Solo Leveling - Episode 6 [Review]
After being left with an infuriated Spider-boss at the end of the previous episode, it seemed hopeless for a D-rank hunter with some fancy gear and “The Weakest Hunter of All Mankind”.
Seeing Jinwoo’s confidence in the face of the huge beast, Jinho insists he isn’t up to the task. However, Jinwoo begins the fight and in short order, demonstrates the strength he has already gained. However, his weapon is unable to pierce the monster’s exoskeleton, and his fatigue begins to climb steadily. After nearly being crushed by the beast, our hero recalls the Full Recovery reward he had earned from his daily training. Utilizing this, and then employing a recently learned skill to increase his speed, Jinwoo eventually breaks through the monster’s defenses. Applying powerful debuffs, the boss falls shortly afterwards.
While Jinwoo is unleashing his flurry of attacks, Jinho becomes convinced that Jinwoo is a “false ranker” - someone who is able to control their magic output to be purposefully put in lower rankings and relish the thrill of killing weaker monsters, and hunters. He showers his new “boss” with praise, hoping to stay on his good side.
Just as Jinwoo and Jinho are wrapping up, the rest of the party that left them behind returns. They seem to think that Jinho’s fancy gear did all the work, and quickly move to kill both of them. Jinwoo is initially caught off guard, but when an urgent quest pops up to defeat the 6 enemies that are seeking to end the player’s life, his identity as a Hunter evolves.
“If you’re hunters…then you’re ready to be preyed on yourselves, right?”
This episode was an absolute thriller from top to bottom. First with the boss confrontation - we see a new version of Jinwoo. Confident, capable…and perhaps most impressively, very aware of his own limitations within the confines of the System. He’s very strategic in utilizing his weapon, and working to minimize fatigue while battling the boss.
However, there are elements of this new confidence that we’ve already seen in some of the more recent episodes. Where things really begin to diverge for Jinwoo is in the 2nd half, when the hunters that tried to leave them for dead return.
As we’ve begun to understand in recent episodes, the world of Hunters fraught with sociopathic monsters who prey on the weak. Jinwoo no longer associates himself as being that weak people-pleaser that struggled to survive. He’s now willing to do whatever it takes to continue getting stronger, and the obstacle of killing other Hunters the same way that he would kill a monster…well…he smashes through that barrier handily in the closing sequence.
What really helped to elevate the scene was another track from anime composing legend Hiroyuki Sawano. Known for iconic tracks from series like Kill la Kill, Thunderbolt Fantasy and Aldnoah Zero, the climactic confrontation features a new song from Sawano that is an amazing complement to the scene.
This episode delivered nonstop action and a pivotal moment for our titular character. Superb.
