Highlights

Over-explaining basics of the story hampers the pace of Solo Leveling, despite improvements in production value.
Episode 8 offers a varied perspective on side characters, emphasizing their traumas and fears as hunters.
Interesting parallel with Psycho-Pass in the inclusion of convicted criminals recruited by the Association for raids.

Solo Leveling returns after the recap episode from last week with a visually striking addition to the series that focuses mostly on characters other than the strength-seeking protagonist Sung Jinwoo. The eighth episode set up multiple plotlines at once, with most of the side cast having their moment in the spotlight as the audience is slowly let into the various perspectives of the other characters, but like many before it, it fell into the usual habit of over-explaining the basic aspects of the show.

Despite the lack of combat in this one, it appears that the production value increased on the back of the recent recap disappointment. With a visual presence more reminiscent of the manhwa, episode 8 of Solo Leveling felt like a good variation in the pace of the series so far, and worth the wait from a visual standpoint.

Jinwoo Steels His Resolve – Solo Leveling Episode 4

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The Narration Curse, Again

Because The Audience Must Have Forgotten Already

With the number of times Solo Leveling has committed valuable runtime to explain the most basic aspects of the story, one would think that there would be more confidence in the audience's ability to understand the world presented to them. Unfortunately, the series continues to reiterate things like the reasons for Dungeon scavenging and Hunter origins, despite the fact that these fundamental aspects of the story have already been presented to us in incredible depth. It feels like how a video game offers random "tips" to assist players, but due to the target being beginners, the tips lack any real value for anyone else. It takes away time from more important things, and in Solo Leveling episode 8, we get another run-through of Jinwoo's motivation for getting strong enough to survive the Demon Castle. This entire first part is completely unnecessary considering the recap episode we had just last week.

Furthermore, Jinho meets up with his father after coming to an agreement with Jinwoo, but for some reason, the elder man monologues about the appearance of the Gates, the explosion of the Hunter economy and other basic aspects. He explains the purpose of the Hunter Association in great detail, going on to describe the overwhelming wealth of the top five Guilds in Korea, which is the one part of his entire speech that we haven't already heard before in such depth.

According to Mr. Yoo, the Hunters Guild; Fame Guild; Knights Guild; White Tiger Guild and the Reaper Guild are the largest, with immense control over the Hunter economy. Jinho sees risk in his brother recruiting an S-Rank Hunter, not knowing that Yoon Beomgil has already set sights on S-Rank Cha Hae-In. This part was nicely done as we didn't see his face, but heard his voice and saw his name on a business card he offered her, showing that he's the Manager of the Personnel Department from Yoojin Construction. Since she's already in the White Tiger Guild, she rejects the offer and later shows the business card to Choi Jong In, who now knows of the looming competition.

Strength-Seeking Jinwoo Accepts Jinho's Offer to Form A Guild

Of Course, There Are Conditions

Sung Jinwoo Accepts Jinho's Offer – Solo Leveling Episode 8

Jinwoo agrees to do the nineteen raids that Jinho needs to qualify to become a Guildmaster, on the condition that they do all of them alone. This alarms Jinho because it means they'd be the only ones in C-Rank Raids, but Jinwoo plans to take a page out of Hwang Dongsuk's book and hire the remaining 6 members required to form an official party for Raids C-Rank and up. Jinho accepts, and will do all the scouting from the placeholder party members to the Gates themselves.

Later, Jinwoo completes his Daily Task and tries to do more than required, like when he receives the Cursed Random Loot Box with the key to the Demon Castle Instance Dungeon. Now at Level 26, Jinwoo wonders if he could challenge the giant centipedes in the Penalty Zone from the last time he failed to complete his Daily Task, but he's not sure if he'd be able to defeat one in a fight.

Many Familiar Faces Return to the Battlefield

A Hunter's Resolve Is A Powerful Thing

While out in town thinking about how to level up further, Jinwoo receives an invitation to a D-Rank Raid from the Association, a moment that this episode of Solo Leveling exploits to see the effect the job has had on various familiar characters. In each case, the characters' traumas and fears are brought to the surface while we get a glimpse into their day-to-day lives. Mr. Song Chiyul is actually an experienced Kendo Master who can still hold his own with one arm. When he receives the summons, his faceless student asks him about his decision to remain a Hunter instead of retiring; however, he sees his survival as a reason to continue trying to contribute to society. Kim Sangshik has a wife and child, and the former worries about his safety after what happened in that fateful raid. At the White Tiger Guild President, S-Rank Baek Yoonho takes the opportunity to complain about being set up for an interview by Choi Jong In, then, discussing Yoojin Construction's attempt to poach Cha Hae In.

The episode's focus on side characters brings their perspectives and motivations into full view for the first time, and as previously mentioned, trauma is a major element as each of them, even Baek Yoonho, has seen terrible things as a Hunter. There are countless shots in episode 8 of Solo Leveling that are visually striking, and even the use of 3D in rendering the top 5 Guild insignia was a nice touch. Five members of the Cartenon Temple Raid party respond to the summons for the D-Rank Raid, bringing on a combination of wholesome reunions between Jinwoo and Song; whom he respects greatly, and Joohee, who has been worried about his well-being since that fateful day. For Joohee, being a Hunter is not something her parents fully support, and she has a strained relationship with them as a result. Despite the fear, an aggravating phone call from a naysaying parent seemed to be all the motivation she needed to face her fears.

Sometimes, The Association Hires Convicted Criminals

Psycho-Pass?

The inclusion of the nameless lady with the glasses from the Association who tracks completed Raids and recruited the party for this new one is very interesting because of her striking visual similarity to Akane Tsunemori, the protagonist of the Psycho-Pass franchise. The comparison would be moot if not for the presence of Kang Taeshik, Surveillance Officer at the Association, who also bears a striking resemblance to Shinya Kogami from the aforementioned series.

We learn that the Association also recruits convicted Hunters for Raids if they can't find enough people for a raid, and much like in Psycho-Pass, the felons are put to work for the state under the strict supervision of officials. It's not significant, but it makes for an interesting Easter Egg if that was in fact the intention. Overall, episode 8 was just a set-up for what feels like the next phase in the Solo Leveling anime, but a much better exploration of the other characters that didn't cut into more important matters.

Solo Leveling

A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong's popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System.