Netmarble released a new webtoon chapter and an animated short on its official website for the 2.5-year anniversary update of Solo Leveling Arise. The release brings back Go Gunhee, the late chairman of the South Korean Hunter Association, by exploring his childhood and early life decades before Sung Jinwoo begins his journey [2]. Oricon confirmed franchise momentum by reporting that the print comic sold 969k copies in Japan during 2025 [1].
Solo Leveling Arise Anniversary Webtoon
Netmarble released the new webtoon episode for free on its official website as part of an anniversary celebration. To expand the launch, Netmarble paired the comic with an animated adaptation featuring voice actor Kent Williams, who reprises his role as Go Gunhee from the Solo Leveling English Dub to deliver a complete vocal performance for the character’s earliest memories [2].
The short film and webtoon chapter offer a standalone look at Go Gunhee before he became the gray-haired mentor fans met in the anime. The storyline takes liberties with his canonical background from the original series, but it gives fans a rare window into what Gunhee was like during his younger years, well before he earned the respect of Sung Jinwoo. The story focuses on his personal motives and early heartbreaks, showing why he chose to put his wealth and energy into protecting other people [2].
Franchise momentum accelerated after the anime adaptation from Aniplex and A-1 Pictures debuted its first season in January 2024, followed by Season 2 in January 2025. The television broadcasts introduced millions of fans to Chugong’s setting, lifting interest in both print volumes and digital expansions like Solo Leveling Arise [1].
A Psychic Origin Decades Before Sung Jinwoo
Go Gunhee’s Hunter Origin storyline starts around 70 years before the events of the main series, opening when he is still a child. From an early age, Gunhee was gifted with psychic abilities, including the power to see spirits and sense approaching danger. His psychic talent grows stronger as he ages, but it acts more like a curse than a gift, since he can do little to prevent the bad events he foresees with his precognition. Even worse, he’s haunted by the ghosts of those he can’t protect [2].
Gunhee builds a profitable company with his precognition, eventually becoming CEO. His routine shatters when monsters break through an open Gate. Stepping in to shield a child from an attacking Magic Beast, Gunhee awakens as a Hunter. Awakening brings no relief. Even with newfound strength, he can’t save everyone in the raid, and the failure drives him into deep despair [2].
Just when he hits rock bottom, Gunhee is found roadside by Woo Jinchul, whom he had rescued years earlier. The reunion restores his resolve, prompting Gunhee to borrow company funds to establish the South Korean Hunter Association so he can shield other fighters from perils only he foresees [2].
Divergence From the Original Manhwa
Gunhee’s backstory in the webtoon contrasts sharply with the continuity built in the original manhwa by Chugong. In the main comic, Gunhee’s legendary S-Rank power comes from his status as a vessel for a divine Ruler. Gunhee never encounters a Ruler in this prequel. His strength stems entirely from early psychic vision and his awakening [2].
The character divergence fits Netmarble’s development strategy, since the Hunter Origin series deliberately takes place in an alternative universe created for Solo Leveling Arise. Netmarble has used this timeline freedom to reimagine several prominent characters across different chapters. Cha Haein meets Jinwoo long before he becomes an S-Rank fighter in her side story. Sung Jinah awakens as a Hunter rather than remaining a normal student. Lee Joohee gains S-Rank status when she emerges as the only person to endure the Double Dungeon disaster alive. Netmarble also altered Jinwoo’s personal history within his Shadow Monarch origin episode, presenting another distinct branch of the narrative. Original combat scenarios flourish under these alternate storylines without disrupting the canon set by the original webtoon [2].
Although these side stories carry questionable canonicity, Chugong once compared Solo Leveling to a multiverse like Marvel’s, making alternate storylines relevant for fans of the wider lore. Multiverse elements already surfaced in the Solo Leveling: Ragnarok light novel, where Sung Suho meets an alternate version of himself. With Go Gunhee set to play a big role in the Monarchs War Arc following the next film, this prequel gives the beloved chairman meaningful attention before his biggest battles return to the screen [2].
Oricon Manga Rankings in Japan
Outside digital gaming platforms, the comic achieved rare heights in the home country of anime. According to an official sales report published on October 21, 2026, by Oricon Inc.—the tracking company founded in 1999—Solo Leveling ranked as the twenty-fifth best-selling comic series in Japan for 2025. Between November 18, 2024, and November 14, 2025, the series accumulated 969k sales, standing as the only non-Japanese work on the entire top 30 list [1].
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece topped the Oricon ranking at number one. The final tally also included Jujutsu Kaisen, Dandadan, and Blue Lock. Between November 2024 and November 2025, Kadokawa released Volumes 19, 20, 21, and 22 in Japan. Publication aligned with the broadcast of Season 2 in January 2025, which helped drive new buyers toward local bookshops [1].
High sales arrived despite steep economic disadvantages. Standard manga sells for between ¥400 and ¥600, or roughly $2 to $3 in US currency. Solo Leveling costs two to three times as much, selling for ¥1,000 to ¥1,200 ($6 to $8) per volume because publisher Kadokawa prints every page in full color rather than traditional black and white. Color pages explain the markup. To keep individual book prices manageable, Kadokawa expanded the series from 15 South Korean volumes into 25 Japanese volumes, with Volume 25 wrapping up the print run on June 23, 2026. Readers in Japan often turn to free digital platforms instead of buying printed copies, meaning Oricon’s 969k figure represents only a portion of its true audience [1].
Future Films and Solo Leveling Arise
Anime producer Atsushi Kaneko views the manga sales in Japan as part of a larger plan to elevate Solo Leveling to match legacy franchises like One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto. During press discussions, Kaneko remained realistic about the franchise’s standing in Japan. “In Japan, the anime is not at the level of Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto. If season three happens, that’s when I want to truly break that boundary,” Kaneko said [1].
To close that gap, producers used Anime Expo 2026 on July 4 to reveal an animated movie titled Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, slated for global theatrical release in 2027. The production is inspired by the box office success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, with the studio hoping a worldwide theatrical run will convert casual viewers into manga readers. The theatrical push unfolds as the Solo Leveling anime faces new 2027 rivals on international release schedules.
Solo Leveling Arise prequels and upcoming film releases keep expanding the fictional universe well past the conclusion of the finished manhwa. Volume 25 finished the Japanese print run on June 23, 2026. Netmarble’s origin chapters and future theatrical projects provide fresh perspectives on Go Gunhee, allowing fans to explore the wider mythology through multiple entertainment formats [1, 2].
- ONLINE NEWS Penber, R. (2026, October 23). Solo Leveling Officially Sets New Record In Japan. GameRant. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Cardaro, B. (2026, October 22). Solo Leveling Officially Brings Back Go Gunhee in New Prequel. CBR. [Article Link]
