Solo Leveling has risen to become one of the most popular anime of the modern era. The scale of its success is truly impressive, especially with its first season sweeping the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025. But it didn’t stop there. Solo Leveling went on to set new milestones, becoming the highest-rated anime on Crunchyroll with over one million reviews.
The success of Solo Leveling is clearly no easy feat, and the reasons behind its massive appeal remain a hot topic among fans. Many factors contributed to its success, but these three stand out as the most important. Interestingly, the biggest reason is something not all fans want to admit.
3. The Manhwa’s Popularity
It’s undeniable that for a new anime to become a phenomenon, the original work needs a strong foundation. Solo Leveling’s foundation was not only strong but it was also one of the most famous manhwa worldwide.
From its debut, Solo Leveling made a huge impact with its concept of a character constantly “leveling up” and growing stronger. This formula quickly sparked a trend, inspiring many other manhwa to adopt similar elements.
Readers especially loved the fresh ideas and the energy that the main character Sung Jinwoo brought through his development. Because of this, Solo Leveling already had a massive fanbase eagerly awaiting the anime adaptation before it even aired.
A-1 Pictures capitalized on this strong foundation to bring the Solo Leveling brand to an even wider audience.
2. Impressive Animation Quality
No matter how compelling the story is, an anime adaptation struggles to succeed if it doesn’t meet audience expectations. With Solo Leveling, A-1 Pictures stayed faithful to the source material while elevating many key scenes.
The fight scenes stand out as some of the anime’s brightest highlights. Battles are rendered with smooth motion, eye-catching effects, and almost no signs of lag. The visual quality even improved as the story progressed.
Another factor keeping Solo Leveling’s momentum strong is the strategy of releasing two seasons just one year apart. This meant fans didn’t have to wait long to continue following Jinwoo’s journey.
This approach likely helped boost votes for the first season when Solo Leveling won at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025, as the success of the second season influenced audience enthusiasm.
Regardless, delivering two high-quality seasons in such a short time is a remarkable achievement for A-1 Pictures and helped maintain the brand’s ongoing popularity.
1. Jinwoo’s Story
Some critics argue that Solo Leveling’s plot isn’t particularly unique, especially since most characters besides Jinwoo aren’t deeply developed. From this perspective, the story becomes centered on a main character with an overwhelming “aura.”
While this critique isn’t entirely wrong, it overlooks a crucial element: Solo Leveling’s story truly focuses on Jinwoo’s gradual transformation and growth.
At the start, Jinwoo has almost nothing. He struggles to make a living, cares for his hospitalized mother, and hopes his sister can continue her studies.
Moreover, Jinwoo begins as an E-rank Hunter, considered one of the weakest in South Korea.
That’s why the moment Jinwoo gains the ability to “level up” and grow stronger after each challenge feels so special. His journey feels like playing a video game, where every completed quest rewards him and every limit broken makes him more powerful.
More importantly, his rise from having almost nothing to becoming a powerful hero strikes a chord with a dream many people share in real life.
Everyone wishes to change their life, overcome personal limits, and become a better version of themselves. Solo Leveling turns that dream into an entertaining coming-of-age story through Jinwoo’s journey.
So, even if some fans hesitate to admit it, Jinwoo’s story of transformation is probably the biggest reason Solo Leveling has become one of the most famous anime of the modern generation.