Within just two seasons,Solo Levelinghas cemented its status as one of thebest anime series of all time, and these arcs are a huge reason behind its success. There are 22 arcs inSolo Levelingin total, with 13 currently animated. There are still 9 arcs to go, proving thatSolo Levelingisn’t close to running out of steam any time soon.
Sung Jinwoo started as the world’s weakest Hunter before transforming into the strongest, and each arc highlights just how strong he’s become. The best arcs inSolo Levelingshow Jinwoo’s rise to power. He obtains absurd abilities, amazingly powerful allies, and shocks the world every time his Shadow Army is put on display. There are a ton of different reasons to love the arcs in the series, and Sung Jinwoo is always at the center of the best ones.
10Double Dungeon Arc
Chapters 123-131 In The Webtoon
The Double Dungeon Arc inSolo Levelingis one of the most revealing in the series.Up until this point, Sung Jinwoo had been getting stronger without understanding the System granting him the powers at all. He’s been grateful and confused in equal measures, not knowing where his upgrades are coming from nor what their purpose is.
That all changes when he gets a quest to return to the Double Dungeon that tried to take his life in the first arc of the series. The Double Dungeon Arc reveals that Sung Jinwoo is a vessel for the Shadow Monarch Ashborn, one ofthe strongest Monarchs inSolo Leveling.Kandiaru, the mysterious Architect behind the System, betrays Jinwoo in an attempt to sacrifice him to Ashborn. After meeting the Shadow Monarch for the first time, Jinwoo has a much better understanding of the reality he’s been living in.
9D-Rank Dungeon Arc
Chapters 1-10 In The Webtoon And Episodes 1-3 In The Anime
The D-Rank Dungeon Arc is where everything began for Sung Jinwoo andSolo Leveling.Jinwoo is known as the “World’s Weakest Hunter”. He’s an E-Rank, the lowest rank of them all, and he seems to be the weakest Hunter in the weakest category. Even though he’s not powerful in the slightest, he perseveres, heading into dangerous dungeons to earn money for his sister’s education and his mom’s medical bills.
The D-Rank Dungeon was supposed to be a normal, easy-to-clear Dungeon. The group finds a secret, second Dungeon within the first. When they head in, they find a horrible trap waiting for them.This arc is one of the best because it shows Jinwoo’s true character.Even before he was one ofthe strongest Hunters inSolo Leveling,he was a hard-working, humble man dedicated to his family, willing to go through hell for them time and time again.
8Final Battle Arc
Chapters 167-177 In The Webtoon
The Final Battle Arc is one of the most epic in the entire series. There are better arcs than it becauseSolo Levelingis at its best when Jinwoo is more human than godlike. LikeNaruto,Solo Leveling’sintroduction of near-divine beings at the end takes a lot of the wind out of the series' sails, making most characters within the series entirely meaningless.
Still, even though it’s a sharp change of pace from everything that made the series great, there are a few aspects of the Final Battle Arc that make it one of the series' best.Nothing is more entertaining than watching Sung Jinwoo fight with the entirety of his might, andSolo Leveling’sstrongest villain, Antares, forces Jinwoo to go all out. Jinwoo uses all of his best abilities, his strongest Shadows, and even the Rulers to take down the Monarch of Destruction.
7Monarchs War Arc
Chapters 150-166 In The Webtoon
The Monarch War is better than the Final Battle Arc because Hunters still play a role in the series.Solo Levelingspends so much time building up the series' strongest Hunters that it becomes frustrating when their power is thrown to the side. While the Hunters, outside of Sung Jinwoo, are almost powerless against the threats in the Monarch War, they still help out where they can.
Like the Final Battle Arc,the Monarch War Arc is great because it shows Jinwoo at his peak.Jinwoo is killed yet again, getting stronger through death for a second time in the series. He meets Ashborn, the first Shadow Monarch, who gives him the true powers of the Shadow Monarch. Jinwoo comes back stronger than ever, making quick work of the Monarchs, who initially were too tough for him. It’s a great final battle that features a ton of great characters and winds down the series in style.
6International Guild Conference Arc
Chapters 140-149 In The Webtoon
The International Guild Conference Arc introduced the rest of the world toSolo Leveling.The series touched on National Level Hunters like Thomas Andre and Liu Zhigang, and the conference finally shows Jinwoo meeting with the strongest Hunters in the world. The arc features Jinwoo telling the world he’d do anything to defend his friends and family, and later, fulfilling his promise.
This arc is exceptional becauseit showcases Jinwoo claiming the title of the world’s strongest Hunterafter dominating Thomas Andre in a fight. Hwang Dongsoo expertly pits Jinwoo against the Scavenger Guild Master, and, unfortunately for Dongsoo, Thomas Andre was nothing in the face of the Second Shadow Monarch. Hwang Dongsoo is quickly killed and turned into one ofthe strongest Shadows inSolo Leveling,concluding an exceptional arc.
5Job Change Arc
Chapters 38-45 In The Webtoon And Episodes 11-12 In The Anime
The Job Change Arc was a pivotal moment inSolo Leveling.Up until this point in the series, Sung Jinwoo had been getting stronger thanks to the system, but he didn’t have any of the Shadow Monarch’s real powers.This arc sees him fight against Blood-Red Commander Igris,a menacing foe and someone strong enough to kill Jinwoo.
Their fight is one of the few that truly pushes Jinwoo to a new level. Not only is the fight itself incredible, but Jinwoo’s pure determination is put on full display, showing that he is the perfect character to inherit the Shadow Monarch’s powers. At the end of the arc, he finally defeats Igris. The former Commander becomes Jinwoo’s first ever Shadow, setting the stage for the rest of the series to flourish in only a waySolo Levelingcan pull off.
4Red Gate Arc
Chapters 46-55 In The Webtoon And Episodes 13-14 In The Anime
The Red Gate Arc is whenSolo Levelingreally picks up some momentum. It was already an amazing series, but watching Sung Jinwoo fight with his Shadow Army for the first time really showed the world what the series was capable of. Jinwoo extracts two of his strongest Shadows in this arc as well: Iron and Tank. Tank is the Alpha Ice Bear and Iron is Kim Chul, an A-Rank Hunter and the first Hunter to be added to Jinwoo’s Shadow Army.
This arc features one of the most vicious villains inSolo Leveling:Baruka, the leader of the Ice Elves. Known as Barca in theSolo Levelinganime, this bloodthirsty character is one of the strongest enemies Jinwoo ever faced and one of the few who Jinwoo even admitted was stronger than he was at the time. Their fight is incredible, andJinwoo shrugging Baek Yoonho’s hand off of his shoulder once he leaves the Gate is the cherry on top.
3Return To Demon Castle Arc
Chapters 76-89 In The Webtoon And Episodes 18-21 In The Anime
Sung Jinwoo’s entire goal while he was getting stronger was to find a means of healing his mother from the Eternal Slumber disease. No cure is known, but when Jinwoo found out about the potential healing abilities of the Holy Water of Life, he dedicated himself to getting it by any means. He heads to the Demon Castle Dungeon where the ingredients for the potion are, destroying everything in his way.
The Return to Demon Castle Arc is one of the best inSolo Levelingbecause of its range.The arc has plenty of funny moments with Esil, one ofthe best fights inSolo Levelingwhen Jinwoo takes on Baran, and easily the most emotionally fulfilling scene when Jinwoo awakens his mom from a four-year-long coma. It’s a great arc that finally sees Sung Jinwoo achieving his goal, allowing him to be with his family once again for the first time in far too long.
2Hunters Guild Gate Arc
Chapters 65-75 In The Webtoon And Episodes 16-18 In The Anime
The Hunters Guild Gate Arc is a perfect example of whatSolo Levelingdoes so well. It’s one of thebest edgy anime series of all time, and this arc is a huge reason why. At this point in the story, Jinwoo has finally earned S-Rank Hunter status, but the official announcement won’t come out for a few days. In order to earn some extra money, he heads with a group of Hunters as their porter, carrying their equipment even though he’s several times stronger.
Jinwoo asking if he can fight the orcs that overwhelm the small group of Hunters is beyond exciting. He knows he has enough firepower to deal with them all, but he still takes the time to humble himself and make sure he’s not stepping on anyone’s toes. His fight with the high-orc shaman, Kargalgan, is another series high point. There isn’t much better thanwatching Sung Jinwoo obliterate an otherwise cocky opponent.
1Jeju Island Arc
Chapters 90-107 In The Webtoon And Episodes 21-25 In The Anime
The Jeju Island Arc isSolo Levelingat its absolute peak.Solo Levelingis at its best when there are legitimate stakes at hand. Later in the series, during the Monarch War Arc and the Final Battle Arc, most of the “strongest” characters in the series are useless. They don’t come anywhere near Jinwoo, the Monarchs, or the Rulers, and it takes a lot of momentum from the series.
The opposite is true about Jeju Island. The S-Rank Hunters are fighting their hardest, and for a while, they’re doing well. The Ant King feels legitimately scary when he appears, because the Hunters believe there’s a small chance they can actually win against him. His fight against Jinwoo is one ofthe greatest fights in anime history, and that’s only one of the reasons why this arc is so good.
Jinwoo’s arrival on the battlefield is one of the most hype moments in anime as well. Chairman Go Gunhee’s reaction, Korea’s S-Rank Hunters' incredulous look, and the entire world seeing Jinwoo appear out of thin airwill cement this arc as not only the best inSolo Leveling,but one of the best of all time.
