The adaptation of Solo Leveling into an anime introduces multiple differences from the manhwa, starting as early as the first episode. Around ten modifications, both major and minor, impact how the story plays out . While some adjustments are minor, others introduce entirely new content that wasn’t present before.
Despite these alterations, the anime successfully maintains the expectations set by fans. Surprisingly, these changes do not negatively impact the storyline. This is quite an achievement, considering the challenge of adapting a manhwa—which itself is derived from a light novel—into an anime format.
New strategies, new stakes—Jinwoo’s Cerberus fight gets a major upgrade (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)The production team must carefully adjust and condense content, sometimes incorporating material from the original novel or crafting entirely new sequences. A-1 Pictures takes on this challenge with precision and creativity.
1. Jinwoo Talks to Jinah About the Raid
A crucial moment in the anime emerges when Jinwoo is forced to decide whether to eliminate Hwang Dongsuk and his team inside the C-rank dungeon. This event becomes a focal point in episode 7, with an added scene emphasizing its gravity.
The manhwa presents this differently—Jinwoo and his sister, Jinah, are casually spending time together in their apartment, engaging in little conversation. Jinah notices that Jinwoo is in high spirits, treating her to chicken wings, and the chapter then moves to him realizing that alcohol no longer affects him.
In the anime, Jinah initiates a discussion about Jinwoo’s recent raid, prompting him to reflect on the decisions he had to make. This addition deepens his character, highlighting the extent to which the System has transformed him in such a short period.
By incorporating this moment, the anime provides insight into his evolving mindset and the weight of his choices.
2. Kim Sangshik’s Death Was Cut Short
Episode 9 of the anime presents a slight deviation from the manhwa regarding the fate of Kim Sangshik, one of the surviving members of the Double Dungeon.
In the manhwa, as he is attacked by Kang Taeshik, he recalls heartfelt conversations with his wife and children, reminding himself of the reason he became a hunter. His desperate desire to live is fueled by the promise he made to return to his family, adding emotional weight to his final moments.
The anime, however, alters this sequence. When Jinwoo and his group find Sangshik, he is already critically wounded. He apologizes to Jinwoo before succumbing to his injuries, despite Joohee’s efforts to save him. Unlike the manhwa, the anime does not provide insight into his thoughts at that moment.
Instead, it includes a brief scene in a previous episode showing Sangshik with his family before the raid. While a minor character, his death carries greater emotional impact in the manhwa due to the additional backstory given at the crucial moment.
3. Jinwoo Drinks Kasaka’s Venom Against Cerberus
Jinwoo’s battle with Cerberus changes in the anime, where the fight is given more intensity compared to the manhwa. During the anime’s version of this encounter, Jinwoo suddenly remembers that he still possesses Kasaka’s venom and uses it at the last second to gain an advantage against the three-headed guardian.
The venom reduces incoming physical damage by 20% while simultaneously decreasing his strength by 35%, making it a key element in the battle and adding a strategic layer to the fight. In the manhwa, this moment plays out differently. Jinwoo does not use the venom in his battle against Cerberus.
Instead, he consumes it later while at home with Jinah, having realized that his poison resistance nullifies its effects. Upon testing it, he discovers that his body’s automatic detoxification negates any beneficial buffs almost immediately, rendering the venom ineffective in combat.
4. Joohee Gets a Call From Her Parents
While Joohee, the B-rank healer who bonds with Jinwoo early on, does not play a major role in the grand scheme of events, the anime takes an opportunity to expand on her character. Episode 8 introduces a short but meaningful scene exclusive to the anime, where Joohee receives a phone call from her mother.
Her mother expresses concern and urges her to leave behind her hunter career in favor of joining the family business. This small addition provides more context about Joohee’s life beyond hunting and her internal struggles.
Still shaken by the trauma of the Double Dungeon incident, Joohee finds herself at a crossroads, questioning her abilities and whether she should quit. Just then, an offer to participate in a D-rank raid presents itself, leading to her reunion with Jinwoo.
Though brief, this scene highlights the unforgiving nature of hunter society, where many, regardless of their ranking, continue to bear the psychological scars of their past encounters.
5. Kim Sangshik Opens the Doors to the Double Dungeon
As Solo Leveling’s first episode builds tension, Jinwoo’s group of hunters encounters an unexpected development inside the D-rank dungeon they are looking into. A long tunnel leads them to an unusual room, revealing a rare phenomenon known as the double dungeon.
With uncertainty looming, the 13 hunters in the anime (compared to 17 in the manhwa) debate whether or not to proceed. A vote is held, and Jinwoo ends up as the tiebreaker, leading them to step inside. While the setup remains largely consistent between the two versions, a subtle difference appears in who takes action.
In the manhwa, it is the team leader, Song, who physically pushes open the doors. However, in the anime, this role is instead given to Kim Sangshik. Though this change might seem insignificant at first, it could influence how guilt is later portrayed in both Song and Kim’s characters as the story progresses.
It remains to be seen how the anime will handle this change in responsibility.
6. Sung Jinwoo Is Stabbed By a Goblin
The anime enhances Sung Jinwoo’s early struggles as an E-rank hunter by introducing a grittier portrayal of his battles. His reputation as the weakest hunter is emphasized more vividly through additional details in his first dungeon encounter.
In the manhwa, fights against goblins are depicted with quick, stylized action sequences, showcasing the vast difference in strength between Jinwoo and the higher-ranked hunters in his group. Though injured, he manages to defeat one goblin and obtain its useful stone.
The anime expands on this scene by adding a moment where another goblin ambushes him right after his victory. This additional attack results in a deep stab wound to his stomach, causing him to collapse in a pool of blood.
By exaggerating his injuries, the anime further emphasizes just how dire his situation is in these early battles.
7. Jinwoo’s Choice of Weapon Changes
Weapons hold a crucial role for hunters, as their abilities remain fixed after awakening. What they choose to wield can impact their effectiveness. Jinwoo, in the anime, enters a dungeon armed with a simple knife, which breaks during combat against goblins.
This unfortunate event puts him in a dangerous situation, leading to him getting stabbed in the ensuing struggle.
This differs from the manhwa, where he doesn’t carry any weapon at all. In chapter 4, a flashback reveals that he stopped bringing weapons because they were too expensive and often broke easily, costing more than what he earned.
This small detail from the manhwa provides additional context about his financial struggles and his desperate attempts to make money for his mother’s treatment.
8. Yoo Jinho and Han Song-Yi Make Cameos Together
Some of the most well-loved characters from the manhwa make brief appearances in the anime. The first episode includes scenes of hunters undergoing rank assessments and participating in association training, giving viewers additional background on the setting.
Sharp-eyed fans will notice an added Easter egg featuring Yoo Jinho, who later becomes Jinwoo’s vice-guild master, and Han Song-Yi, a classmate of Jinwoo’s sister.
While their connections to Jinwoo develop differently in the manhwa, the anime places them together as strangers immediately after awakening. This unexpected cameo serves as a fun nod to longtime fans.
9. The Anime Is in Japanese
The adaptation by A-1 Pictures, a Japanese studio, naturally introduces cultural adjustments due to the language change. While the original light novel and manhwa were written in Korean, the anime is produced and voiced in Japanese.
Anime adaptation challenges—what stays, what changes, and what surprises (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)This raises some concerns, particularly for fans familiar with later arcs that involve international interactions between hunters. Despite this, the international release has made efforts to stay faithful to the original, preserving the Korean names and locations.
However, the version aired in Japan replaces these elements for localization purposes, changing “Sung Jinwoo” to “Shun Mizushino” and shifting the setting from Seoul to Tokyo.
When these localization choices were first announced nearly two years ago, they sparked discussions, but the international version, released on January 6, remains faithful to the original names, minimizing the controversy.
10. The Jeju Island Prologue That Never Happened
The anime opens with a flashback to Jeju Island, where an S-rank Gate outbreak releases a swarm of giant killer ants.
This dramatic introduction effectively sets the tone for the series while also serving as a treat for longtime fans, as it features well-known S-rank hunters such as Baek Yoonho, Choi Jong-In, and Min Byung-Gyu—characters who only appear later in the manhwa.
This event, however, was never depicted in the manhwa. While it fits naturally within the larger Solo Leveling storyline, the anime introduces an original sequence that was previously only referenced in passing.
The designs of the ants are drawn from a later arc, where Jinwoo and other S-rank hunters attempt to reclaim Jeju Island. By incorporating this new prologue, the anime delivers a grand and impactful opening to the series.