How and where to watch the Solo Leveling anime before season 2 finally arrives

Go from zero to hero with Solo Leveling.

Image credit: A-1 Productions

How to by Trent Cannon Contributor

Published on June 19, 2024

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One of the biggest anime hits of 2024 has been Solo Leveling. The reverse isekai series based on the Korean web novel of the same name follows Sung Jinwoo as he goes from being the weakest Hunter in existence to becoming the most powerful. The anime is filled with MMO tropes such as skills and classes without coming across as a cheap imitation of shows like Sword Art Online.

With a second season of Solo Leveling already announced, it is the perfect time to get caught up on the anime. If you’re wondering how to watch it and where to find it, here is everything you need to know about the Solo Leveling anime.

How to watch Solo Leveling in release order

Solo Leveling season 1 screenshot — Image credit: A-1 Productions

Aside from a handful of flashbacks, Solo Leveling is told in an almost completely linear manner, so your best bet is to watch it in the same order it was released. Solo Leveling is set in a world where gates have opened up around the world and unleashed monsters and magic on the population. Only Hunters – humans who have certain magical or supernatural abilities – can close the Gates. Sung Jinwoo was known as the weakest Hunter in existence until he was chosen by a mysterious System as a “solo player.” Now he can upgrade his abilities and take on dungeons on his own, but needs to hide his new abilities from those in power.

The release order of Solo Leveling is:

Solo Leveling Season 1 Episodes 1-7
Solo Leveling Season 1 Episode 7.5 – Note that this is a recap episode that covers the first seven episodes of the anime
Solo Leveling Season 1 Episodes 8-12

Where can I watch Solo Leveling?

Solo Leveling Statue of God — Image credit: A-1 Productions

The good news is that every episode of Solo Leveling is available as part of a Crunchyroll subscription, so you can find them all in one place. At the moment, there are no plans for Solo Leveling to stream on Netflix or any other site other than Crunchyroll.

Why is Solo Leveling so famous?

Hwang Dong-suk in Solo Leveling — Image credit: A-1 Pictures

Solo Leveling has been popular as a web novel since it came out in 2016 and eventually became a popular manga that served as the basis for the anime. Because it has had so many incarnations over the years, Solo Leveling had a strong following even before the anime debuted in January 2024. When it finally came out on Crunchyroll, fans were captured by Solo Leveling’s willingness to show that human greed and corruption are just as dangerous as any monster.

For fans of Sword Art Online who want a darker, more mature take on the MMO power fantasy and a more likable protagonist, Solo Leveling proved to be a massive hit.

Is Solo Leveling season 2 confirmed?

Considering the strong reception that the first season got, it shouldn’t be surprising to find out that Solo Leveling season two is already in the works. Immediately after the last episode of season one aired, Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow was confirmed by A-1 Pictures, though no release date has been confirmed yet.

What is Solo Leveling: Ragnarok?

Solo Leveling season 2 screenshot — Image credit: A-1 Productions

The original story of Solo Leveling concluded back in 2021, but that isn’t the end of the story. A sequel web novel titled Solo Leveling: Ragnarok began publishing in April 2023. It is set after the events of the original story and follows Sung Jinwoo’s son, Su-ho, who has to uncover the reason why Gates have once again opened up around the world. The webtoon version of the story is set to premiere sometime in 2024.

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