Solo Leveling is ending after years of success
- By Asim Mallick -
- Jun 02, 2026
Few modern franchises have managed to reach the kind of global reach that Solo Leveling has built over the years, growing from a South Korean web novel by Chugong into a full-scale international hit through its manhwa adaptation and later a widely watched anime series.
The story of Sung Jinwoo has become familiar to millions of fans across different regions, helped by its steady rise across digital platforms and print releases.
Now, the long-running print journey of the series in Japan is coming to an end. According to reports from Game Rant and Kadokawa, Solo Leveling will conclude its Japanese print run with its final volume scheduled for release on June 23, 2026, marking the end of nearly seven years of publication in the country.
The series first started as a web novel in South Korea between 2016 and 2018, before being adapted into a manhwa by Redice Studio in 2018. That version completed its run in 2021 but by then the franchise had already expanded far beyond its original audience, gaining strong international attention and eventually entering the Japanese publishing market in late 2019 through Kadokawa.
At a time when domestic manga heavily dominated bookstore shelves, Solo Leveling still managed to find a solid readership in Japan, slowly building momentum through word of mouth and its already growing global fanbase. Over time, the series established itself as one of the more successful imported manhwa titles in the Japanese market.
The final Japanese release will be Volume 25, which closes a publishing structure that differs from other regions. While South Korea and several international editions collected the story in 15 volumes, the Japanese version was split into smaller releases, resulting in a higher volume count despite the story remaining unchanged.
Solo Leveling print edition in Japan has already crossed millions of copies in circulation and the final volume could push it even further as collectors complete their sets.
A special cover artwork featuring Sung Jinwoo in his iconic aura form has also been prepared for the farewell release.
This marks the end of its print run in Japan but the Solo Leveling franchise continues through its sequel Ragnarok and ongoing discussions around future anime adaptations.