Teenage Mercenary, the smash-hit webcomic from creators YC and Rakyeon, is officially being adapted into an anime by LINE Digital Frontier, the Japanese digital content arm of WEBTOON Entertainment. The announcement was made June 18 by WEBTOON, which confirmed the series is currently in development.
Since its debut in 2021, Teenage Mercenary has become one of WEBTOON’s most successful global action titles, amassing more than 1.8 billion views across 10 languages. It topped Japan’s LINE MANGA rankings in both 2023 and 2024.
“Teenage Mercenary is one of those rare series that hits every note — action, emotion, suspense, and style,” said Sinbae Kim, Chief Growth Officer at LINE Digital Frontier. “It’s a global sensation that’s dominated across regions, and now it’s getting the anime adaptation fans have been asking for.”
The series follows Ijin Yu, a former child mercenary who returns to Korea after ten years abroad and attempts to reintegrate into society as a high school student. But the skills that helped him survive on the battlefield aren’t much use when it comes to navigating adolescence, especially when it comes to protecting his family and fitting in at school.
“I still remember when I first started planning Teenage Mercenary, and how nervous I was about how readers would respond when the series launched. This anime adaptation wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support from our fans,” said co-creator YC.
“When we first launched the series, I never imagined it would receive such immense love,” added Rakyeon. “I’m deeply moved and thankful to meet global fans through this new form of storytelling as an anime.”
The Teenage Mercenary adaptation is part of WEBTOON Entertainment’s ambitious push into anime, with 20 titles slated for development in 2025. Other upcoming adaptations include Omniscient Reader, co-produced with Aniplex and Crunchyroll.
Previous WEBTOON anime hits include Viral Hit, True Beauty, Tower of God Season 2, and Senpai Is an Otokonoko—all of which have aired on Crunchyroll.
Source: WEBTOON
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