This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling series.
Anime fans are very well aware of the fact that Solo Leveling will face some very tough competition in 2026 at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. In 2025, Solo Leveling absolutely dominated at the Crunchyroll Awards. Not only did the series win the Anime of the Year award, but the protagonist, Sung Jinwoo, also went on to take home the award of Best MC of the Year. Along with that, Solo Leveling took home a bunch of other awards as well, which once again highlight the fact that 2025 was the year of Solo Leveling when it came to the Crunchyroll Awards.
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However, 2026 will most definitely be different. Even though Solo Leveling delivered an even stronger season than the one that won at Crunchyroll 2025 Awards, it has very tough competition from one of the best anime series of the last few years, My Hero Academia. The final season of My Hero Academia officially concludes this December and fans know that it will be eligible for the title of Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll 2026 Awards. Given that it has absolutely destroyed Solo Leveling when it comes to fan ratings, it is most likely going to take the crown from Sung Jinwoo next year.
My Hero Academia Will Likely Beat Solo Leveling At the Crunchyroll Awards 2026
Solo Leveling is an incredibly difficult series to beat when it comes to fan popularity. The series has enjoyed an immense rise in fame over the course of the last 2 years. With just 25 episodes, Solo Leveling is one of the most beloved anime series out there, and what’s shocking is that it has gone on to become the highest-rated and reviewed anime on big platforms, such as Crunchyroll, in a very short amount of time. As such, one can see why Solo Leveling is as difficult to beat as it is.
I am the record of your struggles, the evidence of your resistance, and the reward of your sufferings. I am death, I am eternal rest, I am terror. – Ashborn to Sung Jinwoo, Solo Leveling Manhwa
However, if there’s one anime series that can actually go on to defeat it, it is My Hero Academia. My Hero Academia is an absolutely iconic series that played a significant role in making anime more mainstream in the 2010s. As far as the 2010s are concerned, My Hero Academia might just be the most iconic anime of all. The fact is that My Hero Academia is now officially wrapping up after an incredible 10-year run, and fans will never forget the joy that the series gave to them.
Nostalgia aside, My Hero Academia Season 8 might just be the strongest season of the series. The production is far better than any other season that came before it, but on top of that, the story is absolutely incredible. Every episode of My Hero Academia Season 8 is rated over 9 on IMDb so far, and that just goes to show the incredible quality that it has served up. It has already beaten Solo Leveling at fan ratings, and it is expected that it will beat the series at the Crunchyroll 2026 Awards as well.
Solo Leveling Enjoyed An Unfair Advantage In 2025
Another interesting thing to note is that Solo Leveling enjoyed quite an unfair advantage during the Crunchyroll 2025 Awards. Around the same time that the awards were held, Solo Leveling Season 2 was airing. This gave it an unfair advantage over other series, such as The Apothecary Diaries or Frieren. Eventually, Solo Leveling won, but this will most likely not be the case in 2026.
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My Hero Academia Is The Highest-Rated Anime Series Of 2025
Right now, it is clear to see that My Hero Academia Season 8 is the highest rated anime of 2025, and this won’t change, given that the year is almost over. Out of all the anime series eligible for the award of Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll 2026 Awards, My Hero Academia is one that stands above all.
People are not born equal. We each take shape differently, which leads us to care about others. It’s because one’s mind and body are unlike anyone else’s that we’re drawn to others in search of common ground. This is the truth about society that I learned when I was 17. — Izuku Midoriya, My Hero Academia
Its high fan ratings and incredible reception, coupled with the fact that the entire series is now officially coming to an end, mean that it is the most likely winner next year. It will officially go on to take the crown of the best anime from Solo Leveling, and that is something that most fans of anime will appreciate, in general.
That is not to say that Solo Leveling Season 2 wasn’t brilliant. Even though the anime lacks a deep storyline, the action that it serves up and the enjoyment that it gives to the fans are absolutely top-notch. Solo Leveling is brilliant in its own way, but when iconic anime series such as My Hero Academia Season 8 come along, one absolutely cannot argue with the fact that it is the best.
Solo Leveling has two seasons out right now, one with 12 episodes, and the other with 13, for a combined episode count of 25 episodes available to watch right now. The series can be streamed on Crunchyroll. The My Hero Academia manga concluded with 431 chapters for fans to read. All these chapters can be found on Manga Plus. My Hero Academia is also airing its final season, which will consist of 11 episodes in total. The series can be watched on Crunchyroll.
- Release Date
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2024 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV
- Directors
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Tatsuya Sasaki, Toru Hamasaki
- Writers
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Shigeru Murakoshi, Shingo Irie, Fuka Ishii
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Genta Nakamura
Yoo Jin-ho
