Review — Solo Leveling (Seasons 1-2)

Solo leveling is a webcomic about Sun Jinwoo and his transformation from the worst to the best. With the success of the publication, an anime adaptation brought the glorious to life. With the second season gaining so much appeal, it was time for GUG to see if it’s a good thing to watch or if we should leave that dungeon to someone else.

Content

Violence: From the very beginning, there are extreme scenes of bodies being torn apart, blood splashing everywhere, and monsters slain. People are cut in half, limbs are eaten, bodies are crushed, and there are explosions. The first episode is the most brutal the show has to offer, for a very specific reason, but the rest tone it down slowly.

Alcohol/Substance Abuse: None

Sexual Content: None

Language: There are some occasional words used, but nothing extreme.

Other Negative Content: Scary images of monsters.

Spiritual Content: The main character gains necromancy powers of sorts. After defeating a foe or someone falling, Jinwoo can try and sway them into his service three times. They become shadow creatures that lack any demonic influence.

Positive Content: Inner strength. Providing for family out of love and necessity.

Review

The following review will be for the two seasons of anime, not the webcomic. Although I’ve finished it, I was prompted to read the webcomic because of how the story takes a huge turn. I wasn’t told what happened, so I won’t spoil it for anyone else. If readers wait for the anime to continue, they are in for a treat. I can’t wait for the battles to get that animation touch.

The world of Solo Leveling is plagued with portals that lead to dungeons and monsters. These portals pop up everywhere, not just Japan. If they are left alone, they will destroy the environment and the monsters inside will wreak havoc. In order to destroy them, the boss monster must be defeated. Enter the Hunters, individuals of different skill levels capable of anything from enhanced strength to healing. Each Hunter is given a rank, ranging from E to International. 

Level Up

If readers are accustomed to anime tropes, you see where this is going. The main protagonist, Sung Jinwoo is the weakest of the hunters, but a fateful event gives him the ability to become stronger. The narrative chronicles his rise to power. What makes Jinwoo different is that he goes at this alone, hence the title. 

This is where things get interesting. Most anime have a kind-hearted protagonist with overwhelming power. Their power is usually already capped, or they haven’t been given the ability to show all of it. Jinwoo lives in a world where Hunters do not get stronger; their power is set the moment they get it. Very rarely does someone reawaken. In Jinwoo’s case, he is a Player getting power that does not bend to this world’s rules. He obtains a System that gives him daily regimes and experience points to level up. Jinwoo must level up, which is why he takes on jobs by himself; no one can take away any of his experience points.

Min/Maxing the Grind

I am getting to a point here, so let me pontificate for a moment more. As Jinwoo grows in power, he begins to change in other ways too. He cuts his hair, his physique changes, he becomes confident, he welcomes a new challenge, he gains shadow warriors and learns to lead, and he starts rubbing shoulders with people he never would have met in his Rank E state.

What fascinates me is his internal character. The partaker of Solo Leveling is always with Jinwoo in his mind. From the beginning, he is working hard to get money for his sister and his mom. When given this change of a lifetime, he doubles down on the commitment to his family, and to getting stronger. He gains power at a phenomenal rate thanks to his willingness to never give up. 

Some of the best moments in the anime come from watching Jinwoo turn down opportunities. The shoulder-rubbing with S rank or International-level hunters is mostly Jinwoo walking away while some hotshot tries to assert their rank. Someone offers him free money, and he turns it down. Someone offers him a job wherever he goes, and he turns it down. When I was watching/reading, there were times my own greed or lack of faith in Christ would have lunged at their hand and took whatever they were offering.

Arise

That leads me to the spiritual aspect of Solo Leveling. Jinwoo is given something outside his world, and it strengthens him. He stays committed to its regiment and the transformation of his life. No matter what, he stays focused on leveling up, not just for his mom and his sister, but for the pure challenge. If that isn’t Christianity, then we are welcome to talk more about the details in the comments below! I personally found Jinwoo’s journey to be inspiring for my own personal faith. Keeping my eyes fixed upon the goal and losing a desire for material things feels closely related to what the Bible calls for our lives. But no shadow creatures.

Christians shouldn’t have to be worried about elements of the show, like the power over shadow creatures that he gains. They are not some demonic force; they are simply minions that do not steal his soul or tempt him to hell or murder. Viewers also don’t have to worry about things like fan service, if my memory serves correctly. The love interest Cha Hae-in they introduced in season 2 isn’t used in any provocative way for eye candy. This was a welcoming treat for me, although they don’t give her a huge role either, which was a bit of a letdown. 

Overall, Solo Leveling is similar to another “guy gets strong” anime/manga/webtoon in a lot of respects, but it does it really well. It eliminates the isekai trope, and most of the characters are developed. The typical anime fan service is nearly zero, and Jinwoo is a good-natured hero to root for.