Solo Leveling has taken the anime world by storm, and for good reason. With jaw-dropping animation, exhilarating fight sequences, and a protagonist who embodies the ultimate power fantasy, it’s everything fans could have hoped for. But as season two unfolds, longtime readers of the manhwa can’t help but feel like something is…off.
The pacing is noticeably faster, key moments are being cut, and some of the emotional weight that made the original story so compelling seems to be slipping away. It’s the kind of thing that casual viewers might not notice, but for those who’ve followed Sung Jinwoo’s journey since the beginning, the differences are impossible to ignore.
Is Solo Leveling Season 2 Rushing? Fans Think So
Season one of Solo Leveling was a near-perfect adaptation. A-1 Pictures delivered stunning animation, stayed faithful to the most iconic moments, and brought Jinwoo’s rise from the weakest hunter to an unstoppable force to life in spectacular fashion. It struck the right balance between high-energy action and slower, character-driven moments.
But season two? It’s a different story. The adaptation feels like it’s sprinting toward major arcs without taking the time to breathe. With only 13 episodes scheduled, it’s clear that the studio is prioritizing efficiency—getting through as much material as possible rather than fleshing out every crucial scene. And while this might make sense from a production standpoint, it’s leaving fans of the manhwa feeling a bit disappointed.
The Red Gate Arc: Too Fast, Too Furious?
Take the Red Gate Arc, for example—one of the most intense and important moments in Jinwoo’s journey. In the manhwa, this arc was packed with tension, danger, and character growth. It made readers feel the weight of Jinwoo’s power progression. But in the anime? It all flies by at breakneck speed.
The battle against the ice elves, while visually stunning, doesn’t carry the same emotional weight. The small, strategic details that made Jinwoo’s victories feel earned are glossed over. The sheer terror of being trapped in a dungeon with no way out isn’t explored as deeply. And worst of all, some key character interactions are either cut short or outright removed—stripping away the layers of storytelling that made this arc so impactful in the first place.
Cut Content: What’s Missing and Why It Matters
Anime adaptations always have to make adjustments. That’s just the reality of adapting a massive, detailed story into a limited number of episodes. But some of the omissions in Solo Leveling season two feel like they’re taking away from what made the manhwa so engaging in the first place.
I. Sung Il-Hwan’s Interrogation: A Missed Opportunity
One of the biggest cuts so far? Sung Il-Hwan’s interrogation by Hwang Dongsoo. This scene was important in the manhwa—not just because it built tension between the two characters, but because it gave us deeper insight into the mysteries surrounding dungeon gates, magic beasts, and Hwang Dongsoo’s motivations.
In the anime, while the scene is still there, much of the dialogue has been trimmed down, making it feel more like a checklist moment rather than a truly impactful exchange. It’s moments like these that make fans wonder: is the anime sacrificing depth in favor of speed?
II. Jinwoo’s Bond with His Shadow Soldiers: Where’s the Personality?
Another fan-favorite moment that got cut? The playful interaction between Jinwoo and his shadow soldiers after his fight with Vulcan. In the manhwa, Igris offers Jinwoo the heads of the fallen demons, only for Iron to grab Vulcan’s head in a hilariously innocent attempt to impress his master. It was a small but meaningful moment—one that showed Jinwoo’s growing connection with his shadows beyond just commanding them in battle.
The anime, however, skips this entirely. It’s a subtle but significant loss, as these lighter moments help balance out the intense battles and make Jinwoo’s world feel more alive.
The Black Ant King in Solo Leveling: Everything You Should Know: Solo Leveling: Why the Anime and Manhwa Stories Differ & Feel RushedCha Hae-In’s Early Tease: A Creative Liberty That Works
While some cuts have disappointed fans, the anime has also made some interesting additions—particularly when it comes to Cha Hae-In. In the manhwa, she doesn’t appear until later in the story, but the anime has been teasing her presence since season one.
In season two, episode three, we get an extended glimpse of her swimming, subtly hinting at her future role. While this doesn’t change the core story, it’s a clever way to build anticipation for her character, especially for viewers who haven’t read the manhwa.
It’s proof that A-1 Pictures isn’t just blindly cutting content—they’re also making intentional changes to shape the story in their own way. Whether these changes ultimately work in the long run remains to be seen, but at the very least, they show that the studio is thinking strategically about the adaptation.
Is Solo Leveling Sacrificing Its Identity?
At its heart, Solo Leveling isn’t just about flashy fights and overwhelming power-ups—it’s about Jinwoo’s journey. The reason fans connected so deeply with the manhwa was because it took the time to let moments breathe. We felt Jinwoo’s struggles, his wins, and his gradual transformation from an underdog into an unstoppable force.
But if the anime continues at this pace, there’s a risk that it could lose some of that magic. While the fights are still jawdropping and the animation is top-tier, the emotional depth and world-building that made the manhwa so immersive are taking a hit.
The concern isn’t just about what’s been cut—it’s about what these cuts mean. If Solo Leveling becomes too focused on hitting major plot points rather than developing the story organically, it risks feeling more like a highlight reel than a fully realized adaptation.
Conclusion: Can Solo Leveling Find the Right Balance?
At the end of the day, Solo Leveling season two is still an incredible experience. The animation is stunning, the action sequences are thrilling, and Sung Jinwoo’s journey remains as awesome as ever. But for fans of the original manhwa, there’s no denying that something feels missing.
There’s still time for the anime to course-correct and find a better balance between action and storytelling. If it can slow down, give key moments the weight they deserve, and bring back the emotional depth that made the manhwa so compelling, it could still be the adaptation that fans have been dreaming of.
But if it keeps rushing forward, cutting corners, and prioritizing speed over substance, it may end up as just another visually stunning but ultimately hollow adaptation. Here’s hoping that as Solo Leveling continues, it remembers what made it special in the first place.
About Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling is a Korean Webtoon written by Chu Gong and illustrated by Jang Sung Rak. It is adapted from the web novel; I Alone Level Up. Kakaopage publishes it in South Korea and Piccoma in Japan. The series ended in December 2021 and has been collected into 14 volumes.
Portals connecting the Earth to realms of monsters have opened up, and hunters defeat those monsters. Sung Jin Woo belongs to the lowest level of hunters, but after getting involved in a Dungeon quest, he alone can see quests like that of a game.
His journey to become the most powerful hunter and bring peace back to Earth begins.
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