unOrdinary debuted on WEBTOON on May 24, 2016, introducing fans to John, Seraphina, and the series’ world full of superpowered characters. Today, it’s approaching its 400th episode and has reached a massive global audience. WIth over 1.76 billion global views, it’s the second English-language WEBTOON series to surpass the billion-view mark (after Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus).
unOrdinary became one of the defining hits of the webcomics era by blending the DNA of American superhero comics with the pacing, emotion, and character dynamics of anime and manga. The series follows John, a normal teenager at a high school where the social elite happen to possess unthinkable powers and abilities. But John has a secret past that threatens to bring down the school’s whole social order — and much more.
“This was supposed to be a fun little story about a background character living in a world full of main characters,” uru-chan said, reflecting on unOrdinary’s 10-year anniversary. “It’s crazy how much the story has evolved since it started, and now we’re over 380 episodes long. Today, it feels kind of like a journal documenting my art and writing journey throughout the last decade, and in a way, a deep and thought-provoking 10-year conversation with my readers.”
WEBTOON held a special Q&A session with uru-chan, which you can check out below:
When you created unOrdinary, did you ever anticipate reaching this 10-year milestone?
Not at all! This was supposed to be a fun little story about a background character living in a world full of main characters. It’s crazy how much the story has evolved since it started, and now we’re over 380 episodes long! Today, it feels kind of like a journal documenting my art and writing journey throughout the last decade, and in a way, a deep and thought-provoking 10-year conversation with my readers.
You’ve been working on unOrdinary now for 10 years and nearly 400 episodes. How have you maintained your creative energy over that time? What’s inspiring your work today?
It’s definitely been a challenge to stay creative. I’m also lucky to have a large and diverse cast, so I’m able to switch between different character groups to keep things fresh! Many parts of unOrdinary are also inspired by current events and our societal struggles. Most important of all, my audience has always been my biggest cheerleader. Their excitement really helps me push through tough times.
Webcomics have grown significantly since unOrdinary launched in 2016. How have you seen the format evolve over the course of your work on the series, and how has it influenced your approach?
Back in 2016, there were hardly any colored webcomics that were updated on a weekly basis. I remember being completely new to drawing action and Webtoons, and there weren’t many resources online to reference, so a lot of stuff I had to figure out on my own. Ten years later, we’ve seen a plethora of new comics, new drawing tools, tutorials, and the rise of webcomic studios, which help the newer wave of creators learn and produce at a much faster pace. It inspires me to look for new ways to optimize my production process, knowing there is always room to improve!
What should fans look forward to when unOrdinary returns on the 27th?
I left the readers on a pretty brutal cliffhanger, lol. I’m super excited for what’s to come! There’s a climactic conflict approaching, and once that’s finished, a much larger plotline will be unlocked which I’m super excited for!
Check out unOrdinary here: https://www.webtoons.com/en/super-hero/unordinary/list?title_no=679
Source: Press Release
