Since its spectacular debut, Solo Leveling has enjoyed massive international success. The first season not only delivered outstanding quality but also swept multiple awards at this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards, known as the biggest anime awards outside Japan.
Solo Leveling’s success was so overwhelming that it beat out many major anime series to claim the top honor: Anime of the Year 2025. The show continues to thrive, with strong global popularity even months after its finale.
However, while fans expected the second season to replicate this success at next year’s Crunchyroll Awards, the story in Japan tells a different tale.
Solo Leveling has undoubtedly been the most successful international anime this year, but in Japan, it still has a long way to go. It failed to win the Anime of the Year title there. Instead, a lesser-known series called MAKEINE: Too Many Losing Heroines! took the crown, with Solo Leveling finishing in fourth place.
MAKEINE: Too Many Losing Heroines! wins Anime of the Year in Japan
Crunchyroll is not the only anime award, but it is the largest outside Japan. In Japan, there are separate awards, including the prestigious Newtype Anime Awards.
This year, the Newtype Anime Awards chose their Anime of the Year without Solo Leveling winning. Instead, an anime that most outside Japan have likely never heard of, MAKEINE: Too Many Losing Heroines!, captured the title. While hugely popular in Japan, this series has yet to gain global recognition.
While some fans hoped Solo Leveling would break through and win, the reality was different. It didn’t even make the top three, settling for fourth place. Still, this is a respectable achievement and may signal growing momentum for the anime in Japan.
Solo Leveling is a global phenomenon but still needs to grow in Japan
Based on a Korean manhwa, Solo Leveling stands apart from typical anime adaptations of Japanese manga or light novels. It has become the highest-grossing Korean anime, surpassing titles like Tower of God. Yet, in Japan, it still faces a long road to reach the same level of acclaim.
Chugong, the creator of Solo Leveling, has expressed regret over not giving a larger role to a Japanese character (Goto Ryuji).
Director Atsushi Kaneko also commented on this gap:
“Although I’m excited about the positive feedback, I personally don’t think the series is widely known yet. Solo Leveling hasn’t been fully recognized in Japan. As a Japanese living here, it hasn’t reached the level of Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto… But if season three comes out, that’s when I want to truly break that barrier.”
Currently, Solo Leveling trails behind well-established series like One Piece and Naruto, as well as newer titles such as The Apothecary Diaries and Makeine in Japan.