Countless anime fans are eagerly awaiting a third season of Solo Leveling, but the wait might be a long one. The anime's third season isn't even confirmed yet, so that should get fans thinking about which titles will get another season this year. Already, plenty of hit anime are returning for more in 2026, from Oshi no Ko to Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
Other titles deserve a new season pronto, and those seasons should keep fans sated while they keep their ears open for news of Solo Leveling's future in anime. These particular titles are all popular and relevant, meaning they all deserve a shot at a second, third, or even fourth season during the wait for more Solo Leveling content. Fans could even argue that some or even all of these anime deserve new content more than Solo Leveling does.
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Ranma 1/2 Must Keep the Hype Going With a Third Season Soon
There's a Lot of Ground Left to Cover in This Remake
Some anime need new seasons because they're brand new and need to build up an impressive library of episodes. Other anime, such as Ranma 1/2's modern remake, need new episodes to make up for lost time. This comedic martial arts anime has a completed manga and anime to draw from, so it should keep moving at a snappy pace.
Ranma 1/2's characters may not have even half the aura of Jinwoo Sung or Cha Hae-In, but they do have charming, creative designs that are perfect for action, humor, and romance alike. The first two seasons of Ranma 1/2 proved it, and there's still so much more to go.
Bocchi the Rock! Must Not Become a One-Hit Wonder
Hitori Gotoh's Musical Career is Still Getting Off the Ground
Some anime, such as the one-season Bocchi the Rock!, may dominate the anime landscape for a short time, but they run the risk of fading way too soon. Bocchi the Rock! Was the sleeper hit of the loaded Fall 2022 anime season, yet the white-hot hype has already cooled down a great deal.
Bocchi the Rock! Has that magnetic "it" factor to make it such a wonderful and delightful anime, but one season isn't enough. The anime must prove that its successful first season wasn't a fluke, and launch an encore to keep the anime's name relevant.
Kakegurui Has Enough Material For Another Anime Season
The Live-Action Bet Probably Didn't Scratch the Itch
Recently, anime fans got to see the live-action TV series Bet on Netflix, which was inspired by Kakegurui. The end results might have pleased some fans, but it was hardly a substitute for new anime material. Though the source manga releases new chapters slowly, it still deserves more anime episodes.
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This gambling anime is a refreshing thriller series where brains always beat brawn, and anime fans need to see that in an era where action fantasy like Solo Leveling dominate. Given the manga's limited chapters, only one more season of Kakegurui could be made in the foreseeable future, but fans still want it.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a Meaningful Exploration of Life's Purpose
Subversive Anime Are More Popular Than Ever
The best zombie movies helped inspire the likes of High School of the Dead, and more recently, Zom 100 has proven itself a successful take on the genre. Subversion is the key here, with Akira Tendo actually enjoying the zombie apocalypse as a way to escape the crushing grind of his work life.
That subversion, mixed with more genuine narratives of survival and friendship, make Zom 100 the wonder that it is. Even if just one more season can be made for the next few years, devotees need that season to arrive ASAP. The zombie genre has a great deal of tension and suspense by nature, and fans simply must see what comes next.
Sakamoto Days' Next Season Should Arrive Sooner Than Later
Sakamoto Days Needs to Keep Pace With the Competition
Certain anime need a new season before Solo Leveling so they can escape obscurity, while recent titles such as Sakamoto Days simply need to keep the momentum going. It doesn't help how Sakamoto Days faces stiff competition from the likes of Dandadan and Ranma 1/2 as an action/comedy title.
To keep pace with its rivals, Sakamoto Days ought to get a new season sooner than later. It may lack the "wow" factor of Solo Leveling, but it does have stronger character arcs and more creative combat sequences. In this case, silly beats serious in anime, and the cliffhanger at the end of Season 2 definitely calls for a Season 3.
Dandadan Ended on a Tantalizing Cliffhanger
2027 Can't Get Here Soon Enough
Similar to its competitors Sakamoto Days and Ranma 1/2, the smash-hit anime Dandadan needs a steady and generous flow of new material to stay relevant. The anime industry is more crowded and demanding than ever, often punishing even the popular anime for falling behind with a lack of new seasons.
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Such a fate shouldn't befall Dandadan, since this exciting anime deserves better. Its winning blend of genres and huge fan base mean Dandadan is owed another season before Solo Leveling to carry the torch that My Hero Academia recently passed to it. What is more, the manga has plenty of material for the anime to adapt, so there's no excuse to delay Season 3 for too much longer.
Undead Unluck's Second Season Should Put the Anime Back on the Map
Fuuko's Negator Adventure is Just Beginning
Undead Unluck is a fine example of how even a cool, creative shonen anime with a solid fan base may quickly fall behind in today's fast-paced anime industry. Anime like this urgently need more seasons to stay afloat in the absence of the overwhelming hype that Solo Leveling has.
The sheer aura of Solo Leveling's anime will keep it in the running, even if Season 3 must wait for a while. The same isn't true for Undead Unluck, which needs another 24-episode season of Negator goodness to help it join the ranks of Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Needs Season 2 to Outpace the Original Game
Anime is the Better Format For Exploring Night City
While there isn't yet a confirmed release window, the anime community knows for sure that Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is getting a much-deserved Season 2. The first season blew fans away as a dark sci-fi anime on par with the likes of Akira or Blade Runner as a grim depiction of a tech-infused future world, drama and all.
In particular, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners needs a Season 2 to answer some burning questions about the cast. Precious few characters from the first season even survived, so fans must know who will replace the fallen cast members in the next adventure. At least the popular Lucy survived, and Season 2 is bound to reveal what she's been up to ever since.
Black Lagoon Must Return as One of the Best Seinen Action Anime
The Manga Has Plenty of Material Left to Adapt
Black Lagoon's anime and manga alike have a strong reputation as a Tarantino-esque action adventure. This seinen franchise stars some of the best, most rugged antiheroes around, and they can go anywhere from here. It's a flexible and open-ended story, making Season 2 more desirable than ever.
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The original Black Lagoon manga suffered from sporadic and slow updates for years, but the manga and its creator seem to be fixing all that now. If so, Season 2 of Black Lagoon's anime is simply a must, adapting whatever remains of the source manga to keep seinen fans sated.
Vinland Saga's Next Major Arc Will Make the Anime a True Legend
Thorfinn's Best Adventures Are Still Ahead of Him
While seinen manga fans typically name Berserk as the best of them all, its competitor Vinland Saga is more deserving of new anime material. For a number of reasons, Berserk seems impossible to properly adapt into anime, while Vinland Saga has no such woes. It has already dazzled fans with two excellent anime seasons, and this medieval adventure is hardly over just yet.
Thorfinn Karlsefni dominated the scene as a scarred, introspective slave on a farm who was ready to face his inner demons at last. Through inner and outer struggles alike, Thorfinn reforged himself into someone far greater, someone who's ready to make a real difference. Based on the source manga's ample material, Vinland Saga's potential next season may be its best yet.
Solo Leveling
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV
- Directors
- Tatsuya Sasaki, Toru Hamasaki
- Writers
- Shigeru Murakoshi, Shingo Irie, Fuka Ishii
Cast
-
Taito BanSung Jin-woo -
Genta NakamuraYoo Jin-ho
A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong's popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System.
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
- 25
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.28 (Season 1); 8.86 (Season 2)
