Iridescent Soul
Review
Writer: dreamycakesss
Artist: dreamycakesss
Publisher: Webtoon
Format: Webtoon
Iridescent Soul is a delightful, revamped continuation of dreamycakesss’ original 2022 webtoon of the same name. Full of humor and suspense, the story takes readers on a mysterious ride as they follow amnesiac characters navigating an unfamiliar world.
Iridescent Soul
ReviewWriter: dreamycakesss
Artist: dreamycakesss
Publisher: Webtoon
Format: Webtoon
Iridescent Soul is a delightful, revamped continuation of dreamycakesss’ original 2022 webtoon of the same name. Full of humor and suspense, the story takes readers on a mysterious ride as they follow amnesiac characters navigating an unfamiliar world.
Iridescent Soul is the continuation of creator dreamycakesss’ submission for the 2022 Call to Action Contest hosted by WEBTOON. Since then, the series has developed a solid following on CANVAS. But for me, I wasn’t sure what to expect heading into this series as the synopsis puzzled me. Even though I didn't quite understand what it was about, its bizarre ending hook had me curious to learn more about the story. Because I’m the type to often judge a book by its cover, I was impressed by the webtoon’s art, and that was enough to get me to click on the first episode. So, what do I think about the series and its current episodes? Scroll down to find out!
Overview
Years ago, unknown groups of people started appearing around the world named Hua with no recollection of who they were or where they came from. They had to navigate the unfamiliar world with a mysterious card as the only clue about their former selves. Because these cards came with individual superpowers, arena matches between people naturally arose as a form of sports entertainment. Card users would battle each other for fame and fortune. Enter Aiko, a new card user who recently awoke into the unfamiliar world. Mistaken for a pervert by Havoc, a fellow card user seeking to regain his old memories, how will Aiko handle her new life?
Image: Webtoon
Review
As I mentioned earlier, what initially drew me to Iridescent Soul was the cute art style. Having just read Unholy Blood, the shift in art was a nice welcome. Compared to the typical manhwa art styles which are often subdued with a focus on realism, Iridescent Soul is more eye-catching with its anime-inspired look. As someone who likes to change webtoon scenery by way of art or genre every once in a while, this webtoon was just what I needed. The designs of the lead characters, Aiko and Havoc, are so pretty, that I was always paying extra attention to the details of their clothes and styles. Creator dreamycakesss is great at injecting distinct fashion aesthetics that add so much flair to the characters. There’s also a softness to the webtoon’s color palette that creates a lighter atmosphere to the art. So, even though Iridescent Soul is categorized as a drama and action webtoon, the more comedic parts of the story were my favorite as I often found myself chuckling quite a bit. There is also good contrast in how dreamycakesss makes certain scenes unexpectedly suspenseful (i.e. one scene with Havoc showing what I would deem a mysteriously dark smirk.)
The thing to keep in mind about Iridescent Souls, however, is that it only has 8 episodes out so far (23 if you count in split episode parts.) Regardless, the webtoon has an exciting concept that can be worked into a long series. Although cards being linked to superpowers isn’t an entirely new concept, I like how it uniquely relates to the characters’ missing memories. It adds depth to the characters, which leads to opportunities to explore more about them. There is a lot of intrigue surrounding Aiko and Havoc, especially since they have no idea who they were before waking up in Hua. Because of their contrasting personalities and designs, the dynamic between the two leads makes for a fun read.
Image: Webtoon
But even though I like the energy between Aiko and Havoc, I will have to nitpick how rushed it felt seeing them quickly click after their first meeting. I mean, Havoc literally let a stranger he just met follow him? A longer interaction would’ve made their friendly connection feel more natural to the plot. The pacing of the webtoon also seems off (the way each episode is split, likely plays a part in this.) Specifically in the first episode, the shifts in scenes were awkward and sudden, giving the impression that some panels were missing. The early parts of the webtoon lacked context about the fictional world, causing a confusing start to the story. Although later episodes helped clear the air, exploring more of Hua would help flesh out the webtoon’s lore better. But besides the few kinks listed above, Iridescent Soul promises an entertaining story for all.
Image: Webtoon
Final Thoughts
Iridescent Soul’s last update was in February and with the creator’s busy schedule, a sporadic release is expected. Hopefully, with more episodes to help build the story, Iridescent Soul will piece together a lively new tale for readers to follow. I’m looking forward to learning more about Aiko, Havoc, and the other characters shrouded in mystery. With the webtoon already having many great elements to the story—from an exciting concept and interesting characters to pretty art—there is a lot of potential for this CANVAS series and where it can lead.
Who this is for
- People who like cute anime-style art.
- People who enjoy silly humor.
- People looking for an action webtoon that differs from the trending dungeon-crawling fantasy stories.
Who this is not for
- Readers who are only in it for the romance.
- Readers who prefer long episodes.
- Readers who want to read a webtoon with a consistent update schedule