By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Crunchyroll is the 20,000 lb. gorilla of the anime world with the Sony-owned streaming platform hosting thousands of series and movies, it’s a must-have for serious fans. That’s why when something catches fire on the platform and becomes the next big hit, everyone starts to take notice. Solo Leveling was the streamer’s top performer at this time last year, and now, with Season 2 about to wrap up, the isekai is back on top as Crucnhyroll’s hottest series week after week.
Solo Leveling Does It Again
Solo Leveling plays with the isekai formula by making the entire world aware of portals that provide access to another dimension filled with monsters and give rise to the superhuman soldiers called Hunters, the only ones that stem the tide and save the world. The problem is that every Hunter is locked into their “Rank” and power level, with the exception of Sung Jinwoo, a pathetic, powerless, worthless E-rank Hunter that was the butt of every joke, who suddenly gains the ability to “Level Up” and become stronger over time. Video game mechanics play a central role in the plot, including the concept of Mana (which is used to perform incredible magical feats), experience points, and, in a smart implementation, healing back up to full when leveling up.
In Season 1, Solo Leveling spends time explaining all of these concepts to viewers as Jinwoo develops his powers and starts ascending the ranks of the Hunters. Yoo Jinho, his D-rank best friend, tags along through dangerous raids, betrayals by other groups of Hunters, and eventually, the stunning secret behind their world and the origin of “The Gate.” Season 1 has a lot of ground to cover, but it’s a snowball going downhill, and by the end, fans were rabid for more.
The first two episodes of Solo Leveling Season 2 were part of Solo Leveling ReAwakening in theaters late last year, bringing the “Red Gate arc” to the big screen weeks before it hit streaming. When a training mission with the White Tiger Guild turns horribly wrong after the gate they go through turns red, trapping the party inside until the boss monster is defeated, Jinwoo has to rally the survivors of the expedition to survive. The end result is a bloody moment that stuns the remaining guild members and even the monsters when Jinwoo falls a massive warrior in a single blow.
Embracing The Rule Of Cool
Power scaling is a problem with any Shonen anime when heroes like Luffy and Midoriya start to become so strong it’s hard to imagine anyone could take them, resulting in absurdly powerful villains to compensate. Solo Leveling turns breaking the concept of power scaling into the plot which is a large part of its appeal to jaded anime fans. From the first episode, when Jinwoo can barely lift his sword, to when he says the words “Arise,” the series, aided by the amazing animation from A-1 Pictures, manages to make every new power, weapon, and ability into a classic hype moment.
The final episode of Season 2, which airs on March 30, won’t even include the usual opening video in a bold marketing move selling how it’s simply too intense. It’s a hooky marketing decision, but though the series may be subtle in some of its background clues and quieter moments, such as how a “cure for all disease” can remove a scar but not fix any injuries, it’s also bold, in your face, and makes no apologies about it. Solo Leveling lives by the “Rule of Cool,” and everything hinges on those hype moments with Jinwoo, which makes it the fast food of the anime world compared to meatier series like Paranoia Agent or even Demon Slayer, but sometimes, that cheap burger hits you just right.
Solo Leveling is streaming on Crunchyroll.
