Every Moment That Made Me Understand Why The Internet's Undecided On The "Solo Levelling" Hype

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Solo Levelling. 

I've tried all my life to get into anime. Sitting with my brother and watching Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and 🫣English-dubbed🫣 Naruto onToasted TV were cherished memories, but the habit didn't stick. This is how I felt whenever I attempted to get into it:

But as I see more and more epic-looking series in search of what to recommend to you, I feel so much FOMO, because I didn't get into it sooner. So, I'm on a mission to level myself up from certified anime noob 😔 to anime literate (or somewhere close enough) — and I'm taking you along for the ride.

Solo Levelling — Season 1, Episode 1: "I'm Used To It"

1. Oops, I accidentally had it on English dubbed — time to start again.

2. What are the navy (???) blowing up?

3. Oh, it's a fantasy. There's giant ants and knights. I knew there were swords, but the outfits look pretty cool too. 

4. The art style looks like that old game — Adventure Quest. Does anyone even remember that? But in high definition. 

Solo Levelling — Season 1, Episode 2: "If I Had One More Chance"

37. Jinwoo definitely has a plan brewing. You can see it in his bandages. 

38. That's an extremely clean cut on that guy's arm. 

39. It would make sense if they accidentally strolled into A-Rank or S-Rank dungeons. It doesn't look like any of these guys know what's happening. They need Cha Hae-In, it seems like she would know what to do. 

40. Ooh, the intro feels like an old sci-fi show. It really feels Spiderverse-y. "Let's get it!"

41. They're going to need a strategy in this dungeon and it's not this guy trying to summon super speed. Yep, he got toasted. 

42. This statue is waiting so long, why? 

43. The only person using their brain is the E-ranked hunter...and they're still underestimating him. 

Solo Levelling — Season 1, Episode 3: "It's Like A Game"

72. OK, things just got a whole lot more interesting, because that digital interface at the end makes it seem like someone else is controlling these people. Have you ever watched that Rick and Morty episode where they play the RPG called Roy? I have a sinister feeling, it's something like that. But obviously I could be very wrong. I probably am. 

73. Dude, woah. 

And finally, here's my verdict after three episodes. Solo Levelling holds your interest not just with the cliffhangers, but the evolving and surprising plotline.

Of the fight sequences I've seen, they're not overly complex or long BUT they take advantage of the beautiful, detailed art style and bloody gore to depict the gruesomeness of each death. 

Now keep in mind, I've only seen three episodes at the time of writing this verdict, so this might change as I continue to watch more (I'm pretty hooked, so I anticipate that my mind will change).

The lore unfolding slowly makes you want to invest time and attention into watching the show, which obviously is the point. But if you're casually watching, I can see how that might get slightly confusing. All in all, Solo Levelling is so far so good.

Judging from the internet's tweets, we're in for a seriously interesting and suspenseful ride. I'll stay tuned, but I need Joohee and Jinwoo to get together eventually.