Solo Leveling: Sung Jinwoo or Goto Ryuji

In Solo Leveling‘s Jeju Island arc, the Japanese and Korean governments are concerned when an evolved ant gains the ability to fly and wreak havoc on an island off the coast of Japan. Before the situation escalates, hunters from both countries join hands to form a Jeju Island raid party with the mission to reclaim the region from magic beasts.

The Japanese contingent is led by Goto Ryuji, a guild master regarded as Japan’s greatest hunter. Although he is quite intimidating, is he on par with someone like Sung Jinwoo?

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Sung Jinwoo: Korea’s 10th S-Rank Hunter

Jinwoo Is Arguably the Strongest Hunter in the World

• Anime Debut: Episode 1
• Webnovel Debut: Chapter 1
• Guild: Mage

Considered humanity’s weakest hunter, Sung Jinwoo once struggled to survive even in low-ranked dungeons. But his life changed following the Double Dungeon disaster as he underwent his reawakening. Unlike other hunters who typically undergo a significant boost in strength after rising to a new rank, Jinwoo experienced a seemingly endless cycle of growth with each fight.

Even after his reawakening, his mana levels were too low to barely qualify as a hunter, but the transformation that followed happened at a frightening pace. Initially, the System forced him to push himself to his physical limits. Once he got stronger, Sung was assigned missions in Instant Dungeons that unlocked new powers and further accelerated his growth.

Once he returned to the real world, Jinwoo took advantage of his newfound abilities and outclassed every other dungeon boss or magic beast he faced. This created a loop of self-improvement that helped Sung become Korea’s 10th S-rank hunter. But perhaps the most frightening thing about his transformation is that he kept getting stronger even after officially becoming an S-ranker.

In the Hunters Guild Gate arc, Jinwoo single-handedly cleared an A-rank gate of the highest level without breaking a sweat. He then went back to the Demon Castle and defeated Baran, the Monarch of White Flames. The Instant Dungeon was S-ranked. To put things into perspective, Jeju Island’s S-rank gate could not be cleared despite Korea’s best efforts, and this eventually led to a dungeon break. Even now, the island remains uninhabited and has not been reclaimed.

The only time an S-rank dungeon boss was defeated was when five brave S-rank hunters banded together to defeat the dragon Kamish in America. They went on to become the National Level Hunters. While the power difference between the two S-rank dungeons can be significant, it does not change the fact that Jinwoo’s achievement was extraordinary, especially since he cleared the gate all alone.

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Despite already accomplishing so much, Sung has barely shown any signs of slowing down, and it appears that he continues leveling up. With so much power already at his disposal, it is frightening to even imagine how strong Jinwoo can eventually get.

Goto Ryuji: Japan’s Greatest Hunter

Guild Master of Draw Sword Guild

• Anime Debut: Episode 20
• Webnovel Debut: Chapter 106
• Class: Fighter

Goto Ryuji is one of Asia’s most sought-after hunters. Since he has a ton of experience under his belt, he is almost always confident and self-assured. As the leader of Blade Guild, he has presumably fought many dungeon bosses. Goto specializes in melee combat, so it’s safe to assume that he is adept at close-range combat. Gifted with incredible endurance and superhuman strength, Ryuji can put some of the best Korean hunters to shame.

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Goto’s weapon of choice is a katana, which he wields with exceptional dexterity. Someone of his stature is already dangerous, but with a weapon, he almost becomes invincible even for most S-rankers around the world. Ryuji has demonstrated on many occasions that he is willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants, which is also reflected in his fighting style. Goto’s deep-seated desire for dominance and unwavering confidence in his power make him a formidable force in the hunter world.

Verdict: Who Is the Better Hunter?

Fighting Sung Jinwoo Even as an S-ranker Is Hopeless

Sung Jinwoo has surpassed every S-rank hunter in the world and is arguably on par with National Level Hunters. Even among them, only Christopher Reed, Lui Zhigang, and Thomas Andre appear to have some chance of competing against him. With the way Jinwoo has leveled up already, it is safe to assume that he will most likely surpass even them by the time the Jeju Island raid ends.

While Goto Ryuji is undoubtedly one of the best hunters in the world, he stands no chance against Sung Jinwoo. If the two hunters were to engage in a fight to the death, Sung’s victory would be a foregone conclusion. Goto Ryuji might be invincible for other hunters, but for Sung Jinwoo, he is just a minor inconvenience.

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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)