Solo Leveling has been one of the most popular anime shows out there since its premiere, making our list for anime to check out in 2024. As such, I guess it was only a matter of time before a live-action adaptation was added to the list of upcoming Netflix shows. Well, now it's officially in the works, and while we've seen Netflix succeed in adapting other big anime already, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about this project.
Netflix officially made the announcement about adapting Solo Leveling on X, along with the news that actor Byeon Woo-seok (Lovely Runner, 20th Century Girl) will play the main character, Sung Jin-woo. The series follows a weak "E Rank Hunter" in a world where fighters must take on missions to defeat monsters and prevent them from overtaking our world. Jin-woo's life changes drastically after a fateful event allows him to "level up" his skills and upgrade his rank in a world where it was previously thought impossible.
It's a fun concept that has proved wildly popular with anime fans, but I think it'll be very hard to do well in live-action for one big reason.
Solo Leveling Will Likely Require Heavy CGI
The most concerning bit of a Solo Leveling live-action series is the thought of just how much it'll cost on the VFX side to do right. If you want to include all the monsters and hunters with superhuman abilities, the budget for this thing could easily shoot through the roof. This isn't to say it's impossible, but then it becomes a question of the quality of effects Netflix is willing to give this show.
I'm Loving Solo Leveling Season 2, But I Have An Unpopular Opinion About The Main Character's Aura
If Netflix is willing to spend on the level of what we'll eventually see in One Piece Season 2, then I'm not worried. The question is whether Netflix views Solo Leveling on the same level of mainstream appeal as One Piece, which has been an anime staple for decades. SL has a ton of hype, acclaim, and popularity in the anime community, but I think it's still fairly obscure in the mainstream.
What we see more often in the anime live-action space is adaptations that utilize CGI effects more akin to what one might have seen on a series in The CW's Arrowverse during its prime. It's not terrible, but also clearly a couple of steps below what's considered cutting-edge in the VFX space these days.
Some people might see that and be ok with it, but for me, I think going cheap always leads me to wonder why they didn't just leave it alone and let audiences enjoy the animated version? It's a fear I'm having trouble shaking, though I'm sure I'll get over it and watch this adaptation with my Netflix subscription when the time comes.
There's no word yet on when Solo Leveling's live-action series will debut on Netflix, but I feel safe in saying it won't be on the 2025 TV schedule. Until we do get a release date, check out the first two seasons of the anime on Crunchyroll, especially for anyone who is a big fan of action shows.
