Solo Leveling’s Jeju Island Arc Promises Intense Hunter x Hunter Vibes

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The content that follows reveals plot details for Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-, which can be found on Crunchyroll.

Summary

  • Solo Leveling Season 2 excels in production and continues to impress with Jinwoo’s growth.
  • Jeju Island arc introduces terrifying threats, with the possibility of ants spreading to the mainland.
  • The arc draws comparisons to Hunter x Hunter’s Chimera Ant arc, showcasing intense battles and character developments.

Solo Leveling Season 2 -Emerge from the Shadows-

The second season of this series, which is a fantastic continuation of an exceptional first season, is proving to be one of the best anime adaptations of Korean IPs during the WEBTOON and manhwa boom of the mid-to late 2010s and early 2020s. It’s even possible that it could be the best we’ve ever seen. The high production value that made the first season stand out has carried over into this second season, where it continues to thrive and grow, much like its main character, Sung Jinwoo. In episode 7 of season 2, the newly promoted S-Rank Hunter, Sung Jinwoo, plans for a week-long expedition to defeat the Demon Castle Instant Dungeon that we were first introduced to in the first season.

In his absence, the chilling events of Jeju Island have now reached mainland Korea, having been hinted at since the very first episode of the series. The eerie appearance of an ant drone in episode 7, confronting two unlucky Hunters, served as a foreshadowing for the upcoming storyline. This narrative will see the Korean Hunters face their most significant past failure during the Jeju Island saga.

What Happened on Jeju Island?

Enough to Make a Grown S-Rank Cry

In the seventh episode of Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow, we caught a fleeting glimpse of a Chimera Ant drone, a type of magical creature that was believed to be exclusive to Jeju Island. However, an unusual event known as a Dungeon Break occurred when an S-Rank Gate couldn’t be cleared on Jeju Island three years before the end of the franchise. This incident led to the evacuation and sealing off of the area because the massive ants that emerged from the gates were too powerful for even the strongest Hunters to handle.

Following three unsuccessful attempts to reclaim Jeju Island, the Korean Government decided to focus on containing the threat within the island itself. The harrowing experiences of the Jeju Island raids still linger in the memories of the surviving Hunters, with some choosing to leave their profession, and others, such as Baek Yoonho from the White Tiger Guild and Choi Jong In from the Hunters Guild, grappling with PTSD due to the traumatic events on Jeju Island.

The Korean government neglected to consider the potential that ants might someday find a way to reach the mainland. They possess the ability to adopt characteristics from what they consume, leading to an alarmingly rapid evolution within their species. In season 1 of Solo Leveling, it was discovered that these ants had evolved wings as they advanced, and now they can fly to the mainland using them. With food resources on Jeju Island dwindling, the ants have developed a need to seek sustenance elsewhere, which means Japan will soon be swarmed by these magical creatures. The eastern countries will likely unite to combat this threat, but they will find themselves outmatched and many top-tier S-Rank Hunters may perish in the ensuing battle.

The Similarities to Hunter x Hunter

The Most Stressful Arc in Shōnen Returns to Stress Us Out Again

Fans of Solo Leveling often recognize the Jeju Island arc as it appears in the manhwa, much later than in the anime, as having striking resemblances to Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter’s Chimera Ant arc. This particular storyline within the shonen genre is widely recognized for its many strengths and overall brilliance. The idea of colossal, rapidly evolving ants with high intelligence and humanoid traits, eventually amassing monstrous power capable of overwhelming even the strongest characters, who are referred to as Hunters in both universes, is a recurring theme.

In the style of Hunter x Hunter, the Solo Leveling ants possess a Queen Ant who gives birth to the mightiest ant ever born, the Ant King. As the ants’ hunger grew, they became more hostile towards humans, eventually consuming them en masse. This escalating conflict resulted in many casualties among the Hunters.

In both tales, a pivotal scene involves the main character, Sung Jinwoo, clashing with a formidable ant named the Ant King. This encounter, happening during the fourth and final raid on Jeju Island, showcases Jinwoo’s immense power as he rescues the remaining Hunters from the jaws of the Ant King. Initially opting to stay out of the Jeju Island Raid, it’s only after this battle that his tremendous might becomes globally recognized. Interestingly, the Ant King later transforms into Jinwoo’s most loyal Shadow, Beru, significantly boosting the power of the Shadow Army. In essence, the Jeju Island arc plays a crucial role in the narrative, and the story of Solo Leveling never returns to its original state following this event.

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

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2025-02-22 20:58