Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 1 Was Pretty Good

Article at a glance:
Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 1 delivers a stronger, more focused power fantasy narrative, addressing Season 1’s filler-heavy pacing.
Jinwoo faces a Red Gate dungeon challenge while trying to dissuade Jinah’s friend from dangerous Hunter work, leading to intense action and cliffhangers.
Better animation, an exciting soundtrack, and standout themes by LiSA and TK elevate the viewing experience compared to Season 1.

Bro’s unspoken Rizz needs to be studied.

So I think that a lot of people can agree that in many aspects, Season 1 of Solo Leveling was kind of disappointing. Yes, there were some highlights for sure, but I didn’t think Season 1 lived up to the hype. Solo Leveling Season 2, though, is already starting on the right foot with Episode 1. Solo Leveling is supposed to be a power fantasy, and Season 1 had a bit too much filler for that aspect of the story to really sink in. It looks like all that building is going to pay off, though.

So welcome back to another first impressions article, and today we are talking about Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 1. Of course, whatever I say here will be purely based on my impressions of Season 2 Episode 1, and nothing more. So let’s get started.

What did I think of Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 1?

We pick up right where Season 1 left off. The episode opens with Jinah calling Jinwoo to remind him of the upcoming parent-teacher meeting. It is nice to see Jinwoo being a responsible older brother for a change. I know that “Sister Leveling” is a famous meme in the community. And while it is quite funny, their actual relationship is quite wholesome. It is pretty obvious that Jinwoo cares about his sister a lot. Jinah’s teacher, though, makes an interesting request to Jinwoo.

You may remember Jinah’s friend who was at Jinwoo and Yoo’s party from last season. Well, Jinah’s teacher apparently asked Jinwoo to convince her to return to school. Jinwoo takes her to a nearby Gate to show her how dangerous the job as a Hunter can be. But well, things never go smoothly, do they? The Gate turns into a Red Gate, a dungeon that locks people in till the boss is defeated. And this is where most of the episode takes place, and it ends on a really cool fight scene as well.

The Hwang guy is back to take revenge on Jinwoo, but doesn’t look like he will be able to do much given the current circumstances. I feel like the production of Season 2 is a step above Season 1. I don’t know, the animations just feel better. The soundtrack during the fight between the Shades and the bears was awesome as well. Igris looked amazing in this episode. Season 1 had a pretty good opening theme, too, and Season 2 isn’t falling behind with an amazing opening theme by LiSA. But what I liked the most had to be the new ending theme by TK.

TK is one of my favorite artists, and hearing his voice in an anime after so long made me really happy.

That is all for now

So yeah, Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 1 was pretty much exactly what I wanted from this series and more. Let’s see how the rest of the season goes because this episode just raised my expectations for Season 2. With that said, I will take my leave here. See ya!

Also, check out my thoughts on I’m Getting Married to a Girl I Hate here! It is surprisingly fun!