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You recognize the IP.
You know roughly what it is, and if not, you should have at least a hunch of what to expect of it. This hunch is most certainly correct.
Simple, yet effective power fantasy - one of few actually succesfull examples of one. It knows what it is, delivers, satisfies.
I (mostly) enjoyed reading the original Manhwa. The question is, whether the Anime offers the same.

Any discussion surrounding questions like "Should you watch this show" sounds utterly pointless to me. I believe the show is exceptionally clear as to what it offers and who it caters to. The question I am interrested in answering is ... how did A1 handle adapting a Manhwa.

How does this addaptation differ from what A1 usually produces and if, in the end of the day, adapting a "new medium" offers something unique compared to the previous works of the studio.


-------- You can (not) escape Kirito --------
So how does it fare? Eeeee... not particularly great?
To be frank, as far as first 3 episodes are concerned, there's quite a lot I downright did not enjoy. Things ranging from pacing, directing, voice acting and dialogues - all of those disappoint. Dialogues ar middling, directing painfully stale and a complete opposite of ambitious.
What I want to focus on, however, is the only thing that really matters here. Let's not f*ck around, what REALLY matters is the art. Nothing else comes remotely close to the fundaments of Maslow's pyramid of needs for a show like this.
So how is the art in "Solo Leveling"?
Good, I guess?
It's just A1... again.

The artstyle looks shamefuly generic, completely devoid of the few intricacies, that diversify Manwha from your typical Manga or Anime. Regardless of polish, I hoped they would go with something new, ANYTHING that's not the 'good old A-1 look', but that's precisely what I got. It was apparently too much to ask for.
I know every studio has its style. I don't expect them to pull a 180 here, but then again, you wouldn't call Manwha a complete stylistic 180 from your typical Manga, would you?

BUT THEN... in the stark contrast, stands the opening.
It is, quite honestly, insane. The action and style present there makes the actual series look downright like a bootleg. Pathetic imitation, nothing more. Painfully THICC outlines, clear accent on more stylistic, one could even say somewhat cartoonish presentation. THIS, is how it is supposed to look, at least that's what I believe.
Style, shading, everything in the opening stands in clear visual contrast with the 'usual' A1 slop. Just look at the "weak' version of our protagonist. In the opening he looks, well, nice and somewhat refreshing. In the show he looks like 5th reincarnation of Kirito.

The opening is not the only instance of artistic liberation from A1's visual gulag. There are plenty of moments where "Solo Leveling" is desperately trying to escape its fate and carve itself a specific stylistic identity. In those moments it does succeed, but the shadow of Kirito always looms over...


--------- Go watch it, you most certainly will enjoy it--------
In the end, it doesn't really matter. Nothing I stated above really does to anyone but me and a few of pretentious incels on the internet. As I said in the beginning, if you feel like this show caters to you, there's no reason to NOT give it a try. It's clear as day that it aims to adapt what lies at the core of "Solo Leveling". Shamelessly and effortlessly. In this regard, it undoubtedly succeeds.

But, faithfully adapting a power fantasy comes with some downsides. What I could easily scroll through in the Manwha, now stands in the way. The disposable dialogues and nonsensical chatter I could simply skim through, now bores me to tears. They simply stand out like a sore thumb from what I remember the Manhwa was - a solely hedonistic 'scroll'. The amount of pure endoprhines I could inject myself with in a 30 minute reading session, now became diluted to a few hours of watching.
This simply does not offer what I enjoyed in the original work.

Regardless, it's clear as day that A-1 are betting on this puppy, so despite my lukewarm attitude towards it, I'd receommend keeping an eye on it. It may give you the dopamine you crave so badly if it spreads its wings in the comming episodes.
Just maybe, only time will tell...

"Sakamoto Days" is a manga I don't have much to say about. The quality of its art is commendable, given the weekly release schedule, although it stands in a stark contrast with every other element that constitutes a story. Apart from a couple of good jokes, there's not much to see here.
It is all so… simple, in a boring and simplistic way.
Worst of all, it's surprisingly predictable.
Because Sakamoto is there…


-------- It sets quite a high bar for itself, but never even reaches close to it --------

The beginning is undeniably the best part (taking into consideration 'only' the first 96 chapters). It has an idea, hook ... and most importantly talent and confidence to realize it.
"Sakamoto Days" will without fail drive its fangs deep into you, leaving you wanting more, but that's all it will do.
You will be left wanting more. More action, more stakes! Anything to silence the status quo, to put its characters into dangerous situations where they are deemed to make tough choices, or better yet fail. Anything to make Sakamoto stumble. ANYTHING, to break the monotony of constant fights which outcome is already decided before they begin.
Always, without fail. The outcome stays the same.

This manga sets quite a high bar for itself, but never even reaches close to it. But looking back on it, in all honesty, it never could.


-------- It's not just worse One Punch Man, I swear guys --------

"Sakamot Dasy" is, at its core, an action manga with a comedic spin to one of its main characters - Sakamoto. A near immortal deity (not really) who never EVER fails. He IS the twist. The satire, the walking joke that embarrasses any opponent who's either blinded by his hubris or ignorant enough to face him.
Now, however you spin it, it is UNDENIABLY similar to "One Punch Man".

YES, it touches on different themes and topics, with OPM being way more focused on superhero satire, as well as their morality and what it means to be a good man.
"Sakamoto Days", on the other hand, is not concerned with such things. It better not be, or else it would be a bit too conveniently similar. The problem is, that it doesn't really offer anything else.
Not a single interesting take or twist on the stereotype of a 'classic shounen action manga' is realized well or utilized outside of surface-level puns.

The issues don't stop here, however. For some reason, the OPM/Sakamoto "plot armor" applies to a quite large range of characters in this story. So much so, that you can be almost CERTAIN, that no important character will be going anywhere anytime soon.
It's not that bad, you'll may think to yourself, but may I remind you, this is a story about assassins :|

Now, if that doesn't sound like a big red flag, I don't know what does. But, you may argue that a similar issue can be addressed towards OPM, which you'd be correct to point out. However, in my uninformed, stupid and most certainly ignorant opinion, I find it crucial to stress the monumental difference in use of this "plot armor" in aiding the themes and messaging-intent of those two different stories.


-------- It's just B'read, go read it if you like to look at pretty bread --------

One, uses the "plot armor" as the core component of the story, letting the action focus more on other characters. "One Punch Man's" battles are just as much about the spectacle, as they are about what lies at its TRUE core. What I mean by that, is that the battles are fought not only on a physical plain, but on an emotional one as well. Those two are simultaneously explored and ever-present, discovered and presented to the reader through the eyes of numerous, PAINFULLY MORTAL, side characters.
Arguably, the emotional side of OPM is just as, if not more important, than the enormous stakes of its mouthwatering battles.
That's why "One Punch Man" works.

"Sakamoto Days", as I mentioned previously doesn't touch on those topics. It doesn't on ANY topics which would fit the story. I would NOT say, for example, that commenting on importance of family and being mindful of one's own mortality and one's life's value beyond one's own egotistical desires is fitting for a manga where NONE of its characters are ever challenged, pushed to extremes or faced with any real threat.
This is a message, which may be great and fitting for the story thematically. Because on paper it is. In reality, it falls completely flat as there's nothing to support it or contrast it against.
The characters remain almost completely unchanged throughout its runtime (with very minor exceptions). Their moral compasses never change, they remain adamant. I mean, why wouldn't they? It's not like they face any real turmoil or consequences. Sakamoto is there. Plot armor is there…
There's no danger, no fear.
NO DEATH IN ACTION STORY ABOUT ASSASSINS.
: |


-------- CONCLUSION --------

In my humble, wrong, factually incorrect, moronic, ignorant AND SELF-INDULGENT opinion, it is just another action manga.
It... is pretty? I'll give it that. If you want to look at pretty manga, go read it, you will not be disappointed (although "One Punch Man's" art is league above it, but I wont rub any more salt in this wound).

With how safe the story is, there's nothing to really get excited about. Nothing of major (or arguably even minor) importance ever happens. Ever.
I mean… why would it? Everything is fine.
Sakamoto is there…

"Shiki" is nothing short of a triumph of romanticism and themes. Unfortunate, giving its heavy dedication towards both the poetic side of the story, as well to the element of mystery underlining it.

As a short preface, I need to say that I had a good time and you will too… probably.
Despite my harsh criticism this manga offers some truly remarkable and satisfying moments which simply DEMAND your attention.
Some panels and themes the plot portrays make the boring rest that proceeds them feel like a hundred-page long and somewhat painful edging. But it's kinda worth it. It may not be anything special, but it ... will satisfy you if you're willing to overlook (or simply skip) some of its errors.


----------- It's actually kinda good-----------
I'm not going to spend time dwelling on the premise of a story. There's nothing to say. Vampires. That's f*cking it.
What sets this story apart is it's dedication to the finale it is building up for the majority of the runtime - the inevitable clash between vampires and humans.
The story spends quite a surprising amount of time not focusing on vampires, but humans trying (and mostly failing) to figure out what's causing the sudden increase of deaths in their village. Some of them come to conclusions faster than others, some try to repress the truth. What unites them however, is the never ending spiral running the village dry of its members with each passing day.
It's a molting pot that just waits for something to heat it past its boiling point.

Within this pot - great execution of themes and ideas. What sets "Shiki" apart from the great majority of other similar stories, is its willingness to create hard and concrete rules by which vampires need to abide. In doing so it allows the characters to treat the story equally as a thriller and as a sort of mystery.
And, as befits a good mystery, it progresses and develops REALLY methodically. No convenient assumptions are made along the way and the abundant setup is often used to progress the story in a satisfying manner. It is a rare example of a 'setup' living up to its definition. A rare sight in manga:]
In short, it's poetic, beautiful and mostly logical.
Shocker, I know.


----------- It's actually not that good :| -----------
On the other hand, the lengthy setup doesn't fully validate the sheer amount of panels painstakingly dedicated to it by the author.
Generally, there's a lot of repeating of what we already know - 'we' as the readers, that is. As a result we are stuck in the same beat for a ridiculous amount of time as we see character after character fall prey to a 'mysterious' acute anemia with only a sign of a bite as a common symptom among the sick.
Hundreds of pages are spent dwelling on just WHAT might be causing this, I WONDER...
It's vampires.
We know it's vampires. We know. I know it, you do too, my dog does as well.
The vampiric bite of 87 has happened like ten times already. It MAY be realistic for people to stay oblivious to the presence of the undead... but that doesn't mean it's good.

It's a common problem of the stark difference in the information we possess, as opposed to the characters in the story. Ideally, you'd want to keep this gap to the minimum, but it is definitely not the case here.


----------- And it's sort of slow and boring -----------
Sadly, the 'one-beat problem' isn't the only thing sabotaging the pacing here. It appears, that even in a somewhat small-scale and a concise story as this, there's still plenty of space for filler. Filler, which might not be too bad, yet filler nonetheless.
I liked some of the side stories more than others, with few exceptions that made a genuine impression on me and validated their inclusion. Although I am quite critical of their overbearing presence in the manga, they do contribute towards building a sense of community with each character having their own grievances, grief and reasons behind their actions.
***
On a slightly unrelated note, this story would make an amazing game - a narrative story like "The Forgotten City" where you're thrown into a tight and closed 'ecosystem', having to find out the solution to the problems plaguing the village.
***
Anyways, regardless of their quality there's simply to much beating around the bush for little to no payoff.
Solution? TRIM IT.
Trim the f*cker down to literally 50% of what it is now and you got yourself an absolut banger of a manga. As it stands now, it's practically begging for you to scroll through many of its parts to get to the truly meaningful moments.
To the MEAT of the story - to what lies in the core of its frigid heart and what makes mine beat that much faster.
The actual reason for reading this manga.


----------- READ IT THOUGH -----------
So, let's talk about the ACTUAL reason I'd recommend reading "Shiki" for.
It just so happens, that the vampires are nowhere near the c00lest bunch in the small and humble village of Sotoba, Ozaki is.
Ozaki, the chad Doctor.
Dear Lord... He is a personification of all the negative emotions building up in any person who has spent any time working in medical field. He is tired. He is fed up.
He is perfect.
Dr.Ozaki stands as a lighthouse, a cradle of reason in the village filled with compliance and helplessness. He is an incarnation of a chad who WILL achieve his goals by any means necessary. He IS going to do the 'cool thing' you want him to do. You know… the 'cool thing' you wish a character would do in a manga whenever you read a story like this, but never does due to lack of resolve or confidence on authors side?

Whenever you feel on the fence about dropping the story, don't. Remember, Dr.Ozaki got you covered. Just skip whatever bores you until his beautiful unshaven face appears on the panels once more and does literally anything - it doesn't matter what, as either way it will result in a feeling akin to a 1mg shot of pure atropine.
He resurrects the series multiple times from the ditch it often falls into after getting shit-face drunk with pointless side stories.
Yes.
He single-handedly carries this shit.


----------- But like, don't expect too much from it -----------
Sadly, just like in real life, characters aren't created equal so you should not expect anyone else to come close the absurd heights of Dr.Ozaki.
Even though, given the lengthy setup in the first act there's plenty of characters with a good deal of care put into them. Many have their own little stories to tell and connections to other characters which slowly build towards a resolution. One that unfortunately often doesn't come to fruition.
For example - Tooru (I think?), the blonde dude. He, his relation to Natsuo, and then (spoiler), the reality of becoming a vampire and having to bear responsibility for 'killing' your friend - they ALL get heavily developed in the first half. Good stuff. Genuinely. But after all the cards are laid down in front of us and we are left waiting to see what happens to them next… nothing really happens. Manga sort of 'forgets' about both of them for quite a while, only to reunite them for a few-pages long exchange which leaves no imprint on their relationship.
In the end, like most vampires, Tooru meets his end staying somewhat truthful to his humanity letting himself be killed and buried together with his regrets.
It may sound interesting by the way I'm describing it, but believe me, it really lacks proper send-off.

Or how about Megumi? Afterall, she is the star of the excellent prologue sequence. Well, not much. She quickly gets used to the whole morbin' situation and after shit hits the fan she decides to escape. She almost does, but meets Natuso. She stops… and proceeds to be f*cking run over by the car.
How you couldn't give us a proper dialogue between those two is... I mean it's just confusing to me. After putting so much stress and care into weaving the dynamic between them into the story? Megumi stalking Natsuo both as a human and vampire was a brilliant maneuver, one of my favorite in the whole manga. This tension, that has built up between the two of them, simply demands some resolution.

And what about our protagonist, Natsuo? He becomes a tool. A good, well set up plot device, but nothing more. With little to say or add to the story after his 'passing', with his ambitions unfulfilled, and with his relations with others left hanging… It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that all those issues bring the purpose of his presence in the story into question.



----------- CONCLUSION -----------
I could keep going. I have not touched on plenty of other major characters, events or even core message "Shiki" tries to get across. Mostly because I don't really like most of it, but also because I don't find it bad enough to mention here. I wouldn't say it is worth dwelling on the negatives too much in this case, as the whole experience was genuinely quite entertaining.
I am well aware that 80% of this review is negative.
The bottom line is, that if you don't mind some classic 2000' cheese and none of my points seem like a deal breakers, give it a try. Maybe it will surprise you, just as it has surprised me.