Single leveling The series tells the story of Sung Jinwoo, the protagonist of the series, who rises from the weakest to become the strongest hunter in the world. Solo leveling The web novel and manhwa were already incredibly popular, but the series' popularity skyrocketed thanks to its TV anime adaptation. Looking back on the series, the TV anime from Aniplex and A-1 Pictures turned the series from an average story into a global phenomenon.
That said, some fans have wondered why solo leveling was adapted into anime in Japan in the first place. After all, this is a South Korean story, and there was a rush of Japanese manga to adapt instead. In a recent interview with Firstpost on May 18, 2026, Solo Leveling's producer, Atsushi Kaneko, revealed why he and the studio took on the anime project.
Atsushi Kaneko's new interview reveals that Sota Furuhashi is due for a solo leveling anime
Recently, Crunchyroll held a big event that took place at Comic Con in Mumbai, India, which took place on May 9 to 10, 2026. This event saw some big highlights especially for the solo leveling series. Sung Jinwoo's Japanese voice actor, Taito Ban, as well as A-1 Pictures producer Atsushi Kaneko were both in attendance. With these icons of the solo leveling franchise, it was only a matter of time before key details about the story's production were revealed.
On May 18, 2026, First post revealed bits from their interview with Solo Leveling creator Atsushi Kaneko, and some questions brought interesting answers. Specifically, Kaneko was asked how the solo leveling anime came about in the first place. To answer this, he explained that the idea first appeared within Aniplex, specifically from the studio's producer Sota Furuhashi.
Atsushi Kaneko then elaborated and said that he made this decision not for any complicated reason, but because he felt it would succeed and trigger an interesting movement. Kaneko went into this project blindly, 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 of Aniplex. He was the one who brought me the idea, and the reason I agreed… I got the idea that it had a chance to create an interesting movement.” – Atsushi Kaneko, Comic Con
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Kaneko's hard work managed to keep solo leveling on the global radar
Solo leveling Today's success is undeniable. The series debuted on January 7, 2024 with 12 episodes. Its second season came out much later, on January 4, 2025 with 13 total episodes. The series has become an instant hit, as evident on the Crunchyroll platform. Solo Leveling has been one of the most watched anime of 2024 and 2025, and is now Crunchyroll's highest and most rated series, closing in on 1 million.
Its success may make sense today, but it still came as a surprise to many, even the people who worked on it. when First post Atsushi asked Kaneko if he expected the series to become a worldwide success, Kaneko answered honestly and said he had no idea it would be so big. This is also not the first time he has mentioned it.
“Honestly, no. I didn't know it was that big.” – Atsushi Kaneko
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The future of Solo Leveling Season 3 and Atsushi Kaneko's involvement moving forward
Single leveling Extremely popular at the moment, but the series still has a lot of potential that has yet to be tapped. In Japan, solo leveling still can't compete with big anime a piece, Narutoor Dragon Ball. This was mentioned by Atsushi Kaneko himself earlier in an interview with ScreenRant during Anime Expo.
“Single leveling is not universally recognized in Japan yet. As a Japanese person living in Japan, the anime is not at the level of Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto. But if there is a third season, I really want to break that limit.” – Atsushi Kaneko
That being said, even though the series isn't at that level yet, that doesn't mean it can never reach greater heights. Solo leveling is experiencing insane growth, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Another big popularity milestone for the franchise is likely to come with its upcoming animated project. Currently, no Single leveling The project has been confirmed, but we are definitely hoping for an announcement soon for Season 3.
While Solo Leveling Season 3 would be amazing, based on a leaked 2025 A-1 Pictures Committee report, a theatrical movie seems more likely. As fans of Solo Leveling, we may see another animated project release in 2027, which is incredibly exciting, especially after the long wait. Seeing the success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle first, a new movie could take the series to new heights in Japan and even worldwide.
All 25 episodes of the Solo Leveling anime series can be watched on Crunchyroll.
