Solo Leveling Sung Jinwoo’s Biggest Flaw is Lack of Depth

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The idea of an incredibly powerful main character is a long-standing tradition in anime, going back decades to series like Dragon Ball and continuing with many popular modern action and fantasy shows. Fans have come to expect their heroes to be exceptionally strong, especially when facing powerful enemies. Solo Leveling initially seemed to follow this pattern. While the main character, Jinwoo, started out relatively weak, he’s quickly become almost godlike. Now, nothing can stop him, though whether this is a good thing or not is a frequent topic of discussion among fans of the series.

What makes Jinwoo different from typical powerful anime heroes isn’t just how strong he’s become. It’s that his power is tied to his emotional state. At the beginning of the series, Jinwoo was more open with his feelings – he showed fear and even cried during difficult times. But as he’s grown stronger, he’s become much more reserved. Now, Jinwoo is cold and ruthless, facing enemies with a detached and brutal efficiency.

Jinwoo’s Moments of Aura Farming Show How Far He’s Come

Many popular protagonists in similar stories, like Yuji Itadori from Jujutsu Kaisen, have resonated with audiences because they felt relatable and human. Yuji, for example, often broke down emotionally and expressed regret over the difficult path he chose. In contrast, Jinwoo from Solo Leveling always remains composed and relentlessly pushes forward, no matter the challenge. While some find this unwavering strength unrealistic, others believe it’s what makes the story so enjoyable.

In the series Solo Leveling, Jinwoo begins as a remarkably weak hunter, known as the “Weakest Hunter of All Mankind.” He starts with minimal power – only 10 mana and very low stats. However, a unique System gained from a dangerous Double Dungeon allows him to train and dramatically improve his abilities. Through dedicated effort and strategic stat building, Jinwoo steadily grows stronger, ultimately becoming humanity’s most powerful hunter. Along the way, he acquires various skills from defeated monsters and unlocks the powerful necromancy class, transforming into the Shadow Monarch.

Some viewers worry that with Jinwoo being the only one who’s getting stronger, the existing top-tier hunters might become irrelevant. However, those established characters are still proving their value alongside him. It’s also important to remember that Jinwoo hasn’t had an easy time; the season one finale showed him completely exhausted after fighting Igris, and almost losing his life against an overwhelming number of knights. Plus, a mysterious voice from his past warned him of future, life-or-death struggles, suggesting more difficult challenges are ahead.

A common criticism of Jinwoo in Solo Leveling is that he often overshadows other characters, a point that started as a running joke among fans. While it’s meant to be lighthearted, it actually highlights an interesting aspect of his development. Some viewers felt this was particularly noticeable in season two of the anime, especially during moments like his fight with Beru in the finale. Jinwoo dominated the battle from start to finish, never facing real threat, and ultimately ended up being the one to save the day. This pattern of him easily overcoming challenges and taking center stage has become a recurring theme.

Some fans are starting to feel like Jinwoo’s aura farming is getting repetitive, but it’s worth remembering how far he’s come. This story is about an underdog, and at the beginning, he was incredibly weak and lacked confidence. He couldn’t have handled this level of training back then. Now, his power is a testament to his growth since entering the Double Dungeon and connecting with the System. He’s proving all his past doubters wrong.

Jinwoo Isn’t Raiding Dungeons Without a Purpose

While it’s exciting to watch Jinwoo become incredibly powerful in Solo Leveling, it’s important to remember his initial motivation. His mother suffers from Eternal Sleep, an illness that affected many people when mysterious Gates appeared. He became a hunter specifically to earn money for her treatment. Jinwoo has a strong relationship with both his mother and sister, and he’s willing to do anything to keep them safe. This is particularly clear in Season 1, where we see his sister lovingly making him sandwiches and worrying about him when he’s out on dangerous hunts.

One criticism of the main character is that he struggles to show a range of emotions, which prevents him from forming deep connections with other characters. Some viewers feel he’s too distant and obsessed with becoming stronger to focus on relationships, even with family like Cha Hae-In. This makes sense, considering his motivation for being a hunter. However, it’s also worth noting that not every story needs a romantic subplot. In fact, adding one to Solo Leveling might actually take away from what fans enjoy most: thrilling dungeon exploration, stunning artwork, and exciting fight scenes. People watch Solo Leveling for action, not everyday life drama.

Episode 9 of Solo Leveling Season 2 featured a deeply emotional scene where Jinwoo reunited with his mother in the hospital. It was arguably his most vulnerable moment, as he cried when she briefly woke up. Interestingly, this episode received the most negative feedback, with many viewers finding it “too emotional.” It seems the fanbase is divided on whether they want to see Jinwoo express feelings or prefer he remain focused solely on dungeon-crawling and disregard his mother’s story. Despite this reaction, the idea that Jinwoo is just a one-dimensional, powerful character without personal motivations is untrue.

Jinwoo Prioritizes Survival Over Sentimentality

Fans watch Solo Leveling for something quite different than shows like Frieren. While those other series focus heavily on emotional stories and make you care about all the characters, Solo Leveling shows vulnerability from its main character, Jinwoo, less often, prioritizing a powerful and cool image instead. However, considering Jinwoo has been fighting for his life from the start, it makes sense he often appears cold and ruthless. In Solo Leveling, simply surviving is the most important thing.

Critics often point out that Jinwoo’s rapid growth in power in Solo Leveling removes any real sense of danger from the story. The more powerful his enemies, the easier his victories become. Some also note that the series relies on familiar tropes from shonen anime like My Hero Academia. However, Solo Leveling actually executes these tropes exceptionally well. It uses everything fans expect from the genre – a ridiculously strong main character, exciting fights, and formidable foes – to create a story that, while potentially predictable, is surprisingly engaging and fun to watch.

The anime Solo Leveling has become a huge hit, recently winning Anime of the Year at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It beat out popular series like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Delicious in Dungeon, and The Apothecary Diaries. Its main character, Jinwoo, also won Best Main Character, surpassing Frieren and Maomao. While Jinwoo isn’t the most original hero – his story is a classic underdog tale, and some find him a bit too relatable – Solo Leveling clearly delivers what fans want. Sometimes, viewers simply enjoy watching a powerful character effortlessly conquer challenges, and that’s exactly what this anime provides.

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2025-12-11 05:48