Solo Levelinghas solidified itself as one of the greatest anime series of the current generation. The series is in a league of its own thanks to a couple of key traits that take it to an entirely new level of stardom. The series stars Sung Jinwoo as the only Hunter in the entire world with the ability to get stronger. He uses his newfound ability to help his family, friends, country, and eventually, the entire world.
There are plenty of shōnen series out there, butSolo Levelingisn’t like most.Solo Levelinghas broken record after record, and with two seasons currently animated and two more to (hopefully) go, it doesn’t look like it’ll be slowing down anytime soon. Thankfully, the success of the first two seasons almost guarantees that the series will get a full adaptation, and with its overwhelming strong points,Solo Levelinglooks like it’ll only get better from here.
9Amazing Art And Animation
A-1 Pictures Is Showing Their Best Stuff Through Solo Leveling
Solo Levelinghas some of the best animation of any shōnen series. Too often, shōnen series rely far too heavily on their fights, which are usually the focal point of any action-oriented anime. WhileSolo Levelingdefinitely has great fights,the animation and art style are two key components that bring the show to another level.Some of the most beautiful shots in the series aren’t even when Jinwoo is fighting, proving how well-rounded the series is.
There are plenty of jaw-droppingly gorgeous scenes in the series, including Jinwoo after he beats Baran in the Demon Castle, the cold majesty of the ice forest during the Red Gate Arc (which is one ofthe best arcs inSolo Leveling),and almost all the Gates Jinwoo heads into. A-1 Pictures, the animation studio behindSolo Leveling,has done a great job of bringing the best parts of the webtoon to life through a captivating animation style.
8Video Game Components Are Made Amazing Through The Series
Video Game + Anime = Major Success
Video games and anime go hand-in-hand. They’re often enjoyed by the same groups of people; most great anime series get a video game adaptation (and vice versa), and both art forms employ a lot of the same elements to create their stories.Solo Levelingis a rare anime series in that it incorporates a lot of the best aspects of a video game into its story, showing Jinwoo’s titular solo leveling in a way that’s easy to understand for everyone.
Most times in anime, when a character is getting stronger, there isn’t a clear way to show their progression.Through the System,Solo Levelinghas made it abundantly clear.Jinwoo levels up as he gets stronger thanks to daily quests, larger quests, and even has access to an item shop. The video game components ofSolo Levelingnot only make the series more understandable, but they add a ton of fun to the franchise as well.
7Solo Leveling’s Story Is Phenomenal
One Of The Simplest, Most Straightforward Stories In Anime
Most people just watch shōnen series for their fights.Solo Levelinghas some ofthe best fights in anime history, but that isn’t everything that the series brings to the table.Solo Levelinghas one of the simplest, most straight-forward stories around. It’s a great aspect of the franchise that makes sure nobody gets confused and that a good fight is never too far away. The series is one of the fastest-paced around, and its pacing is only possible because of its story.
Jinwoo’s motivation couldn’t be more understandable:he just wants to save his mom from the Eternal Slumber disease. He spends his time getting stronger to accomplish that singular goal, and once he does, he just wants to be with his family. He flies back to the battlefield when he realizes his strength is needed, and that’s basically the entire premise. While the finale ofSolo Levelingbecomes a little convoluted, it doesn’t make the series that much worse.
6Solid Worldbuilding
The More Solo Leveling Reveals, The More Interesting The Story Gets
The world ofSolo Levelingis a little more complicated than the story in the best way possible.Solo Levelingtakes place in a normal world where magic, monsters, and Gates have appeared. Hunters are people who have gained magical abilities, and while there aredifferent types of Hunters inSolo Leveling, each of them uses the power that originates from the Gates to defend their respective countries from the monsters that threaten them.
At first, the story ofSolo Levelingis entirely shrouded in mystery.Jinwoo escapes death through the power of the mysterious System and doesn’t know anything about it.Eventually, he gets strong enough to head back to the Double Dungeon where it all started, gaining answers to all the questions he’s had so far. He also learns more about the celestial war soon coming to Earth, gaining the knowledge he needs to defend his home from his looming enemies.
5Memorable Villains
Each Of The Series' Villains Brings Something New To Solo Leveling
There have been nearly a dozen relatively major villains inSolo Levelingin just the first two seasons, and still, they all bring something worthwhile to the series. Each of the major villains inSolo Levelinghas a clear goal, a character worth getting to know, and plenty of abilities that make Jinwoo think before he acts. They’re all great fighters as well, pushing the S-Rank Hunter past his limits on several occasions.
The best part about the villains in the series is thatmost of them don’t stay as villains for long.Thanks to Jinwoo’s exceptional abilities as the Second Shadow Monarch, he’s able to extract the Shadows from most of his enemies, turning them into his loyal, undying soldiers. Characters like the Blood-Red Commander Igris, the high-orc shaman Kargalgan, and the Alpha Ice Bear are made intoJinwoo’s strongest Shadows inSolo Leveling,fighting and dying for him over and over again.
4Jinwoo Has Unreal Abilities
The Second Shadow Monarch Is On Another Level
In the first few episodes ofSolo Leveling,Jinwoo obtains the powerful System, a video game-like means of getting stronger. After killing the Blood-Red Commander Igris in one ofthe best fights ofSolo Leveling,he gets the power to extract Shadows from his fallen opponents. It’s an ability that allows him to create an immortal Shadow Army that he can continually respawn so long as he has mana.
Jinwoo’s ability to create an immortal Shadow Army is one of the strongest in anime.So long as he has mana, he can resummon his soldiers limitlessly.His soldiers are just part of his abilities as well, as he’s also absurdly fast, strong, and intelligent. He can allocate his experience points to different stats as well, choosing to upgrade his stamina, perception, and more.
There’s nothing more exciting than watching other characters react to Jinwoo’s power as well, as few can even fathom how strong he really is.
3Solo Leveling Made Edgy Anime Not Cringe
Jinwoo Radiates Aura Like The Sun Radiates Light
The word ‘edgy’ has gotten a negative connotation over the last few years, and it isn’t completely unwarranted. Some anime series will feature a main character who is trying to hard to be cool, resulting in them looking odd and the series as a whole feeling uncomfortable.Solo Levelingdoesn’t have this problem in the slightest, as Sung Jinwoo easily comes across as one ofthe coolest characters in anime.
There are a few key components that makeSolo Levelinga top-tier edgy anime: Sung Jinwoo is enigmatic and prefers to do things on his own, the people around him can’t help but gravitate towards him, and somehow, Jinwoo is always there to save the day at the last second. One of the edgiest and most hype moments in anime came at the end of the second seasonwhen Jinwoo teleported to Jeju Island and turned the tides of the raid with a single word: Exchange.
2Great Side Characters
Cha Hae-In, Baek Yoonho, And Go Gunhee Are A Treat Every Time They’re On-Screen
Solo Levelingis very much centered on Sung Jinwoo, but that doesn’t mean he’s the only character in the story to mean something. Some of the show’s best moments come from Baek Yoonho, Cha Hae-In, Go Gunhee, or any of the otherstrongest Korean Huntersin the series. During the Jeju Island Arc, arguably the best arc inSolo Leveling,the Korean S-Rank Hunters unite to defend their country from the looming threat of the ants.
Watching the heads of all the major guilds work together was a treat,and it was only made better by Go Gunhee’s enthusiasm and moral support. Each of the side characters has their own unique personality as well, allowing them to stand out and contribute to the series wherever they can. A lot of other shōnen series will use a side character for the main character’s growth, but even without Sung Jinwoo, the side characters inSolo Levelingare worth a lot on their own.
1Some Of The Best Fights In Anime
Solo Leveling Is At Its Best When Jinwoo Is Fighting
Solo Levelinghas consistently put out some of the best fights in all of anime. In season 2 alone, there are at least four fights that could fit as a season finale, not counting the season finale itself. Not only doesSolo Levelinghave amazing fights, but Crunchyroll is so confident in the series, they put all the best fights ontheir official YouTube channel, so everyone can watch them for free. It’sa genius marketing strategythat allows fans to watch their favorite fights again and again.
The fights themselves are explosive, consequential, and riveting.There are few characters who can push Jinwoo to his limits, and even then, A-1 Pictures does a great job of creating beautiful exhibitions of Jinwoo’s strength. Side characters reacting to Jinwoo’s overwhelming abilities make the fights themselves even more memorable, as even Jinwoo’s closest allies are left speechless when he jumps into battle.
