In most manhwa, the protagonists are either teenagers or young adults because that is the largest demographic most likely to read webcomics and manhwa online. Using a protagonist of similar age, the author can help their audience insert themselves into the story and keep them invested.

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Of course, that's not always the case. Manhwa is so great because there are plenty of stories written from different perspectives. For example, children see the world much differently, since they haven't experienced enough compared to a teenager. Whether they're reincarnated, sent back in time, or just five years old, children can be the center of amazing stories.

Updated May 17, 2024 by Garrett Huon: With the vast amount of manhwa available, it can be hard to know every title and story that's out there, so it can be difficult to include every applicable title. In this update, five more manhwa will be added to the list. Some of them are lesser-known stories that have left a big impression.

1 It's My First Time Being Loved

MyAnimeList Score: 7.08

• Published: 2023 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Reincarnation
• Author: Miraenavi
• Illustrator: Huahuachi

After living 99 lives, the hero is reborn as the youngest daughter of the Endeblanc ducal family. Throughout every life, she was treated as a martyr and asked to sacrifice herself for the world, asking for nothing in return or receiving love as a normal person. Now living as Anastasia, she's noticing something strange. Her family doesn't estrange her or hurt her. In fact, they seem to dote on her.

This manhwa is incredibly cute and wholesome. It's filled with great family moments that display familial love and affection. Like most reincarnated protagonists, Anastasia has the mind of an adult and memories of her past lives, which allows the plot to be more complex while maintaining the overall positive atmosphere.

2 Mother's Contract Marriage

MyAnimeList Score: 7.87

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Time Travel
• Author: Siya
• Illustrator: Hae-Yun Choo

This manhwa follows the life of Lyrica as she adjusts to her new life as the royal princess. One day, her mother wakes up as a completely different person, and then she's moved into the palace and is waited on by maids and butlers. Though she begins living a fairy tale life, Lyrica is aware that this situation is the result of a deal between the emperor and her mother.

Mother's Contract Marriage is a great example of a well-written child character as it displays Lyrica's wholesome innocence but does not look down on or underestimate her, showing how great her wit and instincts are. The story is greatly complemented by the whimsical art style.

3 Talented Baby Squirrel

MyAnimeList Score: 7.30

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Guncheong Jundan
• Illustrator: Soyoung Han

After living a solitary and lonely life in the attic, Beatrice is betrayed by her only friend, the crown prince Ritter, and is killed to fulfill his ambitions. Despite dying, however, she awakens in the past as a child once again. With a second chance to live, Beatty absconds to the North where her family lives to seek aid until she comes of age and can fend for herself.

Talented Baby Squirrel is a classic time travel story where the protagonist is able to use their knowledge of the past to their advantage but with a much younger protagonist. It does feel odd that she's being treated like a genius using information she read from the newspaper, but it's still a fun story.

4 The Archduke's Adopted Saint

MyAnimeList Score: 7.41

• Published: 2023 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Iba Song
• Illustrator: Bino Hwang

Dinah was born with amazing divine power, but because she was an orphan, she had no way to advocate or protect herself as nobles attempted to usurp her. She spent her life being drained of energy by her former best friend, Lavienne. She's lived this life fourteen times. Now in her fifteenth life, she's able to meet Archduke Tersia, who changes her fate by adopting her.

Now going by the name Esther, the protagonist attempts to live a full life away from the church and Lavienne. The focus of this story is healing from trauma and the effect a good family life has on that process. There is a plot regarding the next saint, but the highlights of this story are the wholesome family moments.

5 A World Without You

MyAnimeList Score: 6.97

• Published: Dec 19, 2022 to ?
• Genre/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Yoohye Na
• Illustrator: Bam-manyeo

In her first life, Sienna was lucky enough to be chosen by the Nacht family to develop her magic powers. Unfortunately, she is tricked into giving her magic to Loreina, the Nacht family's other ward, which spirals her life into misfortune. Eventually, she's killed. Now alive once again, she is taken into the Nacht house, but Loreina is nowhere to be found.

This time travel story is different in that the protagonist must live with those she attributes to her trauma. Most main characters find a way to escape or leave their former situation, but Sienna has no real choice in the matter, being so young. This leads to more complex relationship growth and character development in the story.

6 Lottery Princess

MyAnimeList Score: N/A

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation, Time Travel
• Author: Sihyun Moon
• Illustrator: Dohin and Borimyeol

One way children become protagonists is when someone is reincarnated with their memories. Normally, the time spent as a child is quite short, but in Lottery Princess the main character stays a baby. Her name is Shushu, and by the power of a heavenly lottery, she is now living her third life.

To not die too quickly, God gives her a special power: the power of streaming. Shushu can see the opinions people have of her—like a chat log on Twitch, and as she grows her "audience," she gets more special powers and tools. It's a fun manhwa with great characters and illustrations.

7 The Male Lead's Little Lion Daughter

MyAnimeList Score: 7.91

• Published: 2021 to Present
• Genre/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Latine
• Illustrator: Ttona

When they're reincarnated, the protagonist isn't always in a great position. Leonia was stuck in an abusive orphanage that was working in human trafficking before the story started. It was only by luck that she remembered the novel she was in and convinced the duke to adopt her.

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While this is a cute story, the characterization is better than most. A problem with child protagonists is that they tend to stagnate, continuing the story with no real change. Leonia is actively growing in the story, learning her new role and confronting identity issues stemming from her reincarnation.

8 ReLife Player

MyAnimeList Score: 6.78

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genre/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Time Travel
• Author: Siyun
• Illustrator: Studio Maru

Action manhwa rarely keeps their child protagonist, most likely because it wouldn't make sense for a kid to be doing outrageous stunts and confronting evil. There's almost always a time skip after the first two arcs. ReLife Player just runs with it, following Noh Eunha as a child while he tries to prevent the tragedies of his last life.

Despite having a child protagonist, this manhwa doesn't shy away from combat or violence. Set in a world of hunters where dungeons open and monsters exist, the story is quite graphic in some places. It sets up an interesting contrast between a happy family life and the hard life of a hunter.

9 Lady Baby

MyAnimeList Score: 6.64

• Published: 2018 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Mystery, Time Travel
• Author: Haeon Ju
• Illustrator: Pinkmint (Art)

For characters who reincarnate or regress, being a fully grown adult in a baby's body can be troubling. They can't move on their own or communicate clearly, and they must act their age. In Lady Baby, Calliope goes back in time, but she doesn't care that she's a baby. She starts speaking in full sentences as soon as possible.

This manhwa focuses on the family dynamic and their doting on Calliope. It's a cute story full of heartwarming moments and funny characters. She does eventually grow up in the story, but for the majority of it, she's still a child.

10 The Hammer

MyAnimeList Score: 6.74

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Time Travel
• Author: Painkiller
• Illustrator: Mensu

In time travel stories, no one ever talks about the actual time travel. In this manhwa, Tiny is one of the strongest knights to exist, but he's sent back in time with the task of meeting the Sword Emperor and telling him about future crises. If he fails, demons will destroy the world.

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Using the influence and power of the Sword Emperor, Tiny is able to get proper training and learn how to use magic, things he sorely missed in his last life. This manhwa is great because Tiny stays for most of it. He ends up with a bigger body, but technically he's still a child.

11 Kill The Dragon

MyAnimeList Score: 6.82

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Military
• Author: Baeksu Gwijok
• Illustrator: Miss Jisu

Post-apocalyptic and dystopian settings have always been popular, even more so when movies like The Hunger Games and Divergent were released. In this manhwa, humanity faces the world-ending power of dragons, and the only ones capable of defending the planet are psykers.

Psykers are a new generation born during the conflict, and so many of them are children. These children go through training and surgery to adjust their bodies and raise their abilities, resulting in them looking like adults. Despite being twelve years old, they are tasked with fighting on the frontlines.

12 The Flower That Was Bloomed By A Cloud

MyAnimeList Score: 7.05

• Published: 2019 to 2021
• Chapters: 126
• Genre/Themes: Romance, Historical, Love Polygon
• Author: Bionhu
• Illustrator: Bionhu

This manhwa is a true Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story, about the last princess in an eastern Asian empire named Hong Lyon, who is neglected and shunned due to her late mother's poor status. Her life changes when she meets Dowun. He offers to teach her how to be a princess in exchange for power. As a result, the two get married.

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The story starts when Hong Lyon is just a little girl. However, as she continues to learn, she discovers herself through the growing pains, the things she wants and wants to do. This is in between political struggle, power grabs, and problems in her love life. It's a bit of a slow start, but it's worth it.

13 The Adventures Of A Demon Lord's Daughter

MyAnimeList Score: 6.48

• Published: 2019 - 2022
• Chapters: 155
• Genre/Themes: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Yeowool
• Illustrator: Eunmin

Getting isekai'd is all certain characters want. Their lives were bad enough to crave a different world. Joara was running away from her troubles when she died, but she was reincarnated as Irene the baby born between an angel and a demon king. In this life, she is doted on and loved.

Most of the antics come from supporting characters, giving the manhwa a slice-of-life feel to it. The romance aspect in the latter half is a little drawn out, but it's not too bad because the potential love interests are fun. However, the best part is when she's still a baby.

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