Fans were rejoicing when the popular fantasy manhwa Solo Leveling received its anime adaptation. The much awaited anime adaptation debuted in January 2024 and quickly became one of the best anime of the season. However, some Solo Leveling fans are saying they prefer the manhwa after comparing it with the anime.
Solo Leveling manhwa, also known as I Level Up Alone, is written by Chugong and illustrated by Jang, Sung-rak, and Disciples. The adventure fantasy manhwa was first released in 2018 and ran for five years before ending in 2023.
The anime adaptation of the manhwa received an overwhelmingly positive response upon release. The majority of fans were thrilled with the anime and found it a worthy adaptation of the source material. But there are also some fans who have found the anime underwhelming in comparison to the manhwa and the reason behind is the difference of art styles between the manhwa and the anime.
Solo Leveling fans like the manhwa art better
Art style is one of the most important in both anime and manhwa. It not only provides a unique visual to the story but also helps set the tone. Solo Leveling’s anime is pretty faithful to the art style of the source material but there are bound to be some differences.
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Many fans confessed that they prefer the art style of Solo Leveling manhwa which has more contrast, thus making certain things seem darker or more vibrant than in the anime. Sung Jin Woo’s eyes, in particular, have been a topic of these discussions. While Jin Woo’s eyes simply glow in the anime, the manhwa had a brighter and more contrasting color for his eyes, giving it an eerie vibe.
A fan commented on Reddit, saying, “I prefer the manhwa purely due to the saturation, I like how dark the darks are.” Another fan agreed that both the manhwa and anime adaptation of Solo Leveling are good but there is still a difference between them. They wrote, “I like the Manwa version better. But the anime version doesn’t look bad, it’s fine.”
There are bound to be some differences between animation and drawn still images. But Solo Leveling has proved to be one of the best anime adaptations of a manhwa and hopefully will continue to be so.