Not all characters are fodder and Solo Leveling proves it right. The series has an interesting assemblage of supporting characters, deuteragonists, and well-written villains. Indeed, Chugong worked a great deal on their story, especially with this element.
Interestingly, there is a character so pitiful, that he is almost laughable. His feats and persona made him annoying to some fans. It was only in the sequel that his worthlessness was overturned and fans cannot help but point that out. This ties in well with the critique of “aura farming” in the original series.
Ragnarok overturned “worthlessness” with this character
Ragnarok is hailed by Solo Leveling fans for its treatment of characters. It is crucial to understand that stories tend to abandon their side characters. Not with this one though. The sequel tends to focus on both the protagonist as well as the characters and stakes in the story.
As a sequel to the original manhwa, Ragnarok focuses on Sung Suho’s feats as a hunter and a promising monarch. He has all the qualities to surpass his father in terms of his approach to strength and power. And though Ragnarok focuses on Suho’s growth it redeemed its villains as some Redditors pointed out.
On r/sololeveling, users discussed Lee Minsung’s well-written character in Ragnarok compared to the original series.
I was re-reading and suddenly got to this page 😆
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Minsung is a true narcissist and wouldn’t hesitate to crush anyone, even his driver. His jealousy and hate toward others make him a truly hateful character. It was indeed satisfying when Tiel took over him and betrayed him. In most cases, the sequel seems more grounded than the original series’ aura farming.
Solo Leveling and the curious case of aura farming
Solo Leveling has its fair share of haters and glazers. Some even deem the series as overhyped and aura farming is one of the reasons. For starters, aura farming is when a character’s aura is amped up to make them look cool. It seems dramatic however the series may have overdone it as fans pointed out.
Is it extra? Yes. Is it over dramatic? Of course. But do fans hate the series? Well, there are upsides and downsides to it like every other series. Often the series is critiqued to be carried by animation and hype but fans aren’t complaining in any case. It does overdo these aspects compared to the sequel.
Sung Jinwoo’s fight with ice elves is one such case where A-1 studio peaked in animation. But it also exaggerated the MC’s rizz that it has become a running gag within the anime community. The same goes for his fight with High Orcs and while it was quite cool, he stole the A-rank team’s thunder.
It would be criminal to not include his fight with Igris in the first season. Undoubtedly, it stands as one of the epic showdowns in the series. But it is yet another case of aura farming that adds to the redundancy of this element. Overused elements aren’t always appealing which makes the criticism valid.
To sum it up, both the sequel and the original manhwa are in a league of their own. While the original manhwa abandoned Minsung, the sequel did justice to his character.
Solo Leveling is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Tapas.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
