The producer of “Solo LevelingSota Furuhashi, along with public relations coordinator Kazeto Amako, revealed in a recent interview with Mantan Web. the unprecedented challenges the production team faced when creating the anime adaptation of this popular workespecially considering its great renown among international audiences.
Furuhashi shared that the series was conceived from the beginning as a global success, which involved overcoming various technical and narrative difficulties. One of the biggest challenges was making two different dubs, one for Japan and one for international audiences, adapting elements such as character names and background texts to meet the expectations of both audiences.
In Japan, the protagonist is called Shun Mizushino, while in the rest of the world his original Korean name, Sung Jinwoo, is retained. This was done to ensure that the Japanese voice actors, who are widely popular internationally, would not feel out of place for viewers who prefer to watch subtitled anime. “That was something we had never done before.“Commented Furuhashi.
However, the production team also faced a creative dilemma. “There are things that should not be changed“Furuhashi explained, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the unique style of Japanese anime, while incorporating elements that appeal to the tastes of international fans in a balanced way.
Technical challenges: battle scenes and fluid animation
The team also had to address major technical challenges, such as recreating the iconic battles from the manga and light novel. According to CG producer Nao Kudo, one of the most complex scenes was the fight between Jinwoo and Igris, which involved a crowd of hand-animated knights. To alleviate this burden, the team used motion capture devices and motion templates that were strategically distributed among the animated soldiers.
“By assigning an appropriate number of soldiers to each squad and staggering the timing of movements, we were able to create a natural fight scene in which each character appeared to move independently.”Kudo explained.
With the premiere of the second season of “Solo Leveling,” Furuhashi highlighted that there will be a greater focus on the secondary characters, a recurring criticism towards the first season and the source material. “We wanted to address complaints that supporting characters weren't given enough development and show more of their potential.“, mentioned the producer during his appearance on the Aniplex After Hours program.
Aniplex describes the series as the story of the world's weakest hunter, Sung Jinwoo, who after a fateful encounter in a dungeon obtains a mysterious system that allows him to become stronger and unravel the secrets behind his power. With its success already established in its debut, “Solo Leveling” continues to attract a global audience that hopes to see how this second season expands the narrative and maintains the balance between its Japanese heritage and its international reach.
Fountain: Mantan Web
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