Crunchyroll Announces Long Awaited Anime Adaptation Of Solo Leveling

Nerdigans Inc. |

Jul 11, 2022

Source: Solo Leveling PV 1 (2022) Crunchyroll Collection Youtube

ARISE!!! The adaptation that fans have been dying for has finally risen from the shadows, as after years of fans asking for it, Crunchyroll has announced that author Chuong’s best-selling manhwa and light novel series Solo Leveling will FINALLY level up to an anime.

At the end of 2021, the Solo Leveling manhwa, as written by Chuong and illustrated by artist Dubu of Redice Studio, came to a rushed end, skipping over the light novel’s proper ending and epilogue in order to get to its conclusion.

In light of this disappointing ending, the announcement of Solo Leveling’s anime adaptation sparked particular excitement amongst light novel readers, as many hoped that the chapters that were omitted from the manwha would be brought to life in anime form.

According to an official press release provided by Crunchyroll, Solo Leveling will be produced by A-1 Pictures and simulcast outside of Asia by the Western streaming platform.

In terms of writing, Crunchyroll hasn’t had the best track record in producing manwha-to-anime adaptations. Despite being well-animated, their adaptation of The God of High School was extremely rushed, while their take on The Tower of God featured a number of massive changes from the source material.

If the initial teaser trailer is any indication of the pacing of the anime adaptation will look like, it could mean the entirety of Solo Leveling’s manwha being adapted in one season.

The teaser starts off with a flash of blue light over South Korea, which any Solo Leveling fan would recognize as an opening of one of the gates, followed by our first look of protagonist Sung Jinwoo.

The teaser then shows the infamous Statue of God, a giant stone replica of the Absolute Being which serves as the Architect’s strong puppet:

Before highlighting Jinwoos journey from an innocent little weak Korean E-Class Hunter to strong S-Class Hunter, in the process slowly losing his humanity to the shadows, as seen throughout the first season of the Solo Leveling manwha:

The teaser then reveals fandom waifu Cha-Hae-In, a Korean S-Class Hunter and the Vice-Guild Master of the Hunters Guild.

With glowing yellow eyes, the woman considered to be the third strongest hunter in Korea slays her enemies with her black sword.

Next up is Korean S-Rank Hunter and the Chairman of the Korean Hunters Association Go Gunhee:

Followed by the reveal of Jinwoo’s shadow army, seen ready to take on the Monarchs that are causing havoc across the Earth:

The teaser then turns to the final fight of the manwha, wherein Jinwoo faces off against the Dragon Monarch Antares, and presents shots of Shadow General Beru fighting alongside Jinwoo, Jinwoo realizing his Shadow Monarch Armor, and the hero wielding the blade he receives near the end of the manwha.

The trailer ends with the anime’s first teaser visual, which depicts the dark hero Jin Woo holding one of his shadow dagger, the dark half of his face in the shadows as a metaphor for his descent into the darkest of shadows, and features the words “He used to be the weakest” written across the top.

Notably, this is the only look at the actual anime seen in the entire trailer. It all feels more reminiscent of the announcement trailer for the second part of the Chainsaw man manga than a teaser trailer for an actual anime.

In a joint statement regarding the announcement, provided to Crunchyroll via an illustration of Jinwoo, Chugong and Dubu told fans, “About six years ago when I was writing the very beginning of Solo Leveling, if someone had said to me, ‘The novel you wrote will become a comic,’ I bet I’d have told them to stop pulling my leg.”

“But now, I’m told that it’ll be animated?! Seriously, stop pulling my leg!” they exclaimed. “But these days, I’m feeling excited and thrilled. Since I’m still half-doubting that this is real, I want to see Jinwoo and the other characters get animated soon and feel relieved. I’ll keep working diligently while looking forward to that day.”

“Solo Leveling is finally making its anime debut,” the two added. “It feels like only yesterday that we got the offer for the anime adaptation. I feel so overwhelmed when I think that the anime is really being created right now. ”

In conclusion to their thoughts, the team asserted, “This is all thanks to you fans who love and support Solo Leveling. I’m filled with gratitude. Thank you very much. Also, please support the animation production team. If this anime gives new enjoyment to the readers, I’ll be very happy.”