Solo Leveling Has Officially Been Beaten By A New Isekai Anime

Solo Leveling is an absolutely majestic hit that anime that fans can’t stop talking about even months after its conclusion The series was already popular with Season 1 back in 2024, but Season 2 is what really changed the game for this series. The battles featured in Solo Leveling Season 2 were incredible, and fans couldn’t get enough of the Jeju Arc, specifically the Jinwoo vs Ant King battle which quickly became one of the anime battles of the year. That said, some time has passed since Solo Leveling Season 2 ended, and it isn’t surprising to know that some fans seem to have moved on, especially as Solo Leveling Season 3 hasn’t been confirmed yet. As a replacement, fans have seen a new Isekai anime rise, and it’s an anime known as The Water Magician. The Water Magician is one of the most popular anime right now on Crunchyroll, beating even current ongoing series like The Rising of the Shield Hero and Dr. Stone.

Solo Leveling Has Ended, And The Water Magician is One of Crunchyroll’s Most Popular Anime At The Moment

Solo Leveling is Nowhere To Be Seen in Crunchyroll’s Most Popular Animes

Solo Leveling, despite having ended its second season a few months ago, is still talked about regularly. The anime left a mark on the anime community this year, but it is slowly fading. After all, Solo Leveling Season 3 has yet to be officially confirmed, even though its return is inevitable, thanks to its global success. With no Season 3 to look forward to right now, fans are moving to new anime series.

“I think more than anyone, I am anxiously awaiting a Season 3! But in truth, between Season 1 and Season 2, 220,000 frames of animation were created. So, if it were up to me, I’d say let’s wait until the next Olympics (2028) to see what’s going to happen with a Season 3. But I think that’s more up to Kaneko and A-1 Pictures.” — Atsushi Kaneko

While Solo Leveling isn’t an Isekai, it takes a lot of tropes from the genre and is very reminiscent of it. Currently, the biggest Isekai anime seems to be a series known as The Water Magician. This new series is airing its very first season, but it has already gained a lot of attention, so much so that it is one of Crunchyroll’s most popular anime right now. It ranks higher than even some more mainstream anime with previous seasons, such as Dr. Stone. The anime definitely has a lot of potential.

Solo Leveling is Still Crunchyroll’s Most Highly Reviewed Anime

• An Anime That Has Won Many Awards
• Anime of the Year

The Water Magician is definitely popular, but overall, its popularity can’t be fully compared to Solo Leveling, an anime that isn’t currently airing. Solo Leveling is, after all, Crunchyroll’s most highly reviewed anime at the moment, surpassing even the likes of One Piece and Demon Slayer. Not only that, but it was awarded the title of Anime of the Year this year, which goes to show how popular this series was with fans.

“I would really, really like it if the momentum continued & it didn’t just stop because there’s so much more of the story left to tell. So season 3, season 4, season 5 & maybe even a movie in the works.” — Taito Ban

Solo Leveling has yet to fall off, but that’s not impossible if Season 3 takes too long, or if the quality just drops. Fans will have to see how Solo Leveling holds up in 2026.

“While thrilled with the response, I personally don’t feel like the series is known by everyone at this point. Solo Leveling isn’t as universally recognized in Japan yet. As a Japanese person living in Japan, the anime is not at the level of Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto. But if season three happens, that’s when I want to truly break that boundary.” – Atsushi Kaneko

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.