This list contains spoilers for the Solo Leveling manhwa!
Summary
Solo Levelingis the story of an underdogwho went on to achieve godlike powers and fought some of the most frightening monsters in existence for the greater good. While most such stories of larger-than-life heroes also give other characters a chance to shine,Solo Levelingishyper-focused on Sung Jinwoo’s ascensionto the point that most characters just feel like a stepping stone in his heroic journey.
Throughout the series, there are several interesting characters introduced who could have potentially made a much bigger impact and added more depth to the overall narrative. But they either died too soon or were completely forgotten.
7Song Chi-Yul
Double Dungeon Survivor
Song Chi-Yulled the doomed raid partyinto the Double Dungeon. While he might have had his shortcomings as a leader, he was dedicated to his comrades and was even willing to die on the altar to save others. Following the tragic incident, Chi-Yul took part in another raid during which Kang Taeshik targeted the entire group. Showing incredible courage, and with just one army, he fought the corrupt inspector to protect Jinwoo and Joohee.
I’d like to spend what I have left contributing to society.
While he was present during two separate incidents, Chi-Yul’s overall role in the story was very limited. He had initially guided Jinwoo and could have been a fatherly figure to him as he came to terms with the godlike powers he eventually went on to achieve. Chi-Yul was the perfect human being to give Jinwoo the wisdom and emotional grounding he needed as he dealt with morally complex issues.
6Kamish
The First S-Rank Dungeon Boss
Kamishwas arguably one of the strongestmagic beasts in the manhwa. While the series alluded to his battle with National Level Hunters, it is unclear how the events actually transpired, as the incident was not covered in detail.
Jinwoo tried to add Kamishto his shadow army, but to no avail. Someone as powerful as Kamish could have made a much larger impact had he been given more attention in the story. He could even have been a better villain than the Ant King.
5Lee Joohee
Sung Jinwoo’s Friend
Lee Jooheeis a kind and compassionateyoung woman who always looked out for Sung Jinwoo. Even when he was struggling as an E-ranker, she made sure he had company and even saved his life on several occasions. A lot of fans shipped Jinwoo with Joohee because of their close bond, but things never developed beyond friendship.
Joohee did not appear much throughout the series once Sung started leveling up. While she was obviously not a strong hunter, she could have still been a great friend to Jinwoo and helped him like Yoo Jinho.
4Goto Ryuji
Japan’s Strongest Hunter
Goto Ryujiwas introduced as Japan’s greatest hunterand the leader of Asia’s second-largest guild, known as the Draw Sword Guild. Like most fighter-class hunters, he was a ruthless fighter who liked to put his rivals on the back foot from the get-go.
On Jeju Island, Ryuji was leading the Japanese contingent to ensure that their Korean counterparts had no problem killing the Ant Queen. While things initially happened as planned, Ant King’s unexpected attack took everyone by surprise. In such a circumstance, Goto should have put up a fight that was worthy of his stature, but he died a pathetic death that unfortunately undermined his reputation and made him seem too ordinary. Ryuji could have been a great villain, but he ended up gettingovershadowed by the Ant King.
3Liu Zhigang
China’s 7-Star Hunter
Unlike a few other National Level Hunters who were almost completely ignored,Liu Zhiganghad his moments in the spotlight. His incredible fighting technique not only looked mesmerizing but was also quite effective against magic beasts. Despite being so talented and powerful, Liu did not make the impact on the story that he could have had if he had not been underutilized in the manhwa.
Zhigang probably played a crucial role in shaping his country’s hunter organizations, and looking at his international reputation, it’s safe to assume that he probably also participated in several crucial raids that have shaped the modern world. But unfortunately, he does not get the credit that he deserves throughout the story and remains a largely ignored figureeven in some of the final arcswhere he should have been utilized more. Liu never truly got the chance to showcase his talent and ended up becoming just another stepping stone in Sung’s character development.
2Christopher Reed
One of the Strongest American Hunters
Christopher Reedwas ranked the 3rd-best hunter in the worldbefore Sung Jinwoo’s reawakening. As a National Level Hunter, he was gifted with unique powers that set him apart from even the top S-rankers from around the world. Perhaps Reed’s most frightening ability was to transform into a one-eyed humanoid monster. In this state, he was able to ignite flames that would take several S-rankers to extinguish.
Unfortunately, Christopher died too soon after he was introduced in the story. He could have beenquite impactful, like Thomas Andre, but manhwa fans never got to see him at his best.
1Siddharth Bachchan
National Level Hunter From India
Siddharth Bachchanis one of the most powerful hunters in the world.Like most National Level Hunters, he participated in the legendary battle against Kamish and played a crucial role in clearing the first S-rank dungeon. While his impact on the Solo Leveling universe is credit-worthy, it is unfortunate that not much is known about the hunter, and his life is shrouded in secrecy. It should not come as a surprise that he is the leader of India’s biggest guild known as the Asura Guild. From his achievements and his stature, it’s safe to assume that he has probably participated in several high-stakes missions throughout his career.
But despite having so much potential, Siddharth is barely mentioned except for a few chapters. In fact, he does not even appear in the manhwa. The author has ignored him, which is disappointing, as most readers would have loved to see him in action.
