Summary
- J Balvin’s voice acting as Kargalgan in Solo Leveling’s English dub received criticism from fans, questioning the casting choice.
- Viewers found it challenging to understand Balvin’s dialogue, feeling it lacked passion and was uninspired.
- Kargalgan’s pivotal episode, praised for breaking records, did not translate well in the English dub due to Balvin’s performance.
English fans of Solo leveling have had much to celebrate as the English-dubbed version has received a very positive response, the voice cast being one of its best aspects, especially Aleks Le and his infamous phrase ARISE. However, one particular decision regarding the casting list has caused controversy among the fans of the show. Colombian singer J Balvin was selected as the voice actor for one of the show’s main antagonists, named Kargalgan in English translations, and the fans were not happy.
Celebrities featuring in anime voiceovers are not uncommon; the choice of Balvin caused quite a stir from the very beginning. Some people wondered why a non-voice actor and non-native would be cast for a role for which he was expected to give a powerful delivery. However, as the episode was released, those concerns seemed to magnify and fans of the show were not happy with it and said that it was one of the worst anime dubs.
Interview With Aleks Le, Sung Jinwoo From Solo Leveling & ADR Director Caitlin Glass
We got the chance to sit down with Sung Jinwoo and ADR Director Caitlin Glass to chat about their experiences in the recording booth of Solo Leveling.
J Balvin’s Kargalgan Dub Draws Heavy Criticism from Fans
Viewers Struggle to Understand Dialogue and Question-Casting Choice
Following the episode that involved Kargalgan being dragged from the show, the main source of feedback, social media combined with Reddit, took a negative turn. It drew the fans’ attention to the fact that Balvin was not very articulate, and the fans could barely understand what he was saying. The biggest criticism was that, because he was not used to voice acting, he was able to produce a dull and uninspired performance that did not reflect the passion of the character.
It was also criticized by fans that there was not a proper voice actor given for the role because the English-dubbed version of Solo Leveling had been highly appreciated before that. There are those who said that this was an attempt at marketing and that Balvin was not the most qualified to be cast. Although it’s not all bad, some fans did appreciate him giving it a try, as voice-acting a character fueled with rage and thirst for blood is not an easy job.
Kargalgan’s Role: A Minor Character with a Major Episode
An Episode That Broke Records In Subs, Deserved The Same In Dubs
Although Kargalgan is not one of the main characters who appears in multiple episodes, his episode and fight with Jinwoo were one of the best of the show till that point, and his shadow does become a permanent part of Jinwoo’s shadow army and, till the end, remains one of his strongest mage. Episode 6 was vastly praised and even set some records regarding streaming, thus placing the show Solo Leveling even higher as an anime adaptation. But fans were let down as this moment was not depicted as such in the English dub, which otherwise could have made it much more appealing.
Nevertheless, Solo Leveling is perhaps one of the most beloved anime of 2025 and more thrilling episodes are yet to be released. Fans are hopeful that future casting decisions will focus more on performance quality, ensuring that each character gets the voice they deserve.
Source: Reddit, Otaku Insider’ X
Solo Leveling
- Release Date
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January 7, 2024
- Directors
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Shunsuke Nakashige
- Writers
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Noboru Kimura
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Taito Ban
Shun Mizushino (voice)
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Genta Nakamura
Kenta Morobishi (voice)
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