Noblesse

Noblesse is a South Korean fantasy action webtoon created by writer Son Je-ho and artist Lee Kwangsu. The series debuted on Naver Corporation’s Naver Webtoon platform in December 2007 and became one of the platform’s notable long-running titles. Its story combines supernatural action, school comedy, science-fiction experimentation, and a mythology centered on an ancient aristocratic race known as the Nobles. The central character is Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, commonly called Rai, who holds the singular title of Noblesse. In the world of the series, that title identifies him as the hidden protector, judge, and potential executioner of the Nobles. After sleeping for 820 years, Rai awakens in a modern South Korean city with little understanding of contemporary society. He is assisted by Frankenstein, his exceptionally loyal servant and a scientist whose research has influenced the technological development of the secret organization known as the Union. Frankenstein enrolls Rai at Ye Ran High School, where Rai gradually forms relationships with students including Han Shinwoo, Woo Ikhan, and Seo Yuna. The school setting provides the series with a lighter social and comedic framework, while the broader plot follows conflicts involving the Union, modified humans, ancient Nobles, werewolves, and other powerful factions. The contrast between Rai’s immense abilities and his unfamiliarity with ordinary modern life is one of the franchise’s recurring narrative devices. Noblesse was among the early webtoons to receive an official English-language edition through LINE Webtoon when that service launched in July 2014, helping extend the property beyond its original Korean readership. The serialized webtoon concluded in January 2019. Its intellectual property subsequently expanded into animated adaptations and game collaborations. A 2015 South Korean animated production, Noblesse: Beginning of Destruction, was presented as a feature-length animated work and later made available through video-on-demand channels. Production I.G produced the 2016 original net animation Noblesse: Awakening, which condensed the opening portion of the story. A television anime, also animated by Production I.G, aired internationally through Crunchyroll from October through December 2020 and was later supported by home-video licensing from Sentai Filmworks. The franchise has also appeared in promotional media and mobile-game collaborations, including a 2016 crossover with Nexon’s Fantasy War Tactics. Noblesse is therefore best understood not as a conventional consumer brand, but as a character-driven entertainment property whose main expressions are serialized digital comics, animation, licensed distribution, merchandising, and cross-media partnerships.

Noblesse was created by writer Son Je-ho and illustrator Lee Kwangsu and first appeared on Naver Corporation’s Naver Webtoon platform in December 2007. It was developed during the formative period of Korean webtoons, when vertically serialized digital comics were becoming a major publishing format distinct from traditional print manga and manhwa distribution. The series used the webtoon format to combine frequent chapter releases with a visually expansive supernatural action narrative. The story follows Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, or Rai, an ancient Noble who has slept for 820 years. Rai awakens in a modern South Korean environment and must learn how contemporary human society works. His servant Frankenstein helps him enroll at Ye Ran High School, where Rai meets Han Shinwoo, Woo Ikhan, and Seo Yuna. The school environment gives the series a recurring slice-of-life and comedic dimension, while the main narrative expands into battles involving the Union, genetically modified humans, the Nobles of Lukedonia, werewolves, and other factions. Frankenstein’s scientific background links the supernatural mythology to the series’ technological and experimental elements. The Nobles are presented as an ancient race with extraordinary physical abilities, telepathy, and blood-related powers. They have historically protected humanity from predators and other threats, although the series also explores conflicts within their own social order. Rai’s unique office as Noblesse makes him the hidden protector and ultimate arbiter of the Nobles, giving the central character both political and moral significance within the fictional world. Noblesse gained an important international distribution channel when it became one of the early webtoons to receive an official English translation through LINE Webtoon in July 2014. This placed the property within the expanding global webtoon ecosystem and made its serialized chapters accessible to readers outside South Korea. The property then moved into animation. Studio Animal produced Noblesse: Beginning of Destruction, an animated work first presented at the Bucheon International Animation Festival in 2015. It was issued on DVD in December 2015 and later received video-on-demand distribution. In February 2016, Production I.G released Noblesse: Awakening as an original net animation through Crunchyroll and YouTube. The ONA adapted the opening material in abbreviated form and made changes to fit a shorter screen format. Noblesse also entered interactive entertainment. In March 2016, four characters from the series were introduced as playable characters in Nexon’s Fantasy War Tactics, accompanied by themed items. A follow-up event later that year added Rai as another hero. In November 2016, Air Seoul and Naver Webtoon collaborated on an airline safety video that included Noblesse among the featured webtoon properties. The original webtoon concluded in January 2019. A television anime adaptation was announced at Comic Con Seoul in August of that year. Production I.G produced the series, with Yasutaka Yamamoto directing, Sayaka Harada overseeing series composition, and Akiharu Ishii handling character designs. The anime aired from October 7 to December 30, 2020. Crunchyroll streamed it internationally outside Asian markets, while Japanese broadcasts followed on Tokyo MX and BS11. The series received dubbed editions in several European and Latin American languages as well as English. Sentai Filmworks subsequently announced home-video rights in May 2021. Noblesse’s commercial identity is consequently centered on intellectual property exploitation rather than on a standalone corporate brand. Its principal assets are the original webtoon, international digital publication, collected editions, animation rights, streaming distribution, home-video licensing, character merchandising, and collaborations with games and promotional partners.

• 2021

  Home-video licensing

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  Sentai Filmworks announces home-video rights for the anime.

• 2020

  Television anime broadcast

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  The Production I.G television adaptation airs from October through December.

• 2019

  Serialization ends

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  The original Noblesse webtoon concludes in January.

• 2016

  Production I.G original net animation

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  Noblesse: Awakening is released through Crunchyroll and YouTube.

• 2015

  First animated adaptation

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  Studio Animal produces Noblesse: Beginning of Destruction.

• 2014

  International English publication

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  The series receives an official English edition during the launch period of LINE Webtoon.

• 2007

  Webtoon debut

  [1]Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org

  Noblesse begins serialization on Naver Webtoon in South Korea.

A long-running supernatural action webtoon positioned around serialized digital storytelling, an expansive fantasy mythology, ensemble character relationships, and adaptations across animation and interactive entertainment.

• Digital comic · 2007

  Noblesse webtoon

  The core serialized property, written by Son Je-ho and illustrated by Lee Kwangsu. It follows Rai, Frankenstein, and their allies through supernatural conflicts involving the Nobles, the Union, modified humans, and other factions. The series ran on Naver Webtoon from December 2007 until January 2019 and later received official English distribution through LINE Webtoon.

• Animated film · 2015

  Noblesse: Beginning of Destruction

  A 2015 animated adaptation produced by Studio Animal. The work was presented at the Bucheon International Animation Festival, subsequently released on DVD, and later made available through video-on-demand distribution.

• Original net animation · 2016

  Noblesse: Awakening

  A Production I.G original net animation released in 2016. It condenses the opening volume of the webtoon and served as an animated introduction to Rai’s awakening and his first encounters with the modern world.

• Television anime · 2020

  Noblesse television anime

  A Production I.G television series that follows the events of Noblesse: Awakening and adapts material beginning around the second volume of the manhwa. It aired internationally through Crunchyroll from October to December 2020 and later received home-video licensing.

• 2016Fantasy War Tactics collaboration

  International mobile gaming markets

  Nexon incorporated four Noblesse characters into Fantasy War Tactics and introduced themed items, including a Noblesse Coin and Noblesse Black Coocoo equipment. A later event added Rai as a fifth playable character.

  Outcome. The collaboration extended the property into mobile role-playing games and provided playable character and item integrations.

  Source
• 2016Air Seoul and Naver Webtoon safety-video collaboration

  South Korea

  Air Seoul announced a collaboration with Naver Webtoon for an airline safety video featuring several Naver properties, including Noblesse.

  Outcome. The property gained exposure through branded airline safety content.

  Source

• 2020

  Television anime releaseProduct launch

  Background

  Following the 2016 original net animation, the property was expanded into a full television adaptation.

  Action taken

  Production I.G produced a television series distributed internationally by Crunchyroll and licensed in selected Asian markets by Muse Communication.

  Aftermath

  The franchise reached additional anime audiences and later obtained home-video distribution through Sentai Filmworks.

  Source

• 2019

  Conclusion of the original webtoonOther

  Background

  The long-running serialized comic reached its planned conclusion after more than a decade of publication.

  Action taken

  The original Noblesse webtoon ended in January 2019.

  Aftermath

  The intellectual property continued through animation, streaming, licensing, and game collaborations.

  Source

• 2016

  Launch of Noblesse: AwakeningProduct launch

  Background

  The webtoon’s opening material was adapted for a shorter digital animation format.

  Action taken

  Production I.G released an original net animation through Crunchyroll and YouTube.

  Aftermath

  The ONA created an animated entry point before the later television adaptation.

  Source

• 2014

  International English-language distributionStrategy

  Background

  Noblesse was part of the early group of webtoons selected for official English publication through LINE Webtoon.

  Action taken

  The series was made available to international readers through LINE Webtoon’s English service.

  Aftermath

  The move expanded the title’s formal digital distribution beyond its original Korean platform.

  Source

1. 1Noblesse (manhwa)en.wikipedia.org