Riding on the sails of the thrilling battle between Jinwoo and Baran, Episode 9 of Solo Leveling’s anime has finally delivered the emotional conclusion to the Demon Castle Arc with Jinwoo finally healing his mother of the Eternal Slumber. All of Jinwoo’s efforts so far have been leading up to this very moment and it is safe to say A-1 Pictures and Hiroyuki Sawano have delivered quite a tear-jerker in that regard. However, many fans of the series are not as satisfied with the latest episode, which is quickly on its way to becoming the most disliked episode of Season 2, and it highlights a major issue with shonen audiences.
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Despite being emotionally loaded and a major highlight of Jinwoo’s character arc, Episode 9 of Solo Leveling’s new second season is receiving quite a mixed reception from fans. At the time of writing this, the episode has close to 2.5 thousand dislikes on Crunchyroll, the most out of any episode in Season 2 so far. In fact, Episode 9 has the third highest amount of dislikes in the series as a whole, preceded only by two episodes in Season 1, namely Episode 8 which has 3.8 thousand dislikes, and Episode 7.5, which was a recap and has 81.4 thousand dislikes. Many who disliked Episode 9 have commonly dubbed it “boring filler,” and while this does not reflect the opinion of Solo Leveling’s entire fan base, this negative reaction does reflect a growing issue among shonen fans who are coming to expect nothing but ceaseless back-to-back action from every episode.
Solo Leveling’s Negative Reception Highlights Shonen’s Toxic Relationship With Hype
It would be an understatement to say that Solo Leveling was one of the biggest anime releases of 2024. This same excitement has carried over to Season 2 as well, especially with the promise of bigger bosses, battles, and highly anticipated arcs like Jeju Island Arc. It is clear to anyone that Solo Leveling is the ultimate power fantasy and as such, its narrative is structured around fights that make Jinwoo stronger with every successive opponent. This action-packed story, together with the anime’s brisk pace of adaptation, is a huge reason why Solo Leveling was able to appeal even to those who had never been exposed to the webnovel or webtoon before, who easily hopped onto the growing hype train.
However, this hype is very much also a double-edged sword, and the reactions to Solo Leveling’s latest episode are an excellent example of what happens when this metaphorical hype train slows down for even a minute. The problem with hype is that viewers, as a result, expect every minute of every episode to be packed with excitement, without leaving room for the plot to breathe. Things like character development, world-building, and plot tension take time to build up and shonen viewers often do not want to slow down and appreciate these things, even though the series very much needs these to function and move forward and would feel empty without them. In the case of Episode 9 of Solo Leveling, this episode was a monumental moment in Jinwoo’s character arc, serving as the heartfelt, emotional payoff for everything he’s put himself through. It’s a cathartic reward for all his hard work since his second chance was granted by the Double Dungeon, and arguably even before his reawakening, and it’s time the episode got its dues.
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Solo Leveling Episode 9 Was an Emotional Masterpiece
At the end of the day, just because Episode 9 did not have an exciting fight or development does not make it filler. The episode showcases a rare moment of vulnerability from Jinwoo as he hopes for another miracle from the System. His hands, which until now have never faltered when holding a blade, begin to tremble as he lifts the Elixir of Life up to his mother’s mouth, representing just how nerve-wracking the moment was to Jinwoo. As his mother finally wakes up after four years, Jinwoo tries and fails to hold back his tears, breaking when his mother notices his injuries and everything he’s put himself through for their family’s sake, and nothing could be more beautiful than that.
Yes, seeing Jinwoo cry isn’t nearly as exciting as seeing him fight a new, cool-looking boss but it doesn’t need to be. Episode 9 and Jinwoo’s love for his mother is supposed to speak to viewers who similarly treasure their loved ones and make sacrifices for their sake, even if it doesn’t involve fighting monsters, and that by itself offers a unique kind of catharsis. Admittedly, excitement surrounding an anime series can be a good thing by spreading the word about it and encouraging more viewers to try it. However, when hype is the biggest appealing factor of a series, it can sometimes prevent fans from acknowledging and enjoying the slower, more heartfelt moments of a series.
Furthermore, using hype or excitement as the main measuring stick of a series’ quality can also have the ugly consequence of creating a dichotomy of “hype” versus “not hype.” This can turn viewers away from slower-paced gems like Makeine, Wistoria: Wand and Sword, and The Elusive Samurai, which sadly flew under the radar in 2024 due to not being exciting enough after their airdates and short-lived social media exposure. The simple answer is that anime audiences, particularly shonen fans, need to broaden their horizons and acknowledge that anime, even shonen anime like Solo Leveling, has much more to offer than pure hype and mindless action.
Solo Leveling is available on Crunchyroll.
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