Noblesse

(This is my first review in this site)

What did this series did to me is close to what bleach's SS arc did a long time ago: I couldn't stop reading it. The first thing that surprised me, as a manga reader, was that Noblesse started with a whole chapter in color and that it continued like that. This kept my curiosity into reading this Manhwa, and I'm glad it did.

Story: 10/10
This manhwa started showing us the main character, Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, waking up from a coffin. Then, the plot starts to develop as a normal school-life comedy for a couple of chapters, until the real plot kicks in. Without spoiling the whole manhwa, the plot is wonderfully connected between sagas that ALWAYS serve a purpose. To put it simple, it didn't commit the mistakes that most of long running shonen mangas do: lose their essence as the plot advances. In this long 364, and still ongoing, manhwa, we are submerged in a dark fantasy world involving three main races: the humans, the Noblesse and the werewolves. This could sound for some people pretty generic and cliche, but Noblesse incorporates unique elements to the already well-known theme of Vampires, werewolves and and humans. In all the mangas and anime that I have read/seen, Noblesse is a refreshing new and interesting story that is still very unique in it's own way; unlike anything I have seen.

Art: 9/10
Noblesse presents an rather distinctive art, even among the other manhwas that I have read, that is extremely detailed and even resembles american-styled comics at some point. As the story progresses, we see a huge progress in the drawings of the characters and the battle sequences. After some chapters, the art starts being less similar to american comics to be a mix between manga style and its old style. However, due to the health problems of one of the authors, the art for some characters has noticeably decreased. I'm very sad about the art and learning that Noblesse could have the same fate as D-Gray man for the very same reason.

Character: 9/10
The characters in the world of Noblesse are very well developed, even the side characters have their time to shine. Once again, Noblesse didn't commit the same error that many other mangas do: Introduce too many characters and don't develop them correctly or present characters that stay flat and aren't developed any further after being presented. However, I must admit that some characters that are very well introduced in the beginning are almost even forgot in the latest arcs of the story. Still, this isn't a big problem to the development of the main plot and essence of Noblesse.

Personal enjoyment: 10/10
It has been a long time since I really enjoyed a manga/manhwa this much since I finished some of my first manga series that introduced me to this wonderful world of manga/manhwa and anime. It always managed to keep me entertained without staying in a dark and serious setting. After some chapters, the authors always managed to put a joke to bring some refreshing humor in the heavy atmosphere that some sagas created.

Overall: 10/10
Noblesse is really a huge masterpiece that really needs more attention and appreciation because it really deserves it. The plot isn't repetitive even after the series surpassed the 300 chapters. It's a long-running series that is, in my opinion, strangely under-rated and that deserves even more attention that it has for its uniqueness and awesomeness.

I cannot express my love for this manhwa series.
I've recently started reading and I have already caught up, and I'm waiting for the next update. It's a shame the producers of Noblesse are in poor health. I hope they update soon.

First of all, this story is nothing like the vampire story you are thinking of. It's completely different from the vampires you are thinking about and the story goes on in unexpected directions.
I had high expectations for this series because so many people have said good things about it and I do not regret reading this series. The character developements are great and I fell in love with all of the characters easily. The drawing style is beautiful and the color enhances it. It's different from manga, but it's a good different experience. The story flows smoothly and every character is portrayed very uniquely with distinct personalities. Action sequences are smooth and intense, and there will be moments were you will be on the edge of your seats.
Overall, it's very well done and I can't wait to see how it ends.
If I had one thing to point out was that the storyline was too repeated and eventually it became a cycle. I hope the author breaks that cycle and does something new soon.

This is the ultimate story for fangirling (or fanboying) as it is a seemingly perfect blend of humour, action, mystery and elegance. Although the story and art is lacking in the beginning it will soon catch on as you will find a sense of suspense upon reunion of a master and his loyal servant. If you do decide to read this manhwa, stick with your initiative as you will find this story chilling and hilarious. The artistry improves drastically and is absolutely ideal for admiration. The artwork is not your typical black and white fashion but the story is told in full colour. The characters are memorable in a sense that their strength and stories could bring you to tears or induce a maniac-like fit of laughter. If you enjoy action scenes, waiting for a fight is not only worth the while but also addictive. Once you start reading you may not be able to stop, fair warning! There is always a cliffhanger. . . Always.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is an idiom that is tossed around a lot these days. The stories that reward readers for following it are few and far between. Noblesse is one of those few. Yet among those few stories, only a handful of them are in the position Noblesse is, where it is shackled by its appearance long past its cover, or even its first chapter, yet still manages to keep the interest of the reader. And to my knowledge, Noblesse is the only story where its appearance later becomes a strength of the story, on par with the writing that has held the reader’s interest thus far.

Let’s get this out of the way now: the amount of content in the first 10 chapters is minuscule and the art is mediocre at best. The first chapter alone consists of 41 panels and 0 words. There are some pages that have no art on them, just dialogue bubbles. And it would take less time to read the first 10 chapters than it would to read the first chapter in almost any other manhwa.

I suspect the reason many people have dropped the series is because they assumed the entire series would resemble the first 10 chapters. And the people who did read past them probably did so out of boredom rather than curiosity. Their assumption turns out to be wrong, as the art and length in the later chapters are vast improvements over the beginning ones; however, the people who continued reading the story had no way of knowing this, nor is it the reason they continued reading.

A subtle hook lies hidden within the first 30 or so chapters. It takes shape in the form of mystery, and as the reader’s curiosity grows, in tandem the hook slowly trickles down his mouth, waiting to be pulled. It is not until several hours later, when the reader takes his first glance towards the clock, notices the time and collapses dumbfounded, wondering where the time has gone, that he finally begins to understand what he has stumbled upon. A story with one of the best casts of characters in any manga/manhwa.

Noblesse follows the story of Cadis Etrama Di Raizel (or Rai for short), who recently awoke from an 820 year slumber in a coffin. In order to blend in, Rai unwittingly uses his powers to match his outfit with a student’s school uniform and follows that student to a high school. Rai is ultimately sent to the principal’s office, and to his surprise, the principal is someone he knows from his past. The principal is Frankenstein, a man who served as a servant to Rai before he entered his slumber. After a brief conversation, Rai decides to enroll in the school as a way to familiarize himself with the culture. He quickly learns that his tranquil life as a student is short lived when two members of an unknown organization, both of who possess supernatural abilities, begin searching for Rai’s coffin (which Frankenstein has already hidden). When these two members begin killing off civilians as a way to pass time, Frankenstein and Rai realize they cannot stand idly by and ignore the organization any longer.

The supernatural powers, combined with the 820 year slumber and a number of other details in the following chapters, reveal that Noblesse is a vampire story. Exactly what type of vampire story it is, however, remains hidden (at least for a while, anyway). You see, with the hundreds of vampires stories that have come and gone over the years, the word “vampire” can now mean a number of things. On the one hand, you have the ruthless, bloodsucking stone-cold killers who, as Stephen King once put it, “never get enough of that tasty Type-A”; while on the other hand, you have the mopey teenage pretty boys who sparkle in the sunlight and long for the love of unremarkable women. Most vampires stories are quick to tell you where their variation falls between those two extremes; not so for Noblesse. Instead, Noblesse spends its time picking away at what it’s not, and in doing so it becomes a source of curiosity for the reader. Curiosity peaks when the confrontation between Rai and the organization reveals that the vampires seen in Noblesse are not just a variation of the past. They’re something else entirely.

That “something else” is nothing groundbreaking, though, and the mystery alone is not enough to keep readers reading until the end. This is largely due to the plot; it’s both simplistic and formulaic. The story is paced well and doesn’t drag at all; however, it follows a set formula that only varies slightly between arcs. Although there is still an air of mystery in even the most recent chapters, the story loses some of its allure once certain questions are answered, and the people who read Noblesse for the mystery may lose interest as a result. Many others, however, (myself included) will still enjoy the series because of where Noblesse’s greatest strength lies: the characters.

Perhaps the most impressive part about Noblesse is the sheer number of good characters it has. Rai and Frankenstein are both good characters in their own rights, but also good are supporting characters Han Shinwoo and Woo Ik-Han, who are friends and classmates with Rai. At a glance these characters seem to belong to tired and clichéd character arc-types, but closer examination reveals this is not the case. Both have subtleties to their characters which define them through their thoughts and actions rather than their abilities and looks. There are also a few characters whose personalities are unique enough that I cannot point to any other series and say X character is also like this (Frankenstein’s combination of intelligence and loyalty with childish humor and a hint of sadism is one of these personalities). The only real problem in the character department is that there are some lackluster villains, but most of them aren’t around for long anyway.

To sum up my experience with Noblesse, I picked it up to pass the time, got hooked on the mystery and stayed for the characters. The characters are what bring life to the story. Their humor is what kept me interested when the action was slow, and their personalities and experiences are what made me care about the story. They not only made me look past the formulaic plot, but kept me waiting on the edge of my seat to find out what happens next. They’re the reason I can in good conscious say that Noblesse is a great story—one that if you have any sense, you’ll pick up and read.

‘Noble blood is an accident of fortune; noble actions characterize the great.’

‘Noblesse’ is a web manhwa co-written by the two Korean authors: story Son Jae-Ho and illustrator Lee, Gwang-Su. The story begins exactly as it should begin in any good shounen manga/manhwa: with the awakening of the main character; Cadis Etrama Di Raizel literally rises from the coffin, after no less than 820 years of sleep. It is easy to guess, that our protagonist is a vampire. Yet, in the world of the manhwa, his kind is known as Noblesse. Our hero wakes up in an abandoned building in South Korea, all alone and immediately gets out. You can imagine what Ray's reaction was... he did not even think about it. The vampire is surprisingly ‘cold-blooded’, not used to being surprised. And so, wandering around the city, he accidentally stumbles upon the Ye Ran High School. And who would have thought - the headmaster of this school is none other than the obedient servants of his vampire Excellency, Frankenstein. Frankenstein immediately decides to accept the master in his school and to tell everyone that he is an exchange student. And then the story begins…

As the story develops, more and more often you are starting to think - is it really what South Korea is like? Ordinary students are either hackers or masters of hand-to-hand combat. There are many mutants prowling around the city, all of them without exception are members of a certain ‘organization’. On top of that, behind the scenes, there is the lord of the Noblesse race and new opponents appear faster than they can be killed. And it is not a bad thing. What I mean is that you will not have even a second to feel bored. Interestingly enough, the characters of ‘Noblesse’ are not just some copypasta from the more famous ‘vampire’ manga like ‘Hellsing’, ‘Blood +’ and others. In fact, the manhwa introduces us to a completely new and unique world that has not been featured anywhere else yet. As for the characters, we have: an ordinary Korean schoolboy, ‘modified people’, and, well, of course, vampires. Their ‘tribe’ kind, however, is different from what we know. The local ghouls do not drink blood; ‘ Noblesse oblige’. (Meaning that nobility extends beyond mere entitlements and requires the person who holds such a status to fulfill social responsibilities.) According to the story, Noblesse have always protected and led people to prosperity until the mankind began to see them as a threat. After all, they were way too strong, so that the humanity started seeing them as enemies. This is the reason why we see them that rarely.

For those who are used to the Japanese manga, the style of this manhwa might seem a bit unusual. The differences start from the reading order, and end with the background that are not as detailed as in most manga. On top of that, when you start reading the manhwa, it looks… bad. However, after a while, the art will begin to improve and it is going to be okay. So, give it some time, do not drop it immediately. All in all, what can be said in conclusion? Those who watched, or planning to watch the anime, which is utter garbage, I highly recommend you to read the manhwa for you to understand the story and the characters better. I am not going to tell you something like ‘it is going to be the best manhwa ever,’ however, one simply cannot deny the fact that this manhwa is quite good and unique. All I can recommend you is to read it little by little, do not rush it.

This manga captured my attention a few months ago,so I began to read the first chapter and got completely hooked.

Story:10/10
It's about Cadis Etrama di Raizel,a vampire who slept for 820 years so when he awakens the whole place changed. Wandering around he follows Shinwoo to a school. The principal seems to be his loyal servant Frankenstein and since he got interested in the school Frankenstein enrolls him into it. In the beginning its not really fighting,more high school,comedy and a bit of romance. Later though the fighting increases and so do the enemies. The story is deep and detailed and keeps you curious for whats coming next.

Art:9/10
Though it may seem quite bad in the beginning,be patient.As you progress in the series the art becomes much better. The characters are well-drawn and the fighting scenes detailed.

Character:9/10
The mangaka makes the personality of the characters clear,thanks to which you get to understand them.There's plenty of character development too.Still,Rai stays my favorite.

Enjoyment:10/10
I really enjoyed reading every chapter and was eager to read the next. It's not something you should read if you don't have much time, because it will keep you reading.

Overall:10/10
There's a lot of fighting scenes and beings like vampires and werewolves and superhuman power,so if you like things like that then I'd recommend it.There are moments in this manga when you can't stop laughing and moments when your on the edge of your seat. Either way,it's really enjoyable and a must-read.

Where to start with this manhwa, A is the first letter of the alphabet so I will start there... Amazing. Simply put it is absolutely tremendous!


Time to discuss the story. Reading what the synopsis says and what you get kind of don't match in my opinion. Comedic slice of life is what I pulled from the synopsis, what I got was a deep story full of epic battles with dashes of comedy. Each epic scene and plot twist is linked together by slice of life, school life events and are seasoned with lots of comedic moments (even some epic scenes are laced with comedy for great effect). I'm not going to mention any details about the story to avoid even any TINY spoilers, every part of the story should be savoured.


Now it's time for the art, all that needs to be said is that don't be fooled by the art at the start of the manhwa! It improves vastly and is actually gorgeous. The battle scenes are so well drawn and easy to follow that it makes you enjoy every moment. The whole manhwa is coloured which I think is great and another aspect that I like is the lay out, it isn't tile after tile, there is breaks between images and it isn't strictly squares, it's hard to describe but you will enjoy it.


The characters, I'm pretty much going to start by saying that some of the characters are incredible. The main character Rai is so 'elegant' and mysterious, his right hand man changes from nice and lovely to sadistic and mad in a matter of seconds, there is a character for everyone and the cast is so big and rich, grows over time as well! There is a level of friendship and comradery that I haven't really felt from many, manga, novel, shows or anything... Closest in recent times would be One Piece.


Enjoyment, enjoyment is a matter of opinion but for me this is a major 10/10, I couldn't stop reading it! As I realised I was approaching being up to date I panicked because I just didn't want it to end. That is a sign that you are enjoying something, when you just don't want it to end! Every chapter was enjoyable, from awe at the battle scenes to the giggles at the humour.


Overall the whole of this manhwa has something for everyone and giving it your time isn't going to be a waste. By far one of the best things I have read from here and I will have it in my favourites forever. To anyone who is reading it now or read it, enjoy it my fellow noble fan haha.

I have read my Veritas, The Breaker and Ares but for me this just didn't do it. I saw the recommendation for Noblesse being similar to Veritas so I gave it a try. But I was dissapointed.

The drawing from the very beginning was verry comic-like which put me off but I the art gets better further on so I skipped a hundred chapters or so just to check the art improvement. The art did improve and got sharper but still had the comic feel which was one of the reasons why I dropped it. Ares wouldn't get a gold star for the art but it went well with the story which was very good.

The speech areas and bubbles were stupidly big for pages with very little content. A full chapter feels more like a half with all the empty spaces.

The story even I didn't read much of the manhwa is good and the chars don't look so bad to. If the art was more ruff-like as in Veritas and more content filling then I would think again before dropping it.

This does not mean that Noblesse should be avoided as we each have our own liking and one mans trash is another mans treasure or so to speak.

Noblesse is one of those manhwas which you know wont end its story is on repeat here are the simple steps to make this manwha
Step1:Get your friend captured
2:Search for your friend for nearly 50 chapters each arc
3:Destroy enemy without effort
4:Enemy is now on your bandwagon because they know if they arent they are screwed for life
5:Rinse and repeat
No I'm not kidding this has been the same plot for each and every arc I don'k know how the author gets away with it.
Characters are probably the best part of this story besides those uninteresting brats who i thought were the mc.
Rai is a cool dude who you want to hang with and would never get bored from. He is the strongest in the series currently with the most retarded drawback on his powers which I wont spoil but since i led you up heres why its retarded, Its because no one cares that drawback is so useless i dont even get it he almost 1 shots everybody in 2 seconds and the drawback isnt even severe since he has been spamming it like almost every move when he could easily take down oponents in a different manner. Ok im done btching so heres rai he wakes up from his slumber from 800 yrs ago and is now learning how new technology works barely gets any character development besides him learning housemaid works.
Frankenstein-Did i mention rai having a retarded drawback for his power? that could easily be fixed with this guy but plot wont allow it for comedy reasons not to mention they actually take the drawbacks seriously. Frank is a useless Principal on his school who needs to keep dog leash on his allies to not make them go lost everytime he does his job doing nothing in a pricipals office besides his cleaning habbits he is a very strict naughty boy who lieks antics and pissing off his enemies and he aslso has a yandere lover
AK47 Probobly the most developed character in the series through the ways of being kidnapped every second he doesnt kiss rais ass. He was originally a bad guy gone good with the help of friendship
Enjoyment 9
With all the bullsht that i spouted you would honestly think this was a bad series yet its full of laughs
Overall 7
The story is going nowhere the comedy is good only if it wasnt always overused and the wide array of characters actually hold this off from being bad

Themes surrounding vampires has become commonplace nowadays, where readers are accustomed to see the regular school setting, in which protagonists either cope or familiarize themselves with those. Although Noblesse treats the same theme, it does tweak it by taking a somewhat different approach on its themes and interpretations of it, combined with great humour across the board. It basically could be seen as long running gag manhwa surrounding the topic of vampires with great action. What is important to note is that humour is an integral part of the manhwa, and for those who do not like this will not be able to enjoy this work in its fullest; what is more, its main protagonists are not teenagers, but adults.

~Story~

The story of Noblesse is focused on Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, or Rai in short, who after a 820 year slumber woke up to current human society, where mankind has made a huge scientific progress. Upon finding his loyal servant Frankenstein, he decides to learn and consequently blend in the human world in the very school his servant made. Along with his lacking knowledge on current society in addition to his own personality, hilarious situations are ensured. Even with the peaceful atmosphere surrounding him, the world is in fact no safer than the old. Mystery, deceit, blood lust and greed are on the order of the day. I might want to point out that the earlier chapters are in fact quite different from the rest. This means that the first batch of chapters are devoid of hardly any dialogue and with a strange format regarding its art progression; this may lead readers to assume (me included) that it would progress in the same manner, which much to my surprise was not the case.

As stated earlier, the premise of the series is generic and nothing innovative, yet what makes it intriguing is its approach: it utilizes the mystery surrounding its characters and themes to its advantage in order to create an overall atmosphere which makes readers curious on what is to come next. Surely enough, there are three greater factions: the Union, known for their human body enhancements, meant for the protection of mankind. Then there are the Nobles, the "vampires" (not in the traditional sense) if you may, the superior race, and then ultimately there are the werewolves. What is curious is the fact that the Nobles are not painted as the usual villains which is often frequent in the medium; instead a lot of neutrality is involved for the different factions. Deceit, greed and honor are central themes when addressing these groups, which in turn creates a lot of conflict between these.

Action is also a predominant factor in the manhwa: these are generally well executed without the abundance of any "asspulls". From a structural point of view they often play out in a similar way, but what makes them easily enjoyable are the different abilities of the characters, their growth as well as the progression of the battle itself. However, there were times where it got fairly repetitive, as well as characters of minor importance receiving constant convenient upgrades for the sake of keeping up with the plot, and thus not lose importance. Regardless, for the mayor characters this was not case, so it could be overlooked. Now it must be noted that it can be quite tensionless, as it is quite obvious that some of the characters are very overpowered, yet this was hinted at from the beginning, and thus was not a big issue.

Humour is not to be overlooked in the manhwa; it is as a matter of fact of crucial importance that enhances the overall experience. This is done by using the unknowing of the world of several characters about customs on both factions; in addition, the different personalities complement to these situations. What is remarkable, it is able to maintain its quality over the span of the story, in addition to introducing it in the appropriate moments without breaking immersion in the narrative. As mentioned earlier, it has a school setting, yet the only purpose of this is to enhance the comedy as well as delve and flesh out its cast. Speaking of which, school students were sometimes involved in the greater fights, and were rather cliché as it only served to create tense situations in which these dominated the decisions of the cast.

~Characters~

The main cast of characters of Noblesse are in fact very intriguing and interesting, having diverse personalities, especially when concerning the main protagonists Cadis Etrama Di Raizel and Frankenstein, both shrouded in mystery. Character development in general is rather lackluster, yet its fleshing out is well done. Cadis Etrama Di Raizel is a very silent and apparently an emotionless person, yet it soon becomes apparent that this tied to his very own background: he is fact a very cunning and thoughtful person, having experienced both loneliness and discovering friendship. Frakenstein is the servant of the former, and is characterized by his wacky and crazy personality, yet at the same time a very cunning and intelligent person. His absolute loyalty to his master and the cherishing he has to his belongings often creates well suited comedy, as well moments of "badass". In fact, it could be said that these two are the driving force behind the story of Noblesse.

Concerning the other characters, these are far from developed, especially when their motives are considered. The "villains" motives are rather shallow and unexplored, seemingly being one-dimensional antagonists with no real purpose other than to create conflicts between the different factions. To be fair, the manhwa is still ongoing and thus such issues may be explained later on in more depth. Nevertheless, the exploration on the Noble's side was satisfying as it gave introspection into the general culture and thinking behind these, in addition to their motives. There were some little gripes with these, as their own motives and personalities changed slightly according to story progression without a very convincing reason.

Other thing to note are the present student that converge and are in direct contact with the main cast; these are very generic and serve no other purpose than to create unneccessary situations as well as enhancing the comedy. This doesn't mean that there are no characters of interest; in fact, there are quite some with interesting personalities, being either very easygoing ones, excentric, strict, silent or just funny. Other also have the addition of having some intriguing past, including what could be considered one of the main villains of the story - it is really the mystery surrounding them what makes it an intriguing read.

~Art~

The art style of Noblesse is simplistic and not very detailed, which was done in favour to accommodate the full colouring of its work. The different colours used in its schemes and various atmospheres matched well with the narrative. Panel placement was at the beginning quite spacious and a bit immersion breaking, as it gave the impression of being a very slow-paced narrative. Concerning the characters design, there are overall somewhat varied, yet ultimately a bit generic, from a manhwa point of view. What is hilarious at a personal level is the portrayal of Frakenstein himself: a bishonen instead of the looks of an old and weak crazy scientist. Characters expressions are very well done, easily conveying the emotional state, be it either fear, cluelessness, surprise or sadness.

~Enjoyment~

Noblesse was overall a very enjoyable experience with the humour and intriguing main characters that just kept me reading and reading. The fact the approach on it was somewhat different, the gags and action was well executed, was one of the main factors that made it highly enjoyable, It must be mentioned that character-wise it is rather lacking is some aspects, especially when motives of the different factions are concerned. Despite all of these, I highly recommend anyone trying this manhwa out, as it was highly entertaining. However, I would like to add that the comedy can be a hit or miss for some, and thus these can be a hinderance to some.

Thank you for reading.

Despite the recent vampire craze, which led to an overuse of vampires in all media alike, I'd like to argue that Noblesse is quite a unique manhwa.

Story: 9/10

Cadis Etrama di Raizel (i.e. Rai), a powerful vampire who was in hibernation for 820 years, wakes up abruptly to find himself in a completely foreign world, so he decides to learn about the current state of affairs by attending a school that his servant, Frankenstein, created for him while he was in his slumber. Little does he know that human society has advanced far beyond his imagination, while vampire society has made little progression at all, much to his dismay. Because of his delicate position in both societies, he runs into conflict wherever he goes.

One thing that I find particularly fascinating about this manhwa, is that it throws in all of the supernatural (vampires, werewolves, and all), yet tries to mix it with science (genetically modified humans). Much like in Bram Stoker's Dracula, this ends up being a rather successful mix. With the development of human society, mankind has found a way to retaliate against the vampires which they both feared and respected. I totally did not see that coming. Aren't vampires supposed to be all-powerful creatures? Apparently not always true in Noblesse.

Art: 8/10

I must say, I found it rather difficult to adapt to the author's style because I'm used to reading Japanese manga, and the author of this manhwa is Korean. The style of art is completely different, it's read from left to right, and it's in colour!!! (You get used to it after a while.) At first, I was very disappointed with the artwork, but it does improve significantly throughout the series. What I mean to say is, the art is no longer hindering my enjoyment of the series, in fact, I'm actually quite fond of the author's style now.

Character: 9/10

In Noblesse, you get exposed to a diverse array of characters - all unique in their own right. You have Rai, your typically "silent and strong" protagonist, who probably holds some dark secrets that you aren't aware of. Then you have his servant, Frankenstein - a curious man who acts in ways that always seem to raise suspicion, yet he still displays an unwavering loyalty towards his master. You also meet a group of genetically enhanced humans and some noble vampires, who you can't help but pity and admire simultaneously. The characters are, for the most part, well explored. Every now and then, you are taken on a side story which gives you a glimpse of a major character's background: you really learn to empathize with them and you even find yourself cheering them on sometimes.

Enjoyment: 10/10

This is likely one of the most enjoyable manhwa I have stumbled upon recently. I must say, the author's humour totally blew me away. You can't help but laugh when Rai beats up bad guys with no problem, but can't play first-person shooter (FPS) games for his life. The reoccurring gag with his strange attachment to ramen (instant noodles) is also hilarious. By the end of the first 20 chapters or so, I already knew that I could expect a bad joke at the end of the chapter, but the author still managed to make me laugh with every single one of them.

Overall: 9/10

I think this is one of the better ones I've read recently. I don't think it's for everyone, but it's definitely worth a try at the very least. For those who are technologically illiterate and require an instruction manual for everything, Rai is your best friend.

No explicit story spoilers, but story and character structure

If i had to condense my review in one sentence: Huge wasted potential.

The plot usually goes like this: Strong enemies appear -> non-important Heroes losen - > Boss Heroes appear -> win -> research data found -> now we are stronger! -> Rinse and repeat 500 times.

It has the Dragonball Z element into it without an equally likeable cast or story structure. The reason are the two Characters Frankenstein and Raizel. They are always so on top of things, like extremely on top, there is no real danger or any lasting consequence. They just walk through things. If i had to explain it in RPG-terms it would be like level 1000 and lvl 600 characters go to a lvl 5 dungeon and then 10 and then 12 and so on.

Enemies just appear and disappear. Raizel and Frankenstein are interesting characters but at the same time, really bad for the plot.

The character designs are awesome and the world building is handled pretty well. The constant we are too cool for this world stares and looks get annoying though. It is the Aizen stare from bleach, without the mocking smile.

It still is a fine Manhwa and worth a read in spare time but especially in the end and at some parts you get the feeling the author just wanted to be done with this.

Honestly... Noblesse despite being Korean (and i seriously don't care) is just amazing~... the characters in it are great, both in serious ways and in humour and the humour present sort of makes you feel like one of those facepalm moments where you can't help but laugh...
the story line itself is filled with twists and turns and it's great as you have no idea where the story leads which is great for a break from the predictable storylines that can be found. It is honestly a great read... and is unusual in it's art which is surprisingly in colour, that was a surprise to me when i started to read it, but it doesn't take away the awesome feel to the Manga... it is one that i believe doesn't get boring.

While i thoroughly enjoyed the start of Noblesse, it does have many flaws.

>The art is amazing.

>Character development is stagnant, people are who they are, and nothing really changes their way of thought, with the main characters not even developing, at all:

=> Exibit A: Tier 2 support character (meaning the school kids) are there just to pass time, they don't evolve and every time they fight it's the same thing.

=> Exibit B: Tier 1 support characters (the knights) do evolve but not it any meaningful way, they fight stronger people, they seek more power, they fight, ... rinse and repeat, which isn't inherently bad, but since only M-21 shows some visual change, grasping the improvement is difficult.

=> Exibit C: Almost all of the nobles, save from Rael Kertia who actually changes and becomes a better person later on.


> How the ark's are conceptualized:

Step1: Your friend gets captured / you meet an enemy just wandering about
Step2: Search for your friend / fight the enemy and lose in the first half of the battle
Step3: Wait for Frankenstein / Noblesse to come save the day (did i mention there is all but 2 tactics they employ (one for the knights and the other Frankenstein's i'l make you angry)

- There are sub plots so it isn't bad world building by any means, but when it comes to the memorable stuff, it fails, on all accounts.

> The power dynamic:
- Rai's power has a drawback and despite him being shown as on the verge of death and having a mere fraction of his former strength he manages to annihilate every single enemy, despite all of them exponentially growing in strength.


What really bugs me about this manhva:

Up to about half way it was entertaining, then it just went downhill, being completely predictable and showing fights of characters no one cares about as we have literally just met them.

In the end strategy isn't explored and all we have seen from the Noble Lord's power / weapon is squat. (she drew her weapon a grand total of 3 times, and it wasn't that impressive even then)

The power scale is No1: Noblesse No2: Frankenstein and then all other fools who try to oppose them

Now a special mention goes to Rai's special power akin to "kamui", the power used to kill the most powerful beings in existence, with no drawbacks or counters (but hey, what am i complaining about when Rai is essentially god but in human form and with perfect judgment)

Now come the spineless writers with no balls to let any of the good guys die (apart from one noble) and especially not letting muzaka die, multiple times. (please don't go the naruto route of letting guy live after the madara fight, it defeats the point and ruins the emotion of the moment)

let me recap the power dynamic:
- Nobles are considered at their weakest state
- The Noblesse is considered on the verge of death
- Werewolves are considered to be at their strongest state
- Elders are considered to be at their strongest state

Do you know who dies?
- a single noble
- the noblesse lives
- most of the werewolves
- All of the elders


How can anybody say a story is 9/10 when there is no character development and almost no good guys die during 550 chapters.

Take it for what it is: Spice of Life and Comedy (not really comedy but sure, why not)


Have i mentioned they didn't address most of the personal questions of characters such as 21's real name (just google ending noblesse reddit)

Oh and thank you for flying Bleach airlines, i see we have crashed and are burning in flames in the end of the manga.
<Spoiler> what kills our favorite characters are not he giant "power level over 9000" characters but 2 nuclear missiles? That's it? That is the sum plot of how the manhwa ends?
- Fuck you author,

Sincerely,

The reader

I wasn't really a fan of any manhwa. Whenever I see one, I'd just shrug it off. I always thought, there is nothing more interesting than mangas. I'm glad I didn't stick to that. A friend recommended me this manhwa and I was like "Okay.. I'll try reading it.." But I wasn't really planning to. (Don't misunderstood, it's not like I hate Korea or something like that. I don't have against them.)

First: The chapters are too long. I barely ready a manga that's got a 100+ chapters. How much more if it's a manhwa?
Second: Right, it's a manhwa.

But my curiosity won over me. It's one of the top manga weekly, so I tried reading it. And just like that. The very first time I read the first chapter, I was already hooked. I can't stop reading it. And I always look forward to new chapters every week. I always wanted to be one of those people who read it first.

The story is great. It's always entertaining. It gets you thinking about the next chapter, about what will happen next. It leaves you hanging and excited every time.
The characters aren't all bad. There isn't a single character who you would dislike. Even the villains, they're likable as well. Rai is so cute, every drawing of him really portrayed his expressions especially if he becomes ignorant on something.
The fighting scenes are the best. Every fight scenes are exciting. Their soul weapons are awesome it makes me think I wanna have one as well :)
The art is great. Two thumbs up.

Over all: this is just an amazing manhwa. After I have read this, I've been reading a lot of manhwas already :))

Noblesse- is it because its a manhwa? Since its not from japan, its not what you would expect? Honestly? I have absolutely no idea. All I know is that this manhwa is unlike any other vampire story Ive ever read, novels, manga, manhwa- this is definitely original, and great at that!

Story-10: Like I expressed before, the plot is most definitely not-your-average-bloodsucking-vampire-story. It actually took me a while to pick up this manhwa and read it. I had so many recommendations to read it already, but it just really wasn't piquing my interest. Then finally I picked it up. My first thought? "Umm, really?" I almost put it down right then and there. The entire first chapter contains ABSOLUTELY nothing except for a vampire coming out of a sealed coffin and opening the blinds. No exaggeration. So even though I was clearly disappointed, somehow that ridiculous chapter triggered my curiosity. So of course, I read on. I will not go into detail about the plot or ruin the storyline for you, but I will say this. Take what you know about vampires, and leave it on the side of the road for someone else to pick up. Take all the cliche vampire movies and disassociate them when you refer to this manhwa. Just pick this up and start to read it; let it intrigue you.

Art-10: Maybe its because im used to reading manga that having color in the art on every page is a nice plus. The characters are very gorgeously drawn, and the action scenes are incredible. I think my favorite part about the art is how well it is able to portray the personalities of the characters; a simple glint in the eye can tell so much in this manhwa.

Character-9: There are several characters in this story that you will absolutely fall in love with, of that I have no doubt. The personalities are mysterious and constantly developing, exactly the kind of characters needed in a great manhwa. The abundance of characters makes things a little complicated, because of course, one always gets involved in something and then the whole group comes running behind, so to speak. Nevertheless, that doesn't make the story too predictable, there's always someone who pops up and intensifies the plot.

Enjoyment-9: At times the storyline can get a bit predictable. Bad guys come, good guys conquer, but I believe that this has less predictability in the plot itself then most manga/manhwa you will read. I couldnt put this down once I picked it up, I really thoroughly enjoyed the intensity of the plot and the subtle character development in this beautiful manhwa.

Overall-9: This was a great read! It still has a while before it ends and its currently a little under 300 chapters in. I would recommend this to anyone who's looking for an intense read that keeps you excited, pick it up! Be intrigued :)