Solo Leveling And Black Clover Prove Shonen Audiences Hate Training Arcs Now

Daksh Chaudhary
Apr 30
3 min read

Remember when every big shonen anime or manga had a training arc? Like Naruto mastering Sage Mode or Goku lifting weights in 100x gravity - those episodes were hype because they showed the grind behind the power-ups. But times have changed. Look at modern hits like Solo Leveling and Black Clover. Their heroes don’t stop to train for three episodes. Instead, they level up mid-fight, and fans are eating it up.

So why are classic training arcs disappearing? It’s simple: Audiences today want speed, spectacle, and constant progression. No one has the patience for a hero to hide in the woods for weeks to get stronger. Solo Leveling’s Sung Jin-Woo gains power by surviving life-or-death battles, while Black Clover’s Asta unlocks new forms by screaming louder in a fight.

ALSO READ: Yuno’s Waste Of Potential: How Black Clover Failed Its Rival?

The Death Of The Classic Training Arc

Back in the day, training arcs were a rite of passage. They gave heroes like Ichigo or Luffy time to grow, and fans loved seeing the sweat behind the strength. But these arcs had a downside: They slowed the story. Imagine if Solo Leveling paused for Jin-Woo to do push-ups for five chapters instead of diving into dungeons. Or if Asta trained quietly instead of pulling anti-magic swords out of nowhere during a demon attack. Boring, right?

Modern shonen series skip the montage. Black Clover doesn’t make Asta earn his Black Asta form through meditation; it happens when his rage and desperation peak. Similarly, Jin-Woo in Solo Leveling doesn’t train; the System forces him to adapt or die. Audiences now prefer this learn on the job style. Why wait for growth when you can watch it happen while the world’s ending?

Power-Ups Over Practice: The New Formula

Let’s be honest: Training arcs in anime worked because they made power-ups feel deserved. But shows like Jujutsu Kaisen, Solo Leveling, and Black Clover found a cheat code. Jin-Woo’s entire strength comes from the System. He doesn’t train; he survives, and suddenly becomes powerful.

Black Clover does the same. Asta’s anti-magic isn’t something he practices; it’s a reactive power that evolves through willpower. His Devil Union form? Unlocked during a battle with the Dark Triad, not in a quiet forest. These moments feel more exciting because the power-up happens in real time. Fans don’t need a tutorial; they want the hero to shout, glow, and smash the villain now.

Why Audiences Love The Change?

The biggest reason for this shift? Short attention spans. Older fans had time to invest in slow burns, but newer audiences raised on TikTok and YouTube crave constant movement. Solo Leveling’s rapid pacing, where Jinwoo goes from weakest to strongest in no time, hooks fans immediately. Even Black Clover, which does have slower moments, front-loads its fights with explosive upgrades.

While modern anime eliminates the training arcs, they don't sacrifice the emotional moments.

Like when Asta first goes Black, Asta: he’s down, his friends are in danger, and suddenly his power explodes. Same with Jin-Woo’s “Arise” scene or his moments with his mother. These moments feel powerful amid all the rapid pacing.

Final Verdict: Training Arcs Aren’t Dead In Modern Anime - Just Evolving

Don’t get it twisted: training arcs aren’t extinct. Even Black Clover has quick training sessions, but they’re shorter and tied to immediate threats. The difference is efficiency. Modern shonen condenses growth into riskier moments because audiences want story and spectacle without the downtime.

Solo Leveling and Black Clover prove that today’s fans don’t hate characters getting stronger; they hate waiting for it. As long as shonen keeps the action hot and the power-ups hotter, training arcs will stay in the past, right where audiences left them.