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The hype is high in the anime community with the release of the long-awaited Solo Leveling episode 1, titled I’m Used to It. The debut episode of Solo Leveling, aka Ore dake Level Up na Ken, premiered on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 12 am JST. Broadcasting on Tokyo MX and various other networks, the first episode of this highly awaited anime adaptation captivated the audience.
Solo Leveling episode 1 commences by providing a comprehensive overview of its world, explaining the occurrence of the Gates and Hunters. It sets the stage for the unique journey of the main protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo. The debut episode sets the groundwork for the horrors that await Jin-Woo inside the double dungeons, laying the foundation for the challenges and adventures that will shape the series.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Solo Leveling episode 1.
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Venturing into the hidden double-dungeon proves fatal for Sung Jun-Woo and his party in Solo Leveling episode 1
Solo Leveling episode 1: The opening events
Solo Leveling episode 1 takes off by introducing the audience to the world of Hunters and monsters, with a glimpse into past events. The narrative unfolds three years before the present story, as a hunter and his group confront a formidable horde of giant red ant monsters in a battle.
Despite the collective strength of the swordsmen and mages, all their efforts prove futile against the mighty creatures. The hunters face a grim defeat, with members being attacked and killed one after the other. The monstrous ants ruthlessly eliminate the group and feast on their flesh, leaving the human side in a seemingly hopeless situation.
At this point, a hunter named Byung-gu, followed by two other hunters, Yoon-Ho and Eunseok, enters the scene, altering the course of the battle. Referred to as "S-rank hunters" by their peers, the newly arrived hunters effortlessly subdue the monsters and rescue and heal those who have been wounded.
Despite facing a more formidable group of enormous white ants, the new hunters manage to subdue them too. Their arrival swiftly brings the situation under control. Simultaneously, in a nearby location, another S-rank hunter, Choi Jong-In, and his allies confront a different group of white and red ants.
An introduction to the Solo Leveling world
This Winter 2024 anime's narrative then further explains the situation, detailing the abrupt emergence of the "Gates" – portals connecting to diverse dimensions containing various monsters.
These creatures come through the newly formed portals and launch attacks on the inhabitants of the anime's version of Earth. The narrative further delves into the inception of the "Hunters" – individuals endowed with awakened abilities, the exclusive defenders against the monsters since conventional weapons prove ineffective.
The Hunters are categorized based on their strength, ranging from the strongest S-rank to the weakest E-rank. It is mentioned that once individuals awaken as Hunters, there is no way for further enhancement of their powers
Solo Leveling episode 1: Sung Jin Woo's entrance
Solo Leveling episode 1 then transitions to the present three years later, focusing on the life of the main character, Sung Jin-Woo.
Depicted as one of the weakest hunters in the world, Jin-Woo becomes part of a raid alongside his friends and fellow hunters. The raid is under Song Chiyul's leadership, the party's highest-ranking hunter. Before the raid begins, Jin-Woo engages in a brief conversation with a fellow hunter and friend, Ju-Hee. During this exchange, he acknowledges his own weaknesses.
Solo Leveling episode 1: The double Dungeon raid
Jin-Woo takes part in the D-rank gate raid with only a small knife, determined to perform better in the upcoming fight. However, his aspirations are swiftly shattered when he encounters the dungeon's formidable monsters.
While confronting a goblin monster, Jin-Woo's dagger shatters, and he is fatally stabbed by the goblin. Ju-Hee soon heals him, as the group rejoices over defeating all the dungeon monsters.
However, their decision to dig deeper inside the dungeon leads them to the fateful hidden double dungeon door. Inside, they encounter massive statues of unique-looking monsters. As they read through the inscriptions within the dungeon, the door unexpectedly shuts, trapping the group within.
The situation takes a horrifying turn when one hunter attempts to escape, only to be gruesomely killed by one of the statue monsters upon touching the gate. This marks the beginning of the gruesome events in the hidden dungeon in Solo Leveling episode 1.
Jin-Woo and his companions are left traumatized, struggling to comprehend how a seemingly low-level D-rank dungeon could house such monstrous creatures. The group soon realizes that all the statues can move.
As they grapple with this revelation, Jin-Woo observes the eyes of the largest statue, (the statue of God) move. Recalling his past experiences, where he came close to death, he warns his companions to take cover just as the colossal statue emits a lethal laser beam from its eyes, incinerating everything in its path.
However, caught off guard, several hunters lose their lives in the sudden attack. The episode concludes with Jin-Woo realizing the gravity of their situation and recognizing the imminent death looming over the entire group.
To conclude
Other than the events in the double dungeon, Solo Leveling episode 1 also features additional scenes in the narrative, introducing pivotal characters like Cha Hae-In, Choi Jong-In, Go Gun-Hee, Woo Jin-Chul, and Yoo Jin-Ho. While their introductions are brief, these characters are poised to play significant roles later in the storyline. Most of these characters were introduced much later in the webtoon.
The upcoming episode 2 of the anime will portray how Jin-Woo and his party overcome this hopeless situation. These events will serve as a crucial turning point in the narrative, setting the stage for Jin-Woo's transformation from the weakest to the strongest hunter.
Stay tuned for more anime updates, news, and manga updates in 2024.
