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This Manhwa-Based Anime With a Rare 92% on Rotten Tomatoes Is Our New Attack on Titan

This Manhwa-Based Anime With a Rare 92% on Rotten Tomatoes Is Our New Attack on Titan
Image credit: Crunchyroll

This is an anime that has every chance of coming close to Attack on Titan in terms of popularity.

Summary:

  • Solo Leveling is one of the few successful anime adaptations of a Korean manhwa.
  • The anime is about the weakest Hunter who must fight monsters that enter the human world through portals from other realities.
  • Solo Leveling was directed by Shunsuke Nakashige, who worked on Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man, and the soundtrack was composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, who wrote the music for Attack on Titan.
  • The first season of Solo Leveling was released on January 7, five episodes are now available, and the sixth will be released on February 11.

Japanese manga has long been successfully adapted, but anime based on Korean manhwa is a rare guest on our screens. Previous attempts to adapt manhwa have been controversial, with The God of High School and Tower of God receiving average reviews and criticism from fans.

But new adaptation, Solo Leveling, has been enthusiastically received by viewers, as evidenced by its 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

What Is Solo Leveling About?

The anime depicts a world where numerous portals suddenly appeared, leading to alternate realities teeming with monsters and valuable resources. Sometimes creatures emerge from portals and cause chaos. Other times, humans venture into other worlds for personal gain.

Only a special person with the power of a Hunter can kill these monsters. But the power of such heroes is unchangeable – if a Hunter has a great power, he will never become less powerful. On the other hand, if the awakened power is too weak, there is no way to level it up.

The main character is the weakest Hunter of all – in the very first fight, he almost dies at the hands of a weak monster, whom the other Hunters crush in a second.

Solo Leveling Has an Unusual Premise

Usually in such titles the main character ends up in another world and slowly becomes a legend, but in Solo Leveling there seems to be no hope for the main character to develop strength and power.

Of course, fans of the manhwa know that there will be many unexpected twists and turns, but this does not change the unusual and fresh premise.

Solo Leveling is Made By Attack on Titan Creators

Fans have been waiting for an anime based on this manhwa for many years, and studio A-1 Pictures has lived up to their expectations. The studio invited experienced animator Shunsuke Nakashige, who previously worked on Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man, to direct.

And Hiroyuki Sawano, who is known for his ability to create a soundtrack for a big action project, was brought in to write the music – it was thanks to him that Attack on Titan's soundtrack sounded so impressive.

Only the first episode, which lasts only 25 minutes, contains many impressive fights, some shocking deaths, a bloodbath, a clear story about the mythology of the world and a merciless ending. And the following episodes are not inferior in intensity.

Solo Leveling Release Dates

The first episode of Season 1 was released on January 7, 2024, and so far five episodes have been released, with a sixth scheduled to premiere on February 11, so stay tuned.