Solo Leveling Review: Sung Jin-Woo's Rematch Against Life

The Epic Journey of Sung Jin-Woo: From Weakest Hunter to Unstoppable

A decade ago, portals began opening up, leading to dungeons filled with monsters immune to normal weapons. At the same time, humans with special powers began appearing—these people would go on to be known as hunters.

These hunters enter the dungeons to eliminate the monsters and prevent them from escaping and causing chaos. Every hunter is born with a predetermined amount of power, ranked from E to S, with no way to increase it.

Why Solo Leveling Stands Out: A Unique Shounen Anime Experience

Solo Leveling tells the story of Sung Jin-Woo, the world’s weakest hunter. He is especially weak even for an E-rank hunter, with his mere presence in raids signaling that the dungeon they’re entering is an easy one. During one such raid, Jin-Woo and his team discover a hidden tunnel that leads to a new dungeon.

Lured by the promise of treasure, they instead find themselves trapped in a terrifying trial, fighting for survival. As many die, Sung Jin-Woo finds himself on the brink of death but somehow survives—emerging with new, unexplained powers. The real question is, what’s the true cost of this power?

Action and Stunning Animation in Solo Leveling Anime

The original webtoon adaptation was hugely popular, and fans of the Solo Leveling anime were hyped for its release. And for good reason—the anime delivers with a thrilling premise, stunning animation, and some of the most exciting battle scenes in anime.

Solo Leveling knows its audience comes for the action and epic battles, and it doesn’t disappoint. While some may criticize its slow pacing, the series takes its time to develop the world and Sung Jin-Woo’s power progression, ensuring that the payoff is satisfying.

With Season 2 coming soon, now is the perfect time to catch up and experience why this anime is a must-watch in 2025.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

An Overwhelming Presence: The Thrill of Overpowered Anime Characters

The Power Fantasy: Why We Love Overpowered Characters

We’ve all dreamed about it at least once: being able to take out enemies with just a snap of our fingers. It’s why anime action figures and games that let you level up and grow more powerful are so popular. Players get to pretend, even for a second, that they are overpowered anime characters, unstoppable and unmatched.

This state of power is often reserved for villains, but being able to experience it firsthand is exhilarating. Watching your journey from struggling to defeat a single slime to one-shotting an entire group provides an undeniable sense of accomplishment. It’s a big reason why seeing characters in anime become overpowered is so thrilling.

The Journey: From Weak to Overpowered

When a character starts off weak, you can’t help but root for them. You want to see them grow stronger, much like a parent cheering on their child.

As they gain powers, abilities, and take down enemies, you feel proud watching their journey unfold. Over time, you form an emotional attachment to these characters, making their victories all the more satisfying.

Their story transforms the typical hero’s journey into something unique, where the end goal isn’t just defeating the villain—it’s becoming overpowered. It’s a clever twist that makes you crave their success, even if you don’t realize it at first.

Instantly Overpowered: Why Do We Care?

But what about characters who are overpowered from the start? There’s no journey of growth, so why do we care about them? The answer lies in their portrayal.

• Flat Characters: Many isekai anime protagonists are blank slates, making the story feel repetitive.
• Unique Premises: Some shows lean into the overpowered character trope, creating fresh and exciting narratives.

Case Study: Overlord’s Overpowered Villain

Take Overlord, for example. The main character finds himself in a world similar to the game he was playing, inhabiting the overpowered character he created.

It’s fascinating to watch how this world reacts to his overwhelming presence and the lengths he’ll go to achieve his goals. This unique take on an overpowered protagonist challenges our expectations, making the story fresh and engaging.

The Verdict: Love Them or Hate Them?

While overpowered anime characters can divide audiences, they continue to be a staple of the genre. When done poorly, they lead to uninspired stories. But when done well, they fulfill our long-held power fantasies and keep us coming back for more.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

Highschool Dungeon Crawlers

JRPGs are a very popular genre nowadays. Whether it be because of people's love of anime or just because hits like Persona 5 made people crave more, their popularity can't be understated. Over the years we have managed to get a variety of amazing games that each offer their own unique experience. And Tokyo Xanadu is no exception to this.

Tokyo Xanadu tells the story of highschooler Tokisoka Kou who lives in the city of Tokyo that's still recovering from a devastating earthquake that happened a decade ago. One on the way back from work he sees classmate Hiiragi Asuka being cornered by some shady men. While trying to help he ends up sucked into a world known as Eclipse and saved by Asuka. Asuka explains to Kou that it is her job to go into Eclipse to take out the monsters there and prevent them from eating people sucked into this world. While initially wanting to keep Kou out of this, once the people close to him are targeted Kou resolves to fight alongside Asuka in order to protect them. Together with Asuka they gather together other people who awaken to their powers in order to prevent any more victims. 

Tokyo Xanadu's gameplay combines dungeon crawling with hack and slash combat. Combat revolves around performing combos on multiple enemies in combination with abilities. As players level up more attacks are unlocked allowing for even possible combos to be unleashed on enemies. Players are also able to switch between a multitude of different characters, each offering their own unique way to play. Whether you want to get in close with the enemy or stay back with long range attacks, you'll be sure to devastate the enemy.

However the thing that truly makes the game unique is its customization capabilities. Each character’s weapon has a core that grants unique effects and sub cores that give other, less powerful effects with level ups granting access to more slots. By swapping out various cores and sub cores it's possible to make wildly different versions of the same character. With this unique customization ability, the possibilities for what you're capable of are endless.

Tokyo Xanadu offers an experience that promises hours of entertainment. With fun combat, an engaging story and even a variety of side content, you won't be able to put the game down once you start. If you are going to pick the game up though, make sure to get the remastered version as that one offers even more content.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

Altered Perspectives

With time many things can happen. The most common thing to happen though is people gaining a new perspective on something. Whether that means being able to understand what makes something special or realizing that what you thought was great is actually underwhelming, just taking the time to give another look can change a lot. This is especially true with the Sonic franchise. 

Sonic is known for not always giving the best games. One of the most notorious examples is Sonic ‘06, a game that many feel came close to killing it. At the time it was seen as one of the worst games to ever exist. However nowadays while people still don't love, people no longer feel that it's an atrocity and instead is appreciated for the buggy mess that it is. Something similar occurred with Sonic Unleashed, a game that when it first came out was looked down and even made fun of for its premise. Now it's seen as a game that made great use of the console it was on and many wish that SEGA would do something unique like it again. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum we have Sonic Colors, a game that at the time was seen as the thing that would bring Sonic back to the limelight. Now it's seen as a game with potential that it couldn't live up to. While not a bad game, it is in no way the game changer that many believed. With repetitive gameplay and a lacking story, this is a game that is saved by nostalgia.

The reason for this change in perspective likely stems from people losing their preconceived notions of the game. Since Sonic ‘06 fans have been more critical of every game that comes out. As such once they have an opinion on a game, they will hold onto strongly in hopes of preventing a future 06. So when they find something they like or hate initially, they'll make sure it's known. It's only after there are no longer stakes that fans are able to give their actual opinion on the games.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

A Bloody Prisonscape

With anime becoming more mainstream, an issue that has happened is lesser known anime have essentially gone to the wayside. Back before big names like My Hero Academia people would talk about shows like Suzumiya Haruhi or Blassreiter. That’s why I feel like it’s best to help bring these lesser known anime back into the limelight.

Deadman Wonderland centers around Igarashi Ganta, an ordinary highschooler who was getting ready for his class field trip. That is until his entire class was murdered in front of him by a man in red. As a result of being framed for the massacre he’s sentenced to death and sent to the prison that he was ironically going to go to for their field trip: Deadman Wonderland, an amusement park that has their prisoners playing dangerous games for onlookers entertainment. However there’s more than meets the eye to this dangerous game; underneath this prison lies an even more monstrous game that has Ganta as its newest participant. Will Ganta be able to survive and possibly escape this prison? Or will he just become another victim of this seemingly unwinnable game?

This anime combines incredible action with a bit of horror and mystery. As you learn more and more about its world as well as its power system, you can’t help but want to ask more questions. Why do these powers exist? Why was Ganta the only one left alive? And who is this mysterious girl Shiro? As you continue to gain answers, you’ll find yourself with even more questions. The anime also manages to come up with a variety of interesting powers centered around blood. From blood blades to actual bombs, there’s no telling what will show up next.

One issue that this anime has is that there are times where it might feel rushed. This is due to the fact that it only has 12 episodes without a second season. As such if you want to see everything you will need to read the manga. That said, the anime still gives plenty to get you invested and understand most of what’s going on. So once you’re done watching the anime and find yourself wanting more, then you’ll have an entire manga series to look forward to.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

The Hidden Cost Of Ubisoft

It’s been a long time since the last Assassin’s Creed game, but we have finally gotten word of a new one in the works. In this newest installment you’re able to switch between fighting as a samurai who charges into battle or take a more stealthy approach as a deadly ninja. The biggest discourse this game has had is the fact that the samurai in question is being portrayed by a black man. Many people seem to think that this is Ubisoft shoehorning in a black character in order to seem more progressive. The issue that people should be focusing on is the fact that Ubisoft is basically preventing players from playing the game properly.

One thing that you might not be aware of is the fact that Ubisoft is granting players who pre order the game a gift. While other games will usually give out cosmetic options or special weapons, Ubisoft decided that it would be a good idea to instead give them a special quest that only they can play. This means that if you don’t preorder the game, you will be unable to play the full game. This basically forces players who wanted to wait for more information on the game to pre order now if they want to get everything.

However what is truly egregious is the actual price of the game and its content. The base game starts at $70. But if you want to get all of the content available then you must pay the hefty price of $130. While it is true that games have offered pre order dlc, the maximum amount of money you’d usually have to spend is around $80. Most people would never spend $130 for a game that they know almost nothing about, especially when the studio producing said game has had a less than stellar track record lately. This might explain why Ubisoft is offering a subscription plan where you only need to pay $18 a month to play the game. The problem with this however is that should you ever stop paying for the subscription, you will lose access to the game and thus all of your progress. You’d essentially be renting the game from Ubisoft.

Ubisoft has lost a lot of credibility lately with their biggest recent blunder being their “quadruple a game” Skull and Bones being an utter failure. That’s why many weren’t surprised by them trying to squeeze money out of players with this game. While I’m sure they’ll keep trying to find new ways to scam players, I can only hope that this article helps stop at least a few players from being scammed.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

A New Age Of Superman

Over the years many different superheroes have been created. However there are few that are quite as iconic as Superman. While there are plenty of different interpretations of the character, it’s the ones that treat him as a boy scout that can truly get him. The problem though is the fact that due to how much he’s grown it's harder to portray that thus resulting in someone who’s not quite Superman. So that’s why this show decided to start from the beginning.

My Adventures With Superman tells the story of a young Clark Kent who is still coming into his own as both a person and a hero. Unlike most portrayals this version hasn’t even become Superman yet and is still trying to understand his powers. It’s not until his first day interning at the Daily Planet where he meets his future love interest Lois Lane alongside his best friend Jimmy Olsen that he starts to consider using his powers to protect people as a hero. Throughout the course of the show we see Superman grow and become accustomed to all of his powers while also discovering more about who he actually is. And unlike his other portrayals, this one seems to have a lot more going on than even he knows.

It’s not uncommon for shows to deage an iconic hero. This allows writers to do more with their own take of the character while also staying more true to the core of the character. Back in the early 2000s we saw a younger Batman who was still learning about being him in the show The Batman. We actually see how torn he is between living his life as Bruce Wayne and being the caped crusader that everyone knows and loves. Fans know that Bruce Wayne is the type of person who will put his life on the back burner if it means protecting the innocent. However by deaging him it allows writers to portray this dynamic as he still hasn’t reached this conclusion and in turn allow people to see something that hasn’t been shown in a while.

This newest rendition of Superman does a similar thing. One thing that everyone knows is that Superman is unbelievably overpowered. As such it’s hard to believe that anyone can take him down. With a younger Superman though, it’s a bit more believable. You can believe that someone who’s just starting out and learning how to use his powers could lose to his enemies and even struggle. However over the course of the show as he grows you start to see changes in how he fights and become more of a hero. It actually feels like you’re watching the birth of this iconic hero for the first time.

This show offers a new world for fans to get lost in. With its new takes on characters and the Superman mythos even diehard fans of the character won’t get bored. So come on and hop aboard this new adventure with our favorite boy scout.

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

The Unbreakable Chain

With so many games out there it’s only natural that occasionally some will be either looked over or forgotten. While understandable, it’s always sad to see when a great game falls into this. The main problem is that as a result a game that can be expanded on even more ends up losing out on the potential it had. That’s why today I’d like to shine a light on the game Astral Chain.

Astral Chain is an action adventure game which has you play as an officer whose job it is to combat the extra-dimensional creatures known as Chimeras who are invading your world. These dangerous beasts have managed to push humanity to the brink of extinction with their only safe haven being the artificial megacity “The Ark”. After numerous experiments by Neuron, the police force you join, they’ve finally managed to create a weapon to help combat the Chimeras known as a Legion. Now it’s up to you to use this new power to take down the violent Chimera and hopefully pave the way for humanity to reach a new dawn.

The game offers a lot to do inside of it. As the player takes on the role of a police officer, they’re able to do a variety of things tied into it such as doing investigations and completing tasks they are assigned. This can range from simple fetch quests, to solving puzzles to even solving actual mysteries in the game. While the game is focused on combat, it does a great job of balancing itself out by offering more to do then just simply fight enemies. By doing so gameplay doesn’t feel repetitive and this brief break from combat can even feel refreshing.

With all of that being said, the combat is definitely the selling point of this game. Battles take place in real-time meaning that if you don’t pay attention you might find yourself on the losing end. Gameplay allows you to switch between getting into the mix with melee or staying away with ranged attacks. However ,what truly makes combat unique is the powerful Legion that you control. You control the Legion at the same time as the player, essentially making it so you play with two characters at once. By utilizing the titular astral chain connecting the two of you, it’s possible to do a variety of actions. This includes chaining up enemies to restrict their movement, countering their attacks to catch them off balance and even helping you create more combos for your attacks. With the Legion on your side the possibilities are endless when it comes to combat.

Astral Chain is a game that I believe deserves a lot more attention. While not perfect, it is still a solid experience that offers a ton of replayability. With an amazing soundtrack and stellar gameplay, it’s a game that you won’t be able to put down once you start it. So when you can pick up a copy so that we can help get this game the sequel it deserves.