Crunchyroll and A-1 Pictures have announced the popular webcomic, Solo Leveling, would be receiving an anime adaptation coming in 2023.
Another manhwa (South Korean comic book/graphic novel) is coming to Crunchyroll next year! One of the most requested novel adaptations, Solo Leveling has officially been announced to be receiving an anime adaptation slated for 2023. The writers Chugong, DUBU and h-goon have already begun to share their excitement with some reaction statements to the news. The team has also released some of the first details and concept art and story synopsis ahead of the show’s premiere in a first-look trailer.
While Solo Leveling had finished its serialization run since 2021 with 14 volumes, but has only grown more popular through the years. The confirmed announcement from Crunchyroll revealed that they would be working with Aniplex to produce the series with Shunsuke Nakashige (Sword Art Online) serving as the main director from animation studio, A-1 Pictures. As for the rest of the staff, Noboru Kimura will be in charge as the head writer, Tomoko Sudo as the character designer and Hiroyuki Sawano will compose the music.
Crunchyroll also put out a synopsis to tease what Solo Leveling would be about:
“It’s been over a decade since the sudden appearance of the ‘gates’—the paths that connect our world with a different dimension. Since then, certain humans have awakened to supernatural powers. We call these individuals ‘hunters.’ Hunters make their living by using their powers to conquer dungeons inside the gates. In this world of tough customers, the low-ranked hunter Jinwoo Sung is known as ‘the weakest hunter of all mankind.’
One day, Jinwoo gets fatally injured when he runs into high-rank double dungeons hidden within a low-rank dungeon. Just then, a mysterious quest window appears in front of him. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to accept the quest and starts leveling up… while the others aren’t.”
The teaser trailer with some of the manhwa artwork and concept art for the show has already reached over 1.2 million views on YouTube within 24 hours of the announcement. Along with the video, a teaser visual was also released that shows Jinwoo with his iconic weapon.
One of the main creators of the manhwa, Chugong shared their reaction to the whole announcement with a special illustration that was translated here:
“About six years ago when I was writing the very beginning of Solo Leveling, if someone had said to me, “The novel you wrote will become a comic,” I bet I’d have told them to stop pulling my leg. But now, I’m told that it’ll be animated?! Seriously, stop pulling my leg!…But these days, I’m feeling excited and thrilled. Since I’m still half-doubting that this is real, I want to see Jinwoo and the other characters get animated soon and feel relieved. I’ll keep working diligently while looking forward to that day. (lol)”
DUBU also shared the sentiments of love and appreciation from the fans who have supported the series throughout the beginning of the series run back in 2018. All the reactions flooded in from the writers and fans broke after the announcement was made during Crunchyroll’s Anime Expo 2022 Industry Panel.
While the series is now in development, it will still be some time before audiences will get their first glimpse at a fully animated trailer. However, the fans will finally be getting what they have been asking for when Crunchyroll posted a poll on which series fans would like to see animated the most. For audiences looking for other manhwa anime adaptations, definitely check out Tower of God and The God of Highschool.
