Warning: The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling’s manhwa beyond the anime!!
Solo LevelingSeason 2 has done a great job so far, delivering a satisfactory adaptation, with stunning battles and incredible animation. However, although the adaptation is faithful in presenting the overarching storyline, it has also skippedcontent from the manhwa that improves Jinwoo’s characterizationand teases at future developments. Because of this,Solo Levelingseason 2, episode #4 features a subtle change from the manhwa, avoiding major foreshadowing of a new character.
Solo LevelingSeason 2 Episode #4 shows the aftermath of the encounter between S-Rank Hwan Dongsoo and Jinwoo’s father, Sung Il Hwan. While this was a short clash meant to introduce Jinwoo’s father, who is one of the most mysterious characters in the series,the anime adaptation changed what Il Hwansaid to Dongsoo, cutting a dialogue that teases at a big addition to Sung Jinwoo’s shadow army.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Cuts a Dialogue that Hints at One of Sung Jinwoo’s Most Powerful Shadow Soldiers
Sung Il Hwan is More Threatening in the Anime Adaptation
InSolo LevelingSeason 2, episode #4,the phrase that Sung Il Hwan tells Hwan Dongsoo was modified to make Jinwoo’s father appear more hostile. While in the anime, Il Hwan said that Dongsoo shouldn’t get close to his family and that he won’t be able to escape from him even in death, which could be interpreted as a threat, the original dialogue in the manhwa not only shows that he knows that Jinwoo isn’t dead but is a warning for Dongsoo’s well-being.
You don’t ever step foot in Korea. I’m not saying this for my son’s sake; I’m saying it for yours. You will never rest in peace, even in death. - Sung Il Hwan
Even though they are similar, these words have a different meaning, asthey foreshadow how Dongsoo will lose against Jinwoo, and he is going to be unable to rest in peace because he will be turned into one of his strongest shadow soldiers, a General Grade Shadow called Greed. This change inSolo Levelinganime is probably to keep the mystery about what will happen to Dongsoo, as his shadow extraction takes place much later in the story in chapter #147.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Skips Scenes From the Manhwa That Reveals Sung Il Hwan’s Real Nature
Keeping Mysteries Alive Shows The Anime’s Compromise With Future Seasons
InSolo Levelingseason 2, episode #3, the anime has already shortened the moment Hwang Dongsoo interrogates Sung Il Hwan, making it look like Jinwoo’s father was provoked after hearing his son was dead, when in the manhwa, it is Dongsoo who starts the fight. While it could have been due to lack of time, episode #4 confirmed that this change was intentional, asthe anime also chose to skip another scene where the Deputy Director of the American Bureau shows Dongsoo video footage of Jinwoo’s fatherrescuing civilians from the debris of the destroyed Bureau’s headquarters.
Solo Leveling Finally Changes Jinwoo’s Status, Giving Him the Recognition He Deserves
Solo Leveling Season Two has been rapidly progressing, and one recent development about Jinwoo’s rank will have major implications going forward.
Thanks to this footage, the Deputy Director questions if Sung Il Hwan is really a monster, as he had never seen a beast helping humans, and the fact that it was skipped in the anime provesthe adaptation is purposely leaving out moments that reveal the true nature of Sung Il-Hwanto keep his character a mystery, as his real motives are revealed almost at the end of the series in chapter #165.
Due to its success,Solo Levelinghas already confirmed it will extendto multiple seasons, so it makes sensethe anime is choosing to avoid disclosing future eventsand instead looks to create more intrigue surrounding the upcoming arcs.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Might Introduce More Changes in the Future
Jeju Island Arc Is One of the Most Anticipated Arcs of the Series
One of the most noticeable changes regarding the manhwa in the anime so far is the fact thatthe adaptation has omitted to name the country in which the series takes place. While it was confirmed that Sung Il Hwan is currently in America following the manhwa storyline, as one of the hunters he defeats speaks in English, his dialogue in episode 4 was modified to avoid naming Korea. The anime also skipped the phone conversation in chapter #55 of the manhwa between the S-Rank hunter Min Byung-Gyu and Baek Yoon-ho where the characters talk about Japan.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Axes a Key Scene That Sets Up Jinwoo’s Future
Solo Leveling Season 2 made a significant change, cutting a revelation of a core fact about the S-Rank hunters' power level and a major foreshadowing.
This is probablydue to the controversy surrounding Japanese hunters in the Jeju Raid in the manhwa. However, even thoughSolo Levelinghas a localized Japanese version and has maintained the original names for the international release, eventhe Jeju Island, as the anime has clearly avoided using the country names so far, it generates debate about whether the adaptation will include more changes in the upcoming arcs.
Nevertheless, despite the changes,Solo Leveling Season 2has created an enhanced visual experience with incredible animation and voice acting that is nothing but amazing, keeping the hype of the viewers and improving with each episode, so fans should continue to enjoy the adaptation.
Solo Leveling
Cast
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world’s weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
