Japan’s Anime of the Year That Beat Solo Leveling Is Making A Comeback

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Many fans in Western countries would likely name Solo Leveling as Anime of the Year. This is because it received top honors, winning the Anime of the Year award at the 2025 Crunchyroll Awards. Solo Leveling has quickly become incredibly popular and gained a large international following.

Even though Solo Leveling is incredibly popular worldwide, it hasn’t become a top anime hit in Japan, as shown by the recent Newtype Anime Awards. At the awards, Solo Leveling lost to another anime from the same studio, Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! which is now getting a second season. Makeine Season 2 is currently in production, and fans are hoping it will be released by 2027.

Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Was Japan’s Anime of the Year

  • Makeine beat the likes of Solo Leveling and The Apothecary Diaries
  • Makeine’s main character was voted as the Best Male Character of 2025

Throughout the year, Japan hosts numerous anime awards shows, and the NewType Anime Awards are among the most respected.

The awards took place in late 2025 and offered valuable insights into what Japanese audiences were enjoying at the time. Fans voted for their favorite anime of the year, deciding which series would be considered Japan’s best in 2025. Surprisingly, the top spot wasn’t taken by an action anime like Solo Leveling, but by a heartwarming slice-of-life series called Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!

Makeine continued its success when its protagonist, Kazuhiko Nukumizu, took home the award for Japan’s most popular male character at the 2025 Japan NewType Awards. The series remains incredibly popular in Japan, though it hasn’t yet gained the same level of recognition internationally.

Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Has A Second Season In The Works

  • No Release Date out at the moment, but a 2027 release is likely

I’ve noticed Makeine is incredibly popular in Japan. It all started with a light novel by Takibi Amamori, which then became an anime. The first season only had 12 episodes, but people were really blown away by how good it was! It aired for a short time, from July to September of 2024.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting more from the series, and they’ll be happy to hear that Season 2 is officially confirmed! The studio recently announced that it’s moving forward with production. A-1 Pictures is currently working on several exciting projects, and Makeine appears to be a high priority for them.

Fans are still waiting to find out when the show will be released. However, many believe a 2027 release is most likely, considering the time it takes to create a high-quality anime adaptation.

Fans are excited for a trailer or first look, but so far, there haven’t been any new updates about the project. Everyone is hoping for more details at Anime Japan 2026. A-1 Pictures is currently working on several projects, including Solo Leveling, and we might hear significant news about them all then.

Can Solo Leveling Surpass Makeine?

Image by Rei Penber/ Game Rant
  • Solo Leveling is more popular overseas, but it lacks a hold in Japan
  • New Solo Leveling movie could tip the scales in Japan

I’ve been really enjoying both Solo Leveling and Makeine, but they’re totally different experiences! Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines is this really cozy, slice-of-life anime. It follows Kazuhiko Nukumizu and how he gets wrapped up in the lives of these girls who, well, haven’t had the best luck. It’s not a fast-paced story at all – it’s all about the connections Kazuhiko makes with these girls and watching their friendships blossom. It’s a really heartwarming watch!

This series definitely subverts some expectations and isn’t too heavy on romance.

Solo Leveling primarily follows the journey of Sung Jinwoo, with little focus on other characters. Viewers enjoy watching Sung Jinwoo become incredibly powerful, starting from a point of weakness as a low-ranked hunter. The series is action-packed, with battles happening in almost every episode, and fans are eagerly anticipating future installments.

Although every anime has its strengths, Solo Leveling has the potential to become more popular than Makeine. Currently, Makeine is still more successful in Japan, but Solo Leveling is quickly gaining ground. In fact, at a recent awards show where Makeine won Anime of the Year, Solo Leveling finished a respectable fourth place.

Both the producer and the author of Solo Leveling acknowledge the series hasn’t yet reached its full potential in Japan. They’re optimistic that adding more content – like a third season or a movie – could help it gain wider popularity.

A movie based on Solo Leveling has the potential to become hugely popular in Japan. Following the success of the first part of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, a leaked report suggests the studio is seriously planning a theatrical release for Solo Leveling, possibly between late 2026 and 2027. This could be the project that really launches the franchise in Japan.

As someone from Japan watching this anime in Japan, it doesn’t quite reach the popularity of shows like Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto yet. However, the producer hopes season three will be a turning point and help it achieve that level of success.

Internationally, Solo Leveling is still incredibly popular and continues to lead the way. Compared to that, Makeine hasn’t gained much of a following outside of Japan. For example, on platforms like Crunchyroll, Solo Leveling is by far the most popular anime. Its first and second seasons have earned the highest ratings on the platform, and that doesn’t look likely to change. Fans worldwide are eager for more of Jinwoo’s story.

Currently, there are 25 episodes of Solo Leveling available – twelve in the first season and thirteen in the second. You can watch both seasons on Crunchyroll. While fans wait for news about a possible third season, they can also enjoy the original Solo Leveling Manhwa for more content. As of now, there haven’t been any official announcements regarding a third season.

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2026-01-27 06:35