Solo Levelinghas made a name for itself as one of the best, most action-packed anime of the past decade, butthe series is actually a bit more tragic than people give it credit for.The series isn’t all high-flying fights and amazing set pieces, as the characters in the series go through a lot of traumatic events. Some of the most tragic characters in the series are easy to see, but others live tragic lives that can really only be understood after some investigation.
The tragic characters inSolo Levelinghave it hard, but their obstacles add a lot of character to the series. Otherseries likeSolo Levelingmay have some of the same action, but they can lack in the story department.Solo Levelingsolves this problem by adding legitimate stakes to each of Jinwoo’s battles, giving him something to fight for.
10Park Kyung-Hye
Jinwoo’s Mom Lost Her Husband for Years
Park Kyung-Hye is Jinwoo and Jinah’s mom and wife to Sung Il-Hwan, one ofthe strongest characters inSolo Leveling.Her life has been less than spectacular, as ever since the Gates opened, her family life has taken a turn for the worse. Kyung-Hye first fell in love with Sung Il-Hwan because he was a firefighter and was devoted to saving people.
When he awakened as a Hunter, he used that same dedication to enter Dungeons and save people before monsters attacked. He eventually became trapped in a Dungeon, and Kyung-Hye was without her husband for years. She later fell victim to the Eternal Slumber Disease,entering a coma for over four years and leaving her kids without either parent.
9Go Gunhee
Chairman Go Can’t Fight like He Wants To
Chairman Go Gunhee was one ofthe strongest Korean Hunters inSolo Levelingwhen his powers first came to be. He loved fighting for his people, but due to his advanced age,his body wasn’t able to handle the power he put through it.
Chairman Go is an excellent leader of the Hunters Association, but that isn’t where he wants to be. He’s made several comments throughout the series that he’d rather be fighting alongside his fellow Hunters. He does fight well towards the end of the series, but his body again can’t handle his own power, and he later dies somewhat because of it.
8Song Chi-Yul
His Venture into the Double Dungeon Was Horrific
Song Chi-Yul couldn’t have worse luck inSolo Leveling.He starts the series as a kind man and an excellent leader, taking his team through a very normal Dungeon. He’s able to clear most of the Dungeon without his team taking any real damage until they find the Double Dungeon.
Finding the Double Dungeon was the worst thing that could have happened to Song Chi-Yul and his team. They entered and promptly got obliterated, losing several members before they could understand what happened. Jinwoo sacrificed himself so that Chi-Yul could live,but the C-Rank Hunter never forgave himself for what happened.
7Baek Yoonho
Baek Brought Min Byung-Gyu Back to Jeju Island
Baek Yoonho is an S-Rank Hunter from Korea and one of the strongest his country has to offer. He’s a Guild Master, an excellent fighter, and someone who would do anything for his friends and Guild members. Unfortunately, Yoonho brought his friend Min Byung-Gyu out of retirement, and it cost Byung-Gyu his life.
Baek Yoonho, Min Byung-Gyu, and another Korean S-Rank Hunter named Eunseok were all part of a raid on Jeju Island that cost Eunseok his life. Min Byung-Gyu decided to stop being a Hunter after that, but Yoonho was able to convince him to come back. Min Byung-Gyu was the only Korean Hunter to die during the raid,racking Baek Yoonho with guilt for his decision.
6Sung Jinah
She Lost Most of Her Family for Years
Sung Jinah has had a pretty brutal life for someone who is just a regular student. Her dad disappeared in a Dungeon for ten years, never to return, her mother fell into a coma for four years, and her brother is constantly gone working to pay for his mother’s medical bills and his sister’s education.
The worst single event to happen to Jinah, however, didn’t involve her family. During a normal day at school, a Dungeon broke out, leading to a flood of orcs.These orcs slaughtered Jinah’s classmates in front of her, and they would have gotten to her too if it wasn’t for Jinwoo’s timely arrival.
5Esil Radiru
Most of Esil’s Clan Was Slaughtered, Then Her Love Interest Disappeared
Esil Radiru is a surprisingly adorable character in a series filled with brutality. She’s the princess of the Radiru Clan, a clan of demons living in the Demon Castle. Her life got turned upside downwhen Jinwoo entered the upper floors of the Castle, for better or for worse.
Jinwoo killed nearly every living creature on the way to the top of the Castle, including Esil’s family members. When she revealed that she could direct him through the rest of the Castle, he kept her as his guide. She developed feelings for the S-Rank Hunter, but as soon as he accomplished his goal, he left without a trace.
4Sung Jinwoo
Jinwoo Is Losing Himself Throughout Solo Leveling
Sung Jinwoo is the protagonist ofSolo Levelingand one of the freshest shōnen protagonists around. He’s a hard-working, dedicated, ruthless character who will do whatever he can to protect his family, friends, and country (in that order).
Jinwoo hasn’t always beenthe strongest Hunter inSolo Leveling. Before he was known as the strongest, he was known as the weakest. Jinwoo got injured time and time again as a Hunter, but he had to to pay for his sister’s education and his mom’s medical bills.As he gets stronger, he notices that he’s losing more of himself as well.He’s become a much darker person overall, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
3Ashborn
The First Shadow Monarch Was Betrayed by His Fellow Monarchs
Ashborn is one ofthe strongest Monarchs inSolo Leveling. Before Jinwoo obtained his powers, he was known as the first Shadow Monarch and the King of the Dead. He was the first person to resurrect Shadows, creating an immortal army that dominated everything in his path.
Before Ashborn was a Monarch, he was a Ruler. He was the only Ruler that was loyal to the Absolute Being who created him; he watched as his fellow Rulers killed the Absolute Being and left Ashborn for dead too. He was later reborn as a Monarch, but that didn’t stop the cycle of betrayal. Antares made Rakan and Baran betray Ashborn as well,never giving Ashborn the peace he deserved.
2Min Byung-Gyu
Byung-Gyu Never Wanted to Fight Again
Min Byung-Gyu is one of the strongest Healers inSolo Leveling.He didn’t want to be a Hunter after a raid on Jeju Island when his friend and fellow S-Rank Hunter Eunseok was killed in battle. Baek Yoonho asked him to come back one last time, and after reflection, Min Byung-Gyu joined the battle.
Min Byung-Gyu was a huge help to his fellow Korean S-Rank Hunters. His healing abilities kept them in the battle and even saved their lives when the Ant King came in. Unfortunately, Byung-Gyu’s powers weren’t enough to save himself, asthe Ant King killed him with a single blow.
1Sung Il-Hwan
Il-Hwan Has Been Separated from His Family for 10 Years
Sung Il-Hwan didn’t deserve the life he was given. He was a firefighter, a father, and a devoted husband who did what he could for his family and his fellow citizens. When he gained magical abilities, he used them to help people yet again.
He was later trapped in a Dungeon for 10 years and didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to his family. When he finally escaped the Dungeon, he still couldn’t reunite with them. He ends the series by protecting his son against two powerful Monarchs, but he used so much power that he dies soon thereafter.It’s a brutal, tragic end for a good man who dedicated his existence to helping people.
