Summary
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Solo Levelingfans have been gossiping about Jinwoo’s exposed backside, and it has them in a tizzy. Why exactly was his posterior on display? Even those with more pressing matters on their minds have likely come across this trending screenshot from the highly regarded anime adaption ofChugong’s light novel series. Even people uninterested in the show, or anime in general, might have seen it crop up in their daily scroll. With all the hubbub surrounding this single image, one can only wonder if there’s actually more to it, or if it’s just another passing distraction. While the answer isn’t exactly shrouded in mystery, the shot warrants a second look.
How It All Went Down at a Glance
For those unfamiliar with the series,Solo Levelingis the story of Sung Jinwoo. After awakening as a D-rank hunter on an alternate earth where dungeon gates spawn seemingly at random, Jinwoo has struggled to make ends meet. He barely manages to scrape by, paying for his sister’s tuition, as well as his comatose mother’s hospital care with the little he’s able to earn as a bottom-rung hunter. When he accidentally finds himself in a rare double-dungeon, he manages to survive its trials and obtain a secret hidden power that allows him to grow stronger without limits. While most hunters are locked into whatever power rank they initially awaken to, Jinwoo is now able to gain experience and skills thatallow him to surpass even the strongest hunters. As he continues to grow in strength, the battles grow more and more exciting to watch. These scenes are brought to life with gorgeous animation byA-1 Pictures animation studio, also known for familiar titles such as Blue Exorcist, Fairy Tail, and Black Butler.
Framed for Indecent Exposure
The Plot Continues to Thiccen
Now, to get to the meat of it. Users have been posting online,suggesting pausing episode 24at 16:05 for an amusing shot. What appears on-screen is a frame of Jinwoo battling the ant king in a somewhat compromising position. Countless others have shared these instructions as well as their own screen grabs since. While some will argue one way or another, it certainly looks like Sung is in need of a belt. As this chuckle-worthy frame made its rounds, word apparently got back toone of A-1 Pictures' animators,who decided to comment on Twitter, posting under the account @rimqqq. In their post, they shared a rough sketch, possibly from the story board for the episode. The drawing is similar to what is seen in the anime screenshot. The animator, whose display name is りむ (Rimu in Romanji), stated that the intention behind the line that many are mistaking as the curve of a cheek was actually to emphasize the twisting of Jinwoo’s body. According to them, it was never supposed to look like the story’s hero was sporting a plumber’s crack.
Knowing When to Cover Their Backsides
I didn’t mean to draw a butt… Draw lines on the back to note the twists of the body. If I had drawn the line a little higher, it would have looked different. Drawing is difficult. One line can change the meaning.
-Rimu
Animators Are Only Human After All
Receiving an explanation from a member of A-1 Picture’s team has caused some to view the comical image with a bit more empathy. Animation isn’t an easy job. Even with today’s advances in technology, it’s a painstaking process to take still images and breathe life into them. It’s common to hear aboutanimators being not only overworked, but underpaidas well. Looking at a show as breathtakingly beautiful asSolo Leveling, it almost seems wrong to nitpick what was only visible by the act of freezing one frame at a time. Not that most of the people laughing are really hating on the show or its animators, though there are certainly some that are focusing far too much on this tiny mistake. At the end of the day, it’s just one flawed still, hidden within a thousand emaculate ones. That being said,what’s the harm in a little laugh?
For Those Who Need a Frame of Reference
Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
Solo Levelingis neither the first nor the last anime to have some hidden weirdness tucked within its action shots.The beauty of animationis that its subjects are not constrained to reality. It’s not uncommon to find frames of animation where characters or objects are warped or elongated to create an effect that only works at a certain frame rate. Judging an anime by a single frame is like judging a song by one note. It’s the compilation of every frame, sound effect, and music choice that make up the viewing experience. Even the difference between one language dub or another can affect the outcome in unexpected ways. When all of these factors combine, on occasion,a show as good asSolo Levelingis born. While there’s no harm in having a little fun, never forget the countless hands that are worked to the bone to bring viewers the shows they love. This one goes out to the hardworking animators out there, even the ones sneaking in a little booty here and there.
