I’ve seen my fair proportion of anime over the years, starting with the Cartoon Network days of Toonami and now with the intensive catalog of Crunchyroll. So, I assume you might say I’m an anime connoisseur who’s at the very least aware of commonplace tropes and themes. I’ve grown numb to whole households getting murdered in the first episode. And I don’t even blink when the weak primary character miraculously turns into the strongest of all of them.
Unfortunately, this has introduced on a biased perspective that typically makes me choose a present by its first episode. That was the case with Solo Leveling for me, at first, the place I initially scoffed at tropes I had already seen earlier than.
One of the first notable issues that began to discourage me away was the collection time period of “Hunters.” Since Hunter x Hunter is in my prime 10, I wished to be loyal to my present and located it barely annoying to listen to. I do know Hunter x Hunter doesn’t personal that phrase, and others have in all probability used it as effectively, however I simply initially thought they may’ve gone with one other labeling that didn’t hit too near house.
Once I got here to phrases with it, it didn’t get any higher when the group entered a mysterious dungeon, portraying a typical “Oh, no, it’s a trap!” state of affairs. At that point, it felt too predictable, nearly as if I watched a personality stroll right into a darkish alleyway in a scary film.
I had already seen how this all performs out earlier than in the first episodes of Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer. Yeah, yeah. Everybody dies, what’s new?
Moving onto the hospital scene when Sung Jinwoo awakes, I used to be curious to see the place he would go together with the aftermath of that Smiling Titan-esque being. Once once more, I used to be hesitant when Jinwoo put all his playing cards in the Strength class of his newfound RPG-inspired stats. His actions in the third episode induced me to yell at him, particularly when he didn’t full the every day quest. As a gamer, I used to be livid, however I valued his motivation to maintain making an attempt.
Episode 4 is the place issues actually took a flip for me, as Sung places in the precise effort and time to get higher. Despite watching different video game-inspired anime, like Sword Art Online, Recovery of an MMO Junkie, and heck, let’s add in Hunter x Hunter’s Greed Island arc, Solo Leveling works barely in another way.
You see, what makes this anime and manhwa diverge from these is the indisputable fact that the primary character is the just one experiencing this stuff. No one else can see these stats and quests, simply him and him alone. Past anime usually had different gamers concerned, based mostly totally on an MMO.
Solo Leveling makes me really feel like Jinwoo is the playable character in a single-player recreation, whereas everybody else is simply NPCs. For so long as I can bear in mind, I’ve at all times loved these video games, so seeing one thing that leans towards that makes it really feel far more inviting.
It additionally made me lastly begin to admire all the online game themes in the present, from the dungeons to the fundamental character level-ups. Plus, I set free a sigh of reduction after he began to contemplate his different stats to steadiness every little thing out.
However, even when we bought into the way it’s totally different as a video game-esque present, you should still marvel about the overdone weak MC changing into a powerful MC trope. What separates Solo Leveling from others right here is how briskly Sung Jinwoo ranges up. At the state it’s in now, there’s no long-drawn coaching arc; the truth is, by the fourth episode, he’s already extra OP than a few of the Hunters we’ve met.
On prime of that, Jinwoo doesn’t brag about this new energy and principally retains it to himself. I do know it’s comparatively cliche with the way it’s depicted, primarily with the reveal of his shredded abs. But even when I don’t play for the identical group, I couldn’t assist however channel my internal Squidward and say, “Oh no! He’s hot!”
Sung’s demeanor general feels drastically totally different from earlier than. He’s far more targeted and serious-looking, together with a tad of confidence to place a spring in his step. Don’t get me unsuitable, I didn’t thoughts who he was earlier than; it’s simply fascinating to see how far he’s are available in a mere few episodes. As of proper now, I discover myself ready for the subsequent debut to see the place Jinwoo goes subsequent and the way a lot he’s modified this time. I’ve additionally dabbled in the manhwa anytime the wait feels method too lengthy.
I do know there are in all probability much more intriguing particulars that I’ve but to find (my greatest good friend, who’s learn all of them, already informed me I’m undoubtedly in for a deal with.) So, I suppose I must rethink my biases with the newer anime in the hopes that I discover gems like this. It’s occurred earlier than with the Tokyo Revenger’s primary protagonist and now with Solo Leveling’s Sung Jinwoo. Even if I may be hesitant at first, I can’t look forward to anime to maintain proving me unsuitable, it doesn’t matter what style.
About the writer
Discussion about this post