From Light Novel To Anime Sensation: ‘Solo Leveling’ Producer And Action Director Discuss The Breakout Hit [Video]

First a light novel and a webtoon, Solo Leveling has been on every anime fans’ lips this year, as its first season produced by A-1 Pictures and Aniplex rolled out globally on Crunchyroll in January.

While working on the second season and in the midst of their world tour going from one anime expo to another, the creative team stopped in Paris a few weeks ago for Japan Expo 2024, providing a rare occasion to dive deeper into anime production. There, fans and professionals alike had the chance to chat for over an hour with Atsushi Kaneko, producer at A-1 Pictures, and Yoshihiro Kanno, action director and key animator.

For their team, it was the first time they had adapted a webtoon. Kaneko, who’s been with A-1 Pictures for over ten years, recalled how the project came to him: “The idea was brought to me by Mr. Sota Furuhashi [producer in charge of Solo Levelingat Aniplex] back in 2020. I …