v=Solo Leveling Creator Reveals His Greatest Mistake That Changed The Story Forever

by

This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling series.

Originally a web novel by South Korean author Chugong, Solo Leveling has grown into a popular series with both a manhwa and an ongoing anime adaptation. While incredibly successful, its popularity is largely driven by fans outside of Japan. The series hasn’t gained much traction there, likely due to issues with how Japanese characters and culture were portrayed by the author.

Chugong regretted not developing the character of Goto Ryuji further, hoping a stronger or more compelling Ryuji could have improved the series’ reception in Japan. However, even as it stands, Solo Leveling still has the potential to be successful.

Solo Leveling Creator Regrets Not Writing Cooler Japanese Characters

  • Chugong Wrote Goto Ryuji As Japan’s Strongest
  • Ryuji Was Not Even A National Level Hunter

The author of Solo Leveling, Chugong, frequently interacts with fans. He regularly answers their questions, giving them a unique look into his creative process and the story behind the series.

I recently learned that the author of Solo Leveling, Chugong, feels he made a significant error in how he portrayed Japanese characters within the story. He’s expressed regret that they weren’t developed or represented as well as they could have been.

I witnessed a terrible scene on Jeju Island – the Japanese S-Rank Hunters were completely wiped out. Even Goto Ryuji, who was considered their strongest, didn’t survive. Honestly, I could tell Chugong was really regretting not having done more to strengthen Ryuji beforehand.

Looking back, I wish I’d made the character Ryuji Goto a bit more powerful and impressive if I’d known my book would become so popular in Japan. Even if I couldn’t have made him the main character, I’d have liked to develop him as a stronger figure.

I originally intended to portray him as impressive, but focusing on the challenges he overcame resulted in a different outcome.

This project definitely has flaws and isn’t perfect, but I hope people will be fair and avoid spreading false criticisms.

We are all fans who like subculture, there’s no need for us to fight each other, right?” — Chugong

Many fans feel Ryuji deserved to be recognized as one of the world’s best hunters. Other countries – like South Korea, China, and the United States – each have hunters at the national level, and viewers think Ryuji could have reached that status even without a bigger part in the story.

The Lack of Japanese Representation Might Have Affected the Series’ Popularity In Japan

Solo Leveling was already a well-loved comic series, but the anime adaptation took its popularity to the next level. While the anime has been a huge success globally, it didn’t make quite the same impact in Japan.

Although Solo Leveling is incredibly popular on Crunchyroll internationally, it hasn’t achieved the same level of success in Japan itself. This might be because of how Japan was portrayed within the series.

The series faced criticism because high-ranking Japanese Hunters were easily defeated, and other controversial depictions of the country led to accusations that the author, Chugong, was prejudiced against Japan.

Despite Chugong’s Mistake, Solo Leveling Could Still Rise In Japan

Although Solo Leveling isn’t a huge hit in Japan, it’s gaining popularity. The series has attracted a lot of attention, and future developments could significantly boost its success in the country.

The upcoming Solo Leveling movie has the potential to be a huge hit, and fans are anticipating that Season 3 of the series will be especially engaging thanks to its promising storyline.

Solo Leveling continues to focus on gaining popularity in Japan, and the animation studio is working hard to make it a huge hit. The producers are aiming incredibly high, hoping it will become as famous as series like One Piece and Naruto. While reaching that level seems unlikely, fans are optimistic that Solo Leveling will become much more popular and build on its current success.

Currently, there are 25 episodes of Solo Leveling available – 12 from the first season and 13 from the second. You can watch both seasons on Crunchyroll. While fans eagerly await news about a potential third season, there haven’t been any official announcements yet. In the meantime, you can still enjoy the story through the original Solo Leveling Manhwa.

Read More

2026-01-01 01:35