Fans are misunderstanding Solo Leveling's true potential (and it's saddening)

Long before it even got an anime adaptation, Solo Leveling was massively popular among fans as one of the best, if not the best manhwa of all time. The overwhelming success of its anime adaptation can be attributed to the sheer popularity of the manhwa and its pre-existing fanbase, who have been waiting in anticipation for their favorite series to get a successful adaptation.

Perhaps, the main aspect of the Solo Leveling series that drew in recent fans as well, was its exhilarating action sequences that were heightened by a stellar animation quality, courtesy of A-1 Pictures. That said, action is certainly not the only focus of the series, although it may seem so at first glance.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Solo Leveling manhwa. Reader's discretion is advised.

Exploring the various elements that contributed to Solo Leveling's success that are often overlooked

Sung Jin-Woo as seen in the anime (image via A-1 Pictures)

Solo Leveling is a series that is primarily popular for its epic fights and breathtaking action sequences. However, there are various aspects of the popular series that often get overlooked due to the primary focus of the story being Sung Jin-Woo's journey to the top.

Perhaps the most overlooked parts of the series are its rich lore and the diverse cast of characters. Considering that Jin-Woo's character is at the front and center of the story, many fans tend to ignore the other characters, who mostly never get their time to shine. However, the development that some of the characters go through throughout the series is nothing short of impressive.

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Characters like Thomas Andre, Woo Jin-Chul, and Yoo Jin-Ho have progressed a lot throughout the story, and are huge fan favorites as well. That said, the narrative of the series barely allows much focus on the side characters, who are often overlooked as a result.

In fact, this has been a common complaint among the fanbase, who believe that the narrative focuses too much on action and doesn't allow much room for the characters to develop. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the series is completely lacking in character development by any means.

Another interesting aspect of the series that stands out despite not receiving much focus is the lore of the series. While it is certainly true that the majority of the story was focused on Sung Jin-Woo's fights and his endless journey of getting stronger, there is no denying that Solo Leveling has a rich lore that dates all the way back to the very beginning of time.

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It wasn't until the Double Dungeon arc of the Solo Leveling manhwa, that fans finally got to learn the mystery behind the System and Sung Jin-Woo's powers. The story dates back to the dawn of time when darkness and light were all that existed. It was then that God, aka the Absolute Being, decided to split light and darkness into the Rulers, a race of angelic humanoids, and the Monarchs, a race of monsters.

The Rulers and Monarchs had been locked in a never-ending cycle of war and bloodshed against each other. However, in a shocking twist, it was revealed that their war was nothing more than mere entertainment for the Absolute Being. As such, the Rulers rebelled against their God and killed him.

That said, the war between the Monarchs and the Rulers continued even after the death of the Absolute Being. Their never-ending battles led to the eventual destruction of the world, despite the Rulers' multiple attempts to stop it.

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After seeing that there seemed to be no end to the endless cycle of war and bloodshed, Ashborn, the strongest Ruler who later became the Shadow Monarch, decided to pass on his powers to a certain individual and entrust them with his powers. After a long search, he came across Sung Jin-Woo, who caught his attention due to his multiple run-ins with death and his narrow escape every single time.

By recruiting the help of the Architect, Ashborn devised a way to pass on his powers to Jin-Woo through the creation of the System, which leveled up the latter's body, preparing it to bear the powers of the Shadow Monarch one day.

Although it can be argued that all this lore arrived a bit too late in the manhwa, it remains an undeniable fact that it is certainly the most interesting aspect of the entire series.

Sung Jin-Woo as seen in Solo Leveling episode 6 (image via A-1 Pictures)

Fans have often pointed out that it is to be expected that the narrative of the series would only focus on Sung Jin-Woo's growth and development, given that the name of the series itself is 'Solo Leveling'.

However, this doesn't take away from the fact that there are several characters other than Jin-Woo, who stand out as some of the most memorable aspects of the series, mainly due to their unique personalities, noteworthy character growth, or their individual impact on Jin-Woo's character.

After taking all this into consideration, it can be concluded that Solo Leveling is certainly more than simply being a generic action series.