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With the first season of its anime currently being premiered around the world, fans of Chugong's magnum opus have taken an instant liking to the Solo Leveling characters. However, the news of the first season only having 12 episodes has left some fans disappointed, who cannot wait to see Sung Jin-Woo's story fully unfold on screen.
Following the release of its highly anticipated anime adaptation, Chugong's Solo Leveling series is currently at the peak of its popularity. As such, several viewers who were captivated by the first two episodes of the anime are now opting to check out the source material instead of waiting for the episodes to arrive. This led to a surge in the popularity of several Solo Leveling characters, who made the series as compelling and popular as it is today.
With that in mind, let's look at the 10 most important Solo Leveling characters who have left an indelible mark on the series with their presence and individual storylines.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Solo Leveling manhwa. Reader's discretion is advised.
Top 10 most important Solo Leveling characters
10) Ashborn
As the First and Original Shadow Monarch, Ashborn is one of the most important Solo Leveling characters. Despite being introduced towards the end of the story, he was revealed to be the main reason behind Sung Jin-Woo's endless strength.
Once known as the Greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light, Ashborn was revered as the Strongest Ruler. He was fiercely loyal to the Absolute Being, despite learning about the truth behind his existence. He got the powers of the Shadow Monarch, aka the ability to rule over the dead, after the demise of the Absolute Being at the hands of the other Rulers.
After growing tired of the endless bloodshed between the Monarchs and the Rulers, Ashborn decided to hand over his powers to Jin-Woo in hopes that he would be the one to put an end to the never-ending war.
9) Antares
Upon his introduction towards the end of the main story of the Solo Leveling manhwa, Antares, aka the Dragon King, was revealed to be the main antagonist of the story. As the Monarch of Destruction, he was the strongest as well as the oldest Monarch.
During his fight against Sung Jin-Woo, Antares displayed a wide range of abilities and powers that initially overwhelmed his opponent. The sole purpose behind his existence in the story was to cause death and destruction, which seems like a fitting motivation for just about any antagonist.
8) Thomas Andre
Thomas Andre, as the strongest Nation Level Hunter, is undoubtedly one of the most significant Solo Leveling characters. Despite being initially introduced as an overly proud and arrogant character who did as he pleased, Andre eventually evolved into one of the most popular and beloved characters following his fight against Jin-Woo.
He was perhaps the only human who was able to inflict some form of damage to the Beast Monarch during their fight and proved to be worthy of his title as a Nation Level Hunter.
7) Yoo Jin-Ho
Despite being a D-rank Hunter who possesses no significant combat or magical abilities, Yoo Jin-Ho is one of the most important Solo Leveling characters, mainly due to his connection to Sung Jin-Woo. He idolizes Jin-Woo and even considers him to be his older brother.
Jin-Ho has stuck by Jin-Woo's side ever since he first encountered him in a dungeon. As the story progressed, he became one of the most important people in the latter's life. He is often considered by fans as the human side of Jin-Woo's hunter life.
6) Woo Jin-Chul
Initially being introduced as the Chief Inspector of the Korean Hunter Association's Surveillance Team, Woo Jin-Chul eventually grows into one of the central Solo Leveling characters and one of the few people close to Sung Jin-Woo.
He has been portrayed throughout the series as a stoic man who only believes in facts. However, he went on to show a caring and genuine side of himself as the story progressed, even being the first person to regain his memory in the new timeline created by Jin-Woo.
5) Sung Il-Hwan
As one would expect, Sung Jin-Woo's father, Sung Il-Hwan, would certainly be one of the most important Solo Leveling characters, despite his limited appearances. His disappearance from his son's life is what forced the latter to become a Hunter to look after his family.
As it was later revealed in the story, Il-Hwan was unable to exit a Dungeon in time and was trapped there for several years. However, one day, the Rulers found him and granted him the power to carry out their orders.
Although he was initially ordered to exterminate the Shadow Monarch, who resided inside his son, Il-Hwan was eventually given a new order - to protect the Shadow Monarch. As such, he put his life on the line to save his son during his battle against the Frost Monarch and the Beast Monarch later on in the story.
4) Igris
Igris is a shadow of the former Blood-Red Commander Igris, who was once a loyal soldier of the First Shadow Monarch. After being defeated by Sung Jin-Woo in combat, Igris became one of the first Shadow Soldiers of the former.
Despite being obligated to serve Jin-Woo as his master, Igris has been shown to consider him a friend as well. After fighting countless battles together throughout the story, the bond between Igris and Jin-Woo has certainly strengthened, as the former became one of the most trusted soldiers of the latter.
3) Go Gun-Hee
As the Chairman of the Korean Hunters Association, Go Gun-Hee is an S-Rank Hunter who has been seen to be one of the most powerful and influential people in the story.
Throughout the story, he has been portrayed as a central character and an ally of Sung Jin-Woo. He was once revered as the strongest Hunter in Korea. However, his old age eventually caught up to him, due to which he had to retire only after a few years as a Hunter.
2) Cha Hae-In
As one of Korea's ten S-Rank Hunters, Cha Hae-In is one of the most important Solo Leveling characters. When she was first introduced to the story, she was seen carrying around a handkerchief with her, as she was one of the few people who was aware of the stench that usually comes from the Hunters.
She initially took a liking to Sung Jin-Woo after being saved by him a couple of times. Although the main story does not see them get into a relationship due to their profession, they eventually end up together in the new timeline created by Jin-Woo.
1) Sung Jin-Woo
As the protagonist of the series, Sung Jin-Woo is without a doubt the most important and compelling Solo Leveling character. His journey from the Weakest Hunter in the world to the Second Shadow Monarch has been nothing short of a spectacle and has captivated fans all over the world.
By the end of the series, he had surpassed his predecessor to the extent that even the Rulers started to fear him. His desperate will to survive and never-ending determination resonated with fans all over the world, who continue to hail him as one of the greatest manhwa protagonists of all time.
Final Thoughts
Fans of the series are eagerly awaiting to see their favorite Solo Leveling characters get fleshed out in the ongoing anime adaptation. These characters stand out the most not simply based on their appearances in the story but rather due to their importance to the overall narrative.
