In a surprising turn of events in the anime world, Solo Leveling has officially dethroned the long-reigning champion One Piece to become Crunchyroll’s most rated anime. This milestone achievement comes during One Piece’s extended hiatus, which began in October 2024 and will continue until April 6, 2025, when the beloved pirate saga finally returns to our screens.
The Rise of Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling has accomplished something truly remarkable in the anime community. With only 23 episodes across two seasons, the series has amassed over 710,000 ratings on Crunchyroll, with an impressive 97% of them being 5-star ratings. This achievement is particularly notable when compared to One Piece’s 615,200 ratings and Demon Slayer’s 589,300 ratings.
What makes this feat even more astonishing is that Solo Leveling has managed to surpass these titans of anime with significantly less content. While One Piece boasts over 1,100 episodes and Demon Slayer has 63 episodes, Solo Leveling achieved this milestone with just 23 episodes that cover approximately one-third of its source material.
The series’ meteoric rise began in January 2024 when it debuted to immediate fanfare. By February 2025, it had already surpassed Jujutsu Kaisen to become Crunchyroll’s third most-watched title, before finally overtaking both One Piece and Demon Slayer in March 2025.
One Piece’s Temporary Absence
While Solo Leveling was climbing the ranks, One Piece has been conspicuously absent from our screens. The beloved pirate adventure went on hiatus in October 2024 after episode 1,122, pausing in the middle of the highly anticipated Egghead arc.
The good news for One Piece fans is that the wait is almost over. The series will return on the weekend of April 5-6, 2025, with two new episodes and a special recap episode to refresh viewers on the Egghead arc. After this special weekend, new episodes will continue to premiere on Sunday nights in Japan, with simulcasts on Crunchyroll shortly after.
The Solo Leveling Phenomenon: Overhyped or Deserved?
There used to be an era where people hated overpowered MCs.
Despite its undeniable popularity, Solo Leveling has faced criticism from some anime enthusiasts who believe the series is overrated. Critics argue that the show follows a repetitive plot structure, features an overpowered protagonist like very isekai mc’s and lacks character development beyond Sung Jin-Woo.
One common criticism is that the series becomes a power fantasy after Jin-Woo’s initial transformation, with some viewers finding the character progression predictable and the stakes diminishing as Jin-Woo becomes increasingly powerful, one user from X (Formally Twitter) commented how solo leveling is just another over mc with no plot,
“First season was great, second season started turning into power fantasy crap, where the main hero no longer has any trials or tribulations. He just swoops in and saves the day, even if it looks really cool.
At one point he just starts boxing some enemies, which was sad.”
Another fan replied to his comment,
“Well he struggled in most of his fights in season 2 he was weaker and even with igris couldn’t beat baruka and he almost died against baran ig esil didn’t help him and beru almost killed him if he aint unlock the skill which happened in the light novel”
Then X user replied to his comment,
I don’t think he struggled at all in S2, completely putting aside S1 in the first place (which was very touch and go). At no point was he close to dying, at his limits, or unable to move forward. Like basic shounen staples of power arcs.
Also sadly they don’t even focus anymore on his minions… He just replaces older ones with newer ones, despite the implications of some of them.
Part of what made S1 cool was his bond he formed with some of his minions, which they just threw out in S2. They aren’t really special anymore.
However, fans of the series praise its high-energy action, power progression, and exceptional animation quality. The second season, in particular, has been lauded for its “cinematic” animation, with many viewers noting a significant improvement over the already impressive first season.
What’s Next for Solo Leveling?
Despite its current success, Solo Leveling’s immediate future remains uncertain. The second season concluded on March 30, 2025, with episode 13, “On to the Next Target“, leaving fans eager for more.
While no official announcement has been made regarding a third season, animation producer Atsushi Kaneko has stated that Episode 25 marks the end of the series “for the time being,” suggesting that the gap between Solo Leveling Season 2 and a potential Season 3 will be longer than the one-year gap between the first two seasons.
Some credible anime insiders have suggested that Season 3 has already entered production, with an announcement expected to follow shortly after the Season 2 finale.
However, A-1 Pictures, the studio behind Solo Leveling, is currently busy with other projects such as Fate/Strange Fake and Aldnoah.Zero (Re+), which might affect the timeline for Season 3.
The Verdict
As One Piece prepares to return from its hiatus, it will be interesting to see if it can reclaim its crown from Solo Leveling. While Solo Leveling has undoubtedly made a significant impact on the anime community, its future remains uncertain, with no confirmed date for a third season.
For now, Solo Leveling can enjoy its position at the top of Crunchyroll’s ratings, but with only a third of its source material adapted and One Piece’s imminent return, the battle for anime supremacy is far from over. Whether Solo Leveling’s success is a flash in the pan or the beginning of a new anime dynasty remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the competition has never been fiercer in the world of anime.
