Solo Leveling's New Anime Rival, Eleceed, Has One Major Problem
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When it comes to manhwa-to-anime adaptations, Solo Leveling sits comfortably at the top. A-1 Pictures took Chugong's gorgeous webtoon and somehow made it look just as stunning in 2D animation, turning the series into the highest-rated anime on Crunchyroll. Fresh off the Anime Expo announcement of a new Beyond the System movie coming in 2027, the franchise feels almost untouchable right now.
Over that same Anime Expo weekend, though, one of its biggest Webtoon rivals finally stepped into the anime ring. Eleceed is officially getting an adaptation in early 2027, and on paper, it should be one of the biggest manhwa anime releases since Solo Leveling. The webtoon has built a massive following over the years, and fans have been begging to see Jiwoo, Kayden, and their lightning-fast fights brought to life.
But its latest trailer brought all the excitement down. Instead of hyping its release like Pierrot Studio did for Black Clover with the new trailer revealing Asta’s Devit Unite form, Eleceed’s early footage has already raised some serious concerns. The trailer has a stiff, unpolished CGI look that feels completely wrong for a series as fast and stylish as this. Releasing in the same year as Solo Leveling's new movie was already going to invite comparisons, but after this first look, Eleceed may be entering that fight with one hand tied behind its back.
3DCG Animation Could Ruin The Lightning-Fast Action That Made Eleceed Famous
Ever since the Eleceed anime adaptation was announced, there has been one huge concern hanging over it due to the studio attached to it. While DandeLion Animation Studio’s 3DCG work has looked solid before, most notably with The First Slam Dunk, that style could be a rough fit for Eleceed.
The manhwa's fights are built around speed, impact, and constant movement, with characters throwing around powers so quickly that the art needs to sell every hit. That is a big part of what made Eleceed feel like a natural rival to Solo Leveling in the first place. If that action ends up looking stiff or overly CG-heavy, the anime could lose one of the biggest things that made the original work.
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01
Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) became one of the most-watched anime on Crunchyroll. The story takes place in a world where humanity lives behind massive walls to protect themselves from giant humanoid creatures. What are these creatures called?
✓ Correct! The giant humanoid creatures are called Titans. In the original Japanese, they’re referred to as “Kyojin” (giants). Eren Yeager’s quest to destroy all Titans after they breach Wall Maria became one of the most gripping storylines in anime history.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Titans. Kaiju are giant monsters from Japanese cinema like Godzilla, Hollows are the enemy creatures in Bleach, and Demons appear in series like Demon Slayer. In Attack on Titan, these towering humanoid creatures are specifically called Titans.
02
Studio MAPPA has become one of the most prominent anime studios in recent years, producing several massive hit series. Which of these popular anime was NOT produced by MAPPA?
✓ Correct! Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) is produced by ufotable, not MAPPA. Ufotable’s stunning animation quality — especially the breathtaking fight sequences — became a hallmark of the Demon Slayer franchise. MAPPA produced Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan: The Final Season, and Chainsaw Man.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Demon Slayer. Demon Slayer is animated by studio ufotable, renowned for its gorgeous visual effects. MAPPA has produced Jujutsu Kaisen, took over Attack on Titan: The Final Season from WIT Studio, and animated Chainsaw Man.
03
Solo Leveling became a massive hit anime in 2024 after being one of the most popular manhwa (Korean comics) in the world. The story follows a weak hunter who gains the unique ability to level up. What is the protagonist’s name?
✓ Correct! Sung Jin-Woo is the protagonist of Solo Leveling. Originally the weakest E-Rank hunter, he gains the power of the mysterious System, allowing him to level up infinitely. His transformation from the “World’s Weakest Hunter” to the most powerful Shadow Monarch captivated millions of readers and viewers.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Sung Jin-Woo. Jin-Woo Sung reverses the name order (Korean names place the surname first). Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk are protagonists from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, another popular Korean series. Sung Jin-Woo is the iconic Shadow Monarch of Solo Leveling.
04
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrate the best in anime each year. Which anime won Anime of the Year at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards?
✓ Correct! Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End won Anime of the Year at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. This beautifully contemplative series about an elven mage reflecting on mortality and the passage of time after her hero party’s quest ends charmed audiences and critics alike with its unique, introspective storytelling.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. While Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Oshi no Ko, and Vinland Saga Season 2 were all critically acclaimed, it was Frieren’s meditative exploration of time, memory, and connection that captured the top prize at the 2024 ceremony.
05
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is consistently rated as one of the greatest anime of all time. The story follows two brothers who attempted a forbidden alchemical technique. What taboo did Edward and Alphonse Elric commit?
✓ Correct! Edward and Alphonse attempted human transmutation to bring their deceased mother back to life. The attempt failed catastrophically — Edward lost his left leg and then sacrificed his right arm to bind Alphonse’s soul to a suit of armor. This event drives the entire series as they search for the Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is human transmutation — specifically, attempting to resurrect their dead mother. In the world of FMA, human transmutation is the ultimate taboo in alchemy. The brothers’ failed attempt cost Edward his limbs and Alphonse his entire body, setting the stage for their epic journey.
06
Spy x Family became a worldwide phenomenon with its wholesome yet action-packed story of a found family. The father, Loid Forger, is secretly a spy. What is his spy codename?
✓ Correct! Loid Forger’s spy codename is Twilight, and he’s considered the top agent of Westalis’s intelligence service, WISE. His mission, Operation Strix, requires him to build a fake family — leading him to adopt the telepathic Anya and marry the assassin Yor, creating one of anime’s most beloved found families.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Twilight. Agent Dusk and Shadow are fictional names, while Nightfall is actually the codename of another WISE agent, Fiona Frost, who has a crush on Loid. Twilight is Westalis’s greatest spy and the heart of Spy x Family’s charming story.
07
Crunchyroll merged with another major anime streaming service to become the dominant platform for anime. Which streaming service was absorbed into Crunchyroll?
✓ Correct! Funimation was merged into Crunchyroll after Sony’s acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T in 2021. The merger consolidated the anime streaming market, bringing Funimation’s massive library of dubbed anime together with Crunchyroll’s simulcast catalog, making Crunchyroll the world’s largest dedicated anime platform.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Funimation. Netflix Anime is part of Netflix and operates independently, HIDIVE is Sentai Filmworks’ streaming service, and AnimeLab was a smaller Australian service. Funimation — once Crunchyroll’s biggest rival — was fully absorbed into the Crunchyroll platform.
08
Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli are legendary in the anime world. Miyazaki’s final film was released in 2023 and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. What is the title of this film?
✓ Correct! The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka) was released in 2023 and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2024. The deeply personal, surrealist fantasy film was widely considered Miyazaki’s farewell masterpiece, exploring themes of grief, imagination, and the passage between worlds.
✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is The Boy and the Heron. Spirited Away 2 and Ponyo Returns don’t exist. The Wind Rises was Miyazaki’s previous “final” film from 2013. The Boy and the Heron marked his true farewell, winning the Oscar and cementing his legacy as anime’s greatest storyteller.
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The animation is not the only choice already worrying fans, either. The Japanese broadcast is also changing the characters' Korean names, including protagonist Jiwoo Seo, who will be known as Yu Kazahaya. Jiyoung Yoo becomes Amane Yanagi, while Jisuk Yoo becomes Sota Yanagi. Name changes are not exactly new when Korean webtoons are adapted for Japan, but it is still an awkward choice for a series whose Korean identity is such a clear part of the source material. The anime has not even aired yet, and some fans are already questioning why these changes were necessary.
That puts Eleceed in a difficult position compared to Solo Leveling. A-1 Pictures gave Sung Jinwoo's anime adaptation the kind of polished 2D action needed to sell its biggest fights, while the adaptation largely kept the identity of its source intact.
Eleceed Has A Lot To Prove Before It Can Actually Compete With Solo Leveling
Eleceed now has to prove that it can make a very different production setup work for a series that depends so heavily on flashy combat. The Beginning After the End is a good example of what can happen when a popular manhwa gets an anime that doesn’t match the appeal of its original artwork, while One-Punch Man season 2 showed just how quickly fans notice when an action series takes a hit in production quality.
That does not mean Eleceed is doomed before it even airs. DandeLion still has plenty of time to prove the early concerns wrong, but there is a lot riding on those first few episodes. Jiwoo's speed and Kayden's far more destructive fights need to feel fast, heavy, and physical rather than turning into characters standing around while flashy effects do most of the work.
If the 3DCG approach can capture that movement and impact, a lot of the early concern could disappear pretty quickly. But with questions already surrounding the visuals and the decision to change the characters' names for the Japanese broadcast, Eleceed has a fair bit to get right. The biggest challenge may not be competing with Solo Leveling at all. It may simply be showing fans that the anime understands what made Eleceed so special in the first place.
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