The anime adaptation of the hugely popular manhwa Solo Leveling has been one of the big hits this year. A lot of people have been impressed with the quality of the animation and how closely it’s stuck to the original story. But there are also some concerns starting to come up about the series as it moves forward.
One of the main issues people have pointed out is the way the anime has handled the humor. Fans of the original manhwa have noticed that quite a few of the funny scenes have been left out of the anime version.
Contrasting Approaches to Adaptation in Solo Leveling and Jujutsu Kaisen
The director of the Solo Leveling anime, Shunsuke Nakashige, has admitted that they had to cut many of the cartoon-like expressions and comedic moments from the original manhwa when adapting it for the TV show.
In the interview with Animate Times, he said,
“I thought this work required the high-end, serious visuals that are popular these days. So I tried to avoid the more exaggerated, comedic elements as much as possible and make it look more like live-action footage.”
Now, this decision stands in contrast to the huge success of another anime adaptation – Jujutsu Kaisen. That show has become one of the most popular new anime, even earning the title of the ‘most in-demand new anime’ from the Guinness World Records.
A big part of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s appeal is the way it embraced the humor and personality of the original manga, including adding fun little comedy sketches at the end of episodes called “Juju Strolls.” These goofy side-stories helped fans connect with the characters.
Why Removing Comedic Elements from Solo Leveling Was Not a Good Decision
Jujutsu Kaisen has perfectly balanced dark, intense action with genuinely funny and lighthearted comedic moments. Even though Jujutsu Kaisen is an incredibly dark and gritty story at its core, the show never falls behind in injecting some much-needed humor.
In fact, the short little comedy sketches have become a fan favorite part of the show. These silly side-stories allow viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper level and see their more lighthearted, humorous sides – even the most powerful and dangerous sorcerers.
By removing the humor and personality, Solo Leveling runs the risk of feeling cold and distant, without that crucial emotional connection with the characters. Jujutsu Kaisen has shown that you can have dark, intense shonen action while still making time for humor and fun.
You can watch Solo Leveling and Jujutsu Kaisen on Crunchyroll.
