Solo Leveling: Draw Sword Guild, Explained

In Solo Leveling‘s Jeju Island arc, one of the dangerous magic beasts living on Jeju Island evolves to gain the ability to fly and run amok on an island off the coast of Japan. After several failed attempts to regain control of the region, the Korean government had given up on Jeju Island in the last few years. But as the fear of entire evolved ant colonies gaining flight starts to set in, the existential threat they pose to nearby countries becomes a serious concern.

Apart from Koreans, the Japanese also recognize the danger. With the objective of reclaiming Jeju Island from magic ants as the end goal, Japan’s top hunter organizes a strategic meeting with Go Gunhee. While Korean hunters from different guilds decide to work together, the Japanese contingent primarily relies on the Draw Sword Guild. Let’s explore their role, strength, strategies, and potential impact on the hunter world to understand what makes them so special.

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Draw Sword Guild: A Dominant Force in the Hunter World

Blade Guild is One of the Most Influential Guilds in Asia

• Anime Debut: Episode 21
• Webtoon Debut: Chapter 85
• Country: Japan
• Guild Master: Goto Ryuji
• Vice-Guild Master: Reiji Sugimoto

Japan is a wealthy and well-organized country. It’s no surprise then that it is also home to some of the best guilds in the world. Hunter organizations like Invincible Kings Guild, Phantom Guild, and Snowy Mountain Guild have done well for themselves and play a critical role in Japan’s defense against magic beasts and unpredictable dungeons. Although these guilds are decent, they come nowhere close to the Draw Sword Guild.

Also known as the Blade Guild, the Japanese hunter group has monopolized the country’s political influence which can be ascertained from the fact that it directly arranges meetings in Korea for the Jeju Island raid without ever involving other guilds in the country. Unlike in Korea, where the competition between guilds is intense, Draw Sword Guild has firmly established its dominance in Japan by recruiting 11 of the country’s 21 S-rankers.

The power and influence thus created allow Blade Guild to dictate decisions related to Japan’s hunter operations. Taking advantage of its privileges, Blade Guild has amassed huge profits and has become Asia’s second-largest guild. With the exception of Ahjin Guild, none of the other Korean guilds can compete with it.

Strong Leadership

Blade Guild is Led by Strong Leaders

Blade Guild’s success can be attributed to many factors, but perhaps the one that is most obvious is its strong leaders. Guild Master Goto Ryuji is an experienced hunter who is widely regarded as Asia’s strongest hunter after Lui Zhigang and Siddharth Bachchan. His ruthless leadership prioritizes success over everything else. Goto’s obsession with results has most likely contributed immensely to Blade Guild’s dominance in Japan.

Draw Sword Guild’s Vice-Guild Master Reiji Sugimoto is also a strong S-ranker. Cunning and self-assured, he takes great pride in leading the guild. He also has incredible faith in Blade Guild members and appears quite laid-back as his peers head to Jeju Island. It is Goto and Reiji’s leadership that helps Draw Sword Guild retain its position as one of the top guilds in Asia.

Draw Sword Guild’s Top Hunters

Goto’s Guild Has Asia’s Best Hunters

Although Goto Ryuji is an incredible hunter, Blade Guild is not over-reliant on him. It has some of the top Japanese hunters, who are just as ruthless as their leader. Among the 11 S-rankers associated with the guild, at least six are fighter-class. They also have a healer, a mage, and an assassin.

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After Goto, fighter-class hunter Kenzo Tanaka is arguably the strongest. Capable of fighting ruthlessly, he can easily handle even high-ranked monsters with ease. Atsushi Kumamoto is another great hunter associated with the guild who can challenge even Korea’s top hunters once he loses his temper.

Hunters like Minoru Hoshino have even demonstrated their superiority by defeating the Fiend Guild’s leader Lim Tae-Gyu. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to claim that Blade Guild’s S-rankers like Tatsumi Fujishima, Mari Ishida, Kei, Ippei Izawa, Kanae Tawata, Akari Shimizu, and Reiji Sugimoto are just as skilled combatants.

S-rank hunters are rare, and having 11 of them in the same guild is a luxury only a few can afford. Therefore, Blade Guild’s dominance can also be attributed to its unparalleled concentration of top-tier hunters, which gives them incomparable influence and overwhelming combat power.

Draw Sword Guild’s Potential Combat Strategies Demystified

Blade Guild Are Ruthless on the Battlefield

Before we try to decipher Draw Sword Guild’s combat strategies and tactical approach, it is important to highlight that the manhwa does not directly delve into the specifics. However, looking at the Jeju Island raid, the hunters’ behavior, and their ranks, it is possible to make an educated guess.

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The Blade Guild has 11 S-rank hunters, as mentioned above. At least six of them are fighter-class, who primarily specialize in melee combat. They have a ruthless fighting style and excel in close-quarters combat. Since Mari Ishida and Reiji Sugimoto’s hunter class is unknown, it is fair to conclude that the Draw Sword Guild is dominated by fighter-class hunters. Even their leader Goto Ryuji is of the same class and is equally merciless in combat.

Such an arrangement hints at the possibility that Blade Guild has an over-aggressive and ruthless strategy that focuses on overwhelming the enemies with relentless attacks. The presence of assassin-type hunter Ippei Izawa facilitates the swift elimination of high-priority targets before they can cause any trouble.

Although some of the Blade Guild members can be cold and distant from each other, it does not appear to hamper their coordination and teamwork when they are on the battlefield. They have shown exceptional combat synergy that allows them to flourish. It’s no wonder then that Blade Guild is one of Asia’s biggest and has incredible global influence and political leverage.

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Solo Leveling

Release Date

January 7, 2024

Directors

Shunsuke Nakashige

Writers

Noboru Kimura

• 

  Taito Ban

  Shun Mizushino (voice)

• 

  Genta Nakamura

  Kenta Morobishi (voice)