9 Anime Solo Leveling Fans Should Watch Next

If you just finished Solo Leveling and want more of that same feeling, you’re in the right place. Watching Sung Jin-Woo go from the weakest hunter alive to one of the strongest is a big part of why the show became so popular. If you’ve been searching for 9 anime solo leveling fans would actually enjoy, this list covers exactly that, offering the same mix of power growth, dungeon battles, and underdog storylines.

Below, you’ll find shows with similar progression systems, hidden strength, and high-stakes action, along with where to stream each one.

What Makes Solo Leveling So Popular

Solo Leveling isn’t just “strong guy gets stronger.” A few specific elements make it work:

• A visible power system. Stats, levels, and skill windows make growth feel real.
• A weak-to-strong arc. Jin-Woo starts as the weakest hunter, so every win feels earned.
• Dungeons and monster fights. Constant danger keeps the tension high.
• A satisfying power fantasy. Watching him outclass enemies who once threatened him is the payoff.

Knowing what you’re actually looking for makes it easier to find anime that hit the same notes, instead of just any show with a strong lead character.

What to Look for in Similar Anime

Not every action anime delivers this same experience. These shows were chosen based on:

1. Clear progression systems — levels, ranks, or skill trees you can track
2. Underdog origins — a protagonist who starts weak or underestimated
3. High-stakes power fantasy — real consequences, not power for its own sake
4. Strong world-building — dungeons, guilds, or hunter-style hierarchies

Here are nine anime that check these boxes.

Tower of God: A Dungeon-Climbing Power Fantasy

Tower of God swaps dungeons for a massive vertical tower, but the setup is close to Solo Leveling. Protagonist Bam starts with almost nothing (no power, no allies, no understanding of how the world works) and has to climb through trials to get stronger and reunite with the person he cares about most.

Like Solo Leveling, it’s built on structured progression. Each floor has its own tests, rules, and tougher opponents. If you liked watching Jin-Woo adapt and outsmart stronger enemies, Bam’s climb will feel familiar.

The Beginning After the End: Reincarnation Meets Power Growth

This one leans into isekai territory, but the focus on building power feels very Solo Leveling-coded. A king from his past life is reincarnated into a new world with magic, mana cores, and a class-based power system.

What makes it work is the pacing. The story doesn’t rush the growth. You watch the protagonist train, experiment, and level up his abilities in a way that feels earned rather than handed to him.

Overlord: An Overpowered MC in a Game-Like World

Overlord flips the weak-to-strong formula. The main character is already absurdly overpowered from episode one. It still hits the same power-fantasy nerve, though, because of how that strength plays out inside a structured, game-like world.

If what you loved about Solo Leveling was watching someone dominate fights that would terrify anyone else, Overlord delivers that almost every episode, just from a different angle.

The God of High School: Martial Arts Meets Supernatural Power

This series trades dungeons for a martial arts tournament, but it escalates into supernatural, god-tier power territory fast. The animation style is more stylized and kinetic, closer to a fighting game brought to life.

It’s a good pick if you want the power scaling and rising stakes of Solo Leveling with a faster, more chaotic tournament-arc energy.

Black Clover: An Underdog-to-Powerhouse Journey

Few anime handle the “written off as weak, proves everyone wrong” arc as consistently as Black Clover. Asta starts the series without any magic at all, a serious handicap in a world built entirely around it, and grinds his way into becoming one of the strongest characters through persistence alone.

The pacing is slower and more episodic than Solo Leveling, but the payoff of watching an underdog climb his way up feels nearly identical.

Noblesse: Hidden Power and Hunter-Style Battles

Noblesse follows a centuries-old noble waking up in the modern world, and it shares more with Solo Leveling than most people expect. That includes hunter associations, monster-fighting organizations, and a protagonist whose true power stays hidden until it’s needed.

If the “quietly overpowered” side of Jin-Woo’s character was your favorite part, Noblesse’s slow-reveal approach to power will feel familiar.

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Betrayal-Driven Strength

This one adds an emotional layer Solo Leveling only hints at. The protagonist starts the story betrayed, distrusted, and stuck with what everyone considers the weakest class available. What follows is a steady climb from rock bottom into real strength, driven as much by resilience as by power growth.

It’s a strong pick if you want your power fantasy with more emotional weight behind it.

Kaiju No. 8: A Modern Power System With High Stakes

One of the more recent entries on this list, Kaiju No. 8 follows a cleanup worker who unexpectedly gains kaiju-level power in a world built around a militarized, ranked defense force. The ranks, missions, and escalating threats echo the hunter-association feel of Solo Leveling closely.

Its modern art style and recent release also make it a solid pick if you want something with current-generation animation quality.

Where to Stream These 9 Anime Solo Leveling Fans Will Love

Here’s a quick reference so you know where to start watching:

Availability can shift with region and licensing, so check your local streaming service if a title isn’t showing up.

How These 9 Anime Compare to Solo Leveling

Here’s how each series stacks up against the core elements that made Solo Leveling popular:

FAQs

What anime is most similar to Solo Leveling?

Tower of God and Noblesse are generally the closest matches, thanks to their structured power systems and hunter-style organizations. Overlord is also a favorite for fans who mainly want that overpowered-protagonist feeling.

Is there a season 2 of Solo Leveling?

Solo Leveling has been officially confirmed for a second season after the success of its first run, and a third season is reportedly in development, though its release date has been pushed later than fans expected. Check official announcements for the latest details.

What genre is Solo Leveling?

Solo Leveling falls under action, fantasy, and dark fantasy, with strong elements of the progression-fantasy subgenre popularized by Korean web novels and manhwa.

Are any of these anime based on manhwa like Solo Leveling?

Yes. Tower of God and Noblesse both started as Korean manhwa, giving them a similar visual and storytelling style to Solo Leveling.

What should I watch for a similar art style to Solo Leveling?

Tower of God and Noblesse are the closest match for that manhwa-influenced look, while Kaiju No. 8 offers a more modern, high-production anime style.

Final Thoughts

Finding anime that actually match Solo Leveling isn’t about picking any show with a strong lead. It’s about matching the progression systems, underdog stakes, and power-fantasy payoff that made the original so satisfying. This list of 9 anime solo leveling fans keep coming back to covers all of that, from Tower of God’s dungeon-climbing structure to Kaiju No. 8’s modern take on ranked power systems.

Pick whichever fits what you loved most about Jin-Woo’s journey, and your next watch is ready to go.