Solo Leveling Has Been Beaten By Japan’s New Anime Of The Year

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This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling series.

Since it first came out, Solo Leveling has become a huge hit around the world. The first season was exceptionally well-made and won several awards at this year’s Crunchyroll Awards, which are the most prominent anime awards outside of Japan. Solo Leveling even won the top prize, Anime of the Year 2025, beating out many other popular series. The show continues to gain fans and remains popular even after the season ended.

I’ve been watching the reaction to the Solo Leveling anime, and it’s been huge internationally this year – definitely the biggest series I’ve seen. People are already hoping for more success at next year’s Crunchyroll Awards with the second season. However, it seems Japan hasn’t quite embraced it to the same degree. While it did well, it didn’t win Anime of the Year – a series called MAKEINE: Too Many Losing Heroines! took that title. Solo Leveling ended up in 4th place, which is still good, but shows there’s room for growth there.

‘MAKEINE: Too Many Losing Heroines!’ Wins The Title of Anime of The Year in Japan

  • Solo Leveling Won In the West, But In Japan It’s Been Beaten
  • Solo Leveling Ends Up In The 4th Spot

While Crunchyroll is a major anime awards show, especially outside of Japan, Japan has its own awards as well. The Newtype Anime Awards recently announced its “Anime of the Year,” and this year it went to a series called ‘MAKEINE: Too Many Losing Heroines!’. Though not widely known internationally, ‘MAKEINE’ is incredibly popular in Japan. Solo Leveling did not win the award this year.

Although many fans hoped Solo Leveling would win the award, it didn’t even finish in the top three. It came in fourth, which isn’t a bad result and could indicate growing popularity for the anime in Japan.

Solo Leveling Is A Global Phenomenon, But It Still Needs To Grow In Japan

The Likes of Makeine and The Apothecary Diaries Are Far More Popular

Solo Leveling is an animated series originally based on a Korean comic – a refreshing change from most anime, which are adapted from Japanese comics or novels. It’s become the most popular Korean-based anime, even more so than series like Tower of God. While it’s hugely popular internationally, it’s still gaining traction in Japan and isn’t yet as well-known there.

I wish I’d made the character Ryuji Goto a bit more powerful and impressive if I’d known my book would become so popular in Japan. Even if I couldn’t have changed his role as a main character, I would have developed him differently.

While popular globally, Solo Leveling hasn‘t made a huge impact in Japan, something those involved with the series have previously noted. The author, Chugong, wishes he’d given a Japanese character a more significant part in the story, especially considering accusations of anti-Japan sentiment. A director involved with the project hopes that Solo Leveling will gain wider recognition, and believes a third season could help increase its popularity.

Atsushi Kaneko expressed excitement about the positive reception to the series, but feels it hasn’t yet reached mainstream popularity in Japan. While popular, ‘Solo Leveling’ isn’t as widely known as established anime like ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘One Piece,’ or ‘Naruto.’ He believes a third season could be the key to achieving that broader recognition.

Currently, this series isn’t as popular in Japan as many other well-known shows, including classics like One Piece and Naruto, and newer hits like The Apothecary Diaries and Makeine.

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

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2025-10-26 00:34