Korean manhwa sensation Solo Leveling will debut globally on 6 January 2024 on anime streaming platform Crunchyroll, with Indian actor Ali Fazal being the voice for the Hindi dub of the anime series for India. Crunchyroll has collaborated with Aniplex for the debut of this anime series.
The synopsis of Solo Leveling reads: Over a decade has passed since a pathway called a “gate” which connects this world and another dimension suddenly appeared, and people with superhuman powers called “hunters” have been awakened. Hunters use their superhuman powers to conquer dungeons inside the gates to make a living, and Sung Jinwoo, a hunter of the lowest rank, is considered the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind. One day, he encounters a double dungeon, a high-level dungeon hidden inside a low-level one. In front of a severely wounded Jinwoo, a mysterious quest window pops up. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to take on the quest, which makes him the only person who can level up.
Crunchyroll chief content officer Asa Suehira stated, “Solo Leveling is a groundbreaking series that has captured the imagination of fans globally, and we are thrilled to be part of the journey to bring this extraordinary manhwa to life as an anime.”
The Indian actor Fazal will lend his Hindi voice to the character Song Chiyul, a Korean C-Rank Hunter. Song Chiyul is an older gentleman who has taken the weak protagonist, Sung Jinwoo, under his wing. He navigates the challenges of the Double Dungeon incident alongside Sung Jinwoo. Fazal has made his Hollywood debut in Furious 7 and played a leading role opposite Dame Judi Dench in Victoria and Abdul. He has acted in Death on the Nile alongside Gal Gadot and in Kandahar with Gerard Butler.
Talking about lending his voice, Fazal said, “Joining the cast of Solo Leveling and lending my voice to one of its gritty characters is a unique and exciting opportunity. I always strive to do something new with each of my projects, and this opportunity is definitely among them. The character of Song Chiyul is truly remarkable, and I am honoured to be a part of this amazing and exciting project. Working with Crunchyroll and being a part of the anime world is a fresh and thrilling experience for me. I had a great time being the voice behind this character in Hindi.”
The anime series is adapted from the best-selling Korean web novel written by Chugong, which was later adapted into a webtoon and manhwa in 2018, with illustrations by Dubu. Solo Leveling is animated by A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online), with motion graphics by Production I.G (Attack on Titan, Psycho-Pass). The series is directed by Shunsuke Nakashige (Sword Art Online). Additional staff credits include music by Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan) and Tomorrow X Together (K-pop band), character design by Tomoko Sudo, and monster design by Hirotaka Tokuda.
Japanese voice cast and characters for Solo Leveling:
- Sung Jinwoo voiced by Taito Ban
- Yoo Jinho voiced by Genta Nakamura
- Sung Jinah voiced by Haruna Mikawa
- Cha Hae-in voiced by Reina Ueda
- Choi Jong-in voiced by Daisuke Hirakawa
- Baek Yoonho voiced by Hiroki Touchi
- Go Gunhee voiced by Banjo Ginga
- Woo Jinchul voiced by Makoto Furukawa
English voice cast and characters:
- Sung Jinwoo voiced by Aleks Le
- Yoo Jinho voiced by Justin Briner
- Sung Jinah voiced by Rebecca Wang
- Cha Hae-in voiced by Michelle Rojas
- Choi Jong-in voiced by Ian Sinclair
- Baek Yoonho voiced by Christopher R. Sabat
- Go Gunhee voiced by Kent Williams
- Woo Jinchul voiced by SungWon Cho
- Lee Joohee voiced by Dani Chambers
Crunchyroll is hosting a fan premiere of the first two episodes of the series on 20 December in Mumbai.
Dubs for Solo Leveling will also be produced in other languages, with premiere dates to be announced later.