Stories of underdogs are abundant in popular culture, and their origins can be traced back to ancient folklore and myths. Characters from disadvantaged backgrounds who battle against all odds for their ambitious goals strike a chord with people and often end up leaving a lasting impression. A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is one such story that follows the exciting journey of a young adult named Sung Jinwoo who jumps at the opportunity to turn his fate around and rewrite his destiny.
The anime explores recurring themes of ambition, redemption, identity, and purpose to weave an intriguing tale. Solo Leveling, with its action-packed fight sequences, gives viewers an adrenaline rush that they can also experience in the anime listed below. Let's highlight the best anime like Solo Leveling.
Updated January 10, 2026 by Mark Sammut: Winter 2026 has just gotten going, and I'm sorry to say that Solo Leveling season 3 is not part of the lineup. Honestly, Sung's animated future is still unknown, and it is not clear if a sequel TV series will even materialize. So, just to help ease the wait, we've added a section dedicated to Winter 2026 recommendations. If you want great action and powerful MCs, these anime should hit the mark. This section is found at the end of the article.
Chainsaw Man
The Story Of An Impoverished Teenager Who Becomes A Devil-human
Chainsaw Man
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022
- Studio
- MAPPA
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Crunchyroll
Few anime are as recognizable as Solo Leveling, but Chainsaw Man is an exception. Building on the success of Tatsuki Fujimoto's shonen manga, the anime has one season and a movie under its belt, although it is safe to assume that more content will eventually be released. Although having a fairly different tone than Solo Leveling, Chainsaw Man shares a couple of similarities. Both anime are action-heavy epics that do not hold back the violence and gore; in fact, Chainsaw Man goes even further than Solo Leveling, with certain scenes venturing into horror territory. Like Sung, Denji starts as someone who lives at the bottom of the totem pole, and he meets a gruesome end... Also, like Sung, Denji gets a second chance at life by striking a deal with a supernatural entity, one that gives him ridiculous power but comes at the cost of (some of) his humanity.
Chainsaw Man: Most Powerful Devils, Ranked
The Chainsaw Man manga series' beastly Devils come in various forms. Here are the strongest ones, ranked.
Chainsaw Man primarily revolves around Devil Hunters who are trying to fight off, well, Devils. Now, the latter are wildly different from the monsters who show up in Solo Leveling, and they are arguably more interesting since they stem from humanity's deepest and darkest fears. Denji is powerful, but he is nowhere near as overpowered as Sung, and he goes up against threats that can match him in many areas. Seriously, watch Chainsaw Man.
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? (AKA, DanMachi)
An Anime With Dungeons, An MC Who Gets Gradually Stronger, And A Focus On Familias (Which Are Like Guilds)
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2015 - 2025-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka
- Studio
- J.C.Staff
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Fujino Ōmori
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, The Roku Channel, HIDIVE, Netflix
Ah, DanMachi, the anime with perhaps the dumbest title ever, which is saying something. Ignore the full title's silliness, as this series is pretty darn fantastic, particularly seasons 4 and 5. Just to be clear, the first three seasons are also good, but they are somewhat inconsistent compared to their successors. Set in a fantasy city defined by familias that revolve around a deity and feature adventurers who venture into a massive dungeon, DanMachi follows Bell Cranel, a seemingly weak guy who is the only member of Hestia's guild. As he receives a boost in power that steadily allows him to improve, Bell begins to explore the dungeon more thoroughly, while also getting involved in the city's strange political climate and making allies.
Although not every arc is amazing, DanMachi blends a fascinating world with good action, mostly likable characters, and a protagonist who is constantly evolving. Similar to Sung, Bell grows stronger with each new battle, although he often goes up against enemies who are stronger or just straight-up unbeatable.
My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha: Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon, I'm Out for Revenge!
An OP MC Who Is Left For Death And Then Becomes, Essentially, A Summoner
My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha: Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon, I'm Out for Revenge!
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 3, 2025
- Japanese Title
- Shinjiteita Nakama-tachi ni Dungeon Okuchi de Korosarekaketa ga Gift "Mugen Gacha" de Level 9999 no Nakama-tachi wo Te ni Irete Moto Party Member to Sekai ni Fukushuu & "Zamaa!" Shimasu!
- Studio
- J.C.Staff
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Shisui Meikyō
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE
Fall 2025 is currently underway, and the lineup has quite a few power fantasies that could fill the void left by Solo Leveling. That said, most of them do not share any major similarities outside of having very powerful protagonists, so I would only recommend something like A Wild Last Boss Appeared if you are specifically craving an OP MC. The one major exception is My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha: Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon, I'm Out for Revenge, which has an opening episode that is so "Solo Leveling" that Sung should make a guest appearance.
Now, the show's setting is quite different, as My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha takes place in a fantasy world with many, many species, and humans are generally considered to be the weakest and least developed. They are basically discriminated against, and Light has it worse than most since his ability, Unlimited Gacha, seems to only pull worthless items.
So, here come the similarities. Light joins a powerful group and goes along with them to an extremely dangerous dungeon, where he is betrayed and left to die. Beaten and facing a threat that is bound to destroy him, Light desperately uses his gacha and summons a Level 9999 warrior named Mei, and she will not be his only strong soldier. Now, Light seeks revenge and is the master of an army of strong summons.
OK, I should say that My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha has not been all that great so far, and the fight sequences/animation are definitely not on the same level as Solo Leveling. However, if you are looking for an anime about a weakling who, on the verge of death, unlocks an incredible power, this is it.
Gachiakuta
Slowly Learning To Master Incredible Power (Also, Great Action)
Gachiakuta
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 6, 2025
- Studio
- Bones Film
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Kei Urana
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
OK, Gachiakuta is a Summer 2025 anime, so it only has a couple of episodes by this point; however, I've seen enough to recommend it to pretty much any action fan, and that naturally includes Solo Leveling. The shows share some similarities beyond their genre, too. So, what is the basic story? Well, Rudo lives in the slums that neighbor the upper-class town, with the latter treating the former as dirty criminals who have no rights. Also, they live in the sky. One day, Rudo is framed for murder, and he is sentenced to be flung into the dump below, which should spell death. However, he survives, learns that people live in this area, and that he has special powers that make him a cleaner.
Gachiakuta has quite a lot going for it. The world-building has been fascinating so far, as we gradually learn more about this world alongside Rudo. Speaking of the MC, Rudo is just awesome. Yes, his default state is anger, but that makes sense considering his situation. He wants revenge, but he is willing to learn from other cleaners and contribute to the society he finds himself in. He also has a power that he does not understand, and, similar to Sung, he must master it if he hopes to survive.
Overlord
An OP Evil MC Summoner
Overlord
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2015 - 2022
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Kugane Maruyama
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Netflix
Solo Leveling is not isekai, but it honestly shares quite a few tropes with the genre. Overlord should not need much of an introduction for anyone remotely familiar with isekai, but if you have never tried the series but are looking for something similar to Solo Leveling, you should give it a go.
Just to set expectations, they are hardly copies of each other, but they both follow powerful MCs who use magic and summons to win most encounters. Furthermore, they are both driven by a desire to protect their own, and they try to keep a low profile to avoid attracting too much attention. However, they eventually have to make their presence felt. Also, Overlord's protagonist gets stuck as his video game avatar in a dark fantasy world, and he gradually begins to lose his humanity as he becomes more and more like the evil mage he created. The arc is not identical to Sung's journey in Solo Leveling, but they are not that far removed either.
To Be Hero X
From Zero To Hero
To Be Hero X
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 6, 2025
- Studio
- Pb Animation Co. Ltd., LAN Studio, Paper Plane Animation Studio
- Creator(s)
- Li Haoling
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Solo Leveling was likely a lot of people's introduction to manhwa, even though the adaptation was handled by a Japanese company. The anime's success might spark an increase in projects based on Korean stories, or it might inspire fans to check out similar manhwa. While not quite as mainstream, Chinese donghua are starting to gain a foothold as well, and To Be Hero X is a great entry point into this world. Yes, it is technically the third season under the To Be Hero brand, but the series tells anthology stories that can be enjoyed as standalone pieces. More importantly, To Be Hero X shares a surprising number of things with Solo Leveling.
Both stories revolve around weak/ordinary protagonists who are handed overwhelming power after coming face-to-face with death. In the case of To Be Hero X's Lin Ling, he is forced to take the place of a superhero named Nice, and he gains his abilities because the public believes in him. Like Sung, Lin goes from a nobody to somebody special in an instant, although he is not quite as OP as Solo Leveling's MC. More importantly, this donghua has jaw-dropping animation and action sequences, comfortably among the best of the year. While the art style is completely different from Solo Leveling, To Be Hero X looks stunning, particularly the environments. Nearly every episode features a big fight that sees Lin going up against a different villain, and they play out relatively differently. The show even has a superhero ranking system that is not too far removed from Solo Leveling's Hunters classification.
Wistoria: Wand And Sword
Top-Notch Action And A Great Underdog Protagonist (Who Is Still Somewhat OP)
Wistoria: Wand and Sword
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 7, 2024
- Japanese Title
- Tsue to Tsurugi no Wistoria
- Studio
- Actas, Bandai Namco Pictures
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Fujino Ōmori
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
From the same author behind Danmachi, Wistoria: Wand and Sword has a fairly by-the-numbers setting, at least going by fantasy standards. In a world dominated by magic, mages reign supreme, with warriors being very much treated as second-class citizens. Despite lacking magical potential, Will is still determined to make it through Rigarden Magical Academy and become a Magia Vander, an honor bestowed only on the most capable mages. Looked down upon by his peers, Will spends his time fighting in a dungeon, fine-tuning his physical skills to near-perfection.
Wistoria's story is nothing particularly special, nor is Will's motivation and plight unique for action anime. However, the show makes up for its unspectacular premise and storytelling by constantly delivering fantastic action that can rival nearly any other anime, even Solo Leveling. While nowhere near as powerful as Sung Jinwoo, Will is a highly competent fighter who never backs down from a fight. Every fight feels like a battle to the death that could spell the end for the protagonist, similar to Solo Leveling's first season.
Shangri-La Frontier
Master The God Game
Shangri-La Frontier
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2023 - 2025-00-00
- Studio
- C2C
- Based On
- Novel & Manga
- Creator
- Katarina
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Due to being set primarily in a video game, Shangri-La Frontier does not have the built-in tension of Solo Leveling's fights since defeat only results in lost progress and a reset. However, in nearly every other area, C2C's anime is a great recommendation for fans of Sung Jinwoo. After cutting his teeth in trash games, Rakurou decides to jump into the eponymous MMORPG, and he quickly finds himself taking on massive bosses, gaining cute allies, leveling up, acquiring new weapons, and unlocking cool side quests.
Both shows focus extensively on action, with most episodes featuring impressive fight sequences. Shangri-La Frontier is really no slouch in this area, and the battles tend to blend reflex-based action and strategy well. Similar to Sung, Rakurou is relatively weak when he first joins the game, but he constantly grows stronger as he gains experience. While he never becomes as overpowered as Sung, Rakurou usually takes on enemies who are roughly around his level, so the battles are back-and-forth struggles similar to Solo Leveling's encounters in season 1.
That said, Shangri-La Frontier has a lot more comedy than Solo Leveling.
Undead Unluck
A High-Stakes Shonen Anime That Matches Solo Leveling's Great Action
Undead Unluck
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 7, 2023
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
- Studio
- David Production, TMS Entertainment
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Yoshifumi Tozuka
- Number of Episodes
- 24
Yoshifumi Tozuka's Undead Unluck is an exciting series that brilliantly balances the action-comedy genres. While the anime does have thematic differences with Solo Leveling, fans who enjoyed the manhwa-inspired series will definitely find the misadventures of Fuuko and Andy entertaining.
Undead Unluck follows Fuuko Izumi and Andy, two supernaturally gifted individuals who are cursed with powers that have pushed them to seek death. However, before they achieve their final goal, they must work together to fight against a murderous secret organization. Blending action, comedy, and character development, Undead Unluck is the full package, and the animation is consistently fantastic as well.
Demon Slayer
The Action Anime That Is Just As Big As Solo Leveling (If Not Bigger)
Demon Slayer
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 6, 2019
- Japanese Title
- Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Studio
- ufotable
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Koyoharu Gotoge
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
When Tanjiro's family is ruthlessly massacred and his sister is turned into a demon, he is unsurprisingly overcome with the feeling of retribution. He ends up joining the Demon Slayer Corps, with the goal of finding the progenitor of demons, Muzan Kibutsuji, to put an end to his reign of terror.
In order to soothe the spirits of those it killed, and to make sure it claims no further victims, I will swing my blade down and lop off the head of any demon without mercy! But I will not belittle those who regret their actions and suffer over the things they did as demons. Because demons were once human. Because they were like me.
Like Solo Leveling's Sung Jin-Woo, Tanjiro also faces an uphill struggle to carve his path in an unforgiving world where a mistake can cost him his life. Both characters are underdogs who go through a remarkable transformation and rise to become a formidable force in their respective worlds. Solo Leveling fans will also enjoy the epic battles in Demon Slayer that have reshaped the landscape of modern anime.