Best Anime Similar To Solo Leveling

The anime "Solo Leveling" has become a hit in recent years, stirred up the community and set certain trends in the industry for the coming years. Jin Woo's story won many hearts, and viewers eagerly awaited new episodes every week until the second season came to an end, and the release of a sequel was left in question. Nevertheless, the industry has managed to give the audience many titles similar in spirit to the successful Solo Leveling throughout its existence.

Especially for those who want to the time while waiting for the release of the third season, we have collected in this article a selection of anime similar to “Leveling Up Alone”, which are definitely worth watching and will surely appeal to fans.

Anime with a leveling system and RPG mechanics

The series below feature a system of game levels and skills, loot collection, and other RPG elements reminiscent of those used in leveling up Jin-Woo when he became a System player.

Overlord

• Release date: 2015
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Video Games
• Title: 5 Season

When the servers of the VRMMORPG "Yggdrasil" are about to be closed, the player Momonga decides to stay in his favorite game until the very end and meet its end in the hall of his own guild. This decision leads to unexpected consequences: at the "X" hour, the connection to the servers does not stop, NPCs begin to show emotions, and Momonga turns into a skeleton wizard with incredible power.

• Both protagonists of the story are incredibly strong. - Jin-Woo and Momonga rise to the top and become the strongest within their universe.
• Active use of game mechanics — in both titles, the protagonists' powers are upgraded through game mechanics similar to MMORPGs. These elements are also introduced into the world surrounding the heroes and have a direct impact on the plot's introduction and further development.
• Dark fantasy atmosphere — the series have a dark setting, filled with mysteries closely connected to the lore, epic and brutal battles and severe trials that the main characters go through.

Sword Art Online

• Release date: 2012
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Video Games
• Title: 4 Season

Ten thousand players find themselves in a deadly trap in the next-generation VRMMORPG Sword Art Online. The only way to escape the virtual world is to complete the game, but death in it means death in reality. The main character Kirito intends to reach the last floor of Aincrad and defeat the final boss to escape this dangerous video game and return home.

• World using game mechanics — in both anime, the world is based on elements from MMORPGs, including leveling, dungeons, bosses, resource collection, equipment crafting, and a variety of enemy monsters.
• The main characters go from weak to strong — Kirito and Jin-Woo gradually raise their own level and from yesterday's newbie and weakest hunter become incredibly powerful fighters, whose strength, in the end, has to be reckoned with by those around them.

tower of god

• Release date: 2020
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy, drama
• Title: 3 Season

For the Twenty-Fifth Baam, the girl Rachel was the only friend and a ray of light in a dark, unfriendly world. When she decides to go to the Tower of God to reach its top and see the starry sky, the young man, without thinking, goes after her. He does not even suspect that on this path he will face difficult trials, heavy losses and tragic discoveries.

• A unique dungeon system and level-based power building — the titles actively use computer game mechanics both in world building and in the gradual development of the main characters' powers. Both series have dungeons and bosses, character classes with their own characteristics and roles in combat, as well as special equipment.
• The Dark Path of the Hero — Twenty-fifth Baam and Sung Jin-Woo go through betrayal, find themselves on the brink of death, undergo difficult individual trials, gradually grow up and discover the ambiguity of the world around them and sometimes even their own actions.

We have prepared a material dedicated to all characters of the Tower of God

Maybe I'll meet you in the dungeon?

• Release date: 2025
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy
• Title: 6 Season

Bell Cranel arrives in the labyrinth city of Orario to become an adventurer, but is given a cold shoulder by other adventurers and divine families. Fate brings him together with the goddess Hestia, who has no followers, and he decides to her family to fulfill his desire and follow his chosen path.

• A world built like an MMORPG - Both series feature such integral RPG elements as dungeons with enemies and bosses, equipment and classes that assign characters a specific role.
• Both protagonists receive a unique ability to develop their powers. - Bell Cranell gains the skill "Determination", increasing the speed of his ability development, and Seong Jin-Woo becomes a System player and the first hunter with the ability to move to a new level of power.
• Leveling up the main characters in dungeons - Both Son and Cranell undergo rigorous training during raids in dungeons, the difficulty of which gradually increases.

Shangri-La Frontier

• Release date: 2023
• Genres: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Video Games
• Title: 3 Season

Rakuro Hidzutome, being a fan of VR slag games, has extensive gaming experience and a huge collection of completed game slag. On the advice of a friend, the young man decides to diversify his life and play the top "Shangri-La Frontier", where, due to his unconventional approach to ing, he quickly opens unique quests and monsters, simultaneously attracting the attention of many players.

• Active use of game elements — crafting equipment, item drops, and dungeon raids play an important role in the plot.
• Similar "game" paths of protagonists - Both Sanraku and Jin Woo discover unique quests and bosses, one through his unconventional playthrough of SLF, and the other through becoming a System player.
• Level-by-level pumping of the main characters - Both protagonists begin to pump up their powers from the first level, gradually becoming stronger.

Skeleton Knight Enters Parallel World

• Release date: 2022
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy
• Title: 2 Season.

A Japanese gamer falls asleep while playing a VRMMORPG and wakes up in the body of his skeleton character Ark in the world of his favorite online game, complete with all his gaming skills, a pumped-up level, and certain additional bonuses. While exploring the new reality, he saves two noble girls from bandits, which marked the beginning of his adventures and formation as a local hero.

• A world built according to the laws of MMORPG — the world of both series uses game elements, including a class system, dungeons, bosses, and more.
• Both protagonists have incredible strength and increase its level - Ark and Jin Woo become the strongest and gradually upgrade their abilities, increasing their power.

Anime about growth of power (from weak to strong)

Among the things to watch if you liked the anime Leveling Up Alone, you can separately highlight a number of series about the growth from a weak character to a powerful one. At the beginning of his journey, Jin Woo was the weakest of the hunters, but later, thanks to the System, he managed to rise to the highest S-rank and become the strongest. Such a formation of the protagonist from weak to strong has already been encountered in a number of projects, the most suitable of which we have selected in the list below.

Arifureta: The strongest artisan in the world

• Release date: 2019
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Harem, Isekai
• Status: Season 4

Outcast Hajime Nagumo was transported to another world along with his classmates, where they were all destined to be heroes. Given a mediocre job as a synergist and low stats, the young man was branded as incompetent and eventually betrayed by his comrades and left for dead. However, on the brink of life and death, the young man undergoes a psychological transformation and is given a chance to survive and become stronger.

• The hero's dark path to becoming the strongest - Both Hajime and Jin Woo go through personal breakdowns, become victims of betrayal, find themselves on the brink of life and death, go through dangerous trials and become the strongest in their universe.
• Level-up of protagonists — Nagumo gains new skills and strength by devouring demons, and Jin Woo increases his hunter level and receives exclusive items for leveling up thanks to the system.
• A world built according to the laws of MMORPG - Both anime feature dungeons with monsters, bosses and resources, as well as a system of character classes and skill levels.

Rise of the Shield Hero

• Release date: 2019
• Genres: action, adventure, drama, fantasy
• Title: 4 Season

Naofumi Iwatani, along with three other people, was summoned to a parallel world as a hero and was given equipment in the form of a legendary shield upon arrival. The problems began at the start when the boy was considered the weakest, and worsened when he was framed and slandered. After these events, Naofumi is filled with a desire for revenge and begins his difficult journey in an unfamiliar and hostile new world.

• The path from weak to strong - Both Naofumi and Jin-Woo start from the weakest position and gradually increase their power, becoming the strongest in their universe.
• Game mechanics — in both anime the world uses elements from games, for example, the class system, equipment, crafting and dropping items, companions helping the hero in battle, leveling up and developing the character like in computer MMORPGs.
• Gloomy atmosphere — Iwatani and Son go through betrayal and many severe trials, receive their special power at a critical moment, face many difficulties and sometimes commit controversial acts.

Ravenous Berserker

• Release date: 2023
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy
• Title: 2 Season

Faith Graphite was born with the Gluttony skill, which at first glance is completely useless, causing the guy to be despised and mocked by others. Deciding to change at least something in his sad life, he kills an enemy for the first time and discovers an unexpected side of his skill, with the help of which he can sur those who previously mocked him.

• Upgrading the main characters — Both protagonists receive a power with which they can upgrade their abilities and become stronger. In Faith's case, this is the ability to absorb skills and experience points from defeated enemies, thereby gaining new skills and levels.
• Using elements from games — in the universe of both titles you can find a wide variety of elements from MMORPG, for example, special equipment, a system of skills and classes.
• From weak to strong — Graphite, like Jin Woo, is weak and despised by others at the beginning of the story, but later his situation changes thanks to a special skill and subsequent pumping of his power.

The world's best assassin, reborn in another world as an aristocrat

• Release date: 2021
• Genres: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Romance
• Title: 2 Season

An elderly professional killer decides to retire, but dies in a plane crash orchestrated by his enemies. After his death, he meets a goddess who offers the killer to be reborn in another reality, retaining all the knowledge and memory of the past, in order to kill a hero who in the future is to cause the destruction of the world. The man, realizing that everything is not so simple, agrees and is reincarnated as Lugh Tuatha De, the scion of a family of aristocratic killers who faithfully serve their superiors.

• Protagonist's Power Buildup — Lugh Tuatha De, like Jin Wu, gradually increases his strength. He acquires loyal allies and constantly improves his skills, becoming stronger and more dangerous.
• Similar images of the main characters - Lug Tuatta De is similar to Seong Jin-Woo in many ways. He also has incredible strength, which he constantly increases, is very smart, a good manipulator, and sometimes does ambiguous things, although he is guided exclusively by good intentions.

Lunar journey will lead to a new world

• Release date: 2021
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai
• Title: 3 Season

Makoto Misumi was summoned to another world as a hero, but upon arrival he was not liked by the local goddess and was sent away with, at first glance, a useless skill. However, this ability and the help of another deity, Tsukuyomi, became the guy's main trump cards in conquering this fantasy world, where he finds loyal comrades and experiences many incredible adventures.

• Both protagonists become the strongest in their world. - Both Makoto and Jin Woo start from the bottom and gradually pump up their power level, gaining incredible power.
• The construction of the main characters' "kingdom" - Makoto finds loyal allies and builds his own kingdom, while Son creates his shadow army and guild, effectively building his own local state with incredible power.
• Unique powers of the main characters - Misumi and Jin-Woo have abilities that are unique within their universe, which allow them to become the strongest.

Unwanted immortal adventurer

• Release date: 2024
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy
• Title: 2 Season

Rent Fine was an ordinary adventurer with no special skills or talents, and spent ten years killing goblins and slimes to make ends meet. While exploring a familiar Dungeon, he finds an unknown age and decides to explore it, but ends up becoming a dragon's dinner. Afterwards, he suddenly wakes up, but as an undead skeleton, and now his task is to return to his human form.

• Game mechanics — the anime actively uses elements from the games. Like in Solo Leveling, there is a division into classes and ranks, dungeons, bosses, equipment crafting and quests.
• Endless progression of protagonists — Rent Fine, like Jin Wu, can evolve infinitely. From Skeleton, he evolved into Ghoul, and later became a Lesser Vampire.

Blade that cuts demons

• Release date: 2019
• Genres: Shounen, Action, Supernatural, Historical
• Title: a trilogy is expected

Tanjiro Kamado, returning home from a town where he sold coal, discovers that his entire family has been brutally murdered. Only his sister Nezuko survived, having been turned into a demon. Wanting to return her to human form and avenge the death of her family, the young man becomes an oni hunter and sets out on a path full of danger, hardship and pain.

• A similar dark path - Like Jin-Woo, Tanjiro goes through many difficult trials and tribulations, is exposed to dangers and often finds himself on the edge.
• Pumping up forces - Tanjiro, like Son, starts from the bottom and gradually pumps up his powers, becoming a dangerous opponent and a powerful oni hunter.

In a special material you can get acquainted with all of them characters of the Demon Slayer Blade.

Anime about a mysterious power or unique ability

Within the Solo Leveling universe, the protagonist gets a unique opportunity to become a System player and level up as a Hunter. In a number of other anime, protagonists gain a similar unique power or ability that sets them apart from other characters and makes them similar to Jin Woo.

About my rebirth as a slime

• Release date: 2018
• Genres: Shounen, Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai
• Title: 4 Season

An ordinary office worker Satoru Mikami, saving a friend from a robber, gets stabbed, but despite everything, does not die, but is reborn in another world. In accordance with his dying wish, he gains the body of a slime and at the same time a unique gift that can turn an ordinary weak slime into the strongest creature within this reality.

• Unique abilities of the protagonists — Rimuru Tempest, like Jin-Woo, gains a unique power when he is on the verge of death. In his case, it is the body of a slime.
• Possibility of infinite pumping — Rimuru, like Son, due to his unique property is able to infinitely pump up his own power and from an ordinary slime turns into a God.

Berserk

• Release date: 1997
• Genres: Seinen, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
• Status: Completed

The brave young warrior Guts is brought together by fate to meet the charismatic and ruthless Griffith, the young leader of the invincible Band of the Hawk, whose actions are distinguished by valor, nobility and political subtlety. Perhaps the meeting of these two brave young men will play a key role in the fate of Midland and completely change the current world order.

• Similarities between the protagonists — Both Guts and Jin-Woo are similar in many ways. Both receive incredible power, go through a dark, suffering and testing path, sometimes commit contradictory actions and find themselves on the edge.
• Dark atmosphere and cruelty - each of these two titles has a dark atmosphere, an abundance of fights and a cruel and bloody "filling".

Chainsaw Man

• Release date: 2022
• Genres: shonen, action, fantasy
• Title: 2 Season

Denji, along with his friend, the chainsaw demon Pochita, worked for the yakuza to pay off the debt of his father, who committed suicide. At a certain point, the mafiosi make a contract with the zombie demon, and he kills the guy. However, Denji's story does not end there: the faithful Pochita resurrects his friend, becoming his heart and giving him a chance to fulfill all his secret dreams and desires.

• The main character is the strongest - Both Jin-Woo and Denji receive a special, unique power that makes them the strongest within their universe. Their abilities are equally unique and powerful, whether it's Son's belonging to the System or Denji's unique contract with the chainsaw demon.
• Abundance of brutal and spectacular action - Both series are rich in epic battles, where each of the protagonists fully demonstrates their power.

Fans will certainly be interested in an article on all characters of Chainsaw Man.

magic battle

• Release date: 2020
• Genres: Shounen, Action, Supernatural, School
• Title: 3 Season

Itadori Yuji is gifted with physical strength, but instead of ing sports clubs, he decides to an occult club so he can have free time to visit his grandfather in the hospital. As part of his hip in the club, the young man becomes involved in an incident with the cursed finger of Two-Faced Sukuna, which results in his life changing dramatically and him acquiring special powers.

• Protagonist Power — Yuji, like Jin-woo, when in a critical situation, gains a special power by absorbing Sukuna's finger. His abilities are very strong, and their nature is feared by everyone, which is why the guy's life is now in constant danger.
• Lots of action - As you can guess from the title, the anime "Magic Battle" is rich in epic battles using unusual techniques, filled with cruelty and epic, just like in Solo Leveling.

In a separate article you will find all the details characters from the anime and manga Magic Battle.

About my rebirth into a sword

• Release date: 2022
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy, isekai
• Title: 2 season

The main character was unlucky enough to die and then be reborn as a sword, and even forget his own name from his past life. Fortunately for him, he is found by a cat girl, Fran, who escaped from her cruel owners, and the sword offers her an alliance. Fran gives him the name Master and, having acquired special power together with his unusual friend, sets off in search of adventures in the big world.

• Level-up progression — thanks to the Master's abilities, Fran is able to pump up her powers, as in the case of Jin Wu and the System. Due to this, the girl becomes stronger, and the sword, in turn, has many unexpected skills that it can share at the right moment.
• Protagonist's special power — The Master was reborn into a sword and gained many special skills and the ability to share them, which is quite similar to the unique situation of Jin Woo, who was “reborn” in a unique way through the System and became the first hunter who could increase his rank.

Re:Zero. Life from scratch in an alternate world

• Release date: 2016
• Genres: drama, fantasy, thriller, isekai, psychological
• Title: 4 Season

Subaru Natsuki is summoned to another world, where he is immediately saved from hooligans by the beautiful Emilia. Wanting to help his new acquaintance in search of a valuable emblem that was just stolen from her, the young man discovers in himself the gift of "Posthumous Return", with the help of which he will have to save this girl from death, and then play an important role in the events in the kingdom.

• Unique Protagonist Powers - Subaru and Son have unique abilities that make them the strongest within their story. In particular, Natsuki is the only one who can roll back time after his death and get a chance to replay the situation.
• The dark path of the main characters — both protagonists go through severe trials, betrayals, psychological breakdowns and character refractions on their way, later becoming completely different people.
• Level-by-level pumping of protagonists' powers - Natsuki and Jin-Woo gradually raise the level of their abilities and develop their potential, revealing new facets of them in the process.

Anime where the main character does not reveal his true power

For a long time, Hunter Son had to hide his increased power until circumstances forced him to reassess his strength and reveal to everyone that he had reached S-rank. Like him, some protagonists of other titles also do not that they are stronger than they seem, or even play weak in public.

Rising in the shadows

• Release date: 2022
• Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai
• Title: 3 Season

A Japanese schoolboy dreamed of becoming a super puppeteer, pulling strings from the shadows, but in the modern world his possibilities were limited. After a fateful hit by a truck, death and reincarnation in a parallel world of sword and magic as the son of an aristocrat, Sid Kageno, his life changes dramatically. He realizes that here his desire to build a secret organization and control everything from the shadows is feasible, which is what he decides to do.

• Protagonists are the strongest - Sid and Jin Woo become the strongest within their universe, starting from the bottom.
• Building each of the main characters' strongest organization — Kageno creates the "Garden of Shadows", an organization that operates in secret and which few can match in strength. In turn, Son, having received the class of a necromancer, receives a shadow army, which he constantly feeds with new fighters, and also opens his own guild in the finale of the second season.
• Both heroes hide their strength. - Kageno and Son hide their true powers, each for their own reasons. Sid, under the syndrome of an eighth grader, plays the role of a shadow commander and secret leader, and Jin Woo, first of all, was guided by the consideration of safety and common sense.

Code Geass

• Release date: 2006
• Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Mecha, War, School, Superpower
• Status: Completed

In the near future, the Britannian Empire has conquered half the world, including Japan, renamed "Sector 11", where at the beginning of the events the disgraced offspring of the emperor Lelouch lives with his traumatized sister Nunnally. At a certain point, the young man is drawn into an attack by Japanese rebels and in an attempt to escape, he crosses paths with a mysterious girl, S.S., who grants him the power of Geass, which can help him in his revenge on his father and the liberation of Japan.

• Similar images of protagonists - Lelouch Lamperouge and Sung Jin-Woo both have unique abilities, are the strongest within their universe, have a sharp mind, cunning, the ability to manipulate and go through a dark and cruel path, sometimes committing ambiguous acts.
• Both heroes hide their special powers. — Lelouch didn't reveal his gift of Geass, and Jin Woo kept it a secret that he became a system player and the only hunter who could level up.

One-punch man

• Release date: 2015
• Genres: Seinen, Action, Comedy, Parody
• Title: 3 Season

Saitama, at first glance, is a very ordinary and frail person, a walking mediocrity from whom you should not expect anything extraordinary. In fact, he is the strongest superhero of all living people and through long and hard training he has developed incredible strength and is now looking for a worthy opponent. The problem is that he is so strong that he takes out any enemy with one blow.

• The incredible power of the main characters — Saitama and Jin-Woo are the strongest within the universe of their title. Each of these two guys has unique abilities and sures any other characters. Saitama due to his incredible strength developed by training, and Son - thanks to the System.
• Level-based power upgrades — Both protagonists pumped up their abilities from the very bottom and from the weak became the strongest. Each of them gradually raised their level due to training, quests and victories over serious opponents.
• Hiding true possibilities — In both anime, the main characters hide their true strength. Saitama does not reveal that he is the strongest, and Jin Woo kept a secret for a long time that thanks to the System, he became the only hunter capable of increasing his own rank.

Fans of anime will certainly be interested in an article on all One-Punch Man characters.

Anime with a dark atmosphere and a tough plot

"Leveling Up Alone" has a rather dark atmosphere, and its characters undergo severe trials and may find themselves on the brink of death. The industry has produced dark and oppressive stories before, in which the characters are almost always in danger, and what happens to them is sometimes shocking in its cruelty.

Attack of the Titans

• Release date: 2013
• Genres: Shounen, Action, Drama, Thriller, War
• Status: Completed

In an attempt to survive the fight against the terrible titans, the remnants of humanity take refuge behind walls and live under their protection for a hundred years, until one day a catastrophe occurs and a super titan breaks through this barrier. Eren and his adopted sister Mikasa witness the death of their mother, who is eaten by a giant. The children manage to survive, after which they decide to the survey corps and avenge the terrible death of a loved one.

• The Dark Path of the Hero - Eren, like Jin-Woo, receives a special power, and his further path is tied to suffering, ambiguous actions and brutal battles along with incomparable responsibility.
• Dark atmosphere and cruelty - Both titles are rich in brutal and bloody fights, emotionally difficult scenes, and the overall atmosphere has a dark energy.

For fans of the franchise, there is a separate article on our website about all characters of Attack on Titan.

Hellsing

• Release date: 2001
• Genres: Seinen, Action, Horror, Supernatural, Vampire
• Status: Completed

The secret British government organization "Hellsing", led by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, has been fighting supernatural threats for many years. The strongest and most important weapon of this organization is the vampire Alucard. He is a powerful creature and devoted to his mistress Integra, faithfully serves her, performing all the tasks she sets, whether it is fighting Vatican mercenaries, fighting ghouls and vampires, or confronting the mysterious "Millennium".

• Both protagonists are the strongest - Both Alucard and Jin Woo are the strongest within their universe. The only difference is that Son pumped up his powers level by level, unlike Alucard.
• Dark atmosphere and cruelty — both series have a dark atmosphere, an abundance of brutal and driving battles, and their protagonists have traits of antiheroes and can commit ambiguous acts. Also, Jin Woo and Alucard go through a long and brutal journey, full of blood, cruelty and battles.

goblin slayer

• Release date: 2018
• Genres: action, adventure, fantasy
• Title:

A young priestess s the ranks of adventurers, but on her very first mission to clear out a goblin lair and rescue the girls they kidnapped, she almost dies. She is saved from certain death by a mysterious Silver-ranked seeker known as the Goblin Slayer, whose past hides its own drama, and whose present is dedicated to the extermination of these, at first glance, weak monsters.

• Class system, similar to MMORPG - Like the hunters in Solo Leveling, adventurers in Goblin Slayer are divided into classes and ranks, and have specific roles in combat.
• Using game mechanics — in the world of both series, elements of computer games are actively used, be it skills, dungeons, monsters or quests.
• The protagonist's cruel path and dark atmosphere - Goblin Slayer and Jin Woo go through a long and brutal journey, full of hard trials and difficult battles. Also, both series have a dark atmosphere, general severity of events and certain scenes of brutality.

See a separate article dedicated to the third season Goblin Slayer series.

There are also separate materials on our website anime articles in a special section.