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Solo Leveling season 2 episode 1, titled You aren't E-rank, are You, premiered on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 12 am JST. Following the anime's successful first season, fans have highly anticipated the premiere of Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow anime.
While the anime certainly had a great premiere, it wouldn't be as tantalizing for those fans who have already watched the episode as part of the Solo Leveling: ReAwakening movie. Nevertheless, let's take a deep dive into Solo Leveling season 2 episode 1 to analyze how A-1 Pictures has handled the second season's debut episode.
Solo Leveling season 2 episode 1 review: Character design and narrative changes
As Solo Leveling season 1 ended with the Job Change Arc, the new season was bound to begin with the Red Gate Arc. Although A-1 Pictures did just that, it made quite some changes to the narrative.
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Speaking of changes, the most noticeable difference from season 1 was Sung Jinwoo's new character design. Though the webtoon inspired the new design drawn by Tomoka Sudo, the protagonist looks better in the anime.
As for the narrative changes, A-1 Pictures omitted several scenes from the webtoon while adapting the anime. While their absence does not necessarily hinder the story, their addition would have helped fans grow much more fond of Sung Jinwoo.
Like the first season, A-1 Pictures removed several background characters while adapting the anime. If fans may have noticed, the anime reduced the number of hunters inside the gate while adapting Dungeon & Lizards Arc.
Similar changes have been made in Solo Leveling season 2's debut episode as well. This was also the case for the chief of the White Tiger Guild's 1st Division Surveillance Team, Joo Sungchan, as he never appeared in the anime.
Production quality and animation
Following the first season's success, it was obvious that A-1 Pictures would not back down from trying to improve the production quality for the second season. The production quality exceeded the first season as the action scenes were much more fluid. This was especially evident from the fight between Igris and the leader of the Ice Bears.
This was bound to happen, especially since the anime's first two episodes were to be released as part of the Solo Leveling: ReAwakening movie. Therefore, while one can still praise A-1 Pictures for delivering a stunning animated experience, one should probably wait until further episodes are released to develop an expectation from the ongoing Solo Leveling anime.
Final thoughts on Solo Leveling season 2 episode 1
While Solo Leveling season 2 episode 1 is quite a stunning experience, the early preview from the movie makes it much less exciting to watch. So, while the episode is a must-watch for fans who haven't watched the Solo Leveling: ReAwakening movie, the same cannot be said for the ones who have already experienced the episode in theaters.
Related Links
- Is Solo Leveling: Ragnarok on a hiatus? Explained
- Solo Leveling anime crowned as the Best Anime Series at The Astra Awards
- Cha Hae-in's design for Solo Leveling season 2 teases the sequel's fast-pacing
