Warning: The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling Season 2!
the intense Red Gate Arc, maintaining the series’ trademark action and pacing. However, with only 13 episodes scheduled, avid manhwa readers have noticed significant changes. While the anime takes bold creative liberties, some omitted scenes have impacted the emotional intensity of fans familiar with the source material.
Despite this, the anime continues to meet expectations, dominating weekly polls and charts. Season 1 was one of 2024’s standout anime, praised for faithfully adapting key moments like Sung Jin-Woo’s action-packed battles and his encounter with other characters. But, with season 2 aiming to reach the highly anticipated Jeju Island arc, compromises were inevitable due to its shorter run. Some fans, however, are demanding more inclusion and less cut from the original material.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Takes Creative Liberties, and Fans Are Not Fully Embracing It
The Anime’s Fast Pace Leaves Some Fan-Favorite Manhwa Scenes Behind
It’s common for anime adaptations to omit scenes from the source material due to time constraints, especially for series like Solo Leveling, which are limited to a specific number of episodes. However, most studios, including A-1 Pictures, strive to condense the storyline while ensuring key points, essential scenes, and character development remain intact. A-1 Pictures has done a commendable job balancing these challenges to meet production schedules and maintain fan expectations. Nevertheless, some scenes in season 2 have been omitted, and for manhwa readers, these changes are too significant to go unnoticed.
In episode #3 of season 2, notable changes from the manhwa became evident. Sung Il-Hwan, one of the anticipated characters, is not only Jinwoo’s father but also a highly skilled A-rank Hunter. He was interrogated by Hwang Dongsoo, a Korean-American S-rank Hunter, and while this pivotal scene was included due to its significance, much of their dialogue was shortened.
This omission diminished the intensity of the interrogation and limited the deeper insights Sung Il-Hwan could have provided about dungeon gates and magic beasts, as well as Hwang Dongsoo’s hopes for his brother’s return. Additionally, after Vulcan's defeat, the anime altered an important moment between Jinwoo and his soldiers.
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A-1 Pictures did an exceptional job animating Jinwoo’s battle with Vulcan, delivering high-quality visuals, fluid action sequences, and capturing the hellish aura of the dungeon. However, after Vulcan’s defeat, the anime left out a lighthearted scene that showcased the bond between Jinwoo and his soldiers.
In the manhwa, Igris offers the demon heads to Jinwoo, only for Iron to innocently snatch Vulcan’s head in an attempt to gain Jinwoo’s attention, prompting Jinwoo to tell Igris to stop. This humorous moment provided a refreshing break from the intense action, emphasizing the soldiers' loyalty and playful connection with Jinwoo. The anime, however, chose to focus on maintaining the tone of the battle, leaving fans missing this memorable interaction.
A-1 Pictures’ Changes in Season 2 Enhanced Excitement With Creative Additions and Omissions
A Subtle Tease for Solo Leveling's Future Significance
A-1 Pictures didn’t just take creative liberties by omitting scenes that manhwa readers felt were significant; they also introduced additional changes that heightened fans' expectations, particularly with the character of Cha Hae-In. As one of the series’ strongest and most important characters—an S-rank Hunter and a key person in Jinwoo’s life—Hae-In plays a major role in the plot.
Despite her importance, she appears later in the story, but the anime adaptation chose not to follow this timeline strictly. Though there have been no direct interactions between Jinwoo and Hae-In yet, the anime has hinted at her significance by showing glimpses of her in season 1, which were not present in the manhwa.
Nitpicking is common, but demanding too much from the anime adaptation can be excessive.
In season 2, episode #3, a longer version of her scene in the swimming pool further teased her character, building anticipation and adding more mystery for fans unfamiliar with the source material. This creative addition elevated the excitement surrounding Hae-In’s eventual role. Solo Leveling Season 2 has done a remarkable job bringing the globally popular manhwa to life.
While changes are unavoidable due to production schedules and constraints, these adjustments—whether scenes are omitted or added—don’t detract from the anime’s impact. In the world of anime adaptations, nitpicking is common, but demanding too much can be excessive. The Solo Leveling anime has delivered satisfaction in every episode, and fans should appreciate the exciting journey it continues to provide.
Solo Leveling
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
- Directors
- Shunsuke Nakashige
- Writers
- Noboru Kimura
Cast
Taito BanShun Mizushino (voice)-
Genta NakamuraKenta Morobishi (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Creator(s)
- Chugong
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