Solo Leveling was always about Sung Jinwoo’s rise to absolute dominance, and for most of the series, he remains the sole focus of the narrative. However, the introduction of his Shadow Army gave rise to some of the series’ most entertaining and lovable characters, especially Iron and Beru.

These two shadows brought comedic relief and personality to an otherwise serious and action-filled narrative, making their moments stand out to the fans. The anime adaptation, however, already shown a worrying trend, one that only fans hope will not be repeated when Beru is included in the army. Iron, once portrayed as the goofy little shadow, lost a large portion of his personality in the anime version.

Jinwoo and Iron from Solo Leveling anime. | Credit: A-1 Pictures

Rather than exemplifying his goofy side, the Solo Leveling anime downplayed his antics, turning him into just another faceless minion instead of the quirky character that fans loved.