Not everything in Episode 24 was perfect, but the animation, framing, storyboarding, music, and flow made Jinwoo and Beru's fight well worth the wait.
Things just keep getting better toward the end of Season 2 of the Solo Leveling anime. Episode 24, named “Are You the King of the Humans,” easily outdid Episode 23 in terms of animation, storyboarding, and flow.
And while it added more scenes that weren’t part of the manhwa, the additional scenes made the long-awaited fight between Jinwoo and Beru all the more worth the wait.
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Jinwoo arrives in Jeju island
In this episode, Jinwoo finally arrives after exchanging places with one of his shadows. He hands everyone healing potions to recover from their wounds. However, because Cha Hae-in’s HP is below 10, the potion is ineffective for her.
Jinwoo then decides to carve a path for the surviving hunters, unleashing his shadow army to wreak havoc against the ant horde. But before they can fully regroup, Beru returns, setting the stage for the most important—and most intense—fight of the season.
It was a missed opportunity not to show how desperate the remaining hunters were like in the manhwa right before Jinwoo steps in. The ever-invincible cameraman is only shown hyperventilating, but it would have been nice to hear his “final thoughts” about his father before Igris saves him.
However, the reaction of the hunters shown in the anime was more satisfying—they don’t immediately feel relief but instead experience shock and awe, like everything is being revealed to them one blow at a time, as if they are watching their own TV show.
It was a bit of a shame though, that they skipped the part where Jinwoo uses his all-important phrase, “Arise” on the ants during the fight.
Seeing them turn on each other would have been a great moment, but maybe that scene was moved to the next episode to make room for the fight against Beru.
Jinwoo vs Beru: comparing the manhwa vs the anime
One of the things I always look forward to in adaptations is seeing how the source material is interpreted artistically. A good adaptation doesn’t have to be a blow-by-blow recreation—it should respect the original while adding value to the scene or episode.
Episode 24 is a great example of this. While it isn’t a blow-by-blow adaptation, most of the added scenes in Jinwoo and Beru’s fight enhance the overall experience.
In the manhwa, Jinwoo continues to aura farm as usual. He completely overwhelms Beru, showing off his new power and effortlessly outclassing what was supposed to be a big, unbeatable baddie, all while the entire world watches.
However, the anime makes the fight feel a little closer—not to the point where Jinwoo struggles hard, but enough to show that he actually has to put in some effort. Some manhwa readers weren’t happy about this change, but honestly, I think it works. The usual overwhelming victories can get repetitive, and some back-and-forth makes for a more engaging fight and good entertainment.
The animation in this specific fight is strong—not as fluid as last week’s, but with good reason. The fight doesn’t rely on one consistent style, instead shifting between different artistic approaches to keep things visually fresh.
It begins in slow motion—something I wish had been present in earlier fights like Kargalgan’s and Baran’s. This choice makes Jinwoo’s blows feel far more impactful, allowing us to appreciate the sheer force behind each hit. The sound effects and animation work together to make every crunch on Beru’s armour and every crack in his exoskeleton feel real.
Through the anime, we also get a better look at the powers Beru absorbed after feasting on the S-rank hunters. Seeing Kei’s ice magic in action through Beru was unexpected, but it was a clever way to give him more tools to counter Jinwoo.
Once again, the musical scoring is a standout. When Beru transforms, supposedly to become stronger, Hiroyuki Sawano’s OST kicks in at the perfect moment. And even though I already know how the fight will end, the music alone still made every hair on my body rise. It definitely added that Attack-on-Titan-style intensity that makes the moment feel truly grand.
Then comes the high-speed portion of the fight. Here, the animation gets a bit choppier, but intentionally so. Even Yoonhoo’s sharp eyes can’t follow what’s happening, so rather than showing every single strike, the anime used flashing blue and red lights with slow-motion shots in between. This is far more effective than the usual "quick slashes followed by the character appearing behind the enemy” approach used in earlier fights.
Of course, not every shot is perfect, which led to the now-infamous Jinwoo buttcrack scene (making us wonder whether the animators did this on purpose—or maybe Jinwoo’s regular clothes just couldn’t keep up with his speed either).
But the other frame choices were fantastic. One highlight is the moment when Beru nearly lands a hit on Jinwoo’s eye, captured in a macro perspective, right before his Critical Strike and Mutilation skills upgrade. Even if Jinwoo doesn’t look his best in that scene, the rough, exaggerated expressions add to the intensity of the moment—we’re all here for every ugly face he makes.
When Beru realises he can’t win, his desperate attempts to escape are perfectly timed with the song’s crescendo. And when Jinwoo delivers his final combo, it feels like the perfect climax to the fight—brutal, satisfying, and well-earned.
Why did the Elixir of Life not work on Cha Hae-in?
One anime-exclusive addition in this episode was Jinwoo attempting to use the Elixir of Life on Cha Hae-in—something that wasn’t in the manhwa or light novel. While I don’t think this scene was necessary, it does raise an interesting question: Why didn’t it work?
The answer lies in the Elixir of Life’s description in the system. Depending on the translation, it states that the elixir can cure any ailment or disease. However, Cha Hae-in’s condition isn’t caused by a disease—she’s suffering from fatal injuries.
With both the healing potion and the Elixir of Life failing, what options does Jinwoo have left? At this point, he hasn’t met Byung-gu, so he wouldn’t know to use his power. However, Beru, who absorbed Byung-gu’s abilities, could also be the key. That means we’ll have to wait for the final episode of the season to find out. But did anyone else catch that weird whisper when Jinwoo turned around, right before the credits rolled?
How far will Season 2 take us?
Now that the climax of the season is over, and we’re heading into the final episode, I’m really curious about how much further the anime will go before wrapping up. There’s still more to cover after the Jeju Island Raid, and I’m hoping for a satisfying ending that hypes us up for Season 3.
With the excitement for Solo Leveling Season 2 ramping up, catching up or reviewing hints and theories from previous episodes might be a good idea. If you'd like to do so, here's a collection of all of the reviews we've done for Solo Leveling Season 2!
