If you finished Solo Leveling and immediately started searching for another anime like it, you’re not alone.
Sung Jinwoo’s rise from the weakest hunter alive to an unstoppable force is the kind of power fantasy that leaves a serious void behind. The dungeons, the RPG-style leveling system, the shadowy atmosphere, the brutal fights — it all hits differently.
So if you want more anime with overpowered protagonists, dark fantasy worlds, game-like progression, dungeons, towers, monsters, and explosive battles, this list is for you.
Here are the 10 best anime like Solo Leveling to watch next.
What Makes an Anime Like Solo Leveling?
Solo Leveling isn’t just popular because Jinwoo becomes powerful. The real hook is how satisfying his transformation feels.
The best anime similar to Solo Leveling usually share a few key elements:
- An underestimated protagonist who starts weak, ignored, or outmatched
- Clear power progression through skills, ranks, training, or levels
- Dangerous trials like dungeons, towers, monsters, or death games
- Dark fantasy atmosphere with real stakes
- Big power-up moments that make every fight feel rewarding
Every anime on this list captures at least one major part of that formula.
10. Wistoria: Wand and Sword
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Shounen
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
The most straightforward underdog anime on this list — and that’s a compliment.
Will Serfort lives in a world where magic is everything. The problem? He has none. In an academy full of mages who look down on him for carrying a sword instead of a wand, Will refuses to abandon his dream of reaching the top.
Sound familiar? It should.
Like Jinwoo, Will is constantly underestimated by people who think they already know his limits. He suffers, trains harder than everyone else, and slowly starts proving that raw determination can be just as dangerous as natural talent.
It doesn’t have Solo Leveling’s dungeon system, but it absolutely has that same “weakest guy in the room is about to become a problem” energy.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Classic underdog protagonist
- Satisfying power progression
- Strong action scenes
- A main character who refuses to quit
Best for: Fans who want another underestimated hero fighting his way upward.
9. So I’m a Spider, So What?
Genre: Isekai, Action, Comedy
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
The premise sounds ridiculous. The execution is way better than you expect.
A high school girl dies and reincarnates in a fantasy world as a spider. Not a powerful dragon. Not a chosen hero. A spider. At the bottom of a monster-filled dungeon where almost everything wants to kill her.
That’s where the Solo Leveling comparison kicks in.
Kumoko starts from the absolute bottom and survives by learning the rules of her world. She studies enemies, gains skills, exploits mechanics, and slowly evolves into something far more dangerous than anyone expects.
If your favorite part of Solo Leveling was the RPG-style system — quests, skills, stats, upgrades, and constant growth — So I’m a Spider, So What? is one of the closest picks on this list.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Deep RPG progression system
- Protagonist starts from nothing
- Dungeon survival atmosphere
- Constant upgrades and turning points
Best for: Fans who want the most game-like progression after Solo Leveling.
8. My Status as an Assassin Exceeds the Hero’s
Genre: Isekai, Action, Dark Fantasy
Where to watch: Crunchyroll availability may vary by region
Akira is transported to a fantasy world alongside his classmates, but he immediately realizes something is off.
Instead of blindly following the “hero” route, he takes the assassin path and begins building power from the shadows. He doesn’t want attention. He doesn’t trust the system. And he’s much more dangerous than people realize.
That makes this a strong recommendation for anyone who loved Jinwoo’s quieter, darker side.
Like Solo Leveling, this anime focuses on a protagonist who operates outside the usual rules. Akira isn’t loud or heroic in the traditional sense. He’s calculating, suspicious, and willing to move alone if that’s what survival demands.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Lone protagonist growing in the shadows
- Dark fantasy tone
- Assassin-style power fantasy
- Strategic progression instead of simple brute force
Best for: Fans who want a darker isekai with a stealthy, dangerous main character.
7. Shangri-La Frontier
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Gaming
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If you loved the game mechanics in Solo Leveling, Shangri-La Frontier is one of the easiest recommendations.
Rakuro is a gamer who specializes in playing terrible, broken games. After mastering some of the worst games imaginable, he finally tries a massive, polished VR game called Shangri-La Frontier — and quickly proves he’s not a normal player.
Unlike Solo Leveling, the game here is actually a game. But that’s exactly why it works.
The anime takes builds, bosses, mechanics, strategies, and player skill seriously. Watching Rakuro learn systems, exploit openings, and grow into a legendary player scratches the same itch as watching Jinwoo level up after each brutal encounter.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Detailed game mechanics
- Smart protagonist with elite combat instincts
- Boss fights and progression systems
- Strong “nobody to legend” energy
Best for: Fans who want serious RPG mechanics and high-energy battles.
6. Jujutsu Kaisen
Genre: Action, Supernatural, Dark Fantasy
Studio: MAPPA
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If what you loved most about Solo Leveling was the intensity of the fights, Jujutsu Kaisen is a must-watch.
It doesn’t have the same RPG-style leveling system, but it delivers a similar rush through brutal supernatural battles, dark atmosphere, and characters constantly pushing past their limits.
Yuji Itadori is thrown into a world of curses, death, impossible choices, and terrifying enemies. As the stakes rise, the fights become bigger, faster, and more devastating.
To be clear: Jujutsu Kaisen and Solo Leveling come from different studios. But they share the same appeal when it comes to action — cinematic battles, supernatural threats, and power systems that make every major clash feel massive.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Cinematic supernatural battles
- Dark fantasy atmosphere
- Intense hand-to-hand combat
- Characters growing through deadly fights
Best for: Fans who want top-tier action animation and darker shounen energy.
5. Overlord
Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy, Isekai
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
What if the protagonist didn’t need to become overpowered because he already started there?
Overlord follows Momonga, an MMO player trapped inside a game world after the servers shut down. But unlike most trapped-in-a-game protagonists, he isn’t weak. He’s already one of the most powerful beings in existence.
Now the world has to deal with him.
This is a different kind of power fantasy from Solo Leveling. Instead of watching the rise, you watch the domination. Every time some powerful warrior, noble, or monster thinks they understand the situation, Ainz reminds them how far beneath him they really are.
If Jinwoo’s late-series aura is what hooked you, Overlord delivers that same overwhelming presence from the beginning.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Extremely overpowered protagonist
- Dark fantasy world
- Game-inspired mechanics
- Constant displays of dominance
Best for: Fans who want an OP main character who completely controls the room.
4. Tower of God
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
A mysterious Tower. Endless floors. Deadly tests. A promise waiting at the top.
Tower of God follows Bam, a boy who enters a massive tower in search of the person who means everything to him. But climbing the Tower isn’t simple. Every floor comes with new trials, dangerous alliances, and enemies who were born to survive this world.
This is one of the strongest recommendations for Solo Leveling fans because it captures that same feeling of structured progression.
Instead of dungeons and gates, you get floors and tests. Instead of hunters, you get Regulars climbing toward power, status, and answers. The world is cruel, mysterious, and full of people hiding what they can really do.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Floor-by-floor progression
- Underdog protagonist with hidden potential
- Dangerous tests and survival challenges
- Deep mystery and worldbuilding
Best for: Fans who want dungeons, trials, and a larger mystery behind everything.
3. Black Clover
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Shounen
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Asta has no magic. None. Zero.
In a world where magic defines your worth, that should make him irrelevant. Instead, it makes him one of the most determined protagonists in modern shounen.
If the emotional core of Solo Leveling for you was watching someone weak claw their way to the top, Black Clover is an obvious pick. Asta is mocked, underestimated, and dismissed constantly — but he refuses to accept the role the world gives him.
His growth is loud, explosive, and incredibly satisfying.
The comparison isn’t about tone. Black Clover is brighter and more traditional than Solo Leveling. But when it comes to underdog progression, power-ups, and “watch everyone regret doubting him” moments, it absolutely delivers.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Powerless underdog becoming impossible to ignore
- Huge power-up moments
- Long-term character growth
- Battles that escalate with every arc
Best for: Fans who want a classic shounen underdog with massive payoff.
2. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Genre: Isekai, Fantasy, Drama
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If you want one of the most complete progression stories in anime, Mushoku Tensei is hard to ignore.
The story follows a failed, middle-aged man who dies and reincarnates as a baby in a fantasy world. With a second chance at life, he decides to grow, study magic, and become someone better than he was before.
This isn’t the closest anime to Solo Leveling in terms of dungeons or action structure. But it is one of the best matches if what you loved was the feeling of watching a character develop from nothing into someone extraordinary.
Rudeus’ growth happens over years. His abilities, relationships, mistakes, and victories all build on each other. Every stage of his life feels like part of a larger journey.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Deep long-term progression
- Strong fantasy worldbuilding
- Character growth that feels earned
- A protagonist building power from the ground up
Best for: Fans who want the most detailed personal growth journey after Solo Leveling.
1. The Eminence in Shadow
Genre: Action, Isekai, Dark Comedy
Where to watch: HIDIVE, Crunchyroll availability may vary by region
If you want another anime with an overpowered protagonist wrapped in dark, stylish energy, The Eminence in Shadow is probably the closest emotional match to Solo Leveling.
Cid Kagenou dreams of becoming a hidden mastermind — the kind of person who controls everything from the shadows. After reincarnating in a fantasy world, he accidentally creates a secret organization called Shadow Garden and becomes involved in a conspiracy he thought he invented.
The problem? The conspiracy is real.
Cid is ridiculously powerful, but what makes the anime work is that he treats everything like a performance. He wants the aesthetic. The mystery. The dramatic entrances. The secret identity. The overwhelming power flex.
In other words, he has the kind of dark aura Solo Leveling fans love — just with much more comedy and self-awareness.
Why Solo Leveling fans will love it:
- Overpowered protagonist with dark visual style
- Secret identity and shadow organization energy
- Stylish battles and massive power-flex moments
- Similar “nobody understands how dangerous this guy is” appeal
Best for: Fans who want Jinwoo-style aura with a more comedic, chaotic twist.
Quick Reference Table
| Rank | Anime | Best For Fans Who Want… |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Eminence in Shadow | Dark OP protagonist energy |
| 2 | Mushoku Tensei | Deep long-term progression |
| 3 | Black Clover | A powerless underdog rising to the top |
| 4 | Tower of God | Towers, trials, mystery, and progression |
| 5 | Overlord | An already-OP protagonist dominating everything |
| 6 | Jujutsu Kaisen | Cinematic supernatural fights |
| 7 | Shangri-La Frontier | Detailed game mechanics |
| 8 | My Status as an Assassin Exceeds the Hero’s | A lone assassin growing in the shadows |
| 9 | So I’m a Spider, So What? | RPG progression and dungeon survival |
| 10 | Wistoria: Wand and Sword | A classic underdog refusing to quit |
What Should You Watch First After Solo Leveling?
Still not sure where to start? Here’s the fastest breakdown.
Want the closest dark OP protagonist vibe?
Watch The Eminence in Shadow.
It has the strongest mix of overwhelming power, shadowy aesthetics, secret identity energy, and stylish battles.
Want the best progression system?
Watch So I’m a Spider, So What? or Shangri-La Frontier.
Both focus heavily on mechanics, upgrades, strategy, and growth.
Want the best underdog story?
Watch Black Clover or Wistoria: Wand and Sword.
Both are about characters who are dismissed by the world and forced to prove themselves through sheer effort.
Want the best action animation?
Watch Jujutsu Kaisen.
It doesn’t have the same RPG system, but the fights are some of the best in modern anime.
Want another manhwa-based anime with mystery and progression?
Watch Tower of God.
The tower structure, tests, and hidden power dynamics make it one of the best picks for Solo Leveling fans.
Final Thoughts
No anime perfectly replaces Solo Leveling — and honestly, that’s part of why it works so well.
But every anime on this list captures something that makes Jinwoo’s story addictive. Some deliver the same overpowered main character energy. Others focus on progression, dungeons, towers, dark fantasy worlds, or massive action scenes.
If you want the safest first pick, start with The Eminence in Shadow.
If you want deeper progression, try Shangri-La Frontier or So I’m a Spider, So What?.
If you want pure supernatural action, go straight to Jujutsu Kaisen.
Which anime like Solo Leveling are you watching next?
Drop your pick in the comments — and if your favorite didn’t make the list, tell us what we missed.