Solo Leveling just surpassed two anime giants- But how?

Solo Leveling has set a new streaming record this week, surpassing popular anime series One Piece and Demon Slayer. The fantasy anime now holds the top spot on Crunchyroll, the world’s biggest anime streaming platform.

With a 4.9-star average from over 610,000 user ratings, Solo Leveling has overtaken One Piece, which had long dominated the platform, and Demon Slayer, which held the second spot after its successful theatrical release in 2020.

This milestone comes after the release of Solo Leveling Season 2, Episode 11 (Episode 23 overall), titled It’s Going to Get Even More Intense, just 14 months after the anime’s debut in January 2024.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqGhpQkZGWg

Adapted from Chugong’s web novel, Solo Leveling follows Sung Jinwoo, a weak hunter who experiences an unexpected level-up after a near-fatal dungeon battle.

Since its release, the anime has become a major hit. Season 1 topped many “Best Anime of 2024” lists and even won the Astra Award for Best Anime Series.

Season 2 is now on track to achieve even greater success, securing its place as Crunchyroll’s most-rated anime series.

The massive viewership of Solo Leveling is even more impressive considering that Season 2, Episode 11 was leaked days before its official release on March 15.

An A-1 Pictures producer responded to the leak on social media, calling it “a betrayal to the creative team and fans.” Despite this setback and the series’ high piracy rates, Solo Leveling continues to dominate anime viewership.

Some anime fans have noted that Solo Leveling currently benefits from being a Crunchyroll-exclusive, while One Piece and Demon Slayer are available on other streaming platforms like Netflix.

Additionally, One Piece has been on hiatus since October 2024, with new episodes set to return in April.

With its growing popularity and strong engagement, Solo Leveling has truly established itself as one of the biggest anime hits in recent years.