Solo Leveling Episode 11 didn’t live up to the manwha in one way

Solo Leveling has, for the most part, lived up to Chugong’s smash hit manwha, but one moment from Episode 11 has left fans more divided.

Solo Leveling is heading toward the end of the first cour, giving us some epic scenes in the anime show. Capitalizing on Sung Jinwoo fight Cerberus, we’ve seen him take on Kang and Igris in suitably epic fashion.

These fights have gone a long way to establishing Solo Leveling as one of the best anime of the year. However, A-1 Pictures didn’t quite nail a scene in Episode 11, according to a number of fans. Warning: spoilers ahead!

In the episode, Sung Jinwoo takes his throne after defeating Blood-Red Commander Igris. It’s a hard-fought victory, so our hero is exhausted, but the details on the chair itself, and the surrounding panel, grant some gravitas in the manwha.

The anime version doesn’t hold the same weight, since the throne has been dialed down, as has the background, and fans are divided on their feelings. “It looks like he didn’t receive damage in the anime but I liked it overall,” writes one on Reddit.

They have a point – the exhaustion doesn’t seem quite as palpable for Sung Jinwoo, who just survived a serious and brutal encounter. “What the anime seems to lack, is clothing destruction. His clothes always seem to be without a scratch in the anime. Happened in Episodes 4 as well,” says another commenter.

“The manhwa panel makes it look like he’s dead compared to the anime’s which just looks tired,” says a fan. Where visuals don’t tell the full story though, the voice cast can step in. “I think the art for the manhwa here is better than the art for this scene in the anime, but the VA carried this scene with the raspy difficult breaths,” a comment reads.

Sung Jinwoo’s Japanese voice actor is Taito Ban, and the cast often get overlooked at times like this. They enhance an anime adaptation, and where something might not seem to be on the same level visually, there may be a reliance on what other areas are bringing to the fold.

We have one episode of Solo Leveling left before a hiatus for Cour 2, so we’ll have to see what surprises are on offer. Check out our list of the best anime like Solo Leveling for ways to fill that gap in your schedule.