If we had to name one anime that has taken the modern power-fantasy storytelling to another level, it would be none other than Solo Leveling. It has everything needed to become a massive success: a classic zero-to-hero narrative, a detailed power system built around RPG-style leveling mechanics, multilayered worldbuilding and lore, and top-tier animation paired with incredible soundtracks.
Now, if you’re already caught up with the series and craving something with similar vibes and narrative themes, consider giving any of these 20 anime a try. Each one offers something that Solo Leveling fans would absolutely love to see more of.
1. DanMachi Nails the Classic Dungeon-Crawling Formula
Jinwoo raiding dungeons and brawling with powerful monsters is one of the anime’s most enjoyable aspects. And if you loved that in particular, then DanMachi (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?) might just become your next favorite thing. It even has a similar game-like level-up mechanic, and the protagonist of DanMachi also climbs from being comparatively weak to becoming stronger. The only difference is that it may feel more like a classic RPG adventure than an urban power fantasy.
2. Shangri-La Frontier Makes MMORPG Mechanics Feel Real
Honestly, when it comes to incorporating an MMORPG-like game level-up mechanic, Shangri-La Frontier pretty much nails it. Therefore, Solo Leveling fans would love watching the MC’s grind to become stronger in this anime, just as much as they did with Jinwoo. That said, Shangri-La Frontier’s storyline is primarily set within the game itself, whereas Solo Leveling is integrated into the real world.
3. Sword Art Online Offers a Similar MC Level-up Narrative
Quite identical to Solo Leveling, Sword Art Online‘s RPG game mechanics are extremely well polished. Thus, even gamers would love this anime. It even revolves around an underdog protagonist who becomes overwhelmingly powerful by overcoming various life-threatening challenges. In SAO, the stakes have been incredibly high since the very beginning, which makes it a gripping watch.
4. Tower of God Reinvents the Tower-Climbing Genre
Remember how Jinwoo used to climb the floors of a dungeon, and with each higher floor, the difficulty of the monsters grew exponentially? Well, that is captured quite masterfully in Tower of God. The anime, in fact, primarily focuses on the tower-climbing aspect, with each floor introducing tougher opponents, new abilities, and larger-scale conflicts. Also, the world-building in this anime is immaculate.
5. The Misfit of Demon King Academy‘s Protagonist Has Aura
Skipping all the grind, The Misfit of Demon King Academy straight away introduces what feels like the end-of-series Jinwoo. Yes, that’s right. The anime’s protagonist starts with insane power. But the way he uses it and propels the story is quite similar to what Jinwoo does. So if you simply wish to watch a protagonist with infinite aura, then do give The Misfit of Demon King Academy a try.
6. Demon Slayer Is On Par With Solo Leveling‘s Action
Though Demon Slayer lacks some of the key aspects that make Solo Leveling so popular, the core theme of battling powerful monsters and growing stronger remains quite relevant. But that’s not why it has earned a place on this list. The real reason is its insane power fantasy battle animation, which can even put Solo Leveling to shame. Thus, it easily becomes a must-watch for Solo Leveling fans. Just witness the sheer aura that Demon Slayer‘s adaptation possesses.
7. Kaiju No. 8 Has a Very Similar Urban-Fantasy Storyline
One of the standout aspects of Solo Leveling is its urban setting. Every major fight takes place in real-world locations. That’s why Kaiju No. 8 also feels highly relevant in that regard. The kaiju battles shown in the anime are incredibly destructive and have a massive impact on the people living across Japan. This feels very similar to some of Solo Leveling‘s biggest battles that take place in the later arcs.
8. Log Horizon Masters the Strategic Depth of MMORPGs
Initially, we see that Jinwoo doesn’t just swing around his swords and win fights randomly. A lot of strategic thinking and planning go into every battle. And that is one of the core aspects of a well-defined MMORPG. If you enjoyed that part of Solo Leveling, then you may love Log Horizon even more. Its intricate game mechanics are often compared to those of Shangri-La Frontier and SAO, with many claiming that Log Horizon‘s are the most refined.
9. Arifureta Offers a Classic Weak-to-Strongest MC Narrative
Arifureta probably has the closest narrative parallel to Solo Leveling. The entire journey of both protagonists is quite identical. Similar to Jinwoo, Arifureta’s MC starts as the weakest, suffers betrayal, survives impossible odds, but returns dramatically stronger. Even in the later arcs, his personality shift somewhat mirrors Jinwoo’s own transformation. Therefore, it easily becomes a must-watch for Solo Leveling fans.
10. The Rising of the Shield Hero Stars an Underdog Hero
Another cool aspect of Jinwoo is that, even after obtaining his powers through the System, he chose to act like an underdog. He believed revealing his powers to others would only get him into more trouble. That same underdog energy is very much present in The Rising of the Shield Hero‘s protagonist as well. His journey is also similarly shaped by adversity and a strong sense of revenge.
11. Overlord‘s Protagonist Is Basically End-of-Series Jinwoo
Next, we have another MC who is way too overpowered right from the very beginning of the series. People even love to compare him to end-of-series Jinwoo. Thus, there may not be a zero-to-hero narrative in Overlord, but the way absolute power is portrayed in this anime is quite similar to how Jinwoo demonstrates his strength to assert dominance. Having a large number of loyal subordinates serving the protagonist is also one thing that both Solo Leveling and Overlord have in common.
12. The Eminence in Shadow Captures the Cool MC Trope
Despite being a parody of the isekai genre, The Eminence in Shadow‘s protagonist embodies the cool MC archetype, much like Jinwoo. While it may be true that Jinwoo’s life goals and motivations naturally turned him into one, whereas Cid intentionally chose that path, the cool MC allegations are equally prevalent in both anime. The aura farming by both MCs goes extremely hard, too.
13. BOFURI Tackles a Very Similar RPG Mechanic
BOFURI offers a similar game mechanic system to the one seen in Solo Leveling. But the series doesn’t just shine because of its protagonist, but also because of its supporting cast. Some of the abilities in this anime are absolutely broken, and the skill progression required to achieve them is explained really well. Even the boss encounters and the way the anime presents its fights might give off Solo Leveling vibes.
14. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Is a Must-Watch
The title of this anime may not possess the same amount of aura as something like Solo Leveling. But as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover. Though their motivations might be completely different, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has a much slower-paced tone, the power scaling in both series reaches absurd levels. While it’s not exactly game-like, the skill acquisition in this anime is also handled really well.
15. So I’m a Spider, So What? Has the Best MC Level-up System
Even without world-ending stakes, So I’m a Spider, So What? embodies the core level-up system of Solo Leveling remarkably well. Here, the MC is essentially a spider, but the grind we’re shown still feels awfully familiar. Unlocking skills and evolving repeatedly in a straightforward dungeon-crawling setting is where this anime truly shines, and it might even have the closest system to Solo Leveling. Pair that with its surprisingly wholesome vibes, and the anime becomes a must-watch.
16. Failure Frame Is Carefully Curated for Solo Leveling Fans
Again, almost everything that makes Jinwoo’s journey in Solo Leveling stand out is present in Failure Frame: betrayal, being underestimated, hidden overpowered abilities, and you name it. But one thing that sets it apart is that the protagonist has a much darker personality. Jinwoo is inherently good, but his powers make him feel ominous and cool. Failure Frame, however, takes a much crueler and darker approach to the power-up narrative.
17. Black Summoner Incorporates Jinwoo’s Signature Ability
Another underdog-to-overpowered MC journey, but the reason Solo Leveling fans would love Black Summoner is the protagonist’s ability to control powerful enemies just like Jinwoo did. He keeps challenging powerful opponents, and his strength grows by recruiting defeated enemies to his side. Surely that sounds a lot like Jinwoo’s way of doing things, right?
18. The Unwanted Undead Adventurer Has a Steady Progression
The power-up formula in The Unwanted Undead Adventurer might be quite different from Solo Leveling, but the essence is definitely there. Basically, the MC here constantly dies, evolves into stronger undead forms, and steadily climbs the ranks by doing so. This level-up mechanic, achieved through death and evolution, might be a fresh viewing experience for Solo Leveling fans.
19. Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy Offers Strategic Power Growth
Tsukimichi arguably has one of the best-written isekai MCs, who is widely praised for his quick decision-making skills, even in a completely different world with unfamiliar settings and situations. Along with that, he is gifted with enormous power, which naturally makes him overpowered. Thus, Solo Leveling fans may want to give it a try if they want to explore an overpowered MC in a fantasy world with a more grounded and realistic approach.
20. How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Adds a Bit of Comedy
What if Jinwoo retained his powers but was thrown into a comedy anime? That’s the kind of feeling you may get while watching How Not to Summon a Demon Lord. It certainly has an equally interesting RPG-style level-up mechanic and several similar tropes, but it also leans heavily into comedy and fan service. Therefore, it can be a nice change of pace for Solo Leveling fans who would also enjoy a bit of humor.
The overall IMDb ratings of every anime mentioned in the list:
| ANIME | IMD RATINGS (as of July 1, 2026) | Where to Watch (U.S) |
| DanMachi | 7.4/10 | Hulu, HIDIVE |
| Shangri-La Frontier | 7.6/10 | Crunchyroll |
| Sword Art Online | 7.5/10 | Crunchyroll, Hulu |
| Tower of God | 7.4/10 | Crunchyroll |
| The Misfit of Demon King Academy | 7.1/10 | Crunchyroll, Hulu, Apple TV (Rent) |
| Demon Slayer | 8.6/10 | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu |
| Kaiju No. 8 | 8.2/10 | Crunchyroll, Prime Video |
| Log Horizon | 7.4/10 | Crunchyroll |
| Arifureta | 7.0/10 | Hulu, Crunchyroll |
| The Rising of the Shield Hero | 7.6/10 | Crunchyroll, Hulu |
| Overlord | 7.6/10 | Crunchyroll |
| The Eminence in Shadow | 7.7/10 | HIDIVE |
| BOFURI | 7.3/10 | Crunchyroll |
| That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime | 8.0/10 | Crunchyroll |
| So I’m a Spider, So What? | 7.2/10 | Crunchyroll |
| Failure Frame | 6.8/10 | Crunchyroll |
| Black Summoner | 7.1/10 | Crunchyroll |
| The Unwanted Undead Adventurer | 7.3/10 | Crunchyroll |
| Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy | 7.7/10 | Crunchyroll |
| How Not to Summon a Demon Lord | 6.9/10 | Crunchyroll |
So, have any of the above entries caught your eye? If yes, then which one would that be? Also, feel free to share your own recommendations in the comments.
