‘Solo Leveling’s’ Era Will End Just as Fast as It Began Because of the Growing Competition and Expectations

Solo Leveling is perhaps the only modern anime adaptation with a fanbase that has stayed loyal to it over several years. The internet loved the light novel, the manhwa was worshipped, and the anime has just elevated its status to the next level.

While Solo Leveling may be hugely successful now, we believe that the new and exciting stories from its contenders and the heavy expectations of its fanbase will play a pivotal role in ending its reign.

Solo Leveling’s monumental rise

“Solo Leveling,” originally titled “Only I Level Up,” is a web novel by Chugong. It was first published on the South Korean digital platform KakaoPage, after which D&C Media took over its publication. Solo Leveling was popular even as a web novel and amassed a readership of 2.4 million by 2016.

The story of Sung Jinwoo becoming the strongest hunter resonated with several people. The concept of hunting, gates, monsters, and the integration of game-like mechanics in the story was exciting and everyone loved the novel and its innovative plot.

In 2018, the series was adapted into a webtoon, illustrated by Redice Studio. This catapulted its success and introduced it to international audiences, transforming it into a pop-culture icon.

This led to Solo Leveling receiving an anime adaptation, which is being hailed as one of the best anime adaptations of our time. With every episode, readers and viewers continue to hype up the series even more, commenting on how “the peak is yet to come”.

However, as its fanbase grows daily and more diverse novels are serialized and adapted, one might wonder: How long can Solo Leveling stay at the top before being surpassed by a superior story or overwhelmed by its admirers?

Jinwoo’s legacy is bound to be overcome

The anime landscape is transforming, with stories like Gachiakuta and Kagurabachi being recognized for their diverse plots, which feel new and more developed. As more and more of such manga receive adaptations, narratives start to change and comparisons arise.

While the fanbase may be able to defend Solo Leveling initially, soon, they will start to turn on their own favorite series, criticizing parts of it and talking about how it could have been improved.

Gachiakuta, which is a story of vengeance, survival, and overcoming wrongful accusations is being backed by BONES, a major player in the anime industry, and judging from the preview visuals of the anime, the studio is spending huge amounts of time and effort into its details, positioning it as a game-changer in the landscape, challenging Solo Leveling.

Kagurabachi To Reportedly Get Anime Adaptation By CygamesPictures
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Kagurabachi is yet another sensational story that started as a meme and evolved into a storytelling phenomenon, with fans feeling nostalgic when reading it. Rumors of the manga receiving an anime adaptation are floating around, and if they are true, then Kagurabachi will also challenge Solo Leveling with its characters and classic shonen traits.

As the anime industry expands, people are exposed to new series that set high benchmarks. The desire to see their favorite series, Solo Leveling in this case, reach these benchmarks will become the very force that will destroy their favorite series for them.

To conclude, while Solo Leveling has enjoyed immense popularity for a long time, the influx of new narratives and the growing expectations of the audience will end its era just as fast as it began.

Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.