Solo Leveling is Airing Next Season. Where is All the Hype?

Summary:

• Despite being based on a very popular manhwa and being produced by some of the biggest names in the industry, Solo Leveling doesn’t seem to be hyped much.
• Two out of three Crunchyroll original anime based on manhwa had a very lukewarm reception.
• Despite some important scenes being omitted from trailers, many fans still remain optimistic.

Back in 2020, when Crunchyroll sponsored the adaptations of three of some of the most popular manhwa — Tower of God, The God of High School and Noblesse — fans were begging for Solo Leveling to get an adaptation as well. While it is originally a web novel, the manga is way more popular among the fans who have been dying to see it animated. In 2022, it was finally announced, and it is going to air in Winter 2024 — yet for multiple reasons, we don’t see many people talking about it.

Many big names are attached to the project

Now, according to MyAnimeList, Solo Leveling is still the most anticipated anime of the next season — although it seems to be in numbers only. Not only does there seem to be not much hype for it online, it sometimes feels like it is not something people remember at all. That is extremely weird, especially considering the fact that very popular staff members are involved. The anime will be produced by studio A-1 Pictures, and the music will be done by Hiroyuki Sawano (composer for the OST of the first three seasons of Attack on Titan). How is it possible that with such big names attached, people are not excited to see the anime?

Fans’ concerns

Despite the source material’s popularity, fans remain skeptical at best. That’s partly because from the previous three times popular manhwa have been adapted into Crunchyroll originals, only one was received well — Tower of God. The God of High School was criticized for its rushed fights, lack of a proper introduction to the world, and general lack of character development. And Noblesse went largely unnoticed by the otaku — despite its interesting concept, the execution felt subpar to most. Many fans of Solo Leveling manhwa were also concerned about multiple scenes being omitted from the already released trailers, which doesn’t bode well for the anime.

Many still have hopes for the series

Not all hope is lost, however. A lot of people are still optimistic about the series, but don’t want to judge it prematurely. Scenes not being included into the promotional material doesn’t actually mean anything, as they still can be a part of the anime itself. After all, trailers always have a very limited length. And with Solo Leveling’s incredible popularity, the anime is guaranteed to amass at least some amount of followers — hopefully enough for it to get a second season. Manhwa tend to be quite lengthy, and this one is no exception — one cour definitely won’t be enough for it.