Solo Leveling’s Worst Habit Will Be Be the Very Thing Tha...

Solo Leveling’s Worst Habit Will Be Be the Very Thing That Destroys It A crying Jinwoo

Solo-Leveling-Jinwoo-Crying

By Branson Garza Published 24 minutes ago Branson is a Senior Writer for ScreenRant. Anime has been a major part of his life since he was able to raise his hands in the air for a Spirit Bomb. As a journalist, Branson focuses heavily on listicles and op-eds detailing the industry's greatest shonen series. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

In just two seasons, Solo Leveling has taken the world by storm. It has quickly cemented itself as a must-watch series for any anime fans, and it can be considered required viewing for anyone who loves the shōnen genre in particular.

Solo Leveling works because of how simple it is. There are no skippable moments, no filler that needs to be cut out, and almost every episode has an incredible fight. Narratively, Solo Leveling is also very straightforward. The series is centered around Sung Jinwoo, the only Hunter in the world capable of getting stronger.

While Solo Leveling works because of how simple it is, it's that same narrative concept that might hold it back going forward. Solo Leveling doesn't change at all going forward, and that might be a problem for fans looking for a bit more from the franchise.

Solo Leveling Is the King of Anime

It's Dominated the Past Few Years

Solo Leveling Best Crunchyroll Anime of the Year

Jinwoo locking eyes with Beru as he has his biggest battle in Solo Leveling season 2, episode #12.

In the history of anime, there aren't many, if any, series that have hit the same highs as Solo Leveling. In just two seasons, the franchise has dominated anime charts as if it was easy. It's broken record after record on Crunchyroll, become a mainstream sensation, and has the world waiting for a third season (or film).

Sung Jinwoo is the perfect protagonist for the series. He's dark, brooding, powerful, and proves that edgy anime don't have to be bad. Solo Leveling is a power fantasy in the best way possible. While other series try and fail to create a good power fantasy, Solo Leveling pulls it off masterfully.

The first season set up the rest of the series very well. The first episode was brutal and gripping, letting everyone who watched know exactly what the series was about. From there, the series took off, entering into one of the best arcs around when Sung Jinwoo and the rest of the Korean S-Rank Hunters hit Jeju Island.

It Peaks During the Jeju Island Arc

No Other Arc Is Quite as Good as Jeju Island

Solo Leveling Jeju Island Arc anime

Solo Leveling's best arc is unquestionably showcased during the second season when Jinwoo arrives on Jeju Island. It feels like the entire series was leading up to this arc, and if the anime finished right after, it would've worked well. Luckily, there's still plenty more of Jinwoo's story to tell, but Jeju Island is something special.

The Ant King is one of the most vicious villains in anime. A-1 Pictures, the animation studio behind Solo Leveling, did exceptionally well bringing him to life. He made Japan's strongest Hunters look like novices, and if it wasn't for Jinwoo's incredibly exciting arrival, he would've done the same to the Korean S-Rank Hunters.

Jinwoo's arrival on Jeju Island might be the single greatest moment in the entire series. From how bleak the situation looked without him, to Chairman Go's reaction, to Jinwoo walking the Ant King down without a care in the world, there are few moments before or after that match how unreal this moment felt.

Unfortunately, Jeju Island might be the literal peak of Solo Leveling, meaning that everything going forward will feel like it pales in comparison to his absurdly good moment.

Sadly, It Might Be Downhill from Here

Solo Leveling Might Run Out of Tricks

Still from Solo leveling anime showing Sung Jinwoo

Solo Leveling works because of how simple it is, but that simplicity may mean that the franchise runs out of steam before it's over. There isn't much to Solo Leveling: Jinwoo gets stronger, finds a monster/Hunter others think is unbeatable, beats them, and repeats the cycle from there. That's worked masterfully for a few arcs, but will it keep working?

Solo Leveling has animated about half of the manhwa so far, meaning that there are about two seasons left if A-1 Pictures keeps their rapid pace. Within those seasons are some of the best arcs of the franchise, but none of them are better than Jeju Island.

Not only is Jeju Island the peak of the series, but it's also the arc that brings all the story elements together the best. Going forward, Solo Leveling will be trying to reproduce the magic that it once had, but it might not be able to. Ironically, what makes Solo Leveling great has the potential to make it boring too.

Can Solo Leveling Keep up with Its Own Momentum?

It Might Have Created Too Much Hype to Keep up With

Solo Leveling Jinwoo

The biggest obstacle Solo Leveling will face going forward will be that it has to keep up with the absurd momentum that it created. By having two of the most successful seasons of anime ever, Solo Leveling's third season has a unique problem in that even if it's good, it will be compared to the success of its predecessors.

Not only will the third season have to at least be as good as the first two, but it also has to create a similar, amazing feeling while using the same techniques that made the first seasons so magical. It's a hard task, and that might be why Solo Leveling is leaning towards a movie instead of a third season.

No matter what happens going forward, Solo Leveling has already become an all-time great. Hopefully, whatever comes next can live up to the amazingly high expectations the franchise has already set for itself, but no matter what, the first two seasons of the series are already top-tier.

1219 9.4/10

Solo Leveling

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Animation Action Fantasy Release Date 2024 - 2025-00-00 Network Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV Directors Tatsuya Sasaki, Toru Hamasaki Writers Shigeru Murakoshi, Shingo Irie, Fuka Ishii

8 Images

Jinwoo smiling in Solo Leveling Season 1

The National Level Hunter Antoine Martinez in Solo Leveling ARISE Thomas Andre Origin

Jin-woo from the Solo Leveling anime looking worried and scared.

Panel of Cha Hae In spin-off webtoon, Hunter Origin Pure Sword Princess Cha Hae In Story released by Solo Leveling: Arise game

Antares from Solo leveling Solo Leveling Kang Taeshik Poisoned

The National Level Hunter Christopher Reed in Solo Leveling ARISE Thomas Andre Origin

The National Level Hunters Siddharth Bachchan, Thomas Andre and Liu Zhigang looking at Kamish in Solo Leveling ARISE Thomas Andre OriginClose

Cast

See All

Taito Ban Sung Jin-woo
Genta Nakamura Yoo Jin-ho

Genres Animation, Action, Fantasy Creator(s) Chugong Powered by

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Anime
Solo Leveling

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