I Wasn’t Planning to Watch Solo Leveling—Until I Did
Like many anime fans, I heard about Solo Leveling through word of mouth. It kept popping up in conversations, TikToks, and Reddit threads. The only problem? It was locked behind a Crunchyroll subscription. Eventually, I gave in and got an account—and honestly, I have zero regrets. Here’s your Solo Leveling Anime Review.
The Premise: From E-Rank Hunter to Shadow Monarch
Solo Leveling follows the story of Sung Jinwoo, an E-rank hunter—essentially the weakest of the weak. Jinwoo starts at the bottom, hunting only to support his sister and pay for his mother’s hospital bills.
That all changes during one of his early raids. His party stumbles upon a mysterious Double Dungeon, which isn’t your typical boss fight but more of a dark, twisted puzzle. Jinwoo helps the others escape—but is left behind as a sacrifice.
That’s where everything shifts.
The Twist: A System That Lets Him “Level Up”
Instead of dying, Jinwoo awakens to a mysterious RPG-style system that allows him to level up, something unheard of in this world. With every battle, his strength, agility, and intelligence increase. The more he fights, the stronger he becomes—thus the title, Solo Leveling.
As the series progresses, he gains necromancer-like powers, allowing him to raise enemies he’s defeated and command them as shadow soldiers. These aren’t just gimmicks—his tactical use of shadows becomes one of the most exciting elements in the show.
The Heart Behind the Action
What kept me emotionally invested was why Jinwoo fights. Sure, the power scaling is cool, and the battles are epic—but at its core, this is a story about family. Everything he does is to heal his mother, who lies in a coma. That quest for the Elixir of Life becomes the emotional thread tying the action together.
Season Two: Power Revealed, Secrets Unfold
By Season 2, Jinwoo has kept his power growth hidden from the world, even as he continues to dominate increasingly dangerous dungeons. It’s only midway through the season that the world starts to realize just how powerful he’s become after what seems like a second awakening.
The Final arc involves a return to Bug Island, the site of an earlier dungeon break. It gave me serious Hunter x Hunter Chimera Ant Arc vibes—but I was relieved it didn’t drag on. The pacing was tight, and it wrapped up nicely without overstaying its welcome.
Final Thoughts: Should You Watch Solo Leveling?
Absolutely. If you enjoy anime with:
- Overpowered protagonists
- Dark fantasy settings
- High-stakes action and personal motivation
- RPG-like progression systems
…then Solo Leveling is for you.
I’ve watched both seasons and loved every minute of it. The animation, the soundtrack, the power progression—it all hits the right notes. And the best part? There’s still a lot of mystery behind the system helping Jinwoo level up. So much more to uncover in future seasons.
Let’s Chat!
Have you watched Solo Leveling yet? What did you think of the Double Dungeon or the Bug Island arc? Drop your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear your take.
Until next time, keep leveling up!
~ Sean Flac 2.0
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