In 2016, South Korean writer Chugong released the video game-like web novel Solo Leveling, which has grown in popularity over the years. An anime adaptation of the series is now in the works, during its Jump Festa panel, Crunchyroll and Aniplex revealed the show will be dropping on January 6, 2024.
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The series takes place a decade after a mysterious gate appeared that connects the human world to an alternate dimension. Gates lead to dungeons, and humans who pass through them become Hunters who use their powers to clear the dungeons of whatever beasts are inside and make some money doing it. Our hero is Sung Jinwoo (voiced in Japanese by Taito Ban and in English by Aleks Le), a Hunter with a notoriously low rank and reputation for being the worst out there. When a new dungeon emerges that turns out to house an even higher-level dungeon inside it, Sung ends up being the only one in his already dwindling party who can level up clear the double dungeon. Fortunately, anyone he kills during his run can become a loyal shadow who fights for him—which is just as well, because he’ll need help figuring out what the hell is even happening.
Solo Leveling’s anime comes courtesy of A-1 Pictures, whose recent lineup included Nier: Automata, Lycoris Recoil, and Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle: Rhyme Anima+. The novel has also been adapted into a webtoon with art by the late artist Jang Sung-rak (aka Dubu) and later h-goon. Outside of this series, the series will continue with a K-drama adaptation, the webtoon spinoff Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, and an RPG from Marvel: Future Fight creator Netmarble.
Solo Leveling hits Crunchyroll on January 6, 2024. Along with Ban and Le in the lead roles, the show’s cast includes Genta Nakamura/Justin Briner as Yoo Jinho, Haruna Mikawa/Rebecca Wang as Sung Jinah, and Hiroki Touchi/Christopher Sabat as Baek Yoonho.
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