8 best anime to watch if you like Solo Leveling (#3 will blow your mind)
Overview & Key Takeaways
Not every title has an overpowered protagonist, but all of them share Solo Leveling's DNA.
Some anime stories rely on exaggerated power fantasies to prop up a stand-out protagonist, but Solo Leveling takes it to another level. This trope can take many forms when used for sustained dramatic effect in genres like shonen or isekai. Shows like One-Punch Man come alive thanks to its satirical deadpan humor while still delivering on the power fantasy. Others, like The Eminence in Shadow, embrace a ludicrous brand of self-aware absurdity. By contrast, Solo Leveling, which is based on a fantasy web novel by Chugong (later adapted into an immensely popular manhwa), uses addictive dungeon-crawler elements and RPG-style power progression to keep things dynamic and interesting.
In Solo Leveling, gifted hunters fight vicious beasts to protect humanity, but the notoriously weak Sung Jin-woo finds himself trapped in a hopeless survival loop. Once Jin-woo overcomes the weakness associated with being an E-rank hunter, there are no limits to what he can achieve. While few anime share a premise with Solo Leveling, these entries also indulge in high-octane action in a dynamic world inspired by fantasy or video game mechanics. Without further ado, here are the eight best anime worth checking out if you like Solo Leveling.
1 Shangri-La Frontier
Image: C2C
In Shangri-La Frontier, Rakuro Hizutome loves playing “trash games,” glitchy, mass-produced VR titles that are notoriously clunky. After experiencing burnout, Rakuro takes a stab at playing Shangri-La Frontier, the acclaimed full-dive VR game that is all the rage. After being transported into the game world, Rakuro assumes the bird-masked avatar Sunraku and is confident that his skills will help him master this challenging reality. Unfortunately, the path ahead in such a polished world is rife with truly dangerous obstacles, which often lead to in-game nerfs that can manifest after a player character is cursed. While Shangri-La Frontier leverages stat-based progression and strategic min-maxing like Solo Leveling, it is much more lighthearted in its exploration of gamer culture and dramatic stakes.
2 Log Horizon
Image: Satelight
Based on the light novel series by Mamare Touno (Maoyu), Log Horizon also centers on an MMORPG named Elder Tale with a massive player base. Unlike Sword Art Online, which uses real-world VR mechanics to fuel its premise, Log Horizon transports unwitting players to the game world after they log in to play the latest expansion pack. Enter our socially awkward protagonist, Shiroe, who bands together with his friends Naotsugu and Akatsuki to combat the challenges ahead. While most players are already aware of how the game world functions, what was once a thrilling pastime suddenly becomes a game of life and death. This might sound like more of the same, but Log Horizon’s emphasis on teamwork and tactical prowess is a breath of fresh air for those who enjoy exploring nuanced socio-political tiers in video games.
3 Sword Art Online
Image: A-1 Pictures
Sword Art Online makes great use of its virtual reality setting, wherein its titular MMORPG world is set in the storied floating castle of Aincrad. When 10,000 players log into the game’s shared cyberspace for the first time, they are unable to log out until they complete the objective of beating all 100 floors of Aincrad. In-game deaths or forcible removal of VR gear (NerveGear) is not an option, as doing either would lead to death in real life. Game tester Kirito teams up with fellow player Asuna to progress through the levels. Over time, Sword Art Online opens up to accommodate other simulated worlds. The narrative overlaps with Solo Leveling are obvious. Both overpowered heroes level up through experience points and other RPG mechanics. The two series also share the same animation studio, A-1 Pictures, making their aesthetic ties feel more cohesive.
4 The King’s Avatar
Image: G.CMay Animation & Film/Colored-Pencil Animation Design
A web novel later turned into a Chinese donghua web series, The King's Avatar is all about esports. Professional esports player Ye Xiu is deemed the best at a multiplayer game named Glory, in which he holds an enviable account while being the respected captain of his esports team. With such great exposure comes predatory marketing gimmicks, which Ye Xiu is hesitant to partake in. This costs him everything, as he is forced to resign, give up his account, and leave competitive gaming forever. While working as a night-shift manager at an Internet Cafe, Ye Xiu must build a name for himself from scratch and regain the prestigious titles that were snatched away from him. Ye Xiu’s journey subverts traditional power progression, as being displaced from the top lends a distinct mindset to a character who must balance skill with diplomacy.
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5 Overlord
Image: Madhouse
An exceptional virtual reality MMORPG named Yggdrasil has a successful 12-year run before its servers are to be shut down in Overlord. In-game guild “Overlord” Momonga continues to carry out the responsibilities of guild leader even after most members have quit, hoping to spend whatever time is left with the remaining players. After nobody turns up minutes before shutdown, Momonga decides to stay logged in out of nostalgia, but discovers that the game hasn’t vanished after all. Instead, the guild headquarters of Nazarick has been transported to another world with Momonga trapped in the form of his game avatar. The parallels between Sung Jin-woo and Momonga might not feel overt, but they both master necromancy and are forced to adopt ruthlessness in order to survive.
6 Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Image: J.C.Staff
Don’t be fooled by the questionable title, as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? is an engaging dungeon-crawler that prioritizes both interpersonal relationships and flashy action. In this comedic fantasy anime, we follow rookie adventurer Bell Cranel, who undergoes an arc that is similar to Sung Jin-woo’s zero-to-hero progression. The fictional city of Orario is home to underground labyrinths known as Dungeons, which a retinue of adventurers must map and clear. After Bell unexpectedly develops a skill named “Liaris Freese,” he experiences a massive level-up that aids him in his arduous quests. There’s a clear, serious goal of preventing the labyrinth-bound monsters from escaping to the surface, but Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? keeps things lighthearted and draws from the wellspring of love and friendship instead.
7 The Rising of the Shield Hero
Image: Kinema Citrus
While its light novel source material is undoubtedly superior to its anime adaptation, The Rising of the Shield Hero shines due to narrative complexity. A young man named Naofumi Iwatani is summoned to a parallel world alongside three other men, who must take on a heroic role and fight hordes of monsters called Waves. While the others seem to have an easier time acclimating to offensive battle tactics, Naofumi’s lack of video game experience leaves him with a unique disadvantage as the Shield Hero, a defensive position. Things get worse once Naofumi is betrayed and taken advantage of, triggering a need to harden his heart and fulfill the role he is supposed to. The story’s medieval fantasy setting brings intriguing dynamics to the forefront, along with themes of compassion and mutual redemption as opposed to being a one-note power fantasy.
8 That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Image: Studio Eight Bit
While Solo Leveling is a fantasy genre-blend, it also incorporates isekai-like elements as Sung Jin-woo can portal through dimensions known as Gates. The most popular fantasy isekai airing at the moment is That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, which follows Rimuru Tempest. He used to be a middle-aged salaryman in the real world before his death and reincarnation as a — you guessed it — a slime. Having no other choice but to navigate this new, bizarre identity, Rimuru gradually gains allies and strives towards a world where humans and monsters can peacefully coexist. This is easier said than done, as the Cardinal World is also full of antagonists who benefit from conflict and infighting, leading to inevitable clashes. Rimuru is an underdog character with a twist, and the world around him is hinged on measured politicking instead of decisive, bombastic battles.
