully’s malfunction. Actually, even with writing being deeper and more layered in many popular and cult series than say in the 80s and 90s, it’s not unusual to see the bully have a smidgen of deep backstory.
The Actual Bullies in Manga
That’s even if they’re the a notable antagonist or eventual ally. Sometimes you just need a henchman or villain with enough to justify their actions in that moment. Perhaps the thought process is “We’ll make it up in character development going forward.”
There are some exceptions in popular series. The antagonists in Naruto generally have a reason for their actions and we tend to get a deep look at why they are the way they are. For the younger ninja of Naruto’s generation, it’s mainly a case of that Offspring classic “The Kids Aren’t Alright.”
Yet none of them became bullies. There are underlings or elite under an arc’s big bad who will bully opponents but their identity isn’t “bully”.
No, for that you’ll have to look at high school action dramas or delinquent series like Crows. There you have the honorable or cool gangs that you cheer for. They’re friends and their seniors or juniors who have a mind for organization. They have something resembling goals for the future.
Some members decide to get legit work, a couple are considering moving up to the yakuza, and smattering are looking to go to college. Hell, you might have a few who are athletes or artists and there’s a future there. Then you have the legit bullies: the gangs that are just violent psychopaths led by a sociopath.
These guys would be the knife-licking thieves in any other series. They’re the guys Kenshiro explode-punch in Fist of the North Star. Their only goals for the future are yakuza, drug trafficking or holding down the block as a violent bouncer at a club (all overlapping career fields).
Why they do what they do isn’t explored as deeply, they’re foils for the main gang the series is about. They came in aggressive and they want more turf.
Bullying in Manhwa and Manhua
Keeping along that line, the gangs in a series like Weak Hero have members who are definitely your knife-licking thief underlings but your leaders all have a reason for why they’re cold and vicious. We get at how they got here and how their actions saw them take to bullying as a tool for domination and intimidation.
Mind you, these are delinquent gangs that emulate the organized crime groups of their countries. You have some members who are reserved to entering that world after high school because they have that killer instinct and can fight.
But about your bullies who aren’t gang affiliated in manhua and manhwa? Why do they bully? Here’s where we finally get into what makes bullying in these form of comics different from their Japanese cousin. Bullying is tied to status in the sense that an antagonist’s family background and influence gives them the juice to bully.
Whether it’s modern day China or South Korea, ancient China and or a mythical version of the Joseon period; an antagonist can bully and justify their actions simply because they’re above the protagonist and the hoi polli.
In modern day manhua and manhwa, such as Rooftop Sword Master, bullying comes from children of influence and is extreme to the point of making Tak Se’Young who he is. That’s something else you see in manhua and manhwa with bullying: the act of bullying being reverse engineered.
As a young, reclusive adult recovering from the trauma of what happened at school because of bullying, Tak becomes resentful and wants vengeance. This drives him to embrace a mystical sword and self-train in wielding it. The young man becomes a hulking, sword-swinging behemoth bulldozer.
Considering his actions, he’s move of a chaotic killdozer but this is him harnessing revenge because of bullying. When he actually reverse engineer it is by becoming the bully to his former bullies. He targets them begins taking them out when he deems their repentance to be a bit on the weak side. They’ve moved on in life and have families and careers. Meanwhile, Tak was left in that moment. To make them feel the helplessness be experienced, he became the bully.
In Weak Hero, Grey becomes the bully to delinquents who bully as well as those who target his friends. He fights to survive his situations among more devoted delinquents but also gets a rush from fights. Bullying for him is a means to send a message and intimidate.
Also worth noting is that with manhwa and manhua these bullies tend to take from difficult people in South Korean and Chinese society and media. People of influence getting away with crimes because of their status, nepotism, and/or networking.
The form of bullying in Rooftop Sword Master and Weak Hero is a very common trope in martial arts or murim series like Star Martial God Technique and The Fist Demon of Mount Hua. Here you will have your new generation martial arts prodigy from a influential clan or prestigious martial sect who looks down on others because they wield great power and skill. Or some really nice gear.
Then along comes our murim protagonist who might have history with this bully or has seen their deeds. They come to the conclusion that this jerk needs to be clapped to sleep and proceed to beat them in combat. Then while beating them mercilessly (to teach them lesson), the bully will accuse the protagonist of bullying them.
The cherry on top of that is can be the pummeled prodigy kicking rocks back to the clan head or their lineal predecessor in a sect to beg for vengeance. However, I’ve always liked a good, old putting your op in the dirt and putting all their gear and treasures in the good, old spatial storage.
Call it ethical bullying, I suppose.
What series have you noticed feature bullying as a major character or story element? Let us know in the comments!
Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.
Gaming since 1989 and headbanging since 1999, James is a talented writer, podcast host, and lifelong comic book fan who loves all things old-school and retro. His passions include RPGs, wrestling, and classic gaming culture. You can also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.