When it comes to defining the strongest characters in Solo Leveling, things get very complicated. The anime, based on the manhwa written and illustrated by Chu Gong, has achieved absurd fame around the world since its release precisely because of the number of skilled characters it features and the strength of their powers.
In today's article we've taken up that challenge and brought you a list containing the 11 strongest Solo Leveling characters in ascending order, from the least skilled to the most powerful of all! Want to find out if your favorite character is among them? Follow us and we'll give you the answer!
Iron Body Monarch
The first to open the list of Solo Leveling's strongest characters is the Iron Body Monarch. Although he hasn't yet appeared in the anime, this powerful being makes his first appearance in the manga during the Crisis in Japan arc. On that occasion, he joins forces with the Beast Monarch and kills the third strongest hunter in the United States, leaving his body in a deplorable state.
This Monarch is one of the only beings in the book capable of using an ability that can erase someone's existence from the universe, not to mention his own Spiritual Body Manifestation ability. This power gives him the ability to transform his body into that of a monstrous golem and he even used it against Beru, one of the protagonist's servants, during a battle.
Monarch of the Beginning
The Monarch of the Beginning also holds the title of King of Giants and impresses with the sheer size of his physical strength. He has a very low amount of mana, but all his raw power earns him a place among the strongest characters in Solo Leveling, and he is greatly feared by his opponents in battle.
In addition to his muscles, the character can also manipulate the wind, exerting pressure on this element of nature. Another supernatural power that the Monarch of the Beginning possesses is the use of a spell that makes his opponent unable to lie to him, which can be very useful in interrogations. He had a very brief appearance in the manga, but he certainly made an impression on readers with his appearance when he was captured by the Rulers.
Bellion
Despite being defeated by Ashborn and becoming one of the shadows under his power, Bellion is certainly among the strongest characters in Solo Leveling. He is known as the Grand Marshal of the Shadow Monarch's army and is part of the mythology of the anime universe as a being born directly from the World Tree.
Bellion was able to show his full potential and power in a fight against the character Beru, but he also shone in several of the protagonist's confrontations against some powerful Monarchs. After the Shadow Monarch passed his power on to Sung Jin Woo, Bellion came to serve him as one of his shadows. His abilities include strength, accelerated regeneration and enhanced speed.
Sung Il-Hwan
Sung Il-Hwan is the father of protagonist Sung Jin Woo and also the face of one of the Rulers. In the book, the Seven Rulers are known for having united to defeat the Supreme Being who created the entire universe, which shows why he is considered one of the strongest characters in Solo Leveling.
But even though he has acquired so much strength because of the being sealed in his body, he has a very complicated weakness: he is vulnerable to magical attacks, derived from mana. But even with this problem, the character managed to fight off the Frost Monarch, holding him off while his son recovered to deliver the final blow.
Go Gunhee
Go Gunhee is the current president of the hunters' association and also the recipient of the Shining Light Fragment, one of the most powerful Rulers. As a result, by inheriting abilities from this celestial being, Gunhee has secured his place among the strongest characters in Solo Leveling.
The group of Rulers is known for having managed to eliminate three very important creatures in the universe of the work. One of them is the creator of all things himself, known as "The Absolute Being", who had created them to entertain him while they engaged in wars and massacres. Gunhee, as the vessel of one of them, is given enhanced physical strength, increased speed and can also move objects with the power of thought.
Monarch of the Bestial Fangs
This Monarch is known as one of the strongest of them all and also by the title of King of the Beasts. However, despite all his brute strength and his place among the strongest characters in Solo Leveling, he is still a coward and has a habit of running away from battles against opponents he considers stronger than him.
One of the most striking moments when the character made his appearance was during the fight against Thomas Andre, the strongest hunter in the United States. In this fight, despite holding back his full power, he still managed to dominate his opponent. His abilities are based on physical strength, which means that he uses few attacks that consume mana.
Frost Monarch
Like almost all Monarchs, the Frost Monarch had to be among the strongest characters in Solo Leveling because of his level of power. He is also the King of the Snow People and is a kind of ice elf whose abilities are all based on this type of element.
He can create golems and manipulate them as he sees fit, as well as generating the most diverse resources, all from ice as raw material. Another very important ability of this Monarch is to freeze opponents with solid ice created in environments with temperatures below zero degrees.
Monarch of Destruction
Antares is the Monarch of Destruction and also the King of Dragons. He hasn't been introduced in the anime yet either, having played the role of the last enemy to be defeated by the manga's protagonist, which says a lot about why he is among the strongest characters in Solo Leveling. He is chaotic and destructive, just as his title of Monarch indicates, even though Jin Woo fought him as an equal at the end of the anime.
His main ability is to induce fear. With it, this Monarch can cause weaker opponents to be paralyzed by panic, which makes it much easier for him to defeat his enemies. He is also able to use the Breath of Destruction, a blow that completely erases his opponent's existence.
Monarch of Shadows
Ashborn is the Shadow Monarch in the anime and also one of the main characters in Solo Leveling. He is known as "The Traitor to the Rulers" since he was once part of the group and ended up siding with the Monarchs. It is Ashborn who transfers his powers to the protagonist, giving him the push he needs to transform into the invincible being he becomes at the end of the story.
This character's powers range from classic super strength, agility and also extracting and strengthening shadows. He can acquire an enemy's shadow and add it to his private army, putting it to fight at his command whenever he wants. All these incredible powers make him one of the strongest characters in Solo Leveling.
The Absolute Being
The Monarchs and Rulers were created by the Absolute Being who also created the universe and has the ability to produce life from nothing. These feats make him a very strong creature who had to take the silver medal among the most powerful characters in Solo Leveling.
Despite having a divine nature, The Absolute Being is not portrayed as a good entity, having a cruel nature, putting Monarchs and Rulers in an eternal struggle just for his entertainment. He was killed by the union of the Seven Rulers who could no longer stand to be pieces in his game and turned against him, but it is believed that none of them would be able to defeat him alone if they tried.
Sung Jin Woo
Despite starting the book as the weakest hunter in the world, Jin Woo ends his adventures as the strongest character in Solo Leveling. He manages to master the two most important and powerful abilities in the entire universe of the book: the Ruler's Authority and the Monarch's Domain.
His powers are initially upgraded by a superior entity that we later learn is the Shadow Monarch and, from then on, his amount of power and ability only increases. By the end of his journey, he is so powerful that defeating him is almost impossible, just like almost every shounen protagonist at the end of the story. Sung Jin Woo can be considered what we call "Pure Protagonist Juice" at the end of the day.
Conclusion
And these are the strongest characters in Solo Leveling presented by the work during the period in which it was published. But what about you? Do you have a different opinion? Would you put other characters on the list? Share your opinion with us in the comments! Enjoy and also check out our article on the 13 greatest One Piece rewards!
Questions that might interest you:
Which hunter has the greatest strength in Solo Leveling?
Despite starting the anime as the weakest, Jin Woo ends it as the strongest hunter of all time.
What is the role of the main character in Solo Leveling?
Jin Woo is chosen by Ashborn to inherit his role as the Shadow Monarch.