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Even though Season 2 of Solo Leveling has long concluded its run, many fans have been unable to let the series go, especially since the series has yet to be renewed for Season 3. It is clear that Season 2 of Solo Leveling has left a huge impact on fans, and a huge reason for this is the latest season’s stellar finale, including the beautifully executed Jeju Island Arc. Jinwoo’s fight against the Ant King or Beru has quickly become a fan-favorite among anime viewers and is even being hailed as the best fight of the series, with Beru himself becoming fans’ new favorite shadow soldier. That said, Jinwoo’s fight against the Ant King could have gone a lot differently if not for the work of this one animator who made one amazing change to the scene.
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In a recent post on X, Yoshihiro Kanno, the Storyboard Artist, Action Animation Director, Action Director, and Key Animator for Season 2, Episode 12 of Solo Leveling, shared behind-the-scenes sketches of Beru’s transformation from the episode. Along with the sketches, Kanno also shared insight into the creative changes that went into adapting the fight from the manhwa, particularly with regard to the Ant King’s transformation, which was fleshed out much more in the anime.
Kanno’s post reads, “This is the original drawing of Beru’s transformation scene in Episode 24 of Solo Leveling. Since this was the starting point of the important second round against Jinwoo, I tried to depict the transformation a little differently than in the original.” As for why these changes were made, Kanno said, “I wanted to make an impact in a short amount of time.”
[RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Season 2 Finale Cut Out Jinwoo’s Biggest Aura Moment]
Solo Leveling’s Anime Made the Jinwoo vs. Beru Fight Even Better Than the Manhwa
The Ant King’s extended transformation is easily one of the most impactful additions to the anime, becoming a scene that is still embedded in fans’ memories. Even though the Ant King’s transformation is also present in the manhwa, the original scene is nowhere near as distinctive as the anime, which truly gave Beru the spotlight in that moment. Besides the stunning animation, Hiroyuki Sawano’s beautiful soundtrack and the anime’s excellent sound design were the cherry on top, with even Yoshihiro Kanno commenting on this in his post saying, “I was surprised when Sawano’s divine song and sinister sound effects were added later. The atmosphere changed instantly.”
If the goal was to leave an impact within the short amount of time that the episode had, it would be safe to say that A-1 Pictures and Yoshihiro Kanno more than succeeded on that front. Season 2, Episode 12 of Solo Leveling has become one of the top-rated episodes of the series and has received an overwhelming positive reception from fans, and it is easy to see why. The episode is, without exaggeration, a masterclass in adaptation, with every anime-original scene being incredibly purposeful and elevating the already spectacular fight from the manhwa even more.
Source: @P1B9f44VEGyAe8n on X.
