Warning: The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9!!
Solo LevelingSeason 2 has finally entered the long-awaited Jeju Island Arc with the release of episode #9, titled “It was All Worth It,” which finally introduced the Japanese teammates of Ryuji Goto, who will join the raid along with Korea’s S-Rank hunters. However, this episode’s major focus wasn’t on action, but on showcasing the process of Jinwoo finally curing his mother, a pivotal scene that was extended to feel more emotionally packed and vulnerable, which caused the anime to have to make up for the time bycutting later scenes that offered more context for the series’ worldbuilding.
Even though, for the most part,Solo Levelingis a faithful adaptation, it’s natural that some dialogues and scenes are skipped or replaced to cover more content. Yet,Solo LevelingSeason 2 episode #9made an unfortunate change by skipping a great fightthat improved the characterization of the new hunters.
The First Fight Between A-Rank Hunters in Solo Leveling Was Cut from the Anime
Solo Leveling Season 2 Skipped the Scene to Quickly Move On to the S-Rank Hunters’ Training Match
InSolo LevelingSeason 2, episode 9, during the training session of the S-Rank Hunters,the anime chose to skip the sparring between the A-Rank Hunters, the Japanese translator Hanekawa, and Park Jongsoo, the master of the Knights Guild. Even though this scene isn’t as relevant as the rest of the episode, it’s what leads up to the 4 vs. 4 match between the Japanese and Korean S-Rank Hunters that will be featured in the upcoming episode, as they even use the same rules set by Jongsoo.
This fight happens inSolo Leveling’s manhwa chapter #91 and wasan exciting moment that was supposed to showcase the abilities of the A-Rank Hunters but also demonstrate how the Japanese were looking down on the Koreanhunters, fueling the animosity between both countries, which is an important aspect in this arc. While time might be the primary factor that explains why this scene was left out of the adaptation, and this moment doesn’t appear in the web novel, the following match was also original from the webtoon adaptation.
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This way, as it is a short fight, the anime could have included both, and would have felt like a more natural progression in the episode.Another probable reason that the scene was skipped could be to put the Japanese in a better light. Also, this takes away from Jongsoo’s introduction, as this fight proves that he is a really experienced hunter, confirming why he has one of the top guilds in the country and why he was invited to prepare for the raid, which helps build up his character, since he will have a larger participation in the next arc of the anime.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Should Have Adapted Jongsoo’s Fight Against Hanekawa to Balance Out Its Slower Episode
Even though the adaptation ofJinwoo curing his mother was stellar and a moment that culminated his journey so far, the episode wasn’t that well-receivedby the general audience, becomingSolo Leveling’s most disliked episodedue to the lack of action. If the adaptation had decided to adapt the short match of Jongsoo against Hanekawa, it might have been better balanced for action fans, as it was a cool sparring with a funny outcome since Jongsoo accidentally ripped his pants.
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Nevertheless, as the anime has only covered so far until chapter #91, and the Jeju Island Arc finishes in chapter #110 of the manhwa,this hints that the adaptation is rushing to cover theentire arc inSolo Leveling Season 2. This is proved by the scenes that have been rearranged in the latest episodes, like Ryuji Goto’s introduction, as well as by shortening the appearance of the National Level Hunter, Thomas Andre.
Either way, despiteSolo Leveling Season 2being an incredible adaptation and that this cut scene might not affect the story,it could motivate viewers to readSolo Leveling’s manhwaor web novel and experience the broader view of the series' worldthat is impossible to completely transmit into the anime medium.
Solo Leveling
Cast
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world’s weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
