The Best Player/Hunter Manhwa With Female Protagonists

Key Takeaways

• Dungeon/hunter manhwa lack female protagonists, but those featured offer unique perspectives on the genre.
• Sorry, But I’m Normal
  adds a female lead to the genre, showcasing an overpowered protagonist embracing a normal life.
• Unique manhwa like
  Housekeeper in a Dungeon
  explore domestic themes, offering a funny and charming twist to the genre.

Manhwa about hunters or players have always been very popular, but their prevalence in the media increased after the success of Solo Leveling. Many readers love the reverse isekai setting where fantasy elements are incorporated into the normal world and the intense action that comes with it. However, there is a problem.

Almost none of the dungeon and hunter manhwa have a female protagonist. Of the numerous stories out there, only a handful feature a female main character, but despite this lack of representation, these manhwa are all interesting with unique perspectives on the hunter/player theme.

Updated December 7, 2024, by Garrett Huon: While there are plenty of dungeon/hunter manhwa, there are very few with female protagonists. This update adds Sorry, But I’m Normal to the list, which features an overpowered protagonist who is trying to remain unknown. The descriptions of each entry have also been expanded on to give readers a better idea of the story and plot, which will hopefully help them if they’re looking for suggestions for dungeon/hunter stories with female heroes.

8 Sorry, But I’m Normal

The Strongest Hunter Tries To Live A Regular Life

• MyAnimeList Score: N/A
• Published: 2023 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy
• Author: Saekchae
• Illustrator: A1

In hunter manhwa, it’s fairly common for protagonists to hide their powers. Woo Yeon-Hee has been hiding her powers since the day portals appeared on Earth. Amid all the chaos and carnage, she awakened as an S-rank hunter who would eventually be the strongest hunter in both South Korea and the world. However, due to her immense trauma, she has been keeping a low profile so she can continue to live a normal life with her mother. She even creates an alternate identity to avoid being noticed.

Despite the interesting premise, this is a pretty standard hunter manhwa. Yeon-Hee hides her identity as the strongest hunter, but her alias is also incredibly powerful, which defeats the purpose of the second identity. The action doesn’t flow as well as it does in other manhwa, but the powers and abilities presented are fun and unique enough to stand out. Not much has happened in the plot yet, but there are allusions to time travel being a factor in the future.

7 Zero Game

An Unlucky Girl Takes Part In The Ultimate Death Game

• MyAnimeList Score: 6.62
• Published: 2016 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Survival
• Author: Zelbasen
• Illustrator: Zelbasen

Just as the title suggests, Zero Game is about a survival game where people compete to win the prize of a new life or a chance to start over. The main character is Hanna Yoo, a girl who went through many hardships after her parents died. On the day her aunt kicks her out, she receives an invitation to the Zero Game, where the prize is a second chance at life. Fortunately, she starts the game with a huge head start, even if she doesn’t know it.

Similar to manhwa with towers, the Zero Game is more than kill or be killed. It’s a series of scenarios and challenges that each have different requirements, which makes each part of the story unique. There are a ton of great characters that go through their own journey and growth, so there aren’t really any throwaway characters. This is an epic adventure akin to Tower of God, and despite some lulls in the plot, it does get better and better as it goes on.

6 Civil Servant Hunter’s S-Class Resignation Log

The System Fell In Love With Her, So She Became S-Class

• MyAnimeList Score: N/A
• Published: 2024 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Romance
• Author: Nokta
• Illustrator: Yurisa

One staple in dungeon manhwa is the existence of a “system.” Most of the time it’s just a tool or a background detail, but in this manhwa, it acts as its own character instead. The protagonist, Yoon Seora, accidentally makes a contract with Earth’s system manager, launching her rank from F to S. This exclusive deal comes with a variety of bonuses, including stat upgrades, direct communication with the system, and a gun.

This manhwa is similar to many other hunter stories, using many of the same plot points and tropes, but it does have its own flair. The system talks to Seora through various emoticons, and it’s honestly a great addition to the story that maintains a light atmosphere. There is a bit of a reverse harem situation as Seora attracts the attention of many high-profile characters, but it doesn’t really interfere with the overall plot. It’s a great story for a casual read.

5 Housekeeper In A Dungeon

The Most Overpowered Job Is Housekeeper

• MyAnimeList Score: N/A
• Published: 2023 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Romance
• Author: Hwanggeum Song
• Illustrator: NARAK

Although many hunter manhwa focus on the combat aspect, this one is more concerned about the domestic side of things. An average office worker named Lee Huina suddenly awakens during the night shift, but rather than getting a cool class, she gets Housekeeper. She may not be able to fight, but she can make the comfiest beds, grill the best pork belly, and remove the toughest stains. It turns out to be really useful, as hunters often suffer from their enhanced senses, and her skills are able to help them.

This manhwa really stands out because of its unique premise and ideas. There are tons of manhwa where the protagonist becomes a production-type hunter instead of a combat one, but none have tackled anything like housekeeping. The story basically treats hunters as giant children, and Huina ends up being the unofficial mother of the guild. It’s a funny and charming story full of domestic fluff.

4 My Brothers, The Protagonists

What It’s Like Living With Manhwa Main Characters

• MyAnimeList Score: 6.77
• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Comedy, Fantasy
• Authors: An-gyeong Wonsung-i
• Illustrator: Cog

When it comes to this genre of manhwa, My Brothers, The Protagonists is one of the most unique stories there are. It follows Lee Bobae, a young alchemist, as her family miraculously comes back together after years of tragedy. All of a sudden, she has to take care of a returner, a regressor, and a transmigrator, and help them readjust to a normal life. Now that she doesn’t have as much to worry about, she can also start considering her own interests and goals.

If every single action manhwa cliché came together to create one story, it would be this one. It encapsulates all those plots and shows them from an outside perspective. Bobae must deal with one brother who returns from the future and makes rash decisions because he knows too much. She has another brother who was in a coma for years before he woke up as a noble from another world. Lastly, her oldest brother is a dimensional monster who can destroy worlds. The three of them are going through their own stories, and she’s just along for the ride.

3 The Ranker’s Guide To Live An Ordinary Life

The Most Powerful Hunter Doesn’t Want To Work

• MyAnimeList Score: 6.82
• Published: 2024 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Fantasy, Romance, Reverse Harem
• Author: Teze
• Illustrator: Zikmik

Overpowered protagonists are a staple for dungeon manhwa, but each character uses their powers in different ways. In this manhwa, Gyeon Ji-oh uses them to get out of schoolwork and escape being punished by her mom. She’s satisfied being lazy and wasting each day as the most powerful ranker. That is, until she meets Dohyeon Baek, who tells her that the world will end soon. Although she doesn’t take him seriously, her life gets turned upside down after that.

As far as dungeon manhwa go, this one gives the reader a unique perspective. The protagonist may be incredibly strong, but she’s also very young compared to other main characters. Her fears and anxieties about being a hunter definitely make her feel more like a real person. This story is more of an exploration of Ji-oh’s trauma and the way she overcomes or copes with it. It’s an incredibly interesting take on strong protagonists and the responsibility they hold.

2 S-Class Hunter Doesn’t Want To Be A Villainous Princess

A Tower Climber Is Forced Into A Relationship

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.15
• Published: 2024 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Isekai, Villainess
• Author: Haegang
• Illustrator: Blue Canna

Manhwa about hunters and players are usually set in the real world or a story-specific tower, but what would happen if a hunter was isekai’d? In this manhwa, Kim Yi-Young dies in a traffic accident, but instead of going to the afterlife, she is given an offer. If she climbs the tower, she could get her life back. Unfortunately, even after reaching the top floor, her reward was to be sent to the world inside a romance novel as the villainess Renee Macias.

This manhwa might be the first to combine the villainess and hunter themes, and it’s actually a great twist on both. Because of the setting, it leans more on the Shojo side of things, but the main character remains sufficiently overpowered and cool. By far the best part about the story is Renee’s refusal to give in to the forced romance. Her only way out of the book world is to couple up with one of the male characters, but she is ardently against it. It’s incredibly refreshing to see, especially in a Shojo manhwa.

1 I Stole The First Ranker’s Soul

One Accident Leads Her To Be The Strongest

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.49
• Published: 2022 to 2024
• Chapters: 100
• Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy
• Author: Sulpurenamu
• Illustrator: Ijeong

I Stole the First Ranker’s Soul is a great hunter story that uses many traditional concepts and manages to add its own flair to the idea. The main character, Son Mo-Ah, accidentally becomes a hunter after being sucked into a dungeon. She can gather 100% of any special resource, which also happens to include other people’s souls. That’s how she meets Seo Ji-han, the number one ranker. They begin working together to defeat dungeon bosses, and slowly, she becomes a powerhouse.

Among other hunter manhwa, this one is especially well-paced and well-written. Some may think her progression is too quick, but the story is upfront about all of her cheat skills and abilities. Mo-Ah’s growth as a hunter and as a character is incredible and part of what makes this manhwa so good. She was originally introduced as a production hunter, but her change into a combatant helped keep the story exciting and dynamic.