Anime fans in Mumbai witnessed an exhilarating exclusive premiere of Solo Leveling at the PVR Maison Theatre in Jio World Mall, BKC, on December 20, 2023.

A highly anticipated anime series, Solo Leveling is set to release globally on January 6, 2024, on Crunchyroll. The Hindi dub – as well as the subtitle – will also be available to stream simultaneously.

The screening of this epic adventure, adapted from the acclaimed Korean WEBTOON sensation, was attended by over 220 fans and accompanied by renowned actor Ali Fazal who has also lent his Hindi voice to a character, Song Chiyul, in the series. 

During the premiere event, Ali Fazal said, “I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to provide the Hindi dub for Solo Leveling. I aspire to forge deeper connections with the world of anime, particularly in artistic creation and exploring different facets of our world.

Preparing for the Hindi dub role posed a challenge and a source of immense excitement. Delving into the character’s backstory was crucial for me to comprehend the role’s nuances and determine the appropriate voice texture. Portraying Song Chiyul, a senior character, required a careful blend of my voice. This was a unique experience that fueled my curiosity to delve deeper into the craft.

Collaborating with Crunchyroll and immersing myself in the anime world has been a fresh and thrilling experience for me.”

Furthermore, during the discussion with Anupama Chopra and fans, Ali also said he is planning to watch Death Note the anime and even asked suggestions from the fans present. He also said that he has heard about Attack On Titan and the anime is on his to-watch list.

Our Verdict On Hindi Dub Of Solo Leveling

After the Toonami era, this was the first time I watched any anime directly in Hindi and it did a far better job than expected. The voice cast of the anime came close to delivering the emotions which the Japanese ‘Seiyu’/voice actors are capable of.

Although there is space for improvement the Hindi dub was amazing in its way. Also, after watching the voice cast speak about their characters in person they seem to be genuinely interested in doing their best to understand the character and also make sure it connects with the Hindi dub-watching audience in the country, and it genuinely does.

Coming to Ali’s character, Song Chiyul, Ali has modulated his voice to make it unrecognizable from his other portrayals of live-action characters he plays. This in my opinion makes it interesting and gives Chiyul the edge of being an experienced character within the series.

Overall, the Hindi dub is a solid 8/10! If this continues, the day is not far when we see a craze for Indian voice artists similar to those of Japanese VAs.

About Solo Leveling

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.

The anime series Solo Leveling 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 acclaimed 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.

Source: Press Release, Animehunch Coverage