Hot on the heels of Tower of God, Crunchyroll is set to roll out its next webtoon adaption, The God of High School, this summer. Webtoon adaptations are on the rise and, with MAPPA Studio at the helm of adapting this massively popular series, The God of High School is likely to be a season standout.
Often referred to as a Korean version of Dragon Ball, the manhwa is written and illustrated by Yongje Park and began publication in April 2011. However, the webtoon has actually been adapted before. The series has a mobile game and an animated short, but nearly a decade on, the anime adaptation is its first new series.
With the anime adaptation set to be a summer hit, here's a quick breakdown of what The God of High School is all about.
What is The God of High School?
The God of High School follows a 17-year-old kid named Jin Mori as he competes in a tournament called "The God of High School." Contestants all over the world battle to determine who is the strongest high schooler and for a chance to get their deepest wish granted.
The tournament begins with the Preliminaries and hits the ground running with some amazing battles. Contestants then move into Regionals, where they fight in one-on-one "round robin" matches. The top three are then put on a team for Nationals, where they compete with other teams from around the country. Whichever team emerges as the winner will participate in the World Tournament against even stronger opponents.
Before the tournament starts, participants are given a band that functions as a Scouter, revealing opponents' stats, level, Health Points and God Points — it even reveals an opponents’ fighting style. This feature is especially useful, as the GOH tournament welcomes all types of fighting styles, from karate to dirty boxing (although this is obviously looked down upon). Beyond that, participants are also free to use any weapons at their disposal, from swords to bicycles. It’s a free-for-all tournament.
Who Are the Characters?
The God of High School has an abundance of interesting characters, raring to fight. However, the series actually has three other focuses, beyond the main protagonist, Jin Mori. Mori is a laid-back guy, with an attitude bordering on nonchalant arrogance. But, out of the 299 battles he’s fought, he’s won all but two (which ended in a draw). When he was first invited to participate in the God of High School tournament, he had no interest — until he was challenged to a fight by Judge R and lost for the first time in his life. Reinvigorated by the loss, Mori enters GOH for the thrill of fighting strong opponents. But, after his grandfather disappears, Mori sets his sights on winning the tournament in the hopes of finding him.
Han Daehwi, a student skilled in karate, splits his time between two part time jobs and visiting his gravely ill friend in the hospital. He agrees to join the GOH tournament after realizing that he could use his wish to cure his friend. Although he's perceived as someone who likes to keep to himself, Daehwi is also fiercely protective of his friends.
One of the few girls to be invited to the regional tournament, Yoo Mira is a force to be reckoned with. Mira participates in the tournament solely to reestablish her family’s sword style for future generations . To that end, she's looking for a man worthy of her hand in marriage.
Lastly, there's Park Mujin, a member of an elite group called "The Six." These six people are the highest level masters of their respective martial arts, and wickedly powerful opponents. Bearing an X-shaped scar from a past fight, the enigmatic organizer of GOH watches over the tournament with the rest of the judges.
The Fighting Styles
The three main protagonist fight with very distinct styles, as do most of their opponents. Mori's Re-Taekwondo was taught to him by his grandfather, and puts a heavy emphasis on powerful kicks. Short for "Renewal Taekwondo," this fighting style is a combination of standard WTF Taekwondo and lethal Northern ITF Taekwondo, developed in North Korea. It's a style unique to Mori and his grandfather.
Daehwi uses Full-Contact Karate and is known for using "Dance of the Four Gods," a technique created to topple opponents. Just like regular karate, this style emphasizes strong punches. Mira wields her family's "Moon Light Sword Style," which values precision and power, relying on the sword to deliver the final blow.
Competitors can also use something called "Borrowed Power," where they literally borrow power from gods during a match and use their imagination to shape it into a unique power. While this doesn’t guarantee a win, this does greatly increase a participant’s power and gives them a considerable edge over their opponent.
Fans of the webtoon and new fans can catch the first episode of The God of High School on July 6.