Solo Leveling is only in its beginning phase when it comes to the anime adaptation, having recently concluded the adaptation of the Jeju Island arc at the end of its second season. There is still far more that has yet to be unveiled in the anime, especially when it comes to the lore of this incredible world by Chugong.
An essential element of the Solo Leveling lore is the existence of the Monarchs, who constitute some of the most powerful beings in this verse. So far, anime-only fans only know of Jinwoo, who is the Shadow Monarch. Jinwoo is strong at the end of Season 2, but he is still far weaker than the rest of the Monarchs. Some Monarchs have made a brief appearance in the anime, but Solo Leveling: Arise, a major video game for the franchise, has just unveiled Rakan in a new hidden story where he is available to fight as a major boss ahead of his true introduction in the anime. Needless to say, his powers definitely rival those of Jinwoo.
Solo Leveling Arise Officially Unveils The Monarch of Fangs Adan In New Release
Solo Leveling has become a massive IP, especially following its 2024 adaptation by Aniplex and A-1 Pictures. Because of that, this IP has been gradually expanding, as was seen with the release of various video game adaptations that play around with the lore of this world. In 2024, Netmarble released the first major Solo Leveling game, titled Solo Leveling: Arise. Ever since then, this game has only been expanding, and its July 2026 update was one of the most hyped and anticipated ones of the year, and this was largely because of the new release of Jinwoo's Shadow Successor form.
Jinwoo’s Shadow Successor Monarch form overshadowed everything else, but there was another major and exciting update that we got to see on July 30, 2026. In this new release, we saw the addition of one of the most popular and exciting members of the Monarchs. While Solo Leveling: Arise producers have been teasing him for a while, Rakan, the Monarch of Fangs, has finally been added to the game. It must be noted, however, that Solo Leveling: Arise chooses to change the localization of Rakan's name, calling him Adan, the Monarch of Fangs, instead.
Technically, Adan is his correct name, and his intended name by Chugong, which ended up being distorted by the Manhwa upon its release to Rakan. Regardless, he's an exciting new addition to the story and one of the first Monarchs to make their full appearances. Rakan's design in Solo Leveling Arise perfectly follows his manhwa design as well as his anime one, which was first seen when he made a brief appearance alongside Sillad near the end of Season 2. On top of that, Rakan is now a brand-new villain that fans can fight in an epic boss fight after completing the hidden Chapter 12. As expected of the Monarch of Fangs, Rakan can take on a wolf form and overwhelm enemies with his superior strength. This is an interesting expansion of his character beyond just the Monarchs War arc from the Solo Leveling novel and Manhwa.
Why Rakan Is Stronger Than The Anime Version of Sung Jinwoo
By the end of Solo Leveling, Jinwoo surpasses all other Monarchs, especially after he manages to take down the oldest and strongest of them all, that is, the Monarch of Destruction: Antares. In comparison to Antares, Rakan is an underwhelming villain. However, at the current point where the Solo Leveling anime left things at the end of Jeju Island, Rakan is still a terrifying foe that surpasses the Shadow Monarch in strength. At his current level and power output, Rakan could easily take down Jinwoo. It is only later on in the story, when Jinwoo upgrades his powers, that he becomes strong enough to defeat him.
To beat Rakan, Jinwoo first has to acquire the Black Heart from Ashborn. This won't come to pass until his return to the Double Dungeon, where Ashborn renounces his powers and helps him take down The Architect. Even then, Jinwoo would struggle against Rakan. We know this because Jinwoo finally faces Rakan in the Monarchs War arc.
In this arc, Jinwoo has to fight a three-versus-one battle where he loses and is actually killed by the Monarch of Fangs. Rakan shows off his tremendous might by piercing Jinwoo's chest with his claws. However, this is what truly kickstarts Jinwoo’s transformation, turning him into the true Shadow Monarch and powering him up tremendously. Jinwoo’s new transformation allows him to get back up, and it is at this point that he surpasses Rakan and Sillad in a two-versus-one battle.
Solo Leveling: Arise Delivers New Side Story On Rakan
The Monarchs War arc is one of the most anticipated parts of the story that we want to see animated by Aniplex and A-1 Pictures. However, this story arc will take years to be brought to life in anime form. Solo Leveling Season 2 ended with Jeju Island, and after that we still have quite a few arcs to go through to reach the Monarchs War arc. Notably, the upcoming movie, Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, will be covering the Ahjin Guild arc as well as the Return to the Double Dungeon arc. Only after that can we expect the Monarchs War arc to make it into anime, either in another theatrical release or in a third TV anime season.
A long enough anime season could cover the International Conference arc, as well as the Monarchs War arc right after it. As things stand, this will take at least 4 years. For the time being, we can enjoy what Solo Leveling: Arise has given us with Rakan, as we get to explore him in more detail. The Hidden Story revealed on July 30 takes us beyond the Manhwa and web novel content. As Sung Jinwoo and Baek Yoonho are thrust into a new investigation due to a Hunter Berserk Incident, with the White Tiger Guild fully involved, a big mystery unfolds. This mystery leads them to find the true culprit, Rakan. Eventually, they come face to face with the Monarch of Fangs, which blows up into an all-out battle.
Rakan’s moments in the new chapter are enjoyable. Hopefully, in the future of Solo Leveling: Arise, we'll get to see more content centered on the other Monarchs, especially those that didn't get as much attention in the Manhwa or web novel. The Monarchs' lore would greatly benefit from being expanded upon, and we’re looking to see what the next Arise update has in store for us.
Solo Leveling
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Creator
- Chugong
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
