Japan’s Treacherous Plot in Solo Leveling: A Failed Heist!

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Summary

  • Betrayal intensifies geopolitical tensions between Korea and Japan as Japan plots against Korea’s S-Rankers.
  • Japan’s plan to sacrifice Korean Hunters backfires, leading to internal power struggles and vulnerability.
  • Matsumoto’s heinous plan to leave Korean strike team to die to establish Japanese dominance in Asia fails dramatically.

Betrayal isn’t a novelty in the realm of ‘Solo Leveling‘. With the possibility of anyone unlocking hidden magical abilities, it’s just the inherent characteristics of individuals that become more prominent. In the events unfolding in ‘Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-‘, Episode 11, existing international issues are merely amplified. As for the situation on Jeju Island Raid arc, the complicated relationship between Japan and Korea, a historically strained alliance with roots we won’t delve into now but could have influenced this narrative thread.

After the Korean strike team successfully vanquished the Ant Queen, events took a turn for the worse as her dying struggle summoned the Ant King, who had been causing chaos on the island. As the situation deteriorated for the Koreans, Ryuji Goto, leader of Draw Sword Guild, addressed the Japanese Hunter Association Chairman, who seemed delighted at their impending downfall. However, one might wonder why the Japanese Hunter Association would rejoice over the potential deaths of fellow Hunters.

The Geopolitical Circumstances Going Into the Raid

Korea Requested Aid From Their Far More Powerful Neighbors

Just as the Korean Hunter economy operates through a delicate equilibrium among five dominant Guilds regulated by the Hunter Association, international powers in the world of Solo Leveling have their own intricate relationships, with the United States and Japan standing out as major players. For instance, the U.S. possesses significant influence, often attracting top-tier Hunters like Hwang Dongsoo from other nations. In Asia, Japan is regarded as a dominant superpower in Hunter personnel, boasting a formidable force with the Draw Sword Guild alone providing 11 S-Rank Hunters for the Jeju Island Raid. Prior to this operation, Japan had 21 S-Rank Hunters, but unfortunately, 7 of these elite Hunters were among the 8 S-Rank casualties during the raid, marking a severe blow to Japan’s Hunter talent pool.

In the 11th episode of “Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-“, Matsumoto, head of the Japanese Hunter Association, admitted that Japan capitalized on an unexpected turn of events caused by their involvement. Instead of aiding the Korean Hunters trapped in the ant nest, he chose to let them face their fate as the failure of the jamming signal led to chaos. According to Goto’s analysis, the Korean Hunters were too weak to resist the returning swarms of ants after their queen was defeated. Matsumoto disregarded any chance of survival if he, Japan’s strongest Hunter, intervened, demonstrating that Japan had no genuine desire for cooperation.

A Heinous Plan Fails Dramatically

Matsumoto’s Attempt to Cause Geopolitical Shift

Upon learning about the predicament from Gotō, Matsumoto instructs Gotō to pull back all remaining units and let the Korean strike team face its destiny, as Japan stands to gain significantly in geopolitical influence should Korea’s S-Rankers be eliminated. The Korean strike team is composed of every top-tier operative from their country except for Jinwoo, the retired Go Gunhee, Jinwoo’s father, Sung Il Hwan, and, unfortunately, the late Eunseok. If Korea were to lose its entire contingent of S-Rankers, Japan would have no rivals in that part of the world, thereby solidifying their status as a dominant power in Asia, further enhanced by their reputation of being the nation that conquered the S-Rank Gate on Jeju Island.

Matsumoto’s strategy calls for pulling back existing troops and deploying a reserve team stationed offshore, with the objective of completely liberating Jeju Island. This operation is said to be carried out as a tribute to the Korean S-Rankers who bravely gave their lives. This strategy mirrors the tactics used by Hunters, who recruit lesser-ranked Hunters for significant raids only to sacrifice them as bait against magical creatures within, often referred to as “Lizards,” due to their behavior of sacrificing a part of themselves to escape danger, much like how a lizard sheds its tail.

The plan was particularly nefarious because it would deplete Korea of many of its top Hunters, rendering the nation virtually defenseless against potential high-level or Red Gates in the future, making Korea entirely dependent on its neighbor for protection. However, neither Matsumoto nor Gotō could have been aware of the Ant King or Sung Jinwoo’s soldiers partially shielding the Korean strike team. Consequently, what could have led to a national crisis for Korea was ironically reflected on the Japanese Hunter Association who orchestrated it, as Japan was left incapable of recovering from the devastation caused by the loss of 7 of the Draw Sword Guild’s 11 S-Rank Hunters. This had a ripple effect: the guild lost its prestige, leading to a power struggle among Japan’s guilds, but Japan was left vulnerable in the face of a disaster like the S-Rank Gate that opened in Tokyo shortly after the Jeju Island Raid; the same fate Matsumoto aimed for Korea.

Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- is available on Crunchyroll.

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2025-03-19 16:07