By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

You all probably don’t need me to say it, but Solo Leveling is a must-see going into the Winter 2024 season. This is a huge title in the dungeon break genre and a complete series with full translation available on TappyToon.

Solo Leveling is based on the popular webtoon and novel of the same name, written by Chugong. The story follows the journey of Sung Jin-Woo, an E-rank hunter who discovers he has the unique ability to level up, transforming from the weakest hunter to the most powerful necromancer in this action-packed dungeon break world.

What has always drawn me to the series is the art and action. The art in this webtoon is nothing short of breathtaking, with special attention to using elements of light in the otherwise darkened panels. It helps to bring an intensity to battle scenes that are hard to describe, as well as bring to life an expanse of feelings to non-action moments. It incorporates elements of mystery, thriller, and suspense that shows off the best parts and versatility of the dungeon break genre.

The best way I can think to describe it is that, despite being a stationary image, one feels like the characters are moving in a meticulously choreographed way, blending stunning visuals with the fluidity of scrolling that I hope transitions well into the animation coming out this season. The late artist, Dubu, also known as Jang Sung-Rak, was renowned for his style which did a lot to set the tone and mood for the story, and nowhere is this more evident than in the original webtoon version. The webtoon created an immersive experience while reading, engaging me to binge-read the novel over the course of a weekend. If you haven’t checked Solo Leveling out yet, I suggest you do prior to the start of this animated adaptation as both will leave you on the edge of your seat at the end of nearly every chapter!

Solo Leveling has undoubtedly made a name for itself as an exceptional series, and I think it will hit an even wider audience as it makes its animated debut. So, definitely check it out this January on Crunchyroll!

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Copyedited by: Katherine Cañeba | @kcserinlee