Summary

  • Liu Zhigang stands as the second-strongest hunter globally, showing respect for Jinwoo's superior strength.
  • Liu's initial strength surpasses Jinwoo's before Jinwoo's limitless power growth closes the gap.
  • The Chinese Hunter humbly congratulates Jinwoo post-Thomas Andre fight but plays a minimal role in the final war arc.

Solo Leveling Season 2 delivered a fantastic final episode, featuring the aftermath of Jinwoo and the Ant King's fight. The episode was mainly about the world recognizing Jinwoo's incredible strength. The finale very beautifully sets up massive events for the third season by introducing us to some new characters.

While introducing us to Rakan and Sillad (the two Monarchs), the episode also gave us a glimpse of Liu Zhigang. The S-Rank Hunter hails from China and is powerful enough to kill several Ants with a single strike. Liu Zhigang definitely caught everyone's attention, and fans wonder if they will get to see more of him in Season 3 of Solo Leveling.

Featured 'He Is Busy With Other Projects': Why Solo Leveling Season 3 Will Take Longer To Release
'He Is Busy With Other Projects': Why Solo Leveling Season 3 Will Take Longer To Release

The director of Solo Leveling is handling other projects, which will affect the anime's release.

Liu Zhigang Is The Strongest Chinese Hunter In Solo Leveling

He Is The Second Strongest Hunter In The Entire World

Hunter

Liu Zhigang

Origin

China

Type

National Level Hunter

Liu Zhigang is a Chinese S-Rank Hunter who holds tremendous power, which is evident from his single-strike kills in the final episode of Season 2. He is a good-looking individual who holds great pride in his powers and is always on the lookout for stronger enemies. That is why he was disappointed for missing out on the fun of fighting the Ant King (Yes, he could have easily defeated the Ant King like Jinwoo). There's a difference between being proud and being arrogant, and while Liu holds confidence in his powers, he isn't arrogant like Thomas Andre. Liu's primary choice of weapons is his sword, and he is a master swordsman, probably the best in the entire world. His slash attacks can rip apart any enemy standing in front of him.

At the time of Jeju Island, Liu was possibly stronger than Jinwoo; however, while Liu couldn't grow in power, Jinwoo's strength was absolutely limitless. Jinwoo bridges that power gap after obtaining the full powers of the Shadow Monarch, and Liu realizes that Jinwoo is much stronger during the Japan Crisis story arc. When a powerful giant reached the borders of China, Liu was there to deal with the threat. As expected, Liu defeated the enemy with ease, but he was still surprised by the giant's strength. What surprised Liu even more was the fact that Jinwoo took even less time to defeat the same enemy (another giant).

If I'd gotten a crack at the Black Ant instead of these peons, I might've actually had some fun - Liu Zhigang

Liu realized that Jinwoo was much, much stronger than he was, but that didn't hurt his pride. Instead of acting like an arrogant Hunter, Liu acknowledged Jinwoo's superior strength during an interview with a Chinese reporter. Liu was the world's second-strongest Hunter, and Jinwoo not only challenged his position but also defeated Thomas Andre in a fight. Despite all that, Liu stayed humble and showed interest in meeting the world's strongest known Hunter, Jinwoo.

Liu Zhigang Meets Jinwoo During International Guild Conference Arc

He Congratulates Jinwoo For His Fight Against Thomas Andre

After the Japan Crisis arc, Liu Zhigang was interested in learning about Jinwoo, so he asked the Korean Hunter Association to give him all the information about the Hunter. At the time, the real motive behind Sung II-Hwan's appearance was also a mystery. Christopher Reed, an American National Hunter, was killed by the Monarchs, and since the world didn't know about the Monarchs at the time, Sung II-Hwan became a primary suspect in the murder.

Jinwoo was already in the news for defeating Thomas Andre, and the fact that Jinwoo's father was capable enough to defeat Reed made Liu more desperate to meet Jinwoo. Well, Liu finally gets the chance to meet the Shadow Monarch during the International Guild Conference. Every National Hunter was invited to the conference, and so was Jinwoo. So, Liu gets the chance to have a word with the Hunter and congratulates him for defeating the arrogant beast, Thomas Andre.

picture: sung suho in solo leveling ragnarok manhwa.
Solo Leveling Ragnarok: Will Sung Suho Become A Monarch?

Sung Suho is the protagonist of Solo Leveling Ragnarok, but will he become a Monarch like his father, Jinwoo?

Despite holding great power, Liu doesn't play a significant role in the Final War arc. He is shown amidst the war, but only fighting a couple of weak Giants. He was flabbergasted after witnessing the might of Jinwoo's Shadow Army and sensing the mana getting unleashed during Jinwoo's fight with Antares, the Monarch of Destruction. Honestly, Liu was underutilized in the original manhwa series, so don't expect to see a lot of him in the anime series either. Of course, it's possible that the anime gives some original scenes to the Chinese Hunter, but it's hard to say if he will play a significant role in Solo Leveling.

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Release Date
2024 - 2025-00-00
Network
Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV
Directors
Tatsuya Sasaki, Toru Hamasaki
Writers
Shigeru Murakoshi, Shingo Irie, Fuka Ishii
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Jinwoo smiling in Solo Leveling Season 1
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  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Taito Ban
    Sung Jin-woo
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Genta Nakamura
    Yoo Jin-ho
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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. 

Seasons
1
Studio
A-1 Pictures
Creator
Chugong
Creator(s)
Chugong