Warning: Contains spoilers for Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader's POV!
I liked it Single level ever since it was introduced to me, right when the series was adapted into an anime. I was convinced by the stunning visuals thanks to Dubu and REDICE Studio's signature artwork and Chugong's visionary output, first as a novel and then as a webtoon and manhwa. Solo Leveling is a genre in itself, but in a market that is hungry for the latest manhwa to consume, there is always a potential successor, and for me, it is The omniscient reader's perspectiveOriginally known and colloquially known as the Omniscient Reader.
Each series is distinct enough that Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint doesn't feel derivative of Solo Leveling. However, you can easily switch between the two series thanks to Overlapping qualities like REDICE Studio's artwork and RPG overlays had a major influence on the way manhwa was told and presented.
These similarities become superficial and lacking in substance when their entire stories are presented to the reader, while Omniscient Reader is a worthy successor to the manhwa genre's popularity.
Omniscient Reader's Power Fantasy's perspective differs from Solo Leveling
The Enlightenment Illusion focuses on knowledge rather than power
Solo Leveling strategically builds its story to draw in readers, creating hype and heated water cooler discussions about the series. That means an anime adaptation is a natural step and a big draw for the series, as it deals with an ongoing power fantasy in which a meek protagonist gains unrivaled power thanks to a vague “system” watching over him.
Solo Leveling is a prime example of the shonen power fantasy genre, but Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, as the title suggests, empowers its protagonist, Dokja Kim, based on knowledge gained from reading an obscure online novel.
Dokja is a goofball with incredible potential due to his obsessive reading habits of an obscure series, making this manhwa much more relatable to another goofball.
This is exactly the kind of power fantasy I crave in a manhwa, where a character shows off his cunning and expertise, much like Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint conveys to the reader an enlightening fantasy world. Dokja builds his abilities at a reasonable pace and finds himself threatened by others who appear from the mystery novel, Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse (TWSA). Dokja is essentially a dork with incredible potential due to his obsessive reading habits of an obscure series, making this manhwa much more relatable as a dork.
Dokja Kim is a more engaging main character than Jinwoo Sung
Readers vs. Players
Comparing Dokja to Jinwoo is more subtle in nature and harder to argue if you only watch the Solo Leveling anime. However, Jinwoo's character quickly becomes less interesting as Solo Leveling goes on compared to Omniscient Reader. Jinwoo's reaction to being resurrected from his death as the weakest, most infamous hunter alive to becoming the “one who overcomes adversity” sadly feels more flat, which is to be expected for a power fantasy. In fact, there was no trace of Jinwoo's previous meek nature left.He seemed to have no memory of the adversity he had encountered.
Jinwoo quickly made up for lost time, which was interesting, as he became a transcendent warrior, training his body to a state as peak as a veritable thirst trap, and his vast range of abilities quickly overturned any adversity or challenge he encountered. By the middle of the story, even S-rank hunters can't compare to Jinwoo.and the fantasy power became bland after the Jeju Island Raid Arc. Jinwoo felt, exactly, like any gamer would feel after finishing a modern open-world fantasy power game, gaining all the abilities and powers, and having no desire to return to that world.
Meanwhile, Dokja realizes that his meta-plot, the TWSA novel, has suddenly become the plot of the world around him. He is not a player protected by the system. Instead, he is the reader who challenges it and manipulates it.. You will soon see how the events in his world are essentially passed down directly from the elves to the higher beings or “Constellations” that carry the name of the global mythology and have different roles in this apocalyptic world.
Thanks to her deep understanding of the novels, Dokja skillfully navigates her situation, knows when to empower her allies, and does all of this in the first and later seasons, making an anime adaptation of Omniscient Reader an intriguing prospect.
Much of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint's plot does a better job of tying together story elements and clues than Solo Leveling, with Dokja making choices and interacting with the constellations. While Jinwoo becomes the powerful gamer who outshines everyone around him, Dokja is pretty cutea pleasant personality who unites other survivors in increasingly complex and dangerous apocalyptic scenarios. Dokja's understanding of TWSA's plot allows him to become most lovable lawyerfrom crushing insect eggs instead of taking human lives, to bargaining with the gods.
Omniscient Reader has better support characters than Solo Leveling
Allies on the food for the expansion of power
One of my biggest complaints about Solo Leveling is that it often introduces compelling characters like Jong-in Choi or Hae-in Cha, only to be killed off almost immediately after they're introduced, lacking the same charm as how One-Punch Man handles its supporting cast. B-Rank Joohee acts as Jinwoo's protector at first, but once he starts leveling up, Joohee's role disappears as she fades into the background. But it's not just allies that can be annoying to watch in Solo Leveling mode.
Solo Leveling mode often eliminates or weakens allies and enemies, while Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint mode will incorporate them throughout the story.
Solo Leveling introduces many human opponents to Jinwoo, such as Taeshik Kang or Dongsoo Hwang. These opponents are attractive and dangerous, but they are always far inferior to Jinwoo's strength. Solo Leveling often eliminates or weakens allies and enemies, while Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint incorporates them throughout the story.
Omniscient Reader has interesting cases for enemies compared to Solo Leveling in that, unlike how Jinwoo resurrects old enemies into obedient soldiers, Dokja exploits the desperation of the patron Constellations who are watching the Star Stream. This allows him to avoid killing enemies like the oppressive landlord Pildu Gong, instead recruiting them into his service by appealing to the Constellations' self-preservation instincts. But this manipulation is only for enemies, since Dokja is much kinder to his supporters in Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.
I could do everything myself, survive on my own… and make a comfortable living on my own. It would be easier, sure, but I once read a novel that failed because the main character did that.
-Dokja Kim, The Omniscient Reader's Perspective Volume #4
Dokja Kim's role as reader in ORV means that by definition, not the main character of TWSA but at best a supporting character when facing the intended hero, Junghyeok Yu. It makes sense that Dokja would work well with his allies as ORV introduces a much more complex RPG mechanic, not to mention Dokja’s “Fourth Wall” ability, where each character has a distinct role to play while being drawn to Dokja. Hyeonseong is a lovable and “himbo” tank, Gilyeong has a great dynamic as Dokja’s surrogate son, and Huiwon emerges as an incredible fighter; no one is food.
Other Solo Leveling Successors Imitate, Omniscient Reader Innovates
Few Manhwa can compare
Each story was well received but only met the needs of Solo Leveling; Omniscient Reader improved the formula.
Part of the common problem with other Solo Leveling successors, when compared to Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, is that they can be perceived as being too SL-like. Successor candidates include The Beginning After the End and SSS-Class Revival Hunter, with readers in Japan also clinging to Savior of Divine Blood. A
rthur from TBATE has a similar personality to Jinwoo, but is a mage; Confucius Kim from SSS-Class is an F-rank hunter; Subaru from Savior of Divine Blood became a player like Jinwoo to escape his previous life. Each story was well received but only scratched the Solo Leveling itch.; Omniscient Reader has remixed the formula.
I still quite enjoy every time I read Solo Leveling. Dubu's art and REDICE's style make for a great reading experience. But looking at the various flaws of Solo Leveling, such as how it treats side characters, how it adjusts the pacing of fantasy powers, and Jinwoo's somewhat bland personality, I can't help but realize that Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint has overcome these flaws. The omniscient reader's perspective have traces of Single level formula, refining it to a much more sublime state and becoming fresher, by comparison, as a true legacy for Western readers.
