On March 30, 2024, fans finally got to see their beloved protagonist Sung Jinwoo’s ‘Arise’ animated in episode 12 of Solo Leveling. This was a highly anticipated moment, especially for those eager to hear it voiced. However, the reactions to this scene were not quite what fans had expected.
Sung Jinwoo’s ability to turn both monsters and humans into shadow soldiers is activated by his command, ‘Arise,’ which he gained after being bestowed the title of Necromancer. In the anime adaptation, the production team opted to translate this phrase into Japanese, leading the protagonist to utter “Okiro,”a phrase that can also be interpreted as “wake up.”
Despite the high expectations surrounding this scene, X user (@LTVillan) expressed disappointment with its execution and described it as underwhelming. The user even went as far as to compare it to highly anticipated scenes from other popular anime series.
Please be aware that this article may contain spoilers from the last episode of Solo Leveling and includes the author’s personal opinions.
Outcry from Fans over the Controversial ‘Arise’ Scene in Solo Leveling Anime
Cid Kagenou, the main character of Eminence in Shadow, has frequently utilized his signature technique, ‘I Am Atomic’, throughout the series. After extensive training to simulate a nuclear explosion without causing harm to himself, Cid mastered this technique.
The method centered on the main character creating a barrier spanning several miles between himself and his adversary, similar to how domain expansion works in Jujutsu Kaisen. Then, Cid would imbue his ebony sword with his magical abilities and use it to strike his opponent, resulting in an explosion-like effect.
The technique was highly anticipated by fans and deemed satisfactory, according to their reactions. It was first seen in action during a battle against Zenon Griffy in season 1, and Cid once again utilized it in the final episode of season 2 when facing off against Mordred Ragnarok.
Bankai is a powerful technique reserved for a select few characters in Bleach who have fully mastered their Zanpakuto, the primary weapon used in combat. Achieving mastery of the Zanpakuto involves being able to materialize it without being consumed by its inner world. Throughout the series, a number of characters have demonstrated this technique, but perhaps the most well-known is the Bankai of the main protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki.
The Bankai wielded by Ichigo, known as ‘Tensa Zangetsu’, made its debut in episode 58 of Bleach. This powerful form of his sword displayed a unique ability, as it shrunk in size and gained a thinner, sharper appearance, enhancing its effectiveness and durability. Fans have deemed this particular moment as one of the most highly anticipated in Bleach, and it certainly did not disappoint.
The X user expressed that the Solo Leveling scene was not as impressive as ‘I Am Atomic’ and ‘Bankai,’ and therefore, did not live up to the hype, resulting in disappointment and anti-climax.
Additional fan responses
The latest Solo Leveling scene has sparked an interesting response from fans. While some fans offered suggestions on how the scene could have been executed differently, others remained hopeful that it will regain its hype in the future.
“It would’ve been much better if they made it in English”
A fan pointed out the obvious and suggested that the production team could have kept the phrase in its original form from the script, without translating it into Japanese. This would have preserved the authenticity of the scene.
When discussing the ‘I Am Atomic’ scene in Eminence in Shadow, it was noted that the production team did not alter the phrase, which ultimately increased its popularity among anime fans. It is possible that the translation may have been the issue in Solo Leveling’s scene.
“I think Arise comes off cooler in the Manwha, and I really wish they added some vocal effect in the anime when he said it since the Manwha has a different speech bubble meant just for it”
Another viewer presented a compelling idea. They proposed that the voice of Ban Taito, who voiced Sung Jinwoo, could have been lowered for the ‘Arise’ scene to enhance its impact.
It is a frequent occurrence in anime for characters to adopt a deeper voice during intense moments, adding to the overall intensity and intimidation of the scene. This is a commonly used technique in the genre.
“Domain expansion is better than “I am atomic” bro. Bankai is in a league of its own. Nothing comes close”
During the discussion, a fan introduced another scene from an anime: the domain expansion from Jujutsu Kaisen. Similar to the Solo Leveling scene, this was also presented by translating the phrase into Japanese, which can be roughly pronounced as “Ryoiki tenkai.”
Despite being deemed anti-climactic and average by many fans, the domain expansion scene in Solo leveling is widely regarded as one of the best anime scenes of contemporary times.
“Arise is not even overhyped But i agree with your take tho Maybe in the future it will be more iconic than “I am atomic””
Despite its current lack of appeal, one fan remains optimistic about the potential of ‘Arise’ to reach its peak in the upcoming season. The announcement of a second season of the series following the final episode of Solo Leveling has given this fan hope for potential redemption in the upcoming season.
“Bankai’s its own league compared to these. what the **** is “i am an atomic”i heard arise a few times at least, but what the **** is the second one”
Despite the ongoing reactions, it remained clear that the majority of fans were unfamiliar with the anime series ‘I Am Atomic’ and its connection to Eminence in Shadow. This could potentially be attributed to the show’s lack of popularity among fans in comparison to more mainstream Shounen series such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach. As a result, many viewers were left perplexed by the appearance of the ‘I Am Atomic’ scene in Eminence in Shadow.
In the twelfth episode of Solo Leveling, Jinwoo is transformed into the Shadow Monarch.
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