Underdog male leads are the lifeblood of anime and the backbone of stories that make us fist-pump in triumph and sometimes ugly cry in public. These protagonists have the essence of rising from nothing to conquering everything. They prove that with determination, grit, and pure willpower, even a zero can be the ultimate hero. Let's go over five fantastic MCs who started from rock bottom and crawled to the top like absolute bosses.
1. Sung Jinwoo – Solo Leveling
From Weakest to World’s Strongest
The first time we see Sung Jinwoo, he is what you would probably label “Doomed Guy No. 3” in every dungeon raid. An E-rank hunter, Jinwoo is as weak as your Wi-Fi when there is a thunderstorm outside. His life is a gamble every day to see if he stays alive or makes it to the afterlife.
But after a dungeon one so nasty that even the bravest of hunters leaves him fatally injured, Jinwoo receives the System, a mysterious ability that lets him level up. Boy, does he level from slaying lowly beasts to commanding an army of shadow soldiers, Jinwoo's evolution is something like seeing someone change from a bicycle to a jet plane overnight.
It resonates in the heart of anyone who has ever been underestimated. In addition, it is not just his surging power but his unshakeable resolve that keeps us on our feet and cheering in support. Plus, let's be real, who would not want to command a legion of undead shadows while looking ridiculously cool doing it?
