Solo Leveling Arise from the Shadow Premiere – Review

Solo Leveling’s anime debut was an outstanding success last year, and with only 13 episodes from its first season, fans of the anime are eager to watch the second season finally. Sung Jinwoo was labeled the weakest hunter in the world, but that changed instantly after a double dungeon event happened. From being a lowly hunter to one who’s constantly getting stronger from leveling up like those you see in video games, giving Jinwoo newly reformed powers from a so-called ‘system’ has transformed him into someone deadlier than any hunter could imagine.

The first season’s finale left a lot of fans, including me, craving for more. With the chance I got from Crunchyroll to watch the first two episodes of Season 2 (which is also in the movie release of the anime titled ‘Solo Leveling: ReAwakening’), I was definitely in for a huge ride.

The first two episodes of Season 2 were surely action-packed, and that’s where the second season builds up before it starts to focus on the story behind the system that gave Jinwoo his powers. Its impressive action sequences from fighting against Ice Bears to the final epic battle against the Ice Elves left me in total shock. The way the battle was shown was incredible, and that’s all thanks to the amazing people at A-1 Pictures for all the best fight scenes in the first two episodes; I wouldn’t also want to forget the fitting song during the Ice Bear battle titled ‘Shadowborn’ by Sawano Hiroyuki.

It’s not just the action sequences, but Jinwoo’s growth surely resonates with the power he’s gained. He has become more confident, calm, and strategic. He knows his next moves before his enemies even notice. It’s impossible without the staggering performance of his Japanese voice actor, Taito Ban. The stoic, darker tone completes the entire vibe of Jinwoo’s development toward a stronger character in the upcoming episodes.

I didn’t expect episodes one and two to exceed my expectations, and I’m glad they did. With all the build-up of Jinwoo’s power and his future abilities, the future fight between him and Hunter Hwang will be a battle to look forward and I’m hoping it won’t disappoint. I know it’s already been depicted in the manhwa, but when you think about it, watching the fight unfold will be exciting especially when it’s animated by the people at A-1 Pictures. I’m thrilled about the upcoming episodes!

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow kickstarts with an incredible two episodes that will leave you wanting more. The kicker action sequences, the stunning songs and the musical tracks, and the remarkable progress of Jinwoo as a character have left me speechless on multiple counts. I can’t wait for the next episode! It’s time to finish reading the manhwa, yes?