Since its initial release in 2016, the webtoon had garnered more than 2.4 million readers, with the numbers continuing to rise.
In recent years, the lines between manga and manhwa have become increasingly blurred, as fans from China and South Korea are becoming increasingly involved with the webtoon/novel genre. In particular, web novels or manhwa have been steadily receiving adaptations in various forms, namely live-action and anime adaptations. Unlike the usual shonen or shoujo genre, Japanese animation houses are taking keen interest in popular works from South Korean, including the recently hyped webtoon: Solo Leveling.
Solo Leveling is a recently-concluded South Korean web-novel written by Chugong that has taken the internet by storm after the conclusion of its 179th chapter. Also referred to as Only I Level Up, the web-novel was published on Kakao's digital comic section KakaoPage in 2016 and later by D&C Media the same year. The webtoon version of the story was illustrated by Jang Sung-rak, also known as Dubu.
The story is set in a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction and needs the help of hunters, with magical abilities, to save them. Sung Jinwoo is a particularly weak hunter, who is endlessly struggling to ensure the survival of those around him, as well as himself. One narrowly escaped mission later, Jinwoo is approached by a mysterious entity called ''The System''. Jinwoo is elected as their solo player, which gives him the ability to upgrade to any known level beyond limits. Armed with a new set of abilities, it is up to Jinwoo to fight against the evil in the world, be it human or monster. Embarking on a journey to cleanse the world, Jinwoo must learn to cooperate with other hunters and people with abilities similar to him.
Viewers are highly anticipating the hyped anime that is set to be released in 2023. To quench the curiosity for fans, here are some of the things that viewers should really look forward to from the anime:
Director Shunsuke Nakashige is the name that everybody knows for delivering suspense, emotion, and action-packed scenes. Such a talented director will be responsible for directing the Solo Leveling anime. Some of his remarkable works include Re:Zero and Sword Art Online. Noboru Kimura is a writer and actor who is known for his script writing in the phenomenonal Mai-HiME and Princess Principal Crown Handler Chapters 1 and 2. He will be taking part in the script writing of the anime adaptation. Additionally, the character designs will be handled by Tomoko Sudo, whose previous work includes The Blue Exorcist and Alice in Borderland.
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As announced at the Anime Expo, the anime series will be produced by A-1 Pictures, a Japanese animation studio. A-1 Pictures has some many notable anime hits under their name, such as Your Lie in April and The Seven Deadly Sins. By the first look of its special trailer, the animation is already being praised for being sharp and detailed. The characters shown in the trailer seem to be as close to those of the manhwa, mainly using a very monochromatic color palette, and including details in bright blue to emphasize modern fantasy.
The iconic Japanese composer and music producer, Hiroyuki Sawano, will be composing the original music and soundtracks. His previous, most notable, and memorable works include scores from Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, Seraph of the End and Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. As it can be seen through the trailer, the music adds an environment of suspense, power, speculation of something great that is yet to arrive.
Considering the length of the manhwa, fans can look forward to seeing the vast number of characters integrated into the plot. For those who have not read the mahwa, a various set of alluring characters can be expected to appear in the anime. The excitement revolving around seeing favorite characters, such as Jinwoo, Hwang Dongsuk and Chae Haein has fans already growing impatient.
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Solo Leveling as a manhwa is said to be not for everybody because of gruesome details of fights, recurring themes of danger, and an overall dark outlook. There is a lot of dark imagery present throughout, and can be seen in the anime adaptation special trailer as well. They heavily rely on the composition of the music in depicting the uneasy context that would be present in the anime adaptation.
One of the greatest appeals of the Solo Leveling mahwa is the lore present in the story line. These are mainly identified by the Monarchs who are ancient monsters, wanting to wipe out the human race. The depiction of ancient aspects of Korean life being mentioned in the manhwa easily attracts readers to be immersed into the story. Seeing this play out in an anime adaptation would be every Solo Leveling fan’s dream come true.
Solo Leveling can be a gold-mine for those who are expecting action-packed scenes. The animation studio incharge has a great reputation for presenting unique fighting angles and a robust of suspense. For instance, in the mahwa, the fight between Jinwoo and the Dragon King is expected to offer brilliantly executed moves.With the anime currently in production and having one of the best production team on board, Solo Leveling’s action sequence may leave all viewer’s jaws hanging.
A beloved manhwa being sent into production for an anime adaptation does welcome a lot of speculation, especially due to the lack of details. According to the creators, the anime might not follow the manhwa completely. This shows that there might be a change in the location of the anime from Seoul to Tokyo, and Sung Jinwoo might be turned into a Japanese man. Speculations like this are rampant because of the recurring anti-Japan themes in Solo Leveling that do not sit right with the Japanese audience. However, more information is set to be released soon as Crunchyroll updates fans.
Fatima is an author, seamstress and English major who is enthusiastic about films, comics and cosplay. She also has an avid love for writing and writes about the latest entertainment news and trends on Movieweb.