Manhwa readers were overjoyed when A-1 Pictures announced Solo Leveling‘s anime adaptation. So, when the show premiered in 2024, it dominated several charts, its first season a smashing success. Even anime-only enthusiasts praised the engaging plot, clean animation, and fast-paced action. By the end of season 1, fans were already eagerly waiting for the second season to witness their beloved MC as a necromancer.
Season 2 of Solo Leveling debuted to high expectations. It was expected to have some of the best action sequences, and fans were excited to see their favorite fights from the manhwa. The season delivered and as the enemies grew stronger, the combat and animations also became increasingly more intense. However, not everything can be perfect. Some fans believed that the pacing was rushed. While others were unhappy with the lack of attention paid to the supporting cast. So without further ado, here’s an analysis of everything Solo Leveling Season 2 did well and what it didn’t.
1) Stunning Animation and Visuals (Did Well)
Season 1 of Solo Leveling was great on its own, but the action scenes were limited and seemed a bit stiff save for some key exceptions. This was rectified in Season 2, and the results were stunning. The confined dungeons from season 1 were replaced with larger spaces suited to fighting on a much larger scale. Which was only fair since Jinwoo used his shadow army in practically every fight.
As a result, Solo Leveling season 2 delivered some of the best and most anticipated battles of the anime so far. It was fun to watch Jinwoo fight Baruka, the High Orc Shaman Kargalgan, and Beru, his new recruit. Each battle was thrilling and had unique visuals as well.
2) Rushed Pacing (Did Not Do Well)
Even though Solo Leveling‘s second season was a big success, many manhwa readers thought the pacing was too fast. The animation studio packed about 65 chapters into 13 episodes. Additionally, several viewers observed that the anime actually cut some battles short in order to speed things up.
Jinwoo’s fight with Baruka was much more detailed in the manhwa. The battle with Kargalgan and the Jeju Island arc needed more attention if compared with the manhwa. The rushed pacing caused floppy character development, especially for the side characters.
3) Broader Narrative and Storytelling (Did Well)
Season 1 only explored Jinwoo’s training arc: how he trained under the guidance of the System and leveled up. Season 2, however, gave fans a look into the deeper lore of Solo Leveling. The dungeon boss glitched when Jinwoo asked about the System, only suggested something bigger than a game.
We also witnessed intelligent, talking beasts as opposed to mindless monsters. While internal politics among the hunters became another hot theme throughout the season. All this builds up a much stronger narrative for the world of Solo Levelinggetting us all hooked for the next season.
4) Neglected Side Characters (Did Not Do Well)
It’s obvious that Jinwoo occupied most of the screen time. However, side characters like Jinho, Hunters Cha and Baek, even Jinwoo’s sister Jinah, were not given the attention they deserved. There were moments in the manhwa where these characters showed great development, but the anime did some injustice. They were shown to be more like background props instead of supporting characters who were essential for the show’s lore.
5) Wait-worthy Cliffhangers (Did Well)
Solo Leveling season 2 heavily relied on cliffhangers in hopes of getting viewership. And it worked perfectly. Since the anime’s episodes dropped weekly, once an episode ended on a cliffhanger, fans had to wait a whole week for the next episode, building up the anticipation.
Just imagine witnessing a dungeon boss inviting the strike team meant to kill it inside and the episode ending that way. Or just think about the moment we saw Jinwoo snooping around and getting caught by Hunter Cha. The narrative tension of these two moments was executed so perfectly it was insane.
6) Specific Details From the Manhwa (Did Not Do Well)
While Solo Leveling season 2 does stay true to the manhwa most of the time, there were a few instances that were skipped, and fans were not happy. The dialogue between Hwang Dongsoo and Sung Ilhwan was much longer than what was shown in the anime. Similarly, Jinho had a whole conversation with his big brother at their grandfather’s funeral. That was something we needed because we hardly saw any interaction between the two brothers.
Thankfully, there were no major changes in the anime compared to the manhwa. But some details were important for character development, especially for the side characters. These omissions may have affected that much-needed character development.
7) Epic Soundtrack (Did Well)
We have already heard Hiroyuki Sawano’s magic in Attack on Titanand the music still rings in our ears. Unsurprisingly, he churned up the same magic for Solo Leveling as well. SHADOWBORN, the OST for season 2 featured in episodes 13 and 18 of the season, was an undeniable masterpiece.
Then came the individual music pieces during each fight and moment. ARIA and DARK ARIA were especially great. And for the ever-famous sequence when Beru rises and blooms, HØWL was beautiful in every way. But while one might expect an anime like Solo Leveling to feature exceptional action music, it was amazing how great the soft music was when things were sad, like when Jinwoo’s mom finally woke up. Overall, Sawano did what he does best and left the fans amazed.
8) Watered Down Emotional Moments (Did Not Do Well)
We understand that a power fantasy anime like Solo Leveling would rarely have emotional scenes. However, it would have been only fair if a few of them had successfully adapted. Fans claimed that the emotional moments in the anime could have been a lot more impactful if the sentiments were not so rushed.
The moment Jinwoo’s mother awoke was supposed to be deeply emotional and heartbreaking. Jinwoo had worked really hard merely to heal his mother. Even when he was a low-ranking E-hunter, he worked hard to earn pennies. So seeing his mother eventually wake up healthy should have had a greater impact. Unfortunately, it did not hit as hard as it did in the manhwa.
9) Faithful Adaptation to the Manhwa (Did Well)
Fans are always concerned about whether an animation studio’s latest adaptation will stay loyal to the manga or manhwa. Solo Leveling season 2 did a great job at that. The anime’s storyline has been incredibly faithful to the manhwa so far.
Fans appreciated the fact that all major arcs had been adapted with respect, and the studio sincerely did justice to the action sequences. The battles with Baruka and Kargalgan are just a couple of examples. The moment when Jinwoo’s mom came out of her Eternal Sleep was also shown exactly how it’s meant to be. Viewers have gone as far as saying that it’s one of the best anime adaptations, and that’s quite a win.
10) Jinwoo Leveled Up Too Fast (Did Not Do Well)
Sure, the show is about Jinwoo leveling up, but it didn’t have to happen that fast. Fans noted Jinwoo’s near-invincibility in Season 2 of Solo Leveling. Jinwoo felt like he could defeat any enemy once he earned the title of Necromancer. The conflicts became too predictable, and they failed to fully portray the challenges Jinwoo faced.
To Solo Leveling’s credit, that’s not necessarily a problem solely with the anime, but one of the caveats of a power fantasy when it reaches its destination. While things are about to get far more interesting beyond the hype in Season 3, it’s difficult right now to envision a challenging enough opponent for Jinwoo given how far he’s come, especially for fans who don’t know what comes next. For now, he just feels overpowered, and that removes the thrill and tension of a good action story.
Solo Leveling’s Season 2 did a lot right even if some elements weren’t up to fan expectations. What did you like and didn’t like the most about Jinwoo’s latest anime adaptation? Let us know in the comments below!
