Many have been looking forward to Solo Leveling’s latest episode but I do believe my reasons were a bit different. Everyone else was focused on Sung Jinwoo’s fight with Baran and I was no different. It is the penultimate moment for the protagonist who’s entire journey started as an attempt to pay his mother’s hospital bills and raise his younger sister. All of that struggle of being the Weakest Hunter of Mankind and then some comes to a standstill because of his fight with Baran.
Sung Jinwoo didn’t become a hunter because he had a hunger for power. No, he wanted to tend to his ailing mother. His goals were heartbreakingly mundane. My only hope is that A-1 Pictures takes the opportunity to make the next episode so emotionally brutal that I have to pull out my tissue box. His long and tumultuous journey will finally end in satisfaction and he will finally start to live for him. Thus, it would begin the Jeju Island Arc.
Not all demons need to be enemies in Solo Leveling
Sung Jinwoo has never been good with names. This has been a constant since Solo Leveling began. All the weird names he gave his shadow soldiers are a testament to that. Needless to say, Esil’s clan being dubbed the ‘Radish’ clan is a gag that brought out a little bit of Jinwoo’s goofy side. Moreover, Esil is a character that I personally thought was criminally underused in the manhwa. I don’t doubt the same would be the case for the anime. However, it does make me feel better that Ragnarok hasn’t forgotten about her.
The animation of the episode had me both gasping and frowning. In some cases, it was beyond exemplary, astonishing me with those frames that had no need to be as cool as they were. On the other hand, there were moments where I felt that the animation was overall lacking. While it could be a point of criticism, I also understand the need to be selective. All the places that had that underwhelming animation style didn’t really require anything special to begin with.
Somehow it worked better when Baran’s silhouette was the only thing we as readers could see. However, the entire fight felt like it involved stakes that would otherwise cost Sung Jinwoo heavily. One second he has an entire army of shadow soldiers that intimidate even his strongest allies; the next, he has no mana left and only his raw strength to support him. This is where we see Jinwoo’s abilities in their truest form. He doesn’t hide behind his shadows. He isn’t just a man who relies on strength. He has the mind to support his endeavors just as much as his body.
Removing monotony from perfection
I must say, first and foremost, those impact frames just hit differently. I didn’t expect them at all seeing that so far, A-1 Pictures hasn’t done anything too interesting with the animation. Now, I’m not saying that the animation has been bad so far. It hasn’t; in fact, it has been extraordinarily impressive. It is similar to how if I wrote in the same way over and over, it would just become a casual norm. With no challenges, that norm would become a boring chore.
In a similar way, Solo Leveling directs its challenges in the story rather than the animation. It works for the most part and you won’t realize something is lacking until something better sprouts before you. I admit, I didn’t realize it either until I watched this episode. Those impact frames really helped enhance the overall quality of the anime as well.
The Jeju Island Arc is set to begin and it is common knowledge how closely Solo Leveling fans keep it close to their chests. It is sacred and hopes will be crushed were there to be a single flaw in its execution. So far, the series has been doing a great job balancing its audiences, both those who have read the manhwa and haven’t, unanimously love the anime. As the final arc of the season approaches, it won’t be long before we all find ourselves yearning for another season
Rating: 9/10
Solo Leveling is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
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