Solo Leveling Fans Rip Series Apart Over Anime’s Latest Episode

The Solo Leveling episode, which aired on February 25, has become Crunchyroll’s worst-rated episode, raking in approximately 70 thousand dislikes (at the time of writing) and criticism from fans across various digital platforms. The frustration stems from the anticipation built up during the week-long wait for a new episode, only to be met with a filler.

This sentiment is common in the anime community, where filler and recap episodes have always been met with disdain. However, the reaction to Solo Leveling’s episode #7.5 also reflects the growing impatience of fans who fail to appreciate the challenges studios and actors face. Episode #7.5 was reportedly released in place of episode #8 due to the health concerns of Taito Ban, who voices Jinwoo.

Ban tested positive for Covid-19 in February, and rumors about health issues during the recording of episode #4 underscore the toll that the industry can take on its artists. So perhaps fans need to be more understanding of the circumstances that resulted in Solo Leveling getting a recap episode, especially since the series has been faithful to the source material and has maintained high-quality standards.

Filler episodes in anime are additional installments that are not part of the source material and are often used to buy time or save budget for other episodes. Fans, especially of anime like One Piece and Naruto, tend to dislike filler episodes because they can disrupt the flow of the main story, lead to a drop in quality, and feel disconnected from the original plot.

While some filler episodes can explore characters and ideas creatively, many fans prefer a faithful adaptation of the main storyline rather than unnecessary deviations. The dislike for filler episodes is more prominent among American viewers, who may have higher expectations for narrative quality and production design in anime shows like Solo Leveling.

Solo Leveling is set in a world besieged by monsters, where human warriors with supernatural abilities fight to shield humanity from impending doom. After narrowly surviving a formidable double dungeon that decimates his party, a warrior named Sung Jinwoo becomes the chosen player of a mysterious program known as the System.

This allows him to level up in strength, which other hunters cannot. Jinwoo also unlocks the power to turn those he defeats into loyal followers known as Shadows. Embarking on a journey, Jinwoo confronts many adversaries (both human and monstrous) as he tries to unravel the mysteries of the dungeons and the true origin of his newfound powers.

Solo Leveling (known also as Only I Level Up) was first serialized in Kakao’s digital comic platform KakaoPage in 2016 and later found its print home under D&C Media’s Papyrus label in November that same year. Yen Press later secured the English licensing rights for the novel. The webtoon adaptation illustrated by Jang Sung-rak debuted on KakaoPage in March 2018.

The first season of the webtoon concluded in March 2020, followed by the release of the second season, which lasted from August 2020 to December 2021. D&C Media compiled and published the webtoon’s chapters into nine volumes by August 2023. Yen Press has also secured the English licensing rights for the webtoon.