Is There Actually a False Ranker in the Series?

Among the hunters in Solo Leveling, there exist individuals who are known to the public as false rankers. They are incredibly rare, and the series reveals only a few details about their nature and purpose. That is why many fans are curious whether there’s actually a false ranker in Solo Leveling, without bringing Sung Jin-Woo’s name into the conversation.

Hunters around the world are ranked using the S-E classification system, except for China, which uses stars. S-rank hunters such as Choi Jong-In and Cha Hae-In are considered national-level assets, while those ranked below them, particularly the D and E-rank hunters, are mostly regarded as cannon fodder. False rankers, on the other hand, are incorrectly assessed, creating dangerous disparities in the system.

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What Exactly Is a False Ranker?

False rankers refer to individuals who are incorrectly measured by the S-E classification system. For example, they could be a C-rank hunter but possess strength on par with a B-rank hunter. These false rankers possess mana outputs and combat potential that either fall below or surpass their assigned rank, causing problems during dungeon raids and disruptions for the entire hunter community.

There are likely two reasons why false rankers exist in Solo Leveling: to kill and to survive. False rankers are generally perceived as psychopaths due to their tendency to kill low-level hunters during dungeon raids. Others, on the other hand, intentionally manipulate their abilities to join less dangerous raids where their survival is significantly higher.

Overranked and Underranked False Rankers

False rankers could either be overranked or underranked. In a nutshell, overranked hunters are weaker than expected, while underranked hunters hold powers that exceed their assigned rank. It is unsure whether some hunters in the association are unaware of being false rankers, but according to Woo Jin-Chul, they are generally conscious of their abilities.

Meanwhile, the public often accuses Sung Jin-Woo of being a false ranker since he ascended from E-rank to S-rank status in just a short amount of time. Technically, Jin-Woo is not a false ranker by definition, but he’s more akin to an individual who went through a process of second awakening. However, this isn’t exactly accurate either, as Sung Jin-Woo climbed his way to the top using the system designed by the architect, Kandiaru, which makes him fundamentally different.

Potential Dangers Caused by False Rankers

Aside from causing disparities, false rankers have a significant impact on the hunter community due to their potential to increase casualties during dungeon raids. Overranked hunters who are tasked with clearing higher gates are more likely to put their colleagues at a higher risk, while underranked hunters are more likely to receive limited opportunities. Of course, false rankers could just take a second assessment to fix their assigned ranks, but it’s not mandatory at all.

On the other hand, some hunter guilds may also exploit these false rankers and use them for their financial and political gain. After all, hunter guilds compete not just for talented hunters but also for high-level gates, which provide more money to the table.

Also, there’s a possibility that the public will raise concerns about the credibility of the classification system. It’s hard to lose the trust of the public, including the hunters, which could provide more problems for the hunter association. The ranking system is designed to give structure to the hunter world, but the existence of false rankers somehow reveals its limitations, proving that strength is not just about labels or numbers.

Is There a False Ranker in Solo Leveling?

Throughout the run of the Solo Leveling manhwa series, not a single false ranker is introduced, named, or even mentioned. This feels like a missed opportunity, as fans hoped to get to know at least one false ranker, who could have been able to make a huge difference in the storyline. Such a character could have been an enemy Jin-Woo had to overcome, or perhaps an important ally he could have teamed up with during the final chapters of the manhwa.

Still, it’s undeniable that false rankers exist in Solo Leveling; it’s just that they weren’t given the opportunity to be explored further. Whether fans like it or not, the identities of these false rankers remain unknown, a mystery that the sequel, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, could look into sometime in the future. Of course, fans can always use their imagination and bring these false rankers to life with their fan fiction and fan art.

Solo Leveling

Release Date

January 7, 2024

Directors

Shunsuke Nakashige

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  Taito Ban

  Shun Mizushino (voice)

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  Genta Nakamura

  Kenta Morobishi (voice)