Japan Already Has A New 2025 Anime Better Than Solo Leveling

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Solo Leveling has become a global phenomenon, gaining massive popularity worldwide thanks to its exciting action and quick pace. It’s widely considered one of the best anime series out there. Usually, anime that are hits in Japan also become popular internationally, but that hasn’t been the case with Solo Leveling. While it’s incredibly popular overseas, it hasn’t gained much traction in Japan, which has surprised many fans. In fact, while Solo Leveling was named Anime of the Year for 2025 in the West, Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc is the top-rated anime in Japan.

Black Butler was once very popular internationally, but newer shows have become more prominent in recent years. In Japan, series like The Apothecary Diaries and Uma Musume are currently receiving a lot of attention, as evidenced by Filmarks’ voting data from the first half of 2025.

Solo Leveling is Big Overseas, But Japan’s Highest Rated Anime of the First Half of 2025 is Black Butler

  • Solo Leveling Never Blew up in Japan
  • Black Butler Has Proven to Be More Popular

Filmarks is Japan’s leading review service, and its rankings are a trustworthy measure of a show’s popularity. Recently released results for the first half of 2025 surprised many fans, as ‘Solo Leveling,’ currently a huge hit in western countries, didn’t even appear in the top 10 most popular series in Japan.

Surprisingly, Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc came out on top. While this new season didn’t gain much traction internationally, Black Butler remains incredibly popular in Japan. The series was a huge hit with a strong fanbase a few years ago, but interest waned among overseas viewers, though it’s still thriving domestically.

Atsushi Kaneko expressed excitement about the positive reception to the series, but believes it hasn’t yet reached mainstream popularity in Japan. While the anime is doing well, it’s not as widely known as established giants like Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto. He hopes a third season will help it achieve that level of recognition.

Japan’s Other Big Hit 2025 Series

The Apothecary Diaries is Among the Most Popular Anime

Apothecary Diaries

While many are enthusiastic about Solo Leveling, it didn’t rank among the top 10 series in Japan. In fact, the list features several titles unfamiliar to most international fans, with The Apothecary Diaries being a notable exception. Black Butler is another series that performed better than Solo Leveling in Japan.

The second season of The Apothecary Diaries, which premiered in 2025, has been a hit with audiences both in Japan and around the world. It’s gained a lot of popularity, and viewers understand why – the show’s combination of compelling storytelling, romance, mystery, and suspense is captivating. Although it’s currently ranked fifth on Filmarks for the first half of the year, it has the most total reviews, demonstrating just how widely the series has been embraced.

Ratings for top anime on Filmarks for Japan first half 2025:

  • Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc — 4.46 stars / 948 reviews
  • Uma Musume Cinderella Gray — 4.38 stars / 1,024 reviews
  • Lycoris Recoil: Friends Are Thieves of Time — 4.33 stars / 1,755 reviews
  • Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man — 4.32 stars / 1,472 reviews
  • The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 — 4.27 stars / 6,623 reviews
  • Medalist — 4.26 stars / 7,269 reviews
  • Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary Season 2 — 4.24 stars / 1,590 reviews
  • Apocalypse Hotel — 4.21 stars / 1,568 reviews
  • Fire Force Season 3 — 4.21 stars / 1,074 reviews
  • Re:Zero Season 3 — 4.20 stars / 3,190 reviews

Currently, there are two seasons of Solo Leveling available to watch, totaling 25 episodes. You can stream the series on Crunchyroll. If you’re eager for more before season 3 arrives, reading the original manhwa is a good way to continue the story.

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2025-10-21 00:37