One of the Hardest Hitting Webtoons Confirms Crunchyroll Anime Debut – Watch First Look Trailer
Crunchyroll’s plan to adapt more Korean webcomics, known as manhwa or webtoons, is also set to bring The Boxer by Jung Ji-Hoon (JH) to anime. The first look at the adaptation has been released, highlighting the hard-hitting action that the webtoon is known for. The announcement came during the recent New York Comic Con event, where the streaming platform revealed plans to adapt around 15 webtoons into anime in the future. Among them was The Boxer, with its announcement including a trailer, cast, and staff details. The anime will be brought to life through a partnership between Japanese studio Breccia and Korean studio STUDIO JEMI.
The anime will be co-directed by Takehiro Kubota and KANG Wonyeong, while Toshiya Ono will handle series composition and scripts, and Masahiro Suwa will design the characters. The revealed cast includes Koki Uchiyama as the protagonist Yu, Kensho Ono as Ryu, Tomokazu Seki as K, and Toshiyuki Toyonaga as J. These voice actors are known for their roles in popular anime, including Kaiju No. 8 and Jujutsu Kaisen. Crunchyroll has yet to reveal the anime’s release date, but its first look and hard-hitting narrative are already positioning it as one of the most intense anime to come, which could also revolutionize the pattern of webtoon anime adaptations.
Crunchyroll’s New Boxing Anime Will Expand the Industry’s Horizons
What makes the anime adaptation of The Boxer a significant step is how it could help manhwa adaptations move beyond the Solo Leveling-style anime. Ever since Solo Leveling received its anime adaptation, numerous Korean webcomics have followed suit, but many have relied on similar elements. This year alone has seen two such anime, Tomb Raider King and Overgeared. However, recent announcements of more webtoon adaptations suggest that the industry is expanding beyond this reputation, and The Boxer is solid proof of that.
The upcoming anime’s premise is what makes it so ambitious. It follows Yu, a 17-year-old high school student who embarks on a boxing journey while searching for meaning and emotion in life. The story sees K, a legendary boxing trainer searching for the next great fighter, discover Yu after witnessing him being bullied without reacting. However, K recognizes Yu’s hidden potential as a fighter, thanks to his superhuman reflexes, and decides that he could become the next boxing champion. Yu agrees to train under him, but only asks whether hurting others will be fun for him.
This sets the stage for a story in which the protagonist not only showcases his talent and rises through the ranks of the sport but also searches for something new and worthwhile to live for, discovering the passion that drives him. The trailer also highlights this element, alongside crisp animation that positions the series as one of the most visually striking modern anime about fighting. With a premise that bears some similarities to Hajime no Ippo, The Boxer could become its next major counterpart in the anime industry. Crunchyroll has yet to announce a release date for this hard-hitting adaptation of one of the most action-packed webtoons, but given its promising direction and visuals, fans may see it arrive by late 2027 or early 2028.
