Best Interspecies Romances In Manhwa

Summary

• Manhwa explore interspecies romance in fresh ways with non-human leads beyond typical fantasy tropes.
• Unique romances like wererabbit-werepanther and vampire-human twists break traditional molds for captivating storytelling.
• Fantasy manhwa like “A Symbiotic Relationship Between A Rabbit and A Black Panther” offer original interspecies pairings.

Interspecies romances in manhwa do not follow the typical fantasy format. Usually, the common romance tropes found in any sort of interspecies fantasy romance are vampire-human, werewolf-human, and maybe a mix and match of both — and frankly, these just aren’t as exciting as they once were. Writers have mostly explored almost all aspects of these stories, with little to no new ideas left to touch on further.

On the other hand, the manhwa industry is fairly new. With that novelty comes a fresh set of new ideas that somehow make no sense and all the sense at the same time. Manhwa have some of the most absurd interspecies romance couples ever. But, the ways these couples are represented through their storylines and art styles are so captivating that it takes the absurdness out of the story.

7 A Symbiotic Relationship Between A Rabbit And A Black Panther

Lead Characters Are A Rabbit And A Panther

The one reason that makes manhwa interspecies romance so fresh is the idea that both of their leads are not always human. Usually, these interspecies romances have one human partner in the mix. Whatever the reason is, manhwa writers are not afraid to break out of that mold and venture into the unknown. A Symbiotic Relationship Between a Rabbit and a Black Panther is a manhwa that can be considered the prime example of this trope.

The main female lead of the series is a wererabbit — yes, that’s right, a rabbit who can turn into a human — who accidentally finds herself in the middle of a very carnivorous clan of werepanthers. A rabbit and a panther? Not a very good combination. The clan’s hot-headed, bossy, and occasionally hostile heir makes her the object of his amusement and finds different ways to essentially just be mean to her for no reason. Against all odds, he also finds himself falling deeply and desperately in love with her.

6 Unholy Blood

Lead Characters Are A Vampire And A Human

Unholy Blood takes its readers back to the classics by featuring a vampire/human romance but with a very different twist. Since this particular manhwa is primarily action, and romance is just a secondary plotline, it does not have that intense relationship dynamic between the main characters — at least in the first half of the story. But, the romance twist in this particular series is the very rare trope featuring a vampire FL and human ML with the male character choosing to become immortal later on.

Unholy Blood revolves around vampire royalty, vampire hunters, and the relative helplessness of humans in a fight between a mythical species with supernatural powers. The main character of the story, Hayan Park, is an orphan with a very secretive past she likes to keep hidden. Despite her foster family openly accepting her, she tries to keep her past under wraps in order to at least try to live a normal life. However, she finds herself face to face with the very demons that haunt her when her city becomes rampant with violent vampire attacks, forcing her to step in.

5 Beware The Villainess!

Lead Characters Are A Human And A Wolf

Beware the Villainess! is predominantly an isekai comedy that features romance and action as secondary plots. The interspecies romance in it is just a fun little side quest that makes the series so much more enticing. The main female lead, Mellisa Foddebrat, is a human noble (a group of people that technically should be considered their own species) who falls in love with a mistreated and abandoned werewolf from a very volatile wolf clan.

Mellisa Foddebrat, the novel’s villainess, leads a surprisingly uneventful life aside from occasional clashes with other characters. However, when a Korean reader is isekai-ed into Mellisa’s world as the villainess herself, she decides to abandon the villainous role entirely. It proves to be increasingly difficult because of how exasperating everyone around her is. This ultimately leads her to find her own group of people she can be comfortable with. One of them is a meek, traumatized werewolf who needs to be brought out of his shell.

4 I Raised The Beast Well

Lead Characters Are A Human And A Panther

Unlike some of the other entries on this list, I Raised the Beast Well is a relatively darker romance manhwa that takes a deep dive into two warring species. The two species in question are humans and demi-humans, who have starkly different customs that make their societal differences too massive for peaceful relations. Like most Romeo and Juliet romance tropes, this one puts both of its characters in the middle of opposite factions.

Blondina is an orphaned girl struggling to survive on the very harsh streets of a certain empire called Ates. Before dying, her mother leaves her with a legacy that she finds hard to accept but eventually has to because of her situation. Blondina is apparently the daughter of Ates’ Emperor — which makes her the empire’s princess. And, while her father takes her off the streets and gives her a place in his place, it’s clear that her presence isn’t welcomed in the already-established hierarchy. Her loneliness leads her to befriend a talking kitten called Amon. Unbeknownst to Blondina, Amon is a divine were-leopard with a very high status among the enemy demi-human clan.

3 The Lady And The Beast

Lead Characters Are A Human And A Wolf

The Lady and the Beast is an angsty romance manhwa that doesn’t completely fit into the ‘interspecies romance’ bill but still manages to leave a mark on its readers with some of the most heartbreaking storytelling in manhwa history. The series tackles the romance between an overpowered reincarnated warrior empress and a cursed duke battling deep insecurities.

Although The Lady and The Beast initially comes off as a casual slice-of-life romance, it gradually shifts its tone to heavier and darker themes. The story follows Astina, the daughter of a lowly count who retains memories of her past life as the empire’s ruthless empress. In that life, she faced a tragic demise and now grapples with a guilt that haunts her across lifetimes. In her current life as a count’s daughter, Astina is pushed into marrying the vile and vicious Archduke of Atalenta, a man infamous for his monstrous curse. She quickly realizes that the curse in question turns the man into an adorable wolf-like dog, desperately in need of some attention.

2 The Crow’s Prince

Lead Characters Are A Crow And A Wolf

The Crow’s Prince is another all-out interspecies romance where the predominant species are wolves and crows. In addition to that, the manhwa’s isekai factor gives it a very extensive fantasy world with all kinds of other creatures like orcs, dragons, and magicians. The story follows a zookeeper who gets isekai-ed into the body of a crow in a dangerous world where she’s undeniably prey.

To avoid ending up as a meal for an orc or a bear, she decides to become someone’s pet. Soon, she comes across a handsome man who’s gravely injured and bleeding and decides to take her chances with him. She protects him, brings him food, and helps him navigate until he recovers and accepts her as his pet. What Ranielle doesn’t realize is that this man is a prince with the secret ability to transform into a powerful wolf.

1 Dark Mermaid

Lead Characters Are A Human And A Mermaid

Dark Mermaid is a fantasy romance GL manhwa that delves into the relationship between a human and a mermaid, both struggling with their own past traumas.

The story centers on Seulbi, a high schooler dealing with severe trauma and sleepwalking issues that put her in constant danger. Her struggles stem from relentless bullying at school, leaving her parents no choice but to move to a quieter town to help her heal. Seulbi’s only goal in her new life is to graduate peacefully. However, things take an unexpected turn when her new class president, Hae-on, becomes infatuated with her. Seulbi’s quiet life is disrupted once again — but this time, in a way that might bring her hope.