Sung Jinwoo’s rise in Solo Leveling is nothing short of exhilarating. Watching him go from the series underdog to an unstoppable force is exactly the kind of power fantasy that makes the series so fun. Yet, as the anime progresses, there’s an undeniable shift that turns the thrill of his journey into something far more predictable. As he quickly climbs the ranks, with far too many advantages, the excitement of his journey starts to fade.

To be fair, power fantasy stories thrive on making the main character ridiculously strong, and Solo Leveling follows that structure. However, Solo Leveling set itself apart by allowing Jinwoo to face real struggles on his path to becoming the strongest. The first season did an excellent job of placing obstacles in Jinwoo’s path, but it quickly transitions to him leaving every other hunter in the dust and taking down enemies with little effort. In doing so, Solo Leveling risks losing the very thing that made it special in the first place.

The First Season of Solo Leveling Quickly Drew Fans’ Attention

Solo Leveling Was Initially Filled With Challenges and High-Stake Battles

The first season of Solo Leveling immediately hooked fans with its dark themes and high-stakes battles. Sung Jinwoo wasn’t just a weak fighter—he was labeled the weakest and struggled to survive in the world of hunters where strength meant everything. His near-death experience in the Double Dungeon set the stage for his transformation into a powerful hunter. However, he wasn’t instantly re-awakened as a powerful hunter like others occasionally experience in Solo Leveling. Instead, he had to learn how the System benefited him and put in the effort as he pushed himself beyond his limits.

In the beginning, S-rank hunters were seen as powerful legends, and dungeons seemed like genuine threats. In a world filled with dangerous dungeons, the idea of hunters risking their lives for fortune and fame created an interesting environment where power truly held weight. Viewers felt more invested in Jinwoo’s progress because it felt earned rather than easily given. Yet, as the story progressed, the balance between challenge and power started to shift in a way that did more harm than good for the series.

Jinwoo Jumped From an E-Rank Hunter to an S-Rank Far Too Quickly

Igris Was the Last Real Challenge Jinwoo Faced

Jinwoo’s journey from an E-rank to an S-rank hunter is one of the most satisfying aspects of the series. However, the speed at which he leveled up raises concerns. Even after gaining the System, he still faced genuine struggles that he needed to overcome. His first solo dungeon run pushed him to his limits and forced him to rely more on strategy than raw power. The struggles he faced made his victories feel meaningful and earned through sheer effort and willpower. However, as the story progressed, Jinwoo’s rapid growth made these hard-fought battles a thing of the past.

Season one ended with Jinwoo’s battle against Igris, which felt like the final true challenge he had faced. Unlike previous fights, this wasn’t a battle where he could simply overpower his enemy. Instead, Jinwoo had to push himself to outlast a superior opponent, making it one of the most intense moments in the series. When Jinwoo defeated Igris, something in the series shifted, and the enemies that followed the season one finale began to fall with little effort. While the battles continued to be visually impressive, they lacked the same sense of struggle that made Igris a memorable opponent.

Due to Jinwoo’s quick rise to power, the stakes are quickly diminished, which leaves little room for meaningful obstacles for him to overcome. While Jinwoo’s rise is part of the power fantasy appeal, setbacks and consequences are part of what made Solo Leveling so compelling in the first place. Now, as Jinwoo levels up, he experiences no long-term effects as his level-ups constantly restore him to peak condition. The faster he gains power, the less weight each battle carries, turning Jinwoo’s journey into a predictable cycle of easy victories rather than an engaging narrative with growth.

Jinwoo Quickly Sures S-Rank Hunters, Making Them Seem Meaningless

Fans Didn’t Get the Chance To See S-Rank Hunters in Action Before Jinwoo Casually Sured Them

One of the biggest missed opportunities in Solo Leveling is how little time the story spends displaying the power of S-rank hunters before Jinwoo sures them. From the beginning, S-ranks are portrayed as the peak of strength. However, before fans ever get a chance to see what these top-tier hunters are capable of, Jinwoo has already sured them. Characters like Choi Jong-In and Baek Yoonho are introduced with reputations of immense strength, yet instead of seeing them display their full power, we mostly see them reacting in shock to Jinwoo’s unmatched abilities.

Due to Jinwoo’s rapid rise to power, the series misses the opportunity to fully explore the significance of S-ranks, which undercuts the tension and stakes. Typically, in these types of stories, the top fighters serve as benchmarks for the protagonist to gradually sur. However, in Solo Leveling, Jinwoo ascends so quickly that there’s no meaningful comparison, rendering the S-rank hunters unimpressive by the time we encounter them.

Solo Leveling Made Jinwoo Become Untouchable by the End of the First Season

Jinwoo Is Healed Every Time He Levels Up and Has a Shadow Army Backing Him

Jinwoo’s journey may have started out difficult. However, he quickly accumulates multiple advantages through the System, causing his battles to gradually lose tension. No matter how strong an opponent may be, the outcome feels inevitable because Jinwoo gained too much power too quickly. While the System has its downsides, particularly regarding his morality, it ensures that Jinwoo remains on top. With his Shadow Army backing him, Jinwoo never truly fights alone, further diminishing the stakes.

Despite the series' stunning animation and intriguing premise, it risks losing the high-stakes tension in battle that initially hooked many viewers by allowing Jinwoo to rise too quickly. The excitement of his early growth is replaced by a predictable pattern of overwhelming victories, where the enemies exist solely to be defeated. Power fantasies may thrive on spectacle and overly powerful main characters, but this approach can become stale rather quickly. Solo Leveling has immense potential to be great, but with Jinwoo's rapid ascent to power, it risks sacrificing what made it special in the first place.