The announcement of Solo Leveling season 1 was a viral news piece. Fans waited almost a year for the anime to arrive. Since Studio A1 Pictures, whose previous productions include Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online, and Mashle, had taken over the series, the hype doubled in size pretty soon.
Alas, season 1 of Solo Leveling received mixed reviews from its audience. While it had some plus points, like the mind-blowing fight scenes, it also suffered from pacing issues and changes from the source material.
So when anime’s producer, Sota Furuhashi, hinted at an attempt to rectify the mistakes of the past, you bet fans saw it as a complete win.
Solo Leveling‘s Producer on the Anime’s Second Season
Sota Furuhashi appeared on Aniplex After Hours for an interview regarding some of the recent productions: Mashle and Solo Leveling. Furuhashi admitted that he himself is a big webtoon fan and was looking for the perfect series to turn into anime.
What made Solo Leveling stand out to him was the story of the underdog, Sung Jinwoo. Jinwoo was the weakest character who clawed through the dirt and made progress, which struck a chord with Furuhashi.
The producer then talked about how the first season focused on the main character’s development, which will continue in season 2, but there is a twist:
“In season 2 we’ll also turn the spotlight on the supporting characters and fill in the story a bit more as we wrap things up, so you’ll get a more 360-degree look at the world of Solo Leveling in season 2.”
This probably means that the staff are aware of the grievances that are held by fans regarding Solo Leveling season 1.
What Went Wrong in Solo Leveling Season 1?
While Solo Leveling received a well-developed anime, fans wish that some parts were better. One of the major issues was the lack of humor in the anime. The Solo Leveling manhwa had a humorous side, which set it apart from others in its genre. Yet, the anime blindsided the gag moments, probably not to ruin the serious theme of the series.
Other than that, the anime also had inconsistent pacing. While some episodes were fast-paced and skipped scenes from the original source, others were extremely slow and contained anime original fillers.
Another concern was the lack of side character development as Jinwoo was the main focus in season 1. However, Furuhashi has already confirmed that season 2 will have more development in terms of supporting characters so let’s hope that A1 Pictures does not disappoint again.
You can watch the Solo Leveling anime on Crunchyroll.