Solo Leveling episode 4 is an incredible non-stop action ride. For this reason, I imagine this could be the episode that appeals to many people or brings back those who may have been left out of the series. The first two episodes laid the foundation for the world of Solo Leveling, episode three explained Jinwoo’s new powers as well as their good and bad qualities, and this episode took advantage of all of that to finally bring giving our main character (and excellent voice actor) a chance to shine.
Besides the action, what delivers the plot is the way human emotions and desires are woven into the RPG-style progression of power. Anime using video game-style leveling isn’t new, but I do think the way Solo Leveling handles the concept is unique, or at least nicely done. (Solo Leveling Episode 4 spoilers: I must become stronger)
A show of strength
Something I found interesting about Jinwoo’s fight against the Wolves is that his stats didn’t change noticeably from when he fought the group of goblins in last week’s episode. The improvement he got in the early stages of the dungeon was that he got used to the power he had. During his first fight with the wolf, Jinwoo still instinctively tried to rely on others to make up for his shortcomings.
In the end, it was only because he had an expensive sword from someone else that he was able to fight back against the wolf, let alone a sword he assumed he would never be able to afford. Before going through the dungeon levels, the wolf had a higher power level than him, so it was likely that he would have no choice without a weapon.
Whether intentional or not, there is a unique narrative element about using borrowed power to become stronger. The more Jinwoo fought against the endless wolves and raised his level, the more his borrowed sword wore out and chipped along its length. He is literally breaking free of his dependence on others, especially since he couldn’t rely on anyone to save him during his final trip to the dungeon.
Furthermore, his choice to stay and seek his promotion has a sense of calm urgency to it. Unlike a typical gamer who always thinks about optimizing and winning the game, Jinwoo has the goal of becoming stronger so he can support his family and not bring others down. The fact that this was ultimately his source of income and not some imaginary journey, he set out to make his decisions differently and added depth to his goals in a way that truly enriches the program.
New beginnings in Solo Leveling
In terms of animation, direction, and music choices, the fight against the blue fanged boss kasaka was definitely my favorite. Even though the snake is enormous, the episode uses no CGI to execute its movements, resulting in surprisingly fluid action sequences where parts of the snake’s body are animated instead of the whole thing. its length. The clash between Jinwoo’s sword and the super-hard scales was quite satisfying thanks to the saw-blade-like sound effect.
The voice acting style is also great — this episode tells Jinwoo’s thoughts at the same time as the noises he naturally makes during battle. There are no constant pauses to give his words space. Finally, listening to the music, the Flamenco style in this match made me think we switched to BLEACH for a moment and I’m not complaining at all.
One thing worth noting: The change in Jinwoo’s goals appeared a lot in this war. Taito Ban’s wonderful depiction of anger and frustration is key to showing that Jinwoo wants to become strong not only for his loved ones but also to make up for a life spent as a joke. . This is one of the only times he fully lets himself feel the anger and frustration that life creates and one of the only times he fights just for himself in a dungeon that no one else can enter.
This example in the dungeon is not only the perfect training ground, but also the perfect environment for Jinwoo to face his emotions, put aside his kind, doormat personality, and rely entirely on his strength. . Continuing with the metaphor of borrowed power through a sword, he eventually throws all of that aside and kills with his bare hands and strength. It’s a great storytelling moment and another example of legendary voice acting.
The final scenes, while a little too drawn out for my taste, were similarly satisfying. Jinwoo’s attitude when he saw something weaker than the monster he just tore apart with his bare hands reminded me of the feeling of participating in a battle with a Pokémon opponent when your level is too high. I’m glad he didn’t choose to show his face in this episode; I’m looking forward to how the Hunter Association and others react to his unique power in the coming weeks. Solo Leveling has paid dividends.
If you liked Solo Leveling episode 4 then be sure to vote for it in our weekly poll! The series is streaming on Crunchyroll with new episodes airing on Saturdays. As of January 20, Crunchyroll is also streaming the English dub of the anime.
© Solo Leveling Animation Partners