These 2 TV shows are as good as solo leveling (if not better)

Solo Leveling exploded in popularity almost immediately after its release in January 2024. Adapted from Chugong's hugely successful web novel and manhwa, the anime became an instant phenomenon thanks to its clever animation, brutal action, and addictive power progression story. Audiences were immediately drawn to Sung Jin-woo's transformation from the weakest hunter in the world to something nearly unstoppable, while the anime's dark fantasy atmosphere, dungeon-crawling structure, and increasingly apocalyptic stakes provided Solo Leveling an incredible speed.

That video game-like progression and underdog storyline is very engaging, and while anime fans are waiting Solo Leveling Season 3, maybe they need something else to scratch that itch. Thankfully, there are two TV shows that feature the same story of an ordinary person thrown into an impossible situation, survival-driven intensity and overwhelming threat: Alice in the Borderlands and Sweet home. They can be different stories Solo Leveling, but they are perfect for fans of anime. In some areas, the two TV shows even surpass some of the fan-favorite elements of the beloved anime.

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Netflix's Sweet Home has the same escalating powers as Solo Leveling

Lots of Solo Leveling elements appear in Sweet Home

Netflix Sweet home is based on the manhwa of the same name and begins when Cha Hyun-su, a lonely and depressed teenager, moves into a run-down apartment complex just before the world descends into chaos. People across Korea begin to transform into grotesque monsters based on their deepest desires, trapping the residents of the building as society collapses around them. While at first Hyun-su seems completely ill-equipped to survive, he slowly discovers that he may be changing into something powerful himself.

Sweet home is arguably as compelling as Solo Leveling, and the couple have very similar emotional structures. Like Sung Jin-woo, Hyun-su begins as an isolated, vulnerable protagonist before evolving into someone increasingly feared by humans and monsters alike. Sweet home balances survival horror with Hyun-su's escalation of power, meaning each new transformation feels both terrifying and exciting at the same time. Watching him struggle to control who he becomes gives Sweet home a darker psychological edge than many fantasy/action stories.

In some ways, Sweet home undoubtedly surpasses Solo Leveling when it comes to atmosphere and emotional intensity. The series is relentlessly bleak, filled with desperate survivors, disturbing creature designs, and a constant sense that no one is safe. At the same time, its monster mythology is fascinating: each creature reflects human desires and foibles, giving the show's horror a deep thematic weight. For Solo Leveling fans who love escalating powers, terrifying enemies and protagonists who walk the line between hero and monster, Sweet home is a perfect next watch.

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Solo Leveling's overwhelming odds are equally present in Alice in Borderland

Another regular main character is thrown into a new world

Based on Haro Aso's manga of the same name, Alice in the Borderlands follows Arisu, an aimless young man who suddenly finds himself in an abandoned version of Tokyo with his friends. In this alternate reality, players are forced to compete in a series of deadly games to survive, with each challenge testing intelligence, teamwork, guile, or physical endurance. As the games become increasingly brutal, Arisu begins to uncover the terrifying truths behind the mysterious world he is trapped in.

Even if Alice in the Borderlands is less focused on literal power development than Solo Levelingit captures the exact same addictive energy of survival games. Each episode feels unpredictable as the characters are constantly forced into impossible situations where death can come instantly. Much like when Jin-woo enters increasingly dangerous dungeons, Arisu and the other players are thrust into challenges that require them to adapt, strategize, and simply evolve in order to survive. Alice in the Borderlands thrives on tension, escalation and the fear of what comes next.

What does Alice in the Borderlands truly exceptional, however, is its ability to combine spectacle with emotional depth. Beneath the action and elaborate gameplay is a story of loneliness, purpose, trauma and the meaning of life. The visuals are as amazing as Solo Leveling, the plot is flawless and the stakes are consistently raised in unexpected ways. For Solo Leveling fans who enjoyed seeing characters survive overwhelming odds while uncovering a larger mystery, Alice in the Borderlands kicking things up a notch but still delivering the same obsession-inducing momentum. In many ways, Alice in the Borderlands feels even more emotionally devastating than Solo Levelingso all fans who enjoyed the heartbreaking and difficult scenes in the anime will feel Alice in the Borderlands deep.