Solo Leveling has been on this streak of delivering great episodes without a gap. Even if they are fillers or simply being used to set up succeeding episodes, they hold value and thus grab the audience’s attention. Despite this advantage, one thing the manhwa always lacked in, at least that is what I believe, is the extensive focus on Sung Jinwoo.
Now, one can argue that a protagonist makes up for a big chunk of the story and therefore requires a majority of the attention. You wouldn’t be wrong to think so either. However, then what would be the difference between a diary entry and a proper story?
Those that focus on a singular character and nothing beyond that could be regarded as fictional autobiographies. The main character is extremely important to the story but not at the cost of its side characters. The anime fixes this problem in a big chunk but not perfectly either.
Sung Jinwoo need not hide from the world
Solo Leveling‘s latest episode is bringing to light, both figuratively and literally, the truth about Sung Jinwoo. Partly it is in the best interest of the world to accept the protagonist as Korea’s 10th S-Rank Hunter and fully it is in his own advantage to be able to use his powers without hiding. The world may not be ready to understand the system but he is ready to accept his own growing power.
No longer is he the boy who cowered behind others in desperation and the scene where all of his old comrades were grinning in pride upon the announcement was a testament to that. It is obvious if I were to rewatch the series now and a lot of the credit goes to Taito Ban, but Sung Jinwoo’s growth isn’t just in his raw strength but also his confidence. The way he talks, walks, and fights; all of it connects directly to how much he has learned from his experiences.
One second he’s the Weakest Hunter of Mankind and the next he sits atop the throne, being not only the 10th S-Rank Hunter but also the strongest. Now he has guild leaders awaiting his attention, intimidated by his power and respecting him more so because of that. With so much going on in his life, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he ran away from the press. He never got an opportunity to accept the impact his growth was having on people.
One cannot simply ignore the fact that Sung Jinwoo is human. While it may be theorized that he gradually loses his humanity, the anime makes it clear that he is very much in touch with it. Whether it be with subtle examples of his nervousness because of the attention he’s getting or the affection he has for Jinho and Jinah.
Expanding the world of Solo Leveling beyond the Shadow Monarch
There is a common joke about Solo Leveling that singles out Sung Jinwoo as the only character whose name is remotely memorable. While it has been used in jest for the longest time, it doesn’t leave a good impression. It means that the characters are so forgettable or not important that it isn’t deemed necessary to put any effort into remembering their names. I don’t think I’m exaggerating in this either because in the manhwa, it was almost saddeningly obvious how underutilized the side characters were.
Their relationships with Jinwoo and each other felt bland and naught, making them characters who existed solely to benefit or detriment the main character. This episode actively tried to negate that problem by creating this brotherly bond between Choi Jong-In and Baek Yoon-Ho, their competition on bagging a deal with Jinwoo more friendly than hostile. Not only did it add so much personality to the scene but also directly benefited the future of the story.
A similar change was shown when Sung Jinwoo’s reassessment was being broadcast on the news. So many of his old allies and foes were gaping at the possibility of his ascension, some basking in joy while others lamenting in disbelief. Joohee could be seen with her eyes filled with nothing but care for her old friend. Chi-Yul was also standing there proudly. An entire interaction with Jinho was changed, one that impacted his relationship with the main character by manifolds.
He left his own on his own accord, giving him agency and a strong sense of understanding that his decisions were of his own accord and not condemned to him by force. Sung Jinwoo was thus shown as an actual brother figure to his future brother-in-law, letting him stay over rather than shutting him out for the sake of it. The growth being given to these side characters brings about depth in the story that was previously lacking.
No story is perfect, Solo Leveling certainly isn’t. What I despise a lot is the lack of meaningful interactions between Jinah and Jinwoo. They are siblings who have been living together, being the only available family for each other. It is her mother too who is lying in a comatose state yet we don’t get to see Jinah’s reaction until she has been awakened.
The bond of siblings, especially those who have no one but each other, is completely different from any other bond and one that the anime has also overlooked as a whole. If they can add so many additional scenes to make side characters better, they can do so for Sung Jinwoo’s sister too.
Rating: 7/10
Solo Leveling is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
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