Solo Leveling (2024)

[俺だけレベルアップな件]

[나 혼자만 레벨업]

Director: Shunsuke Nakashige
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Starring: Taito Ban, Genta Nakamura, Haruna Mikawa
Episodes: 12

Synopsis:
Empowered individuals known as Hunters clear the randomly manifesting Dungeons before they can threaten our world. Sung Jinwoo is known as the World's Weakest Hunter until a particular dungeon encounter unlocks a unique path to greater power.

Impressions:
The hype for this series has been huge, so I'm sure no few people were worried that the adaptation might get bungled. I haven't read the original manhwa, so I can't comment on the original, but with A-1 Pictures helming the production, you shouldn't have to worry about the production values at least, and you surely don't, as they pull out all the stops to deliver a visual feast. Unlike so many series that just hand our protagonist OP cheat skills on a silver platter, Jinwoo has to really put the work in for his gains, and because he has to take on increasingly greater challenges to move forward, there's decent power scaling to maintain the stakes. The fact that everyone else is typically locked in to a certain power level is an interesting system, particularly with how it influences the dynamics among Hunters. There's enough intrigue going on to bolster interest beyond Jinwoo's quest for greater power (and it should be noted that prior to the finale, Jinwoo doubts his ability to stand toe-to-toe against a Rank A Hunter, which should tell you something given that a Rank S has it out for him).

I can definitely see why so many people have been hailing this story. If the humdrum everyday power fantasies have been wearing you down, give this one a shot. For as good as this is, it's certainly worth a place in the collection and I'm looking forward to Season 2, which isn't too far on the horizon.

Rating:
Own It