How does something go from being popular to a mainstream phenomenon that people can’t stop gushing over? This question must continue to bother those who still don’t understand the hype surrounding Solo Leveling. However, there’s not much to understand. Solo Leveling works on simple rules.
The team behind the anime recognized the story’s strengths and shortcomings. They took both, and polished them as best as they could. From honouring the art with glorious animation to making minor tweaks to the storyline, the final result was a thoroughly enjoyable 13-episodes-long season.
The weekly excitement came to an end with the season finale. Looking back, the anime’s rise to mainstream popularity was nothing short of a dream run. It makes one question whether it’s fair to call the anime overrated. Honestly, it’s not given everything the anime has achieved, and here’s why.
Calling Solo Leveling ‘overrated’ diminishes its merits
When a show is stamped as ‘overrated’, there are usually two reasons leading up to it. First, the anime isn’t good enough to be as popular as it is, second, there are many better shows that should be popular instead. It’s true that there might be other series more complex and interesting than Solo Leveling, but complexity isn’t all that makes an anime good.
As a power fantasy, the anime works exceptionally well. The story of Sung Jinwoo is as aspirational as it can get. It allows fans to escape to a world that works like a video game. The high production quality further makes the anime an immersive experience.
So, whether it’s about what the anime has to offer or how it’s offered, Solo Leveling understands what appeals to fans and delivers it in the most spectacular way possible. As already mentioned, the team behind the anime understood their job, as well as what the audience might like. And, they delivered on both fronts.
Moreover, there’s no deceit as to what the story has to offer. There’s no promise of evoking big emotions or a mind-blowing narrative. Without conforming to the metrics of popularity or how a story should typically look like, Solo Leveling did what it does best.
Solo Leveling’s fascinating rise to mainstream popularity
It’s often said that there will be nothing like the Big Three anime ever again. Yet, modern shonen anime like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia found their audience. These titles defined what popularity means for them without adhering to the standard set by the previous generation.
Similarly, Solo Leveling rose from a fairly popular anime-manhwa series to a mainstream success. From being skeptical to recognizing and appreciating its strengths, the fandom grew to love the anime for what it offers. Fan edits, discussion forums, memes, and the endless chatter online were some ways in which fans expressed their love and excitement for the series.
That’s not all; the anime even surpassed many popular shows on Crunchyroll. Garnering attention and success at this scale is an extraordinary achievement, and it should be accepted for what it is.
Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
