Interview with the Producers of “Solo Leveling”―The Anime Adaptation Brought to Life by the Collaboration of Aniplex and Crunchyroll [Part 2 of 2]

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  Sota Furuhashi

  Aniplex

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  Kanako Takahashi

  Crunchyroll

Click here for the first part of the article: Interview with the Producers of “Solo Leveling”―The Anime Adaptation Brought to Life by the Collaboration of Aniplex and Crunchyroll [Part 1 of 2]

The global hit is a result of the power of the anime production team

――Since the broadcast began, which regions have shown the most significant response?

Takahashi: The regions that have shown a significant response include North America, Latin America, and Europe, which are easy to imagine, but surprisingly, one standout region has been India. In the past decade or so, anime culture has rapidly expanded in India, and the attention towards Japanese anime is extremely high. With this momentum, every time a new episode is released, it is receiving unprecedented viewership.

Additionally, the critical feedback received on international review sites has been overwhelmingly positive. This is entirely thanks to the hard work of the production team, but many fans are praising the series, remarking on things like the “wonderful quality of the animation,” and this word-of-mouth seems to be fueling further buzz, expanding the fandom.

――How do you feel about the global response to the series, Furuhashi-san?

Furuhashi: It's hard to get a sense of the overseas response in Japan, but the most positive response for me was when Takahashi-san first told me about the number of views on Crunchyroll after the Season 1 broadcast started. At that time, she said, “The result is beyond words.” You don't use “beyond words” very often......, do you? (laughs)

Takahashi: I ran out of vocabulary for “Solo Leveling” (laughs). From the beginning, I had been saying too many words like “amazing,” “incredible,” “explosive,” and so on, and I ran out of words to describe it. ......It is truly beyond words.

――(Laughs) That just goes to show how huge the response was.

Takahashi: Yes, indeed. It was a response that far exceeded our expectations. With each episode released from Season 1 to Season 2 the series has continued to steadily rise, which is rare for a title.

Furuhashi: As “Solo Leveling” progresses, the protagonist’s level increases, so naturally, the action scenes become more and more extravagant.

At first, the main character was called humanity’s weakest hunter and was swung around by the weight of a sword, but as his level increases, he improves to the point where he can perform superhuman actions in Season 2. The main character's level-up is expressed in detail in the action scenes, and I believe that the audience will be able to experience the fantastic and breathtaking feel of the animation used in these action scenes here as well.

Regarding this point, Director Shunsuke Nakashige and Action Director Yoshihiro Kanno have carefully designed how to showcase the action, and I think that aligns perfectly with the fans’ expectations.

However, in Season 2, the main character is able to summon shadow army, and this requires a lot of production time and work due to the scenes featuring a multitude of characters battling each other. Nevertheless, the fact that Director Nakashige was able to continue producing this work with such a high quality is largely due to his sense of balance. I think it was his precise judgment to keep his foot on the gas that kept the production site running. Of course, the power and enthusiasm of the entire A-1 Pictures production team was absolutely indispensable. I think it was a wonderful team effort.

The creators of “Solo Leveling” – captivating audiences worldwide

――You mentioned that “Solo Leveling” has gained more attention with each episode. How did you carry over these heightened expectations from Season 1 into Season 2?

Takahashi: Every year, there are many anime conventions held worldwide from spring to summer. Since the broadcast of Season 1 ended in March 2024, we held a special talk session at the largest anime convention in North America, “Anime Expo,” in July. Both the Japanese lead voice actor, Taito Ban, and the English lead voice actor, Aleks Le, participated in a talk session that featured both Japanese and American voice actors.

“Anime Expo”

“Anime Expo”

Additionally, we held a “Solo Leveling” session at “Japan Expo” in France and “AnimagiC” in Germany. At “Japan Expo,” Action Director Yoshihiro Kanno and A-1 Pictures Producer Atsushi Kaneko took the stage, while at “AnimagiC,” Director Nakashige and Producer Furuhashi were on stage.

“Japan Expo”in France

Additionally, we held sessions at events like “CCXP” in Brazil, one of the largest content conventions in Latin America and “La Mole 2024” in Mexico. By doing so, we were able to raise the fans’ enthusiasm in various countries and regions. At the same time, we continued promoting the series through advertising and through social media, bridging the gap to Season 2.

――It seems that at Japanese anime events, there are many stage events where the cast members appear, but at overseas anime events, it’s also quite common for the creators to take the stage.

Takahashi: Yes. Especially overseas, there are many fans who want to meet the creators of the titles they love. Since there are often behind-the-scenes stories shared, many fans come to these events.

Furuhashi: I participated at events in Japan, the United States, Brazil, Germany, and France. Although it is easy to lump them all into one word, “overseas,” I could see that the characteristics of the fans and what they wanted were different in each region. In the U.S., the audience cheered every time I spoke, and in Germany and France, they listened attentively so as not to miss a single word. However, the one thing in common everywhere was the great respect for the creators.

Takahashi: The request for Action Director Yoshihiro Kanno to appear on stage came from the French side, right?

Furuhashi: That’s right. It’s true that creators attract attention among anime fans, but it was surprising to see the Action Director being specifically requested. It’s quite rare.

But now that you mention it, I can see why fans would really be curious about how the action in “Solo Leveling” is created. In fact, at the event, every time Kanno-san spoke, the audience would nod deeply and listen intently to what he had to say.

Takahashi: Also, our French team has an incredible passion for “Solo Leveling,” and under their leadership, a production documentary for “Solo Leveling” was made. They even went to South Korea, where the source material was created, and interviewed D&C Media and REDICE STUDIO. They also brought video cameras to Aniplex and A-1 Pictures to capture behind-the-scenes footage of the production.

The Leveling of Solo Leveling | OFFICIAL TRAILER

――Furuhashi-san, which place left the deepest impression on you during your promotional tour around the world?

Furuhashi: It would be Brazil, where I visited for the first time. I had heard that anime was very popular there, but I didn’t really know what it would be like in person, so it was great to experience it firsthand.

Also, it was the first time for Aniplex to exhibit at a convention in Brazil, so it was a valuable learning experience. The fans in Brazil were full of energy, and while they energized the venue, they also listened attentively whenever the speakers were talking.

“CCXP” in Brazil

Takahashi: In the past, people considered anime conventions to be strongly associated with North America, but recently, anime popularity in Latin America has been skyrocketing. So, events like CCXP will become increasingly important both as a place for communication with fans and as a promotional platform.

“Solo Leveling” also capivates its audience through its music, including the score by Hiroyuki Sawano

――In terms of staffing, the music aspect of “Solo Leveling” has also been drawing attention. In particular, the presence of Hiroyuki Sawano, who is responsible for the soundtrack, must be significant.

Takahashi: Exactly. Sawano-san is not only popular in Japan but also overseas. When his name was revealed at the “Anime Expo,” the crowd went wild. After that, both “Solo Leveling” and “Hiroyuki Sawano” appeared on the global trends on X. It really made me feel the extent of his popularity.

――The opening theme for Season 1, “LEveL” (SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:TOMORROW X TOGETHER), was created by Hiroyuki Sawano in collaboration with the K-pop boy group TOMORROW X TOGETHER. This collaboration also drew a lot of attention.

Furuhashi: We were conscious of international expansion even with the opening theme. Since “Solo Leveling” has a Korean origin and K-pop is loved worldwide, I thought it would be interesting if Hiroyuki Sawano could collaborate with a K-pop artist to create the song, so I was discussing this with SME.

Music Video: LEveL by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:TOMORROW X TOGETHER

――For the opening theme of Season 2, the song “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” was provided by LiSA and Felix from Stray Kids. This also became a striking collaboration.

Furuhashi: LiSA's name first came up from the start. When we made an offer to LiSA's side, she requested that Sawano-san compose the music.

At the same time, we had the idea of collaborating with a K-pop artist. When we thought about who we should ask, Felix from Stray Kids, who we had already collaborated with in the past, came to mind. I think it turned out to be a wonderful collaboration between the three of us.

Music Clip: ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids) by LiSA

The future of “Solo Leveling”

――Season 2 is also reaching its season finale while receiving great praise. Could you share your thoughts on being involved with such a highly anticipated title like “Solo Leveling”?

Furuhashi: “Solo Leveling” has garnered attention from the start, with the source material being supported overseas as well. So, there was definitely pressure to not disappoint the fans and their expectations, and I still feel that pressure even today.

However, if I were to get overwhelmed by the pressure and become too hesitant, it wouldn’t do any good. So now, I focus on the simple questions of, "What can I do to make this a great title?" and "How can I deliver it in a way that will make the fans happy?"

Takahashi: At first, I too felt the pressure, but since we were able to have a great start with Season 1, I’ve been kind of freed from that feeling. Now, I just want to share the appeal of this title with as many people as possible. Since I work at the Tokyo office, I don’t often have the opportunity to experience the reactions from overseas fans firsthand, but every time I see the feedback on social media, I feel a deep sense of responsibility, realizing that I’m involved in such an incredible title.

――How would you like fans to enjoy “Solo Leveling” in the future?

Furuhashi: I think the simplicity of the storyline of “Solo Leveling" allows us to concentrate on the visuals, which is why I think the visual representation of the animation is so important. I am very happy to have entrusted the visualization to a production team that pursues quality to the very end. Viewers can discover new things with each time they watch the series, so I hope they will continue to enjoy our work.

Takahashi: When we look at the viewership, there’s still growth from Season 1, which means there are many people who have just started watching. For those who haven't seen “Solo Leveling” yet, it's not too late to start now, and I really hope they give it a try.

Additionally, I’d like to continue planning events overseas in collaboration with Aniplex. As a fan myself, I’m looking forward to new episodes every week, and it’s an incredible joy to be able to deliver such a title to the world through Crunchyroll. Moving forward, Crunchyroll will continue to support “Solo Leveling” with all our might as a global platform.

Click here for the first part of the article: Interview with the Producers of “Solo Leveling”―The Anime Adaptation Brought to Life by the Collaboration of Aniplex and Crunchyroll [Part 1 of 2]

Text by Hidekuni Shida
Photos by Nozomu Tomita

©Solo Leveling Animation Partners