Solo Leveling anime needs Sung Jinwoo to be overpowered

The Solo Leveling anime has been a success from a commercial and marketing perspective. It has amassed a significant following, becoming one of the most popular new series in the industry since A-1 Pictures made its debut in early 2024. However, there has been criticism regarding the high levels of power that the protagonist, Sung Jinwoo, has often used, as an argument to belittle the story.

There is a general conception that Sung Jinwoo being overpowered affects the overarching narrative structure of the Solo Leveling anime, but that is also a significant aspect of why the story works. In many ways, Jinwoo has to serve as a game-changer in the events of the story and break the molds that were established, which is quite prevalent when considering his role as the Shadow Monarch.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.

Sung Jinwoo being overpowered is a key element of the Solo Leveling anime explained

Sung Jinwoo as seen in the Solo Leveling anime (Image via A-1 Pictures).

A major element regarding Sung Jinwoo's character in the Solo Leveling anime is that his access to the System allows him to break the rigid power structure of the Hunters. In this world, most Hunters cannot improve their abilities and are defined by their strength, which makes the protagonist's rise through his own effort with the System more compelling to watch.

Moreover, Sung Jinwoo is someone who understands weakness and the hardship of the world around him, a feeling that he carries throughout the vast majority of the story. This past defines many of his actions, as evidenced in the two seasons of the Solo Leveling anime, which is often ignored in these fan discussions.

The plot also gets a lot grander in scale as the story progresses, with the clash between the Rulers and the Monarchs becoming quite prevalent. Sung Jinwoo's overpowered status makes the element of challenging them even more logical, especially considering his role as the new Shadow Monarch.

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Sung Jinwoo and Igris as seen in the Solo Leveling anime (Image via A-1 Pictures).

The Solo Leveling anime also strongly emphasizes Jinwoo's values as a person, which is evidenced by the loyalty that Igris and his other Shadows develop toward him. Moreover, his relationship with Cha Hae-in, while a bit undercooked in some instances in the franchise, highlights that his strength is necessary because he is one of the few who uses it for good.

It goes without saying that the work A-1 Pictures has done in the Solo Leveling anime has been commendable, with some action sequences regarded as being some of the best in the industry. However, this shouldn't undermine the character's motivations and mindset since he is a unique factor in a very static world, which is probably why Ashborn saw him as a potential successor for the Shadow Monarch title.

As shown in the Solo Leveling anime, Sung Jinwoo is often put in very extreme situations, making his abilities all the more necessary. This is coupled with the fact that his character ends up being a major artifact of change in the franchise, as most manhwa readers know.

Sung Jinwoo as seen in the anime (Image via A-1 Pictures).

This protagonist is also part of a manhwa series, which is different in nature from manga. There are multiple manhwa protagonists who tend to be overpowered, and their strength is used to push the story, such as The Boxer, which is centered around the protagonist, Yu, who serves as a reigning champion. The appeal is watching opponents try to take the crown away from him.

The Solo Leveling anime is no different, focusing on the character getting stronger and serving as a challenger for the ever-growing deities. It is also a tool for Sung Jinwoo rather than an objective, which is different from many battle shonen manga protagonists who thrive when pursuing strength for sports purposes, such as the iconic Goku from Dragon Ball.

The truth is that Sung Jinwoo uses power as a means to an end, which is to protect those he cares about. Perhaps Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach is a similar example of battle shonen. However, the plot of this story requires him to be overpowered because of the stakes and the sheer visual spectacle of his fighting style.

Final thoughts

Overall, it is understandable that fans have divisive opinions regarding Sung Jinwoo's powers in the Solo Leveling anime. However, it does make sense within the story's context and is a major driving force for his actions, to the point that the series would be quite different if he didn't have that degree of power.

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Edited by Maithreyi S