This article contains spoilers for Solo Leveling.

Crunchyroll's Anime of the Year was officially announced a few months ago, and while quite a few fans were expecting Frieren to be crowned as the winner, it was Solo Leveling that took this award home. The series has been booming in popularity for quite a while now, and given the strong performance of Sung Jinwoo and the cast, fans aren't too surprised to know that the series is the anime of the year for many.

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It’s Time To Admit That Sung Jinwoo Isn’t The Best Solo Leveling Protagonist

Jinwoo is popular, but Solo Leveling has a superior protagonist to him.

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That said, 2025 is still ongoing and there are many incredible anime that have been released since. With such a stacked anime year, it is no surprise to know that series even better than Solo Leveling have started to pop up now.

Solo Leveling Is A Strong Contender For The Best Anime

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  • Solo Leveling Is The Anime Of The Year in 2025
  • Its Chances Are High For Next Year As Well

Solo Leveling dropped its second season earlier this year, and fans know that was quite a solid and strong showing. Solo Leveling Season 2 went on to surpass the heights of the previous season, and fans are truly excited for what's to come next. Many consider the Jeju Island arc to be the best in the story, which explains why this series still has a great chance to be the anime of the year next year.

Every time I get stronger, I feel like I lose of part of myself. — Sung Jinwoo, Solo Leveling

After all, Jinwoo's evolution in Solo Leveling Season 2 was spectacular and the series reached new heights both in terms of story and animation. If Season 1 led Solo Leveling to anime of the year, Season 2 is going to take it to even higher heights.

Takopi's Original Sin Delivered A Better Performance

Fans Were Blown Away By This Short Anime

Forget One Piece And Solo Leveling, This Anime Is The Best Ongoing Series takopi's Original Sin

While it is undeniable that Solo Leveling had a very strong showing in 2025, Takopi's Original Sin cannot be disregarded. This anime dropped in Summer 2025 and is already over, with just 6 episodes out. The story is absolutely amazing, one filled with grief, trauma, and it shows the fans how different people deal with such scenarios in their lives, and what effect they can have, especially in early childhood.

Solo Leveling Author Favorite Moment Chugong
Solo Leveling Season 3 Could Kill The Anime Forever

Solo Leveling season 3 has yet to even be confirmed. The long wait could kill the hype.

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I'm on a quest to spread happiness throughout the universe-pi! — Takopi

Takopi's Original Sin doesn't have any flashy fights or great action, but the series is much deeper than Solo Leveling could ever hope to be. At the same time, the art and animation are absolutely out of this world, and the team has truly brought the world to life in a brilliant way.

Takopi's Original Sin Should Be Anime Of The Year

Marina and Takopi's Final interaction

Takopi's Original Sin has captivated the fans with a short but beautiful showing. At this point, fans agree that 2026 Anime of the Year should go to Takopi's Original Sin as it has done everything it could've to deserve it.

The only thing going against it is that it doesn't have the influence that the likes of Solo Leveling and Frieren would have, which is a shame. That aside, this anime has proven to be absolutely brilliant, and if you haven't checked it out yet, you absolutely should.

Solo Leveling has two seasons out right now, one with 12 episodes, and the other with 13, for a combined episode count of 25 episodes available to watch right now. The series can be streamed on Crunchyroll for fans to enjoy while awaiting any more news concerning the third season. For fans who can’t wait for season 3 to come out, checking out the Manhwa might be a great option. Meanwhile, Takopi's Original Sin only has 6 episodes out and fans can watch them on Crunchyroll.

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Solo Leveling
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TV-14
Animation
Action
Fantasy
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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
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Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Taito Ban
    Sung Jin-woo
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Genta Nakamura
    Yoo Jin-ho
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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
Creator
Chugong
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll