TheSolo Levelinganime adaptation has taken the world by storm, but there are a few changes that could make the show even better. The anime, based on the Webtoon/manhwa, hascrushed numerous records, gotten millions of views on every platform it has graced, and has introduced anime and non-anime lovers alike to the story of Sung Jinwoo.
It’s a quality adaptation brought to life by A-1 Productions, one of the best animation studios in Japan with a history filled with hits. They’re no strangers to bringing massive series to the screen, andSolo Levelingis just another addition to their catalog of amazing anime series. Even with all the success that the first two seasons of the anime have brought,there are a few changes that could have and could still make it even better.
10Have a More Involved Story
Solo Leveling’s Anime Could Focus On the Story
One of the biggest complaints that fans across the web make aboutSolo Levelingis thatthe series is all style and no substance.There’s a fair argument to be had that the series doesn’t have the most involved story and instead relies on its amazing animation to carry itself forward.
If theSolo Levelinganime wants to improve, it can go deeper into the world the series is set in. This should be solved with the third and fourth seasons of the show, as the next few arcs in the Webtoon show Jinwoo heading to America, meeting some ofthe strongest Hunters inSolo Leveling,and much more.
9Don’t Force Jinwoo to Be Edgy
He’s Already the Best Edgy Character in Anime
Jinwoo made edgy anime great again.Solo Levelingis one ofthe best edgy anime series ever made, so A-1 Productions doesn’t need to go out of their way to try and make it even edgier. One of the least-needed changes from the Webtoon came towards the end of the second season when Jinwoo made his arrival on Jeju Island.
In the anime, Jinwoo is perched on top of a roof like Batman when he Shadow Exchanges to Jeju Island.It’s a moment that feels forced, and in the Webtoon, Jinwoo is on a normal walk in the park when he heads to the island to save his friends.
8More Episodes Like Jinwoo’s Reunion with His Mom
The Episode Dedicated to Jinwoo’s Family Was Great
Solo Levelingis all about action, and the action is phenomenal. The only changes that could make the action even more amazing are more emotionally fulfilling moments in between the sequences, adding even more significance to Jinwoo’s battles. Jinwoo’s fight against Baran was top-tier because Jinwoo wasn’t just fighting to conquer the Demon Castle:he was fighting to save his mom.
Jinwoo’s reunion with his mom is the most emotionally fulfilling moment inSolo Leveling.He’s been getting stronger so that he can find a cure for her disease, and when he finally gets it, it feels like all of his battles have been worth it.
7Make Japan Look More Evil
The Solo Leveling Anime Pulls Back from the Manhwa
The Japanese-Korean feud might have been one-sided in the Webtoon, but it was still an interesting addition to the series that made the Japanese Hunters and Hunters Association villainous in a good way. In the Webtoon, the Japanese Hunters Association Chairman wanted to eliminate his Japanese counterparts, and it madeJapan’s destruction bitter-sweet in a good way.
The anime adaptation still includes the Japanese Chairman’s less than noble intentions, but it doesn’t go into the same depths as the Webtoon. Later in the series, when Japan gets threatened by massive Gates, it will feel a lot less satisfying.
6Show More of Cha Hae-In and Sung Jinwoo
Their Romance Would Make the Series Even Better
Solo Levelingis more than its action sequences. Cha Hae-In, one ofthe strongest Korean Hunters inSolo Leveling,is a massive addition to the series, and not just on the battlefield. She’s Jinwoo’s love interest and one of the few characters who humanizes the second Shadow Monarch.
In the Webtoon, she and Jinwoo don’t get much time together until the end of the series, and they really only spend time together in the epilogue. While the anime shouldn’t deviate from the source material,it would be nice to see more of the two together.
5Give Side Characters More Significance
Solo Leveling Has Some of the Best Side Characters in Shōnen
The side characters inSolo Levelingcontribute a lot to the series every time that they’re on-screen.Fromthe strongest Hunters inSolo Leveling,to Jinwoo’s sister, to his best friend Jinho, each side character adds a bit of relativity to the series and shows a new side of Jinwoo.
The Jeju Island Arc isthe best arc inSolo Levelingbecause of how much time it spends on side characters. Min Byung-Gyu, Baek Yoonho, and Goto Ryuji get a lot of screen time, taking the responsibility of carrying the show off of Sung Jinwoo’s shoulders for a few episodes, making Jinwoo’s return even better.
4The Anime Should Have Shown Goto Ryuji’s Manhwa Reaction to Sung Jinwoo
Their Fight Could Have Been Even Better
The anime adaptation ofSolo Levelingis one of the fastest-paced adaptations ever made. The series has animated just over half of the Webtoon in just two seasons, covering over 100 chapters in less than 30 episodes. It’s skipped a lot of relatively smaller moments to keep up with its own pace,but some of those moments would have added a lot to the series.
One of the most exciting moments the show chose not to adapt was Japanese Hunter Goto Ryuji’s reaction to Sung Jinwoo’s otherworldly power. In their fight, the pair are, surprisingly, evenly matched, until Jinwoo kicks it up a notch. Goto Ryuji sees death incarnate in Sung Jinwoo, but only in the Webtoon.
3Show Jinwoo’s Darker Side
The Webtoon Version of Sung Jinwoo Has an Interesting Darker Side
The Webtoon version of Sung Jinwoo is much darker than his anime counterpart. There have been a fewdark moments in theSolo Levelinganime, but things are much darker in the Webtoon. There are a few dark moments that the anime didn’t adapt, and one stands out above the rest.
Jinwoo’s time as a vigilante is one of the darkest aspects ofSolo Levelingthat the anime didn’t bring to the screen.Jinwoo finds a criminal and forces him to turn himself into the police station before midnight, or Jinwoo will kill him. It’s a bleak moment that shows a new side of Jinwoo that the anime skipped over, but it would make the series better if it was included.
2Stick to the Webtoon
The Anime Doesn’t Need to Make Changes from the Source Material
There’s a reason theSolo LevelingWebtoon is one of the most succesful Webtoons of all time. Chugong’s creation has some of the best fights in the art form, a compelling, simple story, and a protagonist everyone loves to root for.If the anime wants to continue its wildly successful run, it needs to stay true to the Webtoon.
The Webtoon really doesn’t need any changes. It’s amazing exactly how it is. Jinwoo’s rise to the top is perfectly encapsulated in 200 chapters, and with (most likely) two seasons left to be animated, hopefully its best aspects will be brought to life through the anime.
1Give Jinwoo’s Shadows More Personality
The Webtoon Gives Them a Lot More Character
Jinwoo’s Shadows are some of the most entertaining aspects of the show and the Webtoon. They’re some ofthe strongest characters inSolo Leveling,and when they’re not in battle, they’re some of the funniest. Beru might be the single funniest character in the series, andthe anime needs to bring his hilarious personality to life.
Even Jinwoo’s unnamed Shadows are funny. Their reactions to the Second Shadow Monarch are worth the screen time. Unfortunately, theSolo Levelinganime hasn’t shown off Jinwoo’s Shadow Army at all yet. They’re a mainly nameless force that’s only used for battles. When their humor is animated, however, everyone will fall in love with his Shadow soldiers.
