The anime Solo Leveling, based on the hit Korean webcomic, has quickly become a massive success with its two seasons, animated by A-1 Pictures. It’s been incredibly popular, even winning Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards and is a strong contender to win again next year. Though some fans disagree with the award choice, Japan also has its own prestigious anime awards, including the Newtype Magazine Anime Awards hosted by Kadokawa Group.
Newtype Magazine has a unique timeframe for its anime awards, looking at shows released between July 2024 and April 2025. Recently, they announced their winners on X (formerly Twitter), and the top prize – essentially Japan’s Anime of the Year – went to a bit of a surprise winner: Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! This series, which debuted in July 2024, beat out popular Western favorites like Solo Leveling – even though the second season of Solo Leveling aired during the same period. What’s particularly interesting is that Makeine is a romantic comedy, and it was created by the same studio that made Solo Leveling.
Solo Leveling Studio’s Other Anime Dethrones Solo Leveling as Japan’s Anime of the Year
Despite talk that Solo Leveling is more popular outside of Japan, recent data shows it’s gaining traction there too. Season 2 of Solo Leveling ranked fourth in popularity, even beating out Dandadan. While the top three shows in Japan – Makeine, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, and The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 – reveal different preferences than Western audiences, Solo Leveling‘s growing success indicates its appeal is spreading within Japan as well.
Despite Solo Leveling finishing fourth and The Apothecary Diaries also being popular, it’s becoming clear that anime fans in different regions are starting to enjoy similar shows. However, Makeine‘s win was a surprise, as romantic comedies don’t usually become this popular. The show’s unique story, which begins after a failed love confession, immediately grabs viewers’ attention. This relatable premise likely resonated with audiences, particularly in a country like Japan where people are facing a tough work environment and a declining birth rate. Makeine winning Anime of the Year doesn’t take away from Solo Leveling‘s success in Japan; it simply shows how different the two audiences are in terms of what they enjoy.
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2025-10-29 15:11