Solo Leveling is all the rage with its stunning visuals and power-packed battle scenes. Apart from being one of the popular manhwas, the animated series is turning heads. It is clear in the anime’s rank among the most famous series list by Crunchyroll. The series has been a massive hit albeit the pacing issue. Amidst its success, the series is yet to exceed a benchmark that its director set.
People may deem the benchmark as either One Piece or Naruto. That, however, isn’t the case with this series. On the contrary, the director aspired to surpass the Sword Art Online franchise. With the manhwa’s sales and popularity, this is anything but a far-fetched dream.
The Solo Leveling Director wanted to surpass this benchmark
Solo Leveling is one of the most celebrated and popular manhwas on Webtoon. Its theme of leveling up would instantly remind the readers of dungeons and dragons. This might not be the case entirely. Especially with how well-written Jinwoo’s character is. The zero-to-hero trope fits perfectly in the manhwa and makes him a rather familiar character. And there’s more to it.
Unlike most shonen heroes, Jinwoo makes his way to the top as an S-class hunter. His weakness and fallible nature is what makes him more familiar to the readers. The well-written storyline coupled with top-notch animation sets it apart from other series. This is especially true with the director’s ambition to exceed a certain benchmark anime.
A Reddit thread posted the news regarding the same. Atsushi Kaneko expressed their desire to surpass the Sword Art Online franchise through the anime project.
Solo leveling director wants it to surpass Sword Art Online. Read the whole interview below.
byu/Empty-Craft-6 insololeveling
The series is yet to exceed the benchmark, despite its growing popularity. The manhwa writer Chugong is soaring to heights with their manhwa. From Crunchyroll’s ranking to IMDb rating, it’s going places. This is also reflected in the series’ upcoming projects and adaptations.
Chugong and their manhwa’s soaring popularity
Chugong is the mastermind behind the successful manhwa. Their series reflects a shift in the narrative and process of storytelling. This is especially true for most upcoming manhwas in the adventure fantasy genre. The leveling-up power system isn’t unique to this manhwa alone. Webtoons like I Was The Final Boss have a parallel theme to this. However, there’s more to it.
The ever-looming themes of death and survival sets it apart from other manhwa. As opposed to Baphomet, Jinwoo is a powerless hunter. Often deemed as weak, he is allowed to outline his strength. To say the least, the series influenced Kaneko as well.
In an interview with NME, he revealed the impact of manhwas and games. He quoted:
When I was a kid I liked anime and manga about monsters, goblins, and things like that,I wanted to escape reality… When I couldn’t speak to the girl that I liked or when I couldn’t win over classmates… I wanted some kind of sanctuary or place that I could escape into – and that was a game or manga for me.
Chugong’s series, like most manhwas, is pivotal in shaping the mindset of the young generation. While it may not be a cult series like Naruto or One Piece, it peaks in most aspects through its storytelling.
All in all, Solo Leveling is leveling up in more ways than one. Be it Webtoon views or IMDb ratings, the manhwa is soaring heights.
Solo Leveling is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manhwa is available for reading on Webtoon.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
