エピソード1の紹介
I'm nervous. I'm nervous. It's gonna be really, really bad.
Yeah. Well, we'll find out.
The hard way.
We don't know, like, until we try, right?
That's true.
Like this guy, this guy never gives up.
I spent the whole episode talking about how he should give up.
So, um, maybe I should take my own advice.
Welcome back to 2AM OTTACK! I am your host, Bayu, a born and raised Japanese non-otaku, and...
I'm Cisco, an American otaku.
In this podcast, we share our reviews of anime and manga through our distinct perspectives with commentary on Japanese culture, history, and language.
Cisco, we are trying something we have never done before today.
Yeah.
I know it has been a thing, and then now it is our turn to try to see how it will turn out in our version.
I'm nervous.
So we are doing our first reaction podcast of Solo Levering Episode 1.
Okay.
I know it's a really popular anime, and heard the name multiple times before, yet we have never watched it before.
Yeah, I feel like I read the very beginning of this manhwa, because I think it's a Korean author, right?
That's what you told me. That's the only information I have.
Oh, wow. Okay, well, I feel like I read like chapter one, but I don't think I got past the first chapter of it.
So I don't really know that much about what's coming either.
It's going to be interesting.
We usually take time and think what we're going to talk about.
I'm a little bit worried and nervous how it's going to go, because we might be kind of raw and really honest of what we're going to say.
Oh, you're like afraid we're going to hate it and not pull any punches?
It's like, what is this? Like, I don't know. I don't know what's going to be like.
We're going to be too honest.
Okay.
Yeah, that's my concern.
And another concern is like too much focusing on anime and not talking.
Just silence?
Yeah.
I am worrisome about it, but I don't think you have.
Not as much as you.
Right.
We'll fix it in post.
All right.
Before we start, make sure to subscribe and follow 2AMOTOCK on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
More support, more episodes.
All right.
アニメの視聴に向けて
So we're going to play the solo leveling on Netflix.
All right.
We're going to count down from three to one.
Oh, so you can like watch along with us?
If anybody would like to do it.
Oh, that's bold. Okay.
I mean, I feel like at this point, a lot of people have seen this anime.
Okay.
So if you like to rewatch again with us, with our commentary, and you might get annoyed by us.
Definitely. Okay.
That's one way to enjoy the episode again.
All right.
All right. Shall we try?
Sure.
All right. Ready?
We've queued it up to be the zero second mark.
And here we go in three, two, one.
Unpause.
Dun, dun, dun.
Three years ago.
Island.
Okay.
Explosion.
Three years ago.
Some cruisers shelled an island for no reason.
Oh, God.
It's in Japanese.
I'm so screwed.
Are these guys are Americans, right?
They're just speaking Japanese?
エピソードの冒頭
I can't see their faces.
Oh, somebody's running.
Oh, just by cockroach?
It's an ant?
No, it's definitely like a red ant.
Oh, okay.
How come they've got battleships, but these dudes are fighting with swords?
I don't know.
Oh, shoot.
Wow, that's a lot of ants.
That is a nightmare.
Oh, my God, don't.
So we're commentating in English, but this is only available on Japanese Netflix.
戦闘シーンの描写
Oh, man, those fireballs did not work at all.
Everywhere.
Oh, man, these are man-eating ants, I guess.
My worry is what if one of them are pregnant?
What, the ants or the people?
Yeah, the ants.
And then once you break it, like millions of ants.
That would be pretty bad.
That's not how ants work, I'm pretty sure, but what?
Who's that?
Didn't that other guy just get eaten by an ant?
He's like, oh, he has a magic spell.
Oh, cool.
Healing.
Also, why does this world have, like, the Navy?
Oh, no.
Minobe-kun.
I'm not sure electricity is, like, real strong against ants, honestly.
Look at that.
He's, like, not even, like, cutting them open or anything.
He's just sort of punching them.
Kicking, punching.
I mean, I guess he does seem pretty strong, but.
Escuta.
Dude.
What is that?
I already don't like this character.
I'm not sure I like any of these characters yet, though.
Look at that white one.
It's the queen ant.
Queen ant.
The worst ones are always white.
No, it's not boss.
Okay, it's a leader.
Go.
His name's Go?
Yeah.
Tiger.
And his name's Tiger?
Tiger.
Yeah, okay.
All right.
Like a fighting scene.
I mean, the animation's pretty good.
Yeah, it is.
So far.
Oh, my God.
Look at.
Oh, shoot.
Oh, he just ripped his teeth out?
Oh, it looks like he just made it mad.
Green blood.
Yeah.
Oh, shoot.
Really, you should have been using that move from the beginning, Homie.
Look at the six pack.
Yeah.
Oh, man.
There's a lot more.
Okay.
They're a bunch.
I feel like.
Whoa.
What's happening with him?
He's releasing his Berserker power.
A wolverine.
I was thinking Vega or what's his name in English?
That guy from Street Fighter.
But not with the claws like that.
Really?
Yeah.
His name is Vega in Japanese Street Fighter.
Their ants are everywhere.
Yeah.
Who's the dude back?
I guess it's realistic that ants are the biggest problem in this fantasy world, right?
Dude with glasses.
Also, fireworks on the ants.
Doesn't it seem like the cannons would work on the ants also?
Who's this?
Mogami.
Also, aren't these guys just going to get wrecked by these ants?
Probably.
ナレーションとキャラクターの評価
Okay.
Narration.
I see.
Of course.
Kaiju.
Wait.
Monsters are bulletproof, but not sword proof.
Okay.
Yeah.
Of course.
They're ranked.
All right.
Ranking.
Okay.
But if you're E rank hunter, shouldn't you just like not be a hunter though?
Yeah.
Well.
時間の経過と状況の変化
Like may find another regular job or something?
That's the point.
Okay.
Three years later.
Three years later.
What?
It was three years ago, right?
Yeah.
But then did they said like, it was like 15 years before or something or like many years
before.
And then it was three years later again.
Like, is this three years later from the first scene?
Or the same time as the first?
Okay.
It looks peaceful.
Sort of.
Except there's a gate in the building.
There's a food truck.
Nice.
But they don't seem that worried.
No.
Also food trucks.
Mm-hmm.
So everyone just walks around with lethal weapons all the time now?
I guess.
Okay.
And really weird hairstyles.
Very unique.
Okay.
Raid.
I don't think this guy's important.
They're not going to keep him in the show.
主なキャラクターの紹介
Hmm.
Mizushino-kun.
Also.
Oh, this is the main guy?
This is the main character.
Yeah, for sure.
And you can tell because he's nervous.
He looks like a relatable character.
He looks like relatable?
Mm-hmm.
Character.
Like a person.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Saijaku heiki.
Well then, like, why?
The weakest.
I mean.
Okay.
I don't get it.
He's the weakest.
Then why?
I mean, surely the weakest just quits regularly, right?
Mm-hmm.
Like, if you're, like, the worst at anything.
Like, you clearly quit at that thing and give up and go do something else, right?
Usually, yes.
But he doesn't give up.
Why not?
I mean, he could just work for the food truck.
Oh, this is maybe why.
He's hot for this girl.
She's.
She's pretty.
Do you like her outfit?
It's kind of interesting, you know?
Yeah.
I have a hard time figuring out how warm or cold it is in this world.
Hmm.
That's true.
It's like early spring, right?
A nice voice.
Yeah.
Kind of a weird hairstyle.
Who?
The girl?
The girl, yeah.
Well, yeah.
Is this guy dying his hair?
Is he wearing a wig or something?
Because, like, his side hair was black, but his top hair was brown.
It's anime.
Okay?
I mean, yeah, but.
Okay.
The main character has, like, the most non-regular hairstyle.
Naturally.
That's why he's the main character.
Yeah.
Is it like Deku in My Hero Academia?
Wait, what?
Deku.
Oh, the main guy?
Really?
I don't know.
That's my impression.
Oh, because he's, like, so weak?
Yeah.
Yeah, I guess that's a good point.
Oh, okay.
Kyoko's early.
He's motivated, so that's good.
What's he going to try to do today?
Kill a monster?
Practice.
Practice?
Training.
This doesn't.
Okay.
Dungeon break.
What's a dungeon break?
I don't know.
Take a break from the dungeons?
Woof, this guy's got some scars.
Okay.
They make money in the dungeon?
Breaking dungeon.
Breaking in dungeon.
Like, they dance?
Huh?
Oh.
That looks cool.
Magic stones.
魔法の石とハンターの世界
That?
What do the magic stones do?
What is that?
Oh, what happened?
They use them for energy now, in the future?
Oh, that's what he's doing.
Oh, oh.
Oh, those.
Oh, my God.
Should've bought a better knife.
He doesn't have any armor or anything, just like himself.
He couldn't afford any armor.
Oh.
Okay.
And you're dead.
Oh, shoot.
What's going to happen?
I think you're dead, right?
Why is she there?
Why is she there?
She's a hunter, too.
Okay, but she's not helping.
Oh, and you're dead.
What?
Oh, she must be the healer.
Oh, okay.
I see.
All right.
Oh, okay.
Got it.
You get hurt, but you get healed.
But apparently not that well, if he's still got bandages on his frickin' face.
That's the fashion.
Okay.
Everybody's doing well.
Everybody else is so cool.
I know.
I'm so lame.
Oh, look at all the collection.
Okay.
So you use the magic stones to become items?
Yeah.
That's pretty basic.
Okay.
Uh-huh.
Government?
Oh.
Of course it's that.
Is it sustainable?
I mean, it's impossible to tell, right?
We don't have any information on the ecology of the dungeon.
Okay.
No pollution.
A clean energy.
That's good.
Yeah.
Okay, but this has got to be...
Yeah, this is like a really high employment business, basically, right?
This is great.
I wish this were real.
Would you do this?
Uh...
No, I wouldn't.
Why not?
I don't want to get killed.
Dude, there's like healing magic.
I don't want to feel pain.
Oh.
No.
Just be a healer.
Oh, maybe, but you get killed.
Obviously, he's doing that.
Exactly.
I know.
She's worried.
Oh, she's pissed.
Yeah, she has a crush on him.
She's like, don't make me do more work.
Look at the wolf.
Did he at least keep the sword?
What? Who?
Him.
That almost like cut him in half.
So...
Oh.
Yes.
You got something.
What about the sword?
He's not keeping the sword?
I don't get it.
I don't know.
They look like a regular campers.
Yeah.
I don't understand why they're not wearing armor.
Right.
Yeah.
And like what?
Like human made armor isn't good enough.
They need like magic armor.
I don't know.
Whatever.
Maybe.
So they don't even try.
I mean, yeah, it doesn't feel like you're like beefy.
Like, you know, puffy jacket is going to help you fight goblins.
You know what I mean?
I don't understand why the guns don't work, though.
That doesn't make sense to me.
And like, we have like non-gun weapons.
Like they could be using like napalm or like flamethrowers or like...
Stop talking.
Oh my god.
I can't focus.
I'm ripping you apart.
Oh my god.
I'm not even attempting to pay attention, by the way.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
So they're arguing about whether to go in the tunnel, right?
Yeah.
Okay.
Democracy.
Really?
主人公の成長と試練
Yeah.
Why don't you just...
Hey, girl.
Yeah, what's going to happen to that?
Oh.
Yeah, dude.
Dude.
Why would you go on?
Yes.
He would have said yes.
He's definitely going to say yes because he's an idiot.
Oh.
Something happened to his mom and dad.
Okay.
He needs money.
If you die, you don't get any more money, my friend.
That's true.
He is a very motivated person.
Yeah.
I'll give that.
Whoa.
Look at the gigantic ball.
Okay, this is cool.
Oh, I wouldn't touch it.
They're going to find out what rank he is from this, right?
Oh, really?
Yeah, for sure.
This is how you find out what your rank is.
That's his sister, probably.
Right?
I don't know.
Huh.
Interesting.
Hmm.
I feel like they probably should have been like,
Hey, if you're E rank, like you don't like qualify to like be in this.
Hmm.
Right?
Mm hmm.
Those are recruiter.
Look at the thing.
Okay.
So this is like the big evil corporation, clearly.
Right?
Come on.
Somebody use you like your fire magic or something.
Right?
Oh, there you go.
Here we go.
Use your shield magic.
No, just kidding.
Whoa.
Apparently it's your butt magic.
Just kidding.
Stop.
Girl.
Oh, she's a good.
Oh, she's just a random girl.
No, she's, she's, she's SQ Hunter.
How do they know that right away?
Just from like her moves.
Yeah.
Or face.
She's actually someone famous.
She's celebrity.
Look how high she can jump.
Yeah.
What?
Okay.
Now she's just showing off on purpose.
Right?
Like, Oh my God, everybody's here.
I have to show off more.
Okay.
That was Shizuku.
Shizuku.
Shizuku was hired by those corporation.
Oh God.
I got it.
Cave.
I like cave.
So what's he fighting with now that he broke his only knife?
Good question.
I don't know.
That's maybe they have extra weapons.
Somebody has.
Okay.
They like lending it to him.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Dude.
It's like, I wonder if like using their magic makes them feel tired.
Okay.
She's interested in.
Yeah.
You can't afford it.
Hmm.
Boss.
Boss battle.
Okay.
That's huge.
That's a pretty big battle.
I mean, but door.
There we go.
Hmm.
Table.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Hmm.
Table.
You guys like got a bunch of stuff from fighting the goblins and stuff.
They need the big one.
Okay.
Look at the cleavage.
Oh, I was like, I missed the cleavage.
Somehow.
It's impossible.
He'll me.
Hmm.
Look at the older books behind him.
That's a, yeah, it's definitely the sister who's supposed to be going to college, but
also becoming a hunter because her brother sucks at his job maybe he should go to college
gates laid what laid what stayed i have no idea okay what did he say
why i could just don't be too confident with yourself maybe oh yeah maybe you guys should
異次元への挑戦
not go in there yeah they're gonna start moving around and then killing probably yeah they're
giants yeah that guy looks bad attack on titan you don't know what that is no no i don't it
is giving me some elden ring vibes though okay what what is are they looking for they're looking
for the boss boss okay hmm latin no wow you learned how to read this okay of course he can't read
okay it's all about god
okay look it's crying
of course yeah oh no that is scary
well you guys should have voted against going in here i guess
oh they're locked in yes girl do you think if they die the company has to like uh pay out to
the families or like do you think they signed a waiver what kind of waiver like uh you know
i understand this job might result in my death because i'm traveling to another dimension to
fight monster oh damn and he's dead whoa yeah okay i don't think the healer is gonna like be
able to help you with that my man all right decapitated yikes oh they're gonna wake up
everybody's gonna wake up yes oh i don't think you can wake up i think they're in another dimension
they have to go back through the gate oh okay dude you're screwed yeah that's what you're
thinking about his rank oh well at least it's not attacking you if you don't try to open the door
yeah okay what is he going to do what's going to happen
hmm
yeah behind you i think they're definitely like toast
dead he's lucky yeah oh it's a raid that's what's a raid so raid is like in a video game when you
like go into a dungeon to like get loot from the dungeon it's like a i feel like i started hearing
it around the time like destiny came out destiny definitely has raids but i feel like actually you
know what i think maybe it goes back farther than that like final fantasy 11 like you go into like
specific dungeons to like raid them and like get stuff so that's like definitely where this is
pulling from okay okay wow okay yeah how did you wear those shoes out that way that quickly
yeah those monsters dude so he's like elusive oh snap that's bad he's good at running away
that's his like special skill it's an elusive samurai he's definitely not a samurai he might
regular guy
hey at least you saved your like girlfriend oh i would die immediately
yeah in this case probably yeah i would be like take me yeah yeah because
you didn't notice until now i was gonna be like oh yeah oh is this are we getting in oh that's it
well i'm trying to talk through the whole thing really made it go by faster kind of short
no it was not yeah okay listen to the music this is opening or ending right
we didn't hear it opening we didn't it could be either one
okay this is sounds really like k-pop k-pop yeah who's who's singing
okay i don't know there's no animation yeah there do you think this can be the opening or the closing
oh i don't know is there anything watch credits yeah it's level by tomorrow japanese guy tomorrow
cross together i don't know and benjamin he was one of the people who wrote the song okay
第1話の反応
it really sounds like k-pop really yeah it's definitely like it gets the idea i well i respect
that you know they're like paying tribute to it's like okay you know korean rap rap rap
rap rap really
yeah it was english the whole rap was english yeah it was english oh man
okay okay uh if i had one more chance yeah okay are we gonna give it one more chance
probably yeah oh really you liked it it was interesting did you like reacting to it or did
you like i like i like i'm surprised how much you can talk and i can't focus
sorry yeah i tried to react like more to the ideas than to the um actual just animation okay
also yeah i can't like listen to and read japanese and speak in english at the same time so
but more or less more more or less you understood the story well i i mean i did
read this in the version so you already kind of like i have a i know a little bit more than just
this i'm like i i think i know what happens in the next episode too okay all right what did you
think i think i liked the anime about as much as i like the manga okay which is to say like
like it was better than i thought it was gonna be okay um but i don't know that it's like really
what i would consider up my alley you know what i mean like it's a little bit too stereotypically
isekai for me you know and like i don't know like i guess the story could get good but if the story
is like mostly him like being in dungeons and like saving chicks who have crushes on him like
there's gonna be a point at which i'm like like i've seen this before you know so i'll like yeah
i guess i can give it one more chance but like here's here's what i'll say if there's a lot more
stuff about like the government and the using of the magic stones as an energy source and like some
social commentary here about like hierarchy and ranking people and like especially if like it
stops being about going to dungeons and all and he just like leads like a communist revolution or
something then i would love this show but if it's like if all that's just sort of accepted and like
taken for granted and like not critiqued at all i think i'm gonna find it kind of boring i see
i see well i was just curious about the relationship between the main dude and the
girl yeah i'm not that curious about that relationship and and how it's gonna he's gonna
level up only by himself yeah i mean i know that part so oh okay that comes out like really soon
really soon okay got it all right i wonder how it turned out i'm looking forward to listening
again what we talked without any sound of this uh episode and also leveling as episode uh let us
know what you thought about this style it's not good or it's fun what i'm i i'm nervous
i'm nervous it's gonna be really really bad yeah well we'll find out we'll find out
we don't know like until we try right that's true right like this guy this guy never gives up
i spent the whole episode talking about how he should give up so um maybe i should take my own
advice all right that's the end thank you so much for listening to this week's episode if you liked
this week's episode please give us good reviews on spotify and apple podcast or like and leave a
comment on youtube make sure to subscribe and follow 2am otaku and 3am otaku it'll keep us
making more fun episodes see you next time for more 2am otaku bye
