Solo Leveling is one of the most popular anime right now. Based on the famed manhwa of the same name, illustrated by the late Dubu, the anime series has successfully lived up to the hype it created before the premiere episode. However, every good thing has to come to an end, and with the debut season of Solo Leveling (review) coming to a close, arises the need for more engaging action anime to fill the void. That’s why I have compiled a list of anime which, according to me, are must-watch for every Solo Leveling fan. Here are the best anime like Solo Leveling you can watch next.
Note: The availability of these anime shows may vary from region to region.
1. Sword Art Online
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Isekai
- IMDb: 7.5
- MyAnimeList: 7.2
- Created by: Tomohiko Itō, Reki Kawahara
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Episodes: 4 seasons, 100 episodes
Also produced by A-1 Pictures, Sword Art Online is one such Isekai anime that helped the genre become popular initially. The SAO franchise has always been a fan favorite, following a similar concept to Solo Leveling. In both anime series, the protagonists level up in terms of power to face the challenges that come their way.
The plot of the celebrated series revolves around a gamer named Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya, who gets trapped in a VR MMORPG along with 1000 more players. They must reach the top of the dungeon to escape the virtual world. Despite being a fictional world, Aincrad feels very close to reality with its vibrant colors and attention to detail.
2. Goblin Slayer
- Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy
- IMDb: 7.4
- MyAnimeList: 7.4
- Created by: Takaharu Ozaki, Hideyuki Kurata and Yōsuke Kuroda
- Studio: White Fox (Season 1) and Liden Films (Season 2)
- Episodes: 2 seasons, 24 episodes
Like Solo Leveling’s Sung Jinwoo, Goblin Slayer revolves around a protagonist who explores different dungeons to eradicate the existence of every bloodthirsty goblin. The dark fantasy series also features a ranking system for the adventurers, which is another element that makes it similar to Solo Leveling.
When a priestess gets in danger on her first confrontation with a goblin, she is saved by an armored man. He is none other than the Goblin Slayer, who is determined to free the world from goblins by any means. This fantasy series is all about blood-soaked battles that might feel disturbing at times.
3. Demon Slayer
- Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy
- IMDb: 8.6
- MyAnimeList: 8.5
- Created by: Haruo Sotozaki, Koyoharu Gotouge
- Studio: Ufotable
- Episodes: 3 seasons, 55 episodes
Demon Slayer’s Tanjiro Kamado and Solo Leveling’s Sung Jinwoo both appear as weaklings at the beginning of their stories, but over time, they become the strongest. Ufotable’s Demon Slayer aka Kimetsu no Yaiba is a treat to every enthusiast, with out-of-this-world animation quality. Every frame of this popular anime is awe-inspiringly beautiful.
Demon Slayer is the story of a coal burner’s son named Tanjiro Kamado, who finds his family murdered by a demon one day. All he is left with is Nezuko, his sister, who is slowly getting transformed into a demon after getting bitten by one of their kind.
Now, he must train harder with the potent Hashiras to fight against these demons so that he can turn his sister back into a human.
4. Overlord
- Genre: Isekai, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
- IMDb: 7.7
- MyAnimeList: 8.1
- Created by: Kugane Maruyama, Naoyuki Itō
- Studio: Madhouse
- Episodes: 4 seasons, 52 episodes
Overlord features a titular character who gets stuck in a video game, where he has to solve several mysteries while fighting deadly enemies simultaneously. Both Ainz and Sung Jinwoo appear as the story’s protagonists who not only level up in terms of strength but also become more knowledgeable about their respective universes.
As for the synopsis – After several years of successful runs, a popular video game is about to shut down. While every player has already logged out of the game, a player decides to continue playing it until its last moment. However, before he can realize it, he gets transported to the virtual world as a powerful skeleton.
5. Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions
- Genre: Isekai, Dark Fantasy
- IMDb: 7.3
- MyAnimeList: 7.6
- Created by: Ao Jūmonji, Ryosuke Nakamura
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Episodes: 1 season, 12 episodes
Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions follows the concept of leveling up as Solo Leveling. However, unlike the latter, in this series, the entire team levels up instead of just the main character. For anyone who gets intrigued witnessing slow-burning narratives, Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions is a must-watch as this strongly focuses on the development of every character.
A group of adventurers who don’t remember their true identity is thrown into a mysterious land. There, they must fight goblins to earn a living and accumulate knowledge about their whereabouts and past lives.
6. Tower of God
- Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy
- IMDb: 7.6
- MyAnimeList: 7.6
- Created by: SIU
- Studio: Telecom Animation Film
- Episodes: 1 season, 13 episodes
Like Solo Leveling, the Tower of God anime has also been adapted from a Korean manhwa featuring an underdog protagonist. However, unlike the former, the latter failed to get the appreciation it deserved.
Regardless, it’s an amazing anime series where the main character has to face many betrayals before understanding that he has to rely only on himself to survive.
Tower of God features a mysterious tower that chooses people called ‘Regulars’ on its own. Despite not being chosen by the tower, Bam decides to reach the top of the tower for the sake of his only friend, Rachael. Like Sung Jinwoo, he will do anything it takes to reach his goal.
7. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy
- IMDb: 7.4
- MyAnimeList: 7.5
- Created by: Fujino Ōmori, Hideki Shirane
- Studio: J.C Staff
- Episodes: 4 seasons, 59 episodes
This series’ world is all about dungeons and monsters, which makes it worth watching for everyone who loves Solo Leveling. However, along with the deadly monsters, this anime also features Gods who coexist with humans. In a way, these Gods are similar to Rulers from Solo Leveling.
An adventurer whose dream was to become the world’s mightiest adventurer realizes that his aspirations have started taking shape after he encounters the goddess Hestia. The duo then also embarks on a new journey that sees them risking their lives to fight evil entities.
8. The Rising of the Shield Hero
- Genre: Isekai, Dark Fantasy
- IMDb: 7.8
- MyAnimeList: 8
- Created by: Aneko Yusagi, Seira Minami
- Studio: Sunrise
- Episodes: 3 seasons, 50 episodes
In the pool of anime showcasing the characters’ leveling up, The Rising of the Shield Hero is one of the best series that keeps you hooked from the start. The main character boasts a similar journey as Jinwoo. An ordinary gamer named Naofumi Iwatani gets trapped in a world where he must kill monsters to save the world. Sounds similar, isn’t it?
The Rising of the Shield Hero is a tale about a 20-year-old boy, Naofumi, who is chosen as one of the four warriors who will be the savior of humanity. Throughout his journey, Naofumi is ridiculed by higher-ranked warriors, but he doesn’t give up and keeps on training to become stronger.
9. The God of High School
- Genre: Supernatural, Martial Arts
- IMDb: 7.2
- MyAnimeList: 7.1
- Created by: Yongje Park, Sunghoo Park
- Studio: MAPPA
- Episodes: 1 season, 13 episodes
Unlike every other anime on this list, The God of High School does not have a story similar to Solo Leveling or involving goblins or monsters. So, what makes it similar to Solo Leveling? Well, it’s the well-choreographed action sequences and the main protagonists’ do-or-die attitude that make it eligible to sit on this list.
As for what the anime is about, The God of High School follows a high schooler named Jin Mori, who participates in a martial arts tournament. There, he competes against powerful opponents possessing supernatural abilities.
Despite not having any power, Mori goes beyond his limit to fulfill his grandfather’s wish, which was to see him as a potent martial artist.
10. Chainsaw Man
- Genre: Action, Comedy horror, Dark Fantasy
- IMDb: 8.4
- MyAnimeList: 8.5
- Created by: Tatsuki Fujimoto, Ryū Nakayama and Makoto Nakazono
- Studio: MAPPA
- Episodes: 1 season, 12 episodes
Like Sung Jinwoo, Chainsaw Man’s Denji is shown as a loser in the beginning. He works as a devil hunter to repay the huge debt his father took before dying. Besides that, Denji and Sung Jinwoo’s lives changed entirely following a tragedy, and that’s what makes the two protagonists similar.
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, who gets betrayed and killed by the Yakuza, but that isn’t the end of his story; in fact, that incident marks the beginning of a new story. His pet devil Pochita, who is the Chainsaw devil, decides to sacrifice his life for Denji and make him the Chainsaw Man, our devilish hero.
Apart from streaming anime that might have a similar gamification or leveling up mechanic, you can also read manhwa similar to Solo Leveling. Why pick up another manhwa? If you haven’t even read the main manhwa in question here, learn where to start the Solo Leveling manhwa after the Season 1 ending.
Also, what other anime do you suggest to viewers who liked Solo Leveling? Let us know in the comments section.
Aparna Ukil
