Is Lessa Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read
Quick Answer
Yes, especially if you want an older, underrated action manhwa that grows from a fairly standard humans-vs-monsters setup into genuine mythology. Lessa starts simple but builds real depth in its character relationships and lore as it goes, and it's a complete, self-contained story with two direct sequels for readers who want more.
Quick Verdict
“Underrated action manhwa that starts as a straightforward monster-hunting story and grows into something with real mythological depth.”
Best for: Readers who want a complete action-fantasy series that rewards sticking around as its lore and character relationships deepen.
Not for: Readers who need modern, polished art from the very first chapter — this one is from 2012 and looks it early on.
- Type
- Manhwa
- Genres
- Fantasy, Action
- Status
- Completed
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- POGO
- Publisher
- Naver Webtoon
- Platform
- WEBTOON
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Manhwa, 292 chapters, 18 volumes |
| Run | 2012–2020 · completed |
| Community score | AniList 6.9 · MangaUpdates 8.0 |
| Where to read | WEBTOON — official |
Overview
Every night, more people are attacked and turned into monstrous "Deman." One hunter is searching for his missing sister amid the chaos — but when he crosses paths with an immortal who has just woken from centuries of sleep, he's pulled into a much larger war between gods working to protect humanity. It's a complete 58-chapter manhwa by POGO, originally serialized in 2012-2013, and this review stays spoiler-free.
What it does well
Lessa's biggest strength is how much further it goes than its opening chapters suggest. What starts as a fairly familiar humans-versus-monsters premise — Deman that resemble vampires, weak to sunlight, with humanity sheltering in a walled sun-lit city — gradually expands into a genuine mythological story involving gods and immortals. Readers consistently point to that late development as the moment the series stops feeling generic and starts feeling like something distinct.
The relationship between Lessa and Ares is the other major draw, getting real room to develop rather than staying a simple hunter-and-ally dynamic, and it's frequently cited as the emotional anchor that pulls the whole story together. Because it's a complete story, all of that mythology and character work gets a real ending rather than trailing off unresolved — and for readers who want more, two direct sequels exist to continue the world.
Where it falls short
The art is the most obvious dated element: this is a 2012 webtoon, and the early chapters look it, even though multiple longtime readers note the art grows on you as the story goes on. The opening stretch can also feel a little chaotic in tone and pacing before the larger plot and mythology take hold, which is a real barrier for readers used to more polished, immediately gripping openers. And the initial Deman-versus-humans setup, with its vampire-adjacent sunlight weakness, won't feel especially fresh to genre veterans in its first handful of chapters — the payoff is real, but it takes patience to get there.
Verdict
Lessa is a genuinely underrated action-fantasy manhwa that rewards patience with real mythological depth and a relationship worth investing in. If you can look past its early-2010s art and a somewhat chaotic start, it's a complete, satisfying story with sequels waiting if you want more.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- The story earns real depth over its run: what starts as a fairly familiar humans-versus-monsters premise develops into a genuine mythological tale involving gods and immortals, and readers consistently point to that late-game expansion as the story's biggest surprise.
- The central relationship between Lessa and Ares gets real room to grow, and it's frequently singled out as the emotional core that elevates the story above a standard action webtoon.
- As a complete 58-chapter story, it delivers a real ending rather than leaving its mythology unresolved, and two direct sequels (LESSA 2: The Crimson Knight and LESSA: Servant of Cosmos) exist for readers who want to stay in this world.
- It's genuinely underrated relative to its quality — several longtime readers specifically flag it as a series that deserves a much bigger audience than it's gotten.
Weaknesses
- The art reflects its 2012 origins in the early chapters and isn't up to current webtoon standards right out of the gate, though multiple readers note it grows on you as the story continues.
- The pacing and tone can feel chaotic in the opening stretch before the larger mythology kicks in, which one recent reader flagged as a rough entry point even while ultimately rating the series well.
- The vampire-adjacent 'Deman' setup (monsters weak to sunlight, humans sheltering in a walled sun-lit city) will read as familiar to genre veterans in its earliest chapters, before the story distinguishes itself.
Similar Titles
LESSA 2: The Crimson Knight
The direct sequel, also complete on WEBTOON, continuing the story for readers who finish Season 1.
A similarly long-running, mythology-heavy action manhwa with a slow-build reveal of its larger world.
A different genre entirely, but from the same creator, POGO, for readers curious about their other work.
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON | Digital chapters | Free | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lessa finished?
Yes, Season 1 is complete at 58 chapters (2012-2013 in Korea, concluded on English WEBTOON in July 2015).
Is there a sequel?
Yes — LESSA 2: The Crimson Knight (108 chapters, also complete on WEBTOON) continues the story, and a third installment, LESSA: Servant of Cosmos, exists in Korean without an official English translation.
Where can I read this officially?
It's available for free on WEBTOON.
