In practice, there are very few anime adaptations that faithfully represent their source material. Most adaptations tend to make several modifications during the production process to enhance the overall experience.
However, the changes made in Solo Leveling are quite significant, often feeling unnecessary. There have already been numerous changes in anime compared to the original webtoon, leading to a lot of questions. Yet these alterations provide fans with a fresh perspective on the story that was not present in the webtoon.
Despite the changes, the anime Solo Leveling is still breaking viewership records
Even with all the changes made, Solo Leveling continues to shatter viewership records. The first season broke the viewership record of Jujutsu Kaisen, gaining significant popularity on the Crunchyroll streaming platform.
In just the first two days of its premiere season, Solo Leveling garnered over 114,000 views. Impressively, the premiere of the second season attracted 129,000 views in just one day, surpassing the first season’s viewership within a short timeframe, indicating that Solo Leveling not only maintains its value but that the adaptation is becoming increasingly engaging.
With all the changes made for the anime, it’s difficult to claim the adaptation is better or worse than the original material because these changes are substantial. Given the success the anime is achieving, one could argue that the alterations are beneficial. However, the webtoon Solo Leveling remains one of the most popular webtoons ever before the anime was announced.
Webtoon offers a different perspective on character development
The webtoon follows a different trajectory compared to the anime in several key moments. One of the most significant changes is the exclusive episode dedicated to Sung Jinwoo and his mother. The entire plot of the anime adaptation revolves around Jinwoo trying to become stronger to protect his mother.
Ultimately, when Jinwoo reaches his goal, it becomes one of the most touching moments in the anime. He sacrifices his mother for the sake of his own ambition and strives to rebuild their relationship. The webtoon dedicates considerable time to this moment, while the anime does not explore it in-depth.
The anime spends less time on Jinwoo’s relationship with his mother. Many fans appreciate the time allocated to this moment, but it does add significance when considering how this goal relates to Jinwoo throughout his journey. Even as this moment is drawn out, Solo Leveling continues to adapt the source material at a rapid pace, seeking to complete the Jeju Island arc before the second season concludes.
Japanese Hunters are portrayed more sinisterly in the Webtoon
One of the major changes in the second season revolves around the Japanese Hunters. This arc is a part of the Jeju Island arc, and in the webtoon, the Japanese Hunters are depicted as being much more villainous than what we see in the anime. The changes are evident as soon as the Japanese Hunters are introduced in the series.
In the webtoon, the Japanese Hunters are portrayed as much more ruthless. They regard the South Korean Hunters with disdain based on their strength, which is not entirely inaccurate. In the battle sequences, the Japanese Hunters are seen taking advantage of the failures of their South Korean counterparts. This is not depicted in the anime.
The anime fails to convey a lot of personality to the Japanese Hunters. While they are still quite formidable, they are only shown in a superficial manner. In a way, this makes sense, as the anime is adapting a lot of source material and may not have the time to focus on each Japanese Hunter’s character. However, this is a significant oversight that is particularly noticeable when considering what happens later in this arc.
The relationship between Japanese Hunters and South Korean Hunters
Goto Ryuji is the strongest Japanese Hunter and one of the most powerful Hunters in Solo Leveling. When he first appears in the series, he is significantly stronger than any South Korean Hunter (before Jinwoo’s true strength is revealed). He is depicted as a character with a strong sense of pride, but there’s a hint of arrogance as well.
Goto Ryuji has a lot of disdain for South Korean Hunters. He has worked with the Japanese Hunter Association to undermine the strongest South Korean Hunters, which is a critical plot point in the Jeju Island arc that the Solo Leveling anime omits entirely.
The Japanese Hunters utilize the Jeju Island raid as a means to weaken the strongest South Korean Hunters, a detail that is not mentioned in the anime until much later. This is a significant plot point that provides context when looking back, as the Japanese Hunters are poised to take down the King Ant and will not be satisfied with just the South Korean Hunters.
The deaths of the Japanese Hunters are less impactful in the anime
The King Ant is the strongest enemy that any Hunter has to face in this arc. Even the strongest Japanese Hunter, Goto Ryuji, is unable to contend with it. Not only does Ryuji fall victim to the Ant King, but nearly all the strongest Hunters from Japan also meet their demise before the King Ant.
In reality, the Japanese Hunters are not as fearsome in the Solo Leveling anime, making the deaths of the characters feel less significant. If they had been portrayed as more formidable adversaries, similar to how they are depicted in the webtoon, their deaths would have held more weight and been more satisfying to the overall narrative.
The second season of Solo Leveling will conclude with the best arc in the entire series, the Jeju Island arc. This arc is engaging for several reasons, and in the webtoon, one of the most notable aspects is the Japanese Hunter Association leader realizing that he is not only losing to the best Hunters but that there is one South Korean Hunter who is even stronger than his own.
