Top
10
Introduction
"Solo Leveling," the anime adaptation of the wildly popular Korean manhwa, premiered in January 2024 to enormous anticipation. Produced by A-1 Pictures, the series follows Sung Jinwoo, a pathetically weak hunter who transforms into one of the world's most formidable powers. This review examines Solo Leveling's storytelling, character development, technical execution, and cultural impact, while comparing it to similar contemporary anime to determine whether it lives up to the immense expectations set by its source material.
Background & Source
"Solo Leveling" began as a web novel by Chugong in 2016 before being adapted into a visually striking webtoon illustrated by Jang Sung-rak (DUBU) in 2018. Set in a world where mysterious gates connect our reality to monster-filled dungeons, the story follows Sung Jinwoo, an E-rank Hunter (the lowest possible rank) who struggles to support his hospitalized mother by risking his life in low-level dungeons.
The web novel concluded in 2019 and the webtoon in 2021, providing A-1 Pictures with a complete narrative to adapt. Their challenge was capturing what made the manhwa beloved: its satisfying power progression, distinctive visual style, and the compelling journey of an underdog rising to unprecedented heights.
Background & Source
"Solo Leveling" began as a web novel by Chugong in 2016 before being adapted into a visually striking webtoon illustrated by Jang Sung-rak (DUBU) in 2018. Set in a world where mysterious gates connect our reality to monster-filled dungeons, the story follows Sung Jinwoo, an E-rank Hunter (the lowest possible rank) who struggles to support his hospitalized mother by risking his life in low-level dungeons.
The web novel concluded in 2019 and the webtoon in 2021, providing A-1 Pictures with a complete narrative to adapt. Their challenge was capturing what made the manhwa beloved: its satisfying power progression, distinctive visual style, and the compelling journey of an underdog rising to unprecedented heights.
World Building
The series excels in establishing a meticulously constructed world. The societal changes brought by the appearance of gates and hunters are convincingly portrayed, from Hunter Associations to the new economic realities of a monster-threatened world.
The "System" guiding Jinwoo's growth operates with clear rules that prevent his power escalation from feeling arbitrary. Unique mechanics like Shadow Extraction, which allows Jinwoo to create an army from defeated enemies, distinguish the series from similar power progression stories. The international dynamics of this changed world add geopolitical depth to what could have been a simple monster-of-the-week formula.
Thematic Elements
Beyond its surface appeal as a power fantasy, Solo Leveling explores meaningful themes including:
Personal responsibility and family duty, with Jinwoo's motivations grounded in caring for his mother and sister
The corrupting influence of power and how it changes perceptions and relationships
Class disparity, with the hunter ranking system serving as a metaphor for social stratification
Self-determination versus fate, as Jinwoo questions whether he's forging his own path or being manipulated
Sung Jinwoo
The protagonist's transformation forms the emotional core of Solo Leveling. What makes Jinwoo compelling is not just his growing power but his character evolution. The anime establishes his determination even before he gains abilities, portraying him as underestimated but never lacking resolve.
As he grows stronger, subtle shifts occur in his personality—he becomes more confident and develops a certain ruthlessness while maintaining his moral center. The voice acting by Taito Ban (Japanese) and Aleks Le (English) deserves particular praise for conveying this transformation through subtle changes in tone and delivery.
Supporting Cast
The supporting characters serve various narrative functions:
Choi Jong-in, the Hunters Guild leader, represents the established hunter hierarchy. His journey from dismissing Jinwoo to respecting him creates a satisfying subplot.
Cha Hae-in, an S-rank hunter interested in Jinwoo, provides perspective on how elite hunters view his unusual abilities. Though her development is limited in the first season, groundwork is laid for her expanded role.
Go Gun-hee, the elderly Hunter Association chairman, adds political intrigue and hints at greater knowledge of the system empowering Jinwoo.
Woo Jin-chul, an Association investigator, serves as an audience surrogate tracking Jinwoo's impossible growth.
The anime struggles somewhat with developing its female characters, often relegating them to admirers of Jinwoo's strength or damsels in distress—a weakness inherited from the source material.
Antagonist
The series presents multiple levels of antagonism:
Immediate threats from dungeon monsters and hostile hunters
Systemic opponents like corrupt guild leaders who represent the flawed world order
Mystery antagonists hinted at through the System and flashbacks to past calamities
The Jeju Island arc introduces formidable ant monsters that represent not just personal threats to Jinwoo but existential dangers to humanity, effectively raising the stakes.
Similar "Power-Up" Anime
Solo Leveling shares DNA with several anime focused on character progression:
"The Rising of the Shield Hero" similarly features an underdog protagonist who grows in strength while being underestimated. However, Solo Leveling's progression feels more methodical and game-like, with clear numerical indicators of growth.
"That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime" parallels Solo Leveling in showing a protagonist building an army of loyal followers. Both series derive satisfaction from strategic deployment of these forces, though Solo Leveling's darker tone creates a different emotional investment.
"Sword Art Online" established many game-mechanic tropes that Solo Leveling builds upon, though SAO's virtual reality setting creates different narrative constraints than Solo Leveling's real world with game elements overlaid.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Animation Quality: Consistently high-quality animation with fluid fight choreography and faithful adaptation of the manhwa's visual style.
Power Progression: Satisfying, methodical growth that follows clear rules and provides visceral gratification while maintaining narrative tension.
Protagonist Development: Effective portrayal of Jinwoo's transformation both physically and psychologically without losing his core characterization.
Sound Design and Music: Exceptional soundtrack that enhances both action sequences and character moments, with distinctive audio signatures for key abilities.
Adaptation Fidelity: Thoughtful translation of the source material that preserves its strengths while making smart adjustments for the animated medium.
Weaknesses
Supporting Character Development: Secondary characters sometimes lack depth, particularly in middle episodes where Jinwoo's growth takes center stage.
Female Character Writing: Women in the series often serve limited narrative roles, defined primarily by their reactions to Jinwoo rather than independent arcs.
Unexplained Mysteries: The "System" driving Jinwoo's progression raises logical questions about its origins and purpose that the first season only begins to address.
Genre Conventionality: While excellently executed, the series largely adheres to established power fantasy formulas rather than subverting or reinventing them.The supporting characters serve various narrative functions:
Conclusion
Solo Leveling represents one of the most successful webtoon-to-anime adaptations to date, delivering high-quality animation, compelling character progression, and faithful representation of what made the source material popular. While not without flaws—particularly in supporting character development and occasional pacing issues—the series excels at portraying the satisfying journey of an underdog rising to unprecedented power.
A-1 Pictures demonstrates clear understanding of the source material's appeal, prioritizing the visual spectacle of Jinwoo's abilities while maintaining the emotional core of his journey. For fans of power progression narratives or fantasy anime generally, Solo Leveling offers a polished, engaging experience that ranks among the better examples of its genre.
As a first season, Solo Leveling accomplishes everything needed: establishing its world, developing its protagonist, delivering spectacular action sequences, and creating anticipation for what comes next. Whether it ultimately transcends its genre to become a lasting classic depends on how future seasons develop its themes and mysteries, but this impressive beginning suggests significant potential for the franchise's future.
Veirn.
Uncover the art and innovation of Gaming in our blog, where we explore Technology trends, Gaming Market structures, and the creative minds shaping the built environment.