Fantasy action adventures aren't usually my thing, not because of the contents of the genre, but because in the anime scene, everything just becomes a huge blur along the edges with a centerframe that's so familiar that you might suspect these writers have been trading their scripts with each other and changing up the words and phrases a bit in order not to be called out for "copying." With Solo Leveling, the synopsis didn't “wow” me away because it's things that I have already seen, but I still gave it a shot anyways because I am still interested to see why this is the most hyped anime of the season, and here are my thoughts:

But before that, I have to mention first that I have not read the Manhwa prior to watching the pilot episode, mainly because I wanted to have an authentic experience from the anime alone. But because of the unavoidable complaints the show has about comparing the anime and Manhwa being the main focus of controversy with the anime, I've decided to watch the episodes and read the chapters simultaneously to fully understand and compare the series' strengths and weaknesses. ***

First and foremost, both the anime and the manhwa managed to capture a generic and overdone story with elements that help the series elevate itself amidst the sea of generic power fantasy anime. The main character Jin-woo is your usual power fantasy character who craves to gain more power for himself for the sake of a certain unwanted consequence he wanted to fix, mainly to pay the bills of her mother's medical bills. But as the episodes progresses, you get to have this sense that our main character has something inside him that right now is not fully developed into, but there is hints that our main character might deviate from his innocent intent by trading off his humane qualities, especially in certain episodes where he has to break off a certain human rule just for a task that's given to him with ease. It makes us anxious on what he does next and how he will ever get out of this situation he was unfortunately put in. The side and minor characters in this series are more on the one-noted side but they've been given enough screen time to shine on their own but not enough to fully convince their overall place in the story, thus they're not memorable enough to actively root or grieve them. Aside from characters, this anime has been fun to watch. It has gritty action where you can feel the impacts from the vibrations of the sound design and doesn't hold back from incorporating a bit of gore into its young-teen demographic. It's episodes are structured, I would say, far better than most animes in this genre, with power-fantasy episodes and character-focused episodes evenly spaced out, making enough breathing room where you won't be overwhelmed by the animation that's on screen. ***

With that in mind, let us move on to the more focused aspects and probably a more controversial topic about the anime, and that is the animation and how it compares to Manhwa’s superb art style. Before we start comparing, you'd have to note that making art like these takes a really long time to bring it out on draft to be a fully fledged final product. In the case of the Manhwa, its vibrant use of colors intensely elevated the mood and severity of the sequence; its vibrancy with glossy features over a plainly colored background added more flair to an action sequence that makes you really focused into these characters more from what it's depth; in the anime, the vibrant colors have been replaced by muted colors, which is a little bummer, but do keep in mind that the anime went from the more static art style to a free-flowing one mixed in with a more shakey can vibes that helps the audience feel the severity of the situation, which i would say was executed a little better in the anime in some ways. Whether you'd be biased or neutral with how the outcome of the anime is up to you, but what I would say is that while the series took these sequences in a different kind of art style, both of them worked well with the story both the Anime and Manhwa have to tell, despite having an advantage over the other. ***

Even after reading and watching both the anime and the manga, I've come to realize that, at the end of the day, I still find it hard to connect with this story. Not because it's a fantasy anime or I have a nitpick with certain art styles, but rather because I've already seen these kinds of stories. It's definitely nothing new and by far not the best story being offered recently, but you have to take Solo Leveling as it wants to be. A straightforward story with a hint of deception for the viewers, as well as being supported by an incredible team behind the anime and Manhwa's incredibly attractive artstyles and sequences. The anime might not have convinced its Manhwa fans or captured certain moments with the same intensity as the Manhwa did, but this anime is a well-made showcase for casual anime viewers who'd like to get into the Manhwa but have to convince ourselves to watch 12 episodes before fully committing to reading. ***