Why I Ditched Leveling Up Solo After 40 Chapters
add_circle Pros
- The artwork is seriously stunning, with vibrant colors that really bring the story to life.
- The premise is intriguing - who wouldn't want to be a monster hunter, right?
- The main character's struggles to level up are relatable, especially when he's faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges.
- The story has a great hook, and I was hooked from the very beginning.
- The author does a great job of pacing the story, with a good balance of action and downtime.
remove_circle Cons
- The main character's luck is just a bit too convenient - I mean, who gets resurrected after being killed by a monster?
- Son Jin-Woo feels more like a cardboard cutout than a fully fleshed-out character.
- The story gets a bit repetitive, with the same old plot twists and turns.
- There aren't many other characters to speak of, which makes it hard to get invested in their stories.
- The story can get a bit dry at times, especially when the main character is just going through the motions.
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Editor's Summary
I'm a huge manga fan, but I recently tried my hand at manhwa, a genre of Asian storytelling that's created by Korean authors and features colorful illustrations. My brother recommended Underdog, also known as Leveling Up Solo, and I was excited to dive in. But after 40 chapters, I had to admit that it just wasn't doing it for me.
Specifications
Hello everyone 😃 I'm a huge manga fan, but I recently decided to dive into a new genre of Asian storytelling - manhwa. What sets it apart from manga is that Korean authors create it, and the illustrations are in color. My brother recommended I check out Underdog (also known as Leveling Up Solo), and it's got a pretty big following. Today, I want to share my thoughts on it.
The Story.
The main character, Son Jin-Woo, is a monster hunter. He's considered the weakest among his peers.
During one of his hunts, he encounters a powerful monster that kills him. But for some reason, he doesn't die - instead, he comes back to life with new abilities. Now, he sees a strange window with descriptions of his skills. He can level them up, and it makes him even stronger. Jin-Woo decides not to pass up this opportunity The Art
This is a huge plus for manhwa. Its strength lies in its beauty. There are so many gorgeous illustrations of the characters, locations, and monsters.
At first, I was really enjoying the pretty artwork, not paying much attention to the rest. Although, of course, they do go over the top with the drama in the illustrations sometimes. Lightness
I was really enjoying the story at first. It was perfect for unwinding after a long day. It was cool to get to know the world, and some of the arcs were pretty good. What I liked most was the setup for the story – it was really interesting.
Our hero was basically just fighting the whole time, and sometimes meeting up with other hunters. I liked watching him and his opponents, but it started to get on my nerves after a while. He went from being a total loser to some kind of cool guy way too fast. Now let's get to the negatives
Main character.
Saying he's a 'cardboard cutout' is being kind. For me, Jin-Wu is one of the worst. He's just completely uninteresting. At first, the guy was trying to make money to help his mom, but then he forgets about it after 40 chapters. His main motivation is to get stronger so he's not a loser anymore.
He's basically your typical teenage hero. He's emotionless, cool, and almost never loses. What gets me is that he just gets ridiculously lucky all the time. Guys like that are usually called 'Mary-Sues'.
Repetitive GameplayI was stuck in a rut the whole time. The main character fights, wins, and then fights again. It's the same thing over and over. I was expecting something more, but it never came.
It's like the main character is always on the verge of losing, but somehow manages to pull through. The only thing that changes is the location and the enemies, but everything else is the same.I got so bored reading it that I was hoping something would change, but it never did. That's why I stopped reading after 40 chapters.
Lack of Other Characters
Occasionally, other characters are introduced, but they're barely there. Following the same character over and over gets exhausting.
Conclusion. I just don't get the hype around this manga. Maybe it's meant for younger readers, and I'm just too old for it. So, I'm giving it 2 stars and wouldn't recommend it. Thanks for reading, and see you later❤️
