Solo Leveling Producer Reveals the Anime’s Insane Production Timeline

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From a passionate viewer’s perspective, I can’t help but marvel at the sheer dedication and hard work that goes into crafting each episode of the phenomenal anime series, Solo Leveling. For two seasons now, every single episode has been nothing short of exceptional, leaving fans craving more. Just by watching one episode, it becomes evident that Studio A-1 Pictures pours their heart and soul into animating this cherished manhwa, transforming it from a comic book into a captivating visual storytelling experience.

However, as much as we fans yearn for the confirmation of Season 3, the mind-blowing production timeline hints that we may have to exercise a little more patience before diving back into the world of Solo Leveling once again.

In a recent Q&A session on the animation subreddit, the producers of “Solo Leveling” were asked about the typical time it takes to create an episode, from start to finish including localization. The show’s Animation Producer, Atsushi Kaneko, shared some fascinating insights into the production timeline for “Solo Leveling.” He disclosed that each episode generally requires around 10 to 12 months of work, with a few longer episodes taking up to 12 months. Regarding localization, dubbing, and subtitling, Kaneko mentioned that they strive for a near-simultaneous global release. Subtitles are constantly produced to meet the deadline, and the dubbing process usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks per episode.

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Why Solo Leveling Season 3 May Take Longer Than Fans Expected

It initially seems hard to accept that one episode of “Solo Leveling” requires nearly an entire year to produce. Yet, examining Season 2 and episodes like Jinwoo vs. Beru fight, which are rich in detail, supports the claim that it’s as labor-intensive as Producer Atsushi Kaneko suggests. Instead of simply mirroring the original manhwa panel by panel, the anime enhances it with additional scenes, extended fights, and breathtaking effects – all aspects that demand a significant amount of time to animate. Furthermore, since Season 2 was released a year after the first season, the estimate of ten to twelve months for each episode seems plausible, indicating that the studio likely worked on several episodes simultaneously.

Indeed, if we’re hoping to watch Season 3 of Solo Leveling by Winter 2026, it’s logical to assume that production must be underway at this point. However, as of now, no official confirmation about the start of production has been made. If production hasn’t started yet for some reason, we might have to wait until later in 2026 for Season 3. Moreover, the tight production schedule could become more challenging in Season 3, primarily because A-1 Pictures has significantly increased expectations for the series with Season 2 and its growing global popularity. Fans will undoubtedly anticipate top-notch quality, and it’s quite possible that Season 3 might take longer to meet the high standards set by the series so far.

Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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2025-05-02 16:10