Solo Leveling has quickly become a global phenomenon, capturing the hearts of anime fans worldwide. Following a teaser of its second season at Anime Expo 2024, we had the opportunity to sit down with key figures behind this acclaimed series: Atsushi Kaneko (Producer), Taito Ban (Japanese voice actor for Sung Jinwoo), and Aleks Le (English voice actor for Sung Jinwoo). They opened up about the series’ universal appeal, the intricacies of portraying character transformations, and the deeper themes of power and responsibility that Solo Leveling explores.
A central aspect of Solo Leveling‘s appeal is its dark hero motif. Protagonist Sung Jinwoo starts as an E-rank hunter, the weakest of the weak, struggling to survive in a world of dangerous monsters. However, through a series of life-changing events, he gains access to a mysterious system that allows him to level up and become stronger, akin to a video game character. This journey from weakness to immense power is not just about physical strength but also about transforming his character and moral compass.
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When discussing the series’ widespread appeal, Atsushi Kaneko highlighted the inherent coolness and the dark hero aspect as key factors. “First and foremost, it’s probably the coolness. The whole dark hero aspect has a very global appeal,” he noted. This element enables audiences to connect with Sung Jinwoo’s complex and often morally ambiguous journey, making the narrative more engaging and nuanced.
Additionally, Aleks Le emphasized the anticipation and legacy surrounding Solo Leveling. “I think what people forget a lot of times is that this property has been around for a very long time. The anime just came out this year, but the IP itself has been around for a while. There have been a lot of fans anticipating this anime release. Once it came out and people saw how well it was adapted, I think that helped the appeal. Word spread through word of mouth, and it’s been really cool to see how popular it’s gotten. We got lucky with a built-in fan base that expanded with anime watchers. Pretty neat to see that.”
Sung Jinwoo’s evolution from a weak hero to a powerful one is central to Solo Leveling, embodying perseverance and growth. The process of bringing Sung Jinwoo to life was a unique journey for both Taito Ban and Aleks Le, each bringing their distinct styles and sensibilities to the role. While both aimed to capture the essence of Jinwoo’s transformation, their methods and perspectives showcased interesting contrasts and complementarities.
Taito Ban, the Japanese voice actor for Sung Jinwoo, emphasized the natural progression in voice acting to portray these changes. “Since voice acting is a job where you only use your voice to portray everything, you have to use your voice to show the differences in physique, mental capacity, and confidence. The voice actors naturally express these changes over time; it’s not something that’s specifically prepared.” For Ban, it involved subtly altering his tone, pitch, and delivery to mirror Jinwoo’s transformation from a timid, low-ranking hunter to a confident, powerful figure. Each stage of Jinwoo’s journey required a nuanced performance, capturing the evolving layers of his character.
Aleks Le, the English voice actor, highlights the importance of maintaining consistency with the original Japanese performances while infusing his interpretation. Le shared his perspective on the localization side of things, “My job on the localization side is to consider what Ban-san and Kaneko-san have set up in Japan. I was very happy when I heard that Ban-san had different voices prepared for Jinwoo. That meant I had more freedom to do the same. One of the things I was worried about was that there wouldn’t be too much growth shown, but once I heard his performance, I was relieved. They set up everything in the animation, and for us we watched the animation and added our own physicalities to it. It’s fun to show off your whole vocal range in just one role.”
Kaneko added that the animation team worked tirelessly to match the diversity and effort of the voice actors. “The animation team worked very hard in the first season to show the visual changes in the protagonist from week to week. There were so many emotions involved, and the animators went through a lot of hardship throughout the season. You’re seeing a different person by the end of the season, and the team is still working hard to match the diversity and effort of the voice actors in season 2.”
At its core, Solo Leveling delves deep into the themes of power and responsibility. Aleks Le hopes that audiences take away a nuanced understanding of these themes. “Even though Sung Jinwoo now has the power to smite those who have wronged him, he chose not to be wrathful. I hope the takeaway is that if you become powerful, you have every right to defend yourself and your pride, but don’t lash out, even if you want to. Those in power have a responsibility to keep their powers in check to avoid creating the same inequalities they experienced before gaining power.”
Similarly, Taito Ban reflected on the series’ foundational theme of becoming stronger for one’s good, not lashing out at others. “Portraying Sung Jinwoo was a solo leveling process for the actors as well because of how quickly things change. The series’ foundation is to become stronger for one’s own good, not to lash out at others. The theme of power and responsibility might feel overwhelming, but it’s great to have fun watching the series. If you feel tired after watching, like, ‘Oh my God, I feel so tired,’ then we’ve done our job.”
Looking ahead, the future of Solo Leveling appears promising, with talents like Atsushi Kaneko, Taito Ban, and Aleks Le steering the ship. Their insights at Anime Expo 2024 hinted at a continuation of the series’ compelling narrative arcs and character transformations, which are essential for its narrative. With Ban and Le’s dedication to faithfully interpreting Sung Jinwoo’s evolution across languages, fans can anticipate a seamless continuation of his journey from vulnerability to power in season 2.
Solo Leveling Season 1 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
This interview was edited for length and clarity and was conducted via a translator.
