The True Nature of the Ranking System in Solo Leveling

One of the most memorable moments in Solo Leveling is when Sung Jinwoo finally decides to take the exam to re-evaluate his hunter ranking. This is the time when the entire public of South Korea finds out that there is a new S-Rank Hunter in their country.

While it’s certainly amusing to see the whole thing unfold, this reevaluation exam and all the buzz around it actually revealed something that hasn’t been explained in the series thus far. At least not in any deep or meaningful way. And that is the Hunter Ranking system. So let’s take this chance to discuss the ranking system in Solo Leveling, how it affects the hunters themselves, and what makes Hunter Sung Jinwoo’s meteoric rise in the rankings so unique and special.

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The Ranking System

A Measure of Potential

Before we talk about Sung Jinwoo, let’s briefly discuss the ranking system. The Ranking System is a convenient method to measure the true potential of a hunter. Before the ranking system, it’s hard to gauge how strong a hunter actually is, especially compared to other hunters. Thanks to the Ranking system, we now know that a B-rank is stronger than a C-rank but not as strong as an A-rank. As you can see, that is a convenient measurement.

A Measure of Mana

When somebody awakens as a hunter, their body will produce a magical energy called Mana. Everything from executing a sword skill to casting a healing spell requires mana, which means the bigger your mana pool, the more complex and powerful the skills or the spells that you can execute. Since different people are blessed with different amounts of mana, measuring their mana pool is akin to knowing their potential as hunters. This is the reason why the Hunter Association decided to use mana as the basis of their ranking system.

Moving Through the Ranks

Once a hunter has been evaluated, they will receive the rank that reflects their level of mana, and they can begin raiding dungeons as a hunter. So what’s next?

Rank Determines a Hunter’s Income

If a hunter’s rank reflects their mana level and their potential as a hunter, a dungeon rank reflects the difficulty level of the monsters inside it. That’s why a hunter can only enter a dungeon that is below their rank or at least has the same rank as they are. However, the rank for both the dungeons and the hunters also determines how much money they can get after clearing the dungeon. Needless to say, the lower the level, the lower the pay.

Is It Possible to Level Up Your Rank?

So if a hunter wants to earn better pay, all they have to do is move up through the ranks, right? While the answer is technically yes, it is actually a lot more complicated than that. You see, a hunter’s mana poll is like their body, it’s super difficult to change.

You can train as hard as you can, but it’s nearly impossible for regular people to punch as hard as Mike Tyson or run as fast as Usain Bolt in their prime. The same thing applies to mana.

Yes, lower ranks can level up to higher ranks. However, the higher your rank, the more difficult it’ll be to level up. That’s why it’s more than possible for an E-rank to level up to a D-rank, but it is basically impossible for an A-rank to become an S-rank. In fact, it is actually normal for people to stay on the same rank until they retire as a hunter. That’s how difficult it is to level up.

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There’s a Huge Gap Among the S-Rank

The S-Ranks are Not Equal

Before we go to Jinwoo, let’s briefly talk about a hidden fact that not many people realize regarding the S-Rank. You see, there’s actually a huge gap in mana and ability within the S-ranks. This is true not only in Korea but in other countries around the world as well.

For example, while it’s true that both Sung Jinwoo and Baek Yoonho (leader of the White Tiger Guild) are S-Rank hunters, their combat ability is like night and day. If the measurement truly reflects their actual mana and ability, Baek Yoonho will be an S-Rank while Sung Jinwoo will be an SSS-Rank.

So why doesn’t the Hunter Association give Jinwoo a rank that truly reflects his mana and ability? Well, the answer is simply because there’s no reason to do so. There’s only a handful of S-rank in the country, and there’s nothing to be gained by dividing them up even further. So just like in real life, once somebody exceeds certain criteria, they are considered to be among the top of their class. It doesn’t matter whether they exceed it by an inch or by a mile, they are still considered at the top of their profession.

What Makes Sung Jinwoo so Special?

A Hunter Who Can Keep Evolving

As mentioned before, it’s extremely difficult for a C-rank to level up to a B-rank and it’s downright impossible for an A-rank to level up to S-rank. The same thing applies to an S-rank. There’s no way for somebody who has reached the pinnacle of power like an S-rank hunter to level up even further. No matter what they do, no matter how many years they fight in the frontline, once they’ve reached their peak, they will stay there forever.

The same thing can’t be said about Sung Jinwoo. Thanks to assistance from the System, Sung Jinwoo becomes an entity that is similar to a “Player” in an RPG game. This means as long as he gathers the requisite amount of experience points (EXP), he will continue to level up. Of course, the higher his levels, the bigger the EXP required for a level-up will be, but that doesn’t change the fact that he can still rise even higher. That’s what makes Sung Jinwoo so special. He is somebody who can keep leveling up to the point of transcending humanity and pretty much attained Godhood. No other Hunter can do that.

Anyway, Sung Jinwoo’s extraordinary circumstances aside, the ranking system that has been developed and standardized by the Hunter Association might seem simple at first glance, but it is actually quite accurate in reflecting Hunter’s true potential. It’s just a shame that most people will stay at the same ranking with little to no chance of leveling up for the rest of their lives.

Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.Crunchyroll.

A-1 Pictures’ Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong’s popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System. 

Release Date

January 7, 2024

Seasons

2

Studio

A-1 Pictures

Based On

Manhwa

Creator

Chugong

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