Solo Levelinghas become anime’s hottest new title. The series debuted in January 2024 to immediate fanfare, and remained one of the year’s biggest releases,rivaling powerhouse shows likeDandadanandDemon Slayer. In 2025, the anime’s second season became set to headline the winter season, and has stolen the spotlight entirely from other highly anticipated titles airing alongside the series, like theShōnen JumphitSakamoto Days.
The spotlight isn’t the only thingSolo Levelinghas managed to steal, either. According to theX account SoloLevelAnime, which has tracked the series' performance over the course of its second season,Solo Levelinghas managed to tackleOne Pieceas Crunchyroll’s most popular title. The new hottest anime’s second season has two episodes remaining, and will surely only add to its ever-growing total number of viewers before the finale.
Solo Leveling Topples a One Piece Record
Anime’s Hottest New Title Is the Most Popular Series on Crunchyroll
Following the premiere ofSolo Leveling’s Season Two Episode #11, titled “It’s Going to Get Even More Intense”, the series surpassedOne Piece’s record as Crunchyroll’s most rated title, coming in at 594,486 total ratings from viewers across the streaming platform. It was only a matter of time, as the series quickly surpassed other anime powerhouses over the last year and seemed destined for the top. Episode #11 is currently thethird most liked single episode,behind onlyDemon Slayer andChainsaw Man.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Improves the Manhwa With an Extremely Controversial Design
Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 11 proves the Ant King’s controversial design was a genius change meant to be an improvement over the manhwa.
Solo Leveling’s second season, titledArise from the Shadow,is confirmed for a total length of 13 episodes, and ratings for the final two episodes are guaranteed to bolster the series' numbers. However, the record won’t go unchallenged,asOne Pieceis set to returnfrom a several-month-long hiatus this April. Anime’s top-selling franchise boasts its own ludicrously wide fan base, who will return in full support of their favorite series.
2025 Is Shaping Up to Be a Big Year For Anime
Solo Leveling Will Continue to Face Stiff Competition
Solo Levelingentered 2025 with a bang, taking advantage of a relatively light winter season of anime and establishing itself as one of the premiere shows in the industry. As a result, it has become the most popular title on anime’s most popular dedicated streaming platform. While the serieswas able to claim 2024’s top spot as well, one series nearly caught up in ratings over a brief three-month period, the year’s other smash hit,Dandadan. Now scheduled to return in July,Dandadanwill surely compete for the year’s top spot once more.
Other immensely popular titles likeOne Punch Man,Spy x Family, andKaiju no. 8are also expected to air later in 2025, whileChainsaw Man, which holds the record for Crunchyroll’s single most popular episode, andDemon Slayerareset to release theatrical films. It’s still early, butSolo Levelinghas put in a serious bid for anime of the year, and is proving its staying power by overtaking a long-standingOne Piecerecord.
Solo Leveling
Cast
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world’s weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
