Summary
Magic is astaple component of the fantasy genre, incorporating wondrous elements to separate stories from reality. In manhwa, each representation of magic is different. It could be the classic use of wands and brooms, or it could be a manifestation of power that resides in the body. Either way, it takes years of training to master.
In every story, there is almost always someone who stands at the top of the food chain, the pinnacle of magic power. Whether it’s decimating a landmass, felling an army, or summoning a mythical beast, these mages have made themselves known as the best in their respective worlds.
Updated June 14, 2025 by Garrett Huon:Knowing who is the strongest of anything across multiple stories and titles can be difficult because each world has its own rules and mechanics, and in some cases, those rules aren’t well-defined or explained.
The newest addition to this topic is Sunghoon Lee from I am the Sorcerer King. And for readers who may not be aware of the following characters, now is a perfect time to be introduced to some very interesting and powerful mages in manhwa.
2021 to Present
MyAnimeList
7.24
It may be difficult to believe someone so young could be one of the strongest mages, but Elric has already made a big impression despite his story only just starting. First, he was born with the ability to sense mana better than anyone else and a genius intellect. Second, he was able to solve his magic-blocking disease. Third, he has the demon Mephistopheles at his beck and call.
These aren’t the only feats that make him great. In fact, his talent alone makes him fierce competition, but as he is now, there is still a lot of growing to do.He’ll definitely get strongeras the manhwa continues.
7.58
As the originalvillainess in the story, Fiona Green would become a powerful mage due to her innate talent. Unfortunately, her circumstances and environment led her down the wrong path, resulting in her demise after she sold her soul to a demon. However, after the protagonist took over her body, that talent bloomed into power.
After participating in demon hunting since the age of nine, the new Fiona can dispatch most enemies without a thought. Dragons are the strongest existence in this world, and she managed to take one down almost by herself.
6.69
Known as The Great Sage and a master spiritualist, Egret was known for holding the power of all four elements and holding contracts with four spirits. Normally, a mage would only contract with a single spirit. Even having two contracts is incredibly rare. Unfortunately, Egret’s immense power caused him to live a solitary life, but he made his mark on history.
Reborn as Prince Judas, he was able to maintain his identity and contracts from his previous life, even if he couldn’t use all of his power. Still, he’s able to defeat dragons and contend with the most powerful necromancer in the story.
2022 to Present
6.85
Before going back in time, Mikhail Walpurgis was the only 9th-circle wizard in the empire, and even he couldn’t stop demons from destroying the world. However, he was able to break his limits and rewind time for himself, so he could get another chance.
Determined to correct his own mistakes, Mikhail starts on the path of magic much earlier, developing his incredible talents from the start. As of now, he hasn’t reached the power of his previous life, but he has been recognized as the “Hero” and acknowledged by god as a saint. It won’t be long until he surpasses the 9th circle.
Charlotte and Her 5 Disciples
2019 to 2024
6.96
Charlotte Eleanor is a genius sorcerer with talent and power surpassing eight circles. When she was young, she defeated the Cataclysm almost alone, and while she did suffer injuries, she was still able to live afterward to the old age of 101. She was also able to raise five incredibly powerful disciples, the likes of which were kings, legendary guardians, and fae creatures.
In the story, she accidentally reincarnates herself as Aria Lisen, leaving her without the vast amount of magic she once contained. Despite this, Aria was able to perfectly control and manipulate the flow of magic to seal large demons and break barriers.
2019 to 2021
143
6.98
In a world plagued by monsters and dimensional rifts, Sunghoon Lee is a normal person until an incidentreawakens the memoriesof his previous life as Kraturas, the Sorcerer King. Kratoras was extremely powerful, capable of challenging a dragon who was practically a demigod. Using his knowledge of magic, Sunghoon is able to become more powerful than in his previous life using the Akasha System that exists on Earth.
Combined with modern technology, Sunghoon is able to surpass his limits, enhancing his magical abilities and finding new ways to use them. Examples include turning electricity into mana, crafting his own magic equipment, creating synthetic brains, and introducing aura into the world. He does this as just a three-circle mage. At the eighth circle, he can freely control time and space and perform large-scale magic.
Uk-jakga (Art)
2018 to Present
7.53
Circles are a common indicatorof how proficient a mage is. Desir was stuck in the third circle in both his previous life and his current one. He was only able to compete with higher-class mages using magic tools. It’s his understanding and analysis of magic that makes him strong.
By reading the magic formula of a spell and “hijacking” it, Desir can cancel the spell or divert its power. Being able to control other people’s magic is already impressive, but Desir does it at an inhuman level, surpassing even the master of the Magic Tower. This later helps him control “fundamental” magic on par with a god’s power.
2021 to 2022
81
7.39
In his first life, Ian Paige was the strongest mage to live. His strength caused awe and fear in those around him, eventually leading to his death. He was able to turn back time by using ancient dragon magic and returned to when he was twelve years old. At twelve, he was able to defeat one of the Magic Tower’s masters and other fully-grown magicians.
Ian is also half-dragon. Dragons are god-like beings in this world, and Ian inherited authority from his father, the Gold Dragon. That’s how he was able to understand the dragon language and dominate dragonians. He is someone who transcends humanity.
7.12
In the story ofMage Again,Rangderkessel surpassed the seven great magics and became widely known as the Grand Mage. His magic power exceeded everyone else in the world, but in exchange his heart was empty. Mages in this world must hide their emotions to make room for magic power, and Rangderkessel could feel nothing.
At the request of his apprentice, however, he challenged the Demon of Destruction Perisiadis, an immortal being that killed and destroyed anything in its path. The two fought for ten days straight, and in the end, Rangderkessel was able to split Perisiadis’s body and seal him at the cost of his own life. His legacy was so great that mages years later continue to study his magic.
iitaesan
2023 to Present
N/a
In this manhwa, the world has gone through numerous cycles of destruction and rebirth, with many civilizations rising and falling. Persistent through it all are the Immortals–those who don’t die nor age. As such, they see many worlds come and go. The one commonality between each cycle is the language of magic,Bonitas.
Ylledia is extremely proficient inBonitas, and she’s capable of drawing great power from just a few words. That’s because she invented the language in her first world, giving a voice to the oppressed and sparking a revolution. In the current story, no one can compete with her power and knowledge ofBonitas.
