Solo Leveling tells the story of Sung Jinwoo, the protagonist of the series, who goes from being extremely weak to becoming the world's strongest hunter by constantly raising his level. Solo Leveling's web novel and Manhwa were already incredibly famous, but the popularity of this series continued to skyrocket thanks to its TV anime adaptation. Looking back on the series, the TV anime by Aniplex and A-1 Pictures has successfully transformed the series from an average story to a global phenomenon.
That said, some fans have wondered why Solo Leveling was adapted into an anime from Japan in the first place. After all, it is a story from South Korea, and there was a wealth of Japanese manga to adapt instead. In a recent interview with FirstPost on May 18, 2026, Solo Leveling producer, Atsushi Kaneko, reveals why the anime project was taken up by him and the studio.
Atsushi Kaneko's new interview reveals Solo Leveling became an anime because of Sota Furuhashi
Recently, Crunchyroll held a massive event that took place in Mumbai, India at Comic Con, which took place on May 9-10, 2026. This event saw some major highlights for the Solo Leveling series specifically. Sung Jinwoo's Japanese voice actor, Taito Ban, as well as A-1 Pictures' producer, Atsushi Kaneko, were both present. With these icons from the Solo Leveling series present, it was only a matter of time before key details about the production of the story were revealed.
On May 18, 2026, FirstPost revealed bits from their interview with Solo Leveling's producer Atsushi Kaneko, and some of the questions yielded interesting answers. In particular, Kaneko was asked how the Solo Leveling anime first came about. To answer that, he explained that the idea first appeared in Aniplex, specifically from Sota Furuhashi, a producer for this studio.
Atsushi Kaneko then elaborated, saying that he greenlit this decision not for any complicated reasons, but simply because he had a feeling that it would be a success and spark an interesting movement. Kaneko went into this project blind and his faith in the series definitely paid off.
“There was a sort of fixer involved in getting the project off the ground. It was him, Sota Furuhashi from Aniplex. He was the one who brought the idea to me, and the reason I joined was… I think I got the impression that there would be a chance to create an interesting movement with it.” — Atsushi Kaneko, Comic Con
Solo Leveling: Top 14 Female Characters, Ranked
Solo Leveling is home to a large collection of fantastic characters. Here are the best women featured in all of anime and manhwa.
Kaneko's hard work managed to put solo equalization on global radars
Solo Leveling's success today is undeniable. The series made its debut on January 7, 2024, with 12 episodes. Its second season came out not too long after, on January 4, 2025, with a total of 13 episodes. This series has become an instant hit, which is evident on the Crunchyroll platform. Solo Leveling has become one of the most watched anime of 2024 and 2025, and is currently still Crunchyroll's highest rated series, approaching 1 million.
Its success may make sense today, but it still came as a surprise to many, even those who have worked with it. When FirstPost asked Atsushi Kaneko if he had expected the series to become a global success, Kaneko answered honestly saying that he had no idea it would become this big. It's not the first time he mentions it either.
“Honestly, no. I had no idea it was that big.” — Atsushi Kaneko
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The future of Solo Leveling Season 3 and the involvement of Atsushi Kaneko is moving forward
Solo Leveling is extremely popular at the moment, but the series has more potential that it has yet to tap into. In Japan, Solo Leveling still can't compete with the big anime that One Piece, Narutoor Dragon Ball. This was mentioned by Atsushi Kaneko himself earlier, during Anime Expo in an interview with ScreenRant.
“Solo Leveling is not as widely recognized in Japan yet. As a Japanese living in Japan, the anime is not at the level of Dragon Ball, One Piece or Naruto. But if season three happens, that's when I really want to break that line.” — Atsushi Kaneko
That being said, even though this series isn't at that level yet, that doesn't mean it won't ever reach greater heights. Solo Leveling is experiencing insane growth, and its popularity shows no signs of abating. The next big popularity milestone for the franchise will likely come with its upcoming animated project. At the moment no Solo Leveling project is confirmed, but we definitely hope Season 3 is announced soon enough.
While Solo Leveling Season 3 would be awesome, a theatrical movie seems more likely, based on a leaked A-1 Pictures committee report from 2025. As fans of Solo Leveling, we might see the release of the next animated project in 2027, which is incredibly exciting, especially after the long wait. After seeing the success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle in the past, a new film could be what takes the series to new heights in Japan and even globally.
All 25 episodes of the Solo Leveling anime series can be viewed on Crunchyroll.
