Well, well, well—Solo Leveling just pulled a power move and became the most-rated anime on Crunchyroll, barely edging out One Piece. That’s right, Sung Jin-Woo just walked in, ranked up, and flexed on a 25-year-old legacy like it was nothing. But before anyone starts screaming “New Gen Supremacy,” let’s take a step back.

Because One Piece? Yeah, it’s still the king.

How Solo Leveling Pulled This Off

If you somehow missed the memo, Solo Leveling is THE anime right now. It follows Sung Jin-Woo, a weak hunter in a world full of deadly dungeons, who suddenly gets a mysterious power that lets him level up infinitely. The fights are insane, the animation is crisp, and the power scaling? Absolutely ridiculous (in the best way).

It’s flashy, it’s fast-paced, and it hooks you immediately—exactly what today’s anime fans are eating up.

According to Anime Corner, Solo Leveling just hit 594,500+ ratings on Crunchyroll, surpassing One Piece at 594,400+.Yeah, it’s that close.

The Covid-19 Anime Boom Changed Everything

Let’s be real, a huge reason why newer anime like Solo Leveling, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Chainsaw Man are breaking records is because of the massive wave of new anime fans that came in during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

People were stuck at home, looking for new shows to binge, and boom—anime exploded. Suddenly, Demon Slayer Mugen train arc became the highest-grossing movie of all time in Japan, Jujutsu Kaisen turned Gojo into everyone’s favorite fictional man, and Chainsaw Man made people weirdly obsessed with a dude who just wants toast and a girlfriend.

Newer anime are thriving because they’re fresh, have top-tier animation, and are easy for new fans to jump into. And with Solo Leveling being one of the most hyped adaptations in years, it makes sense that it’s topping the charts.

But Let’s Be Real—One Piece is Forever

Listen, numbers are cool and all, but One Piece isn’t just an anime—it’s a culture. This series has been running for over two decades, has one of the most dedicated fanbases on the planet, and has managed to stay relevant across multiple generations.

Newer anime come and go, but One Piece? It’s a marathon, not a sprint. While Solo Leveling is riding the hype wave, One Piece is the kind of series that people will still be talking about years from now. Luffy’s journey is one of the greatest stories ever told in anime, and nothing’s changing that.

So yeah, Solo Leveling might have taken the top spot for now, but in my eyes? One Piece will always reign supreme.

Final Thoughts—Is This a New Era?

The anime world is shifting, and newer series are proving they can go toe-to-toe with the legends. But does that mean One Piece is fading? Nah. If anything, this just shows how much anime as a whole is growing.

New Gen anime are thriving, but One Piece will always be the GOAT. The real winner here? Us, the fans, because we get to experience all of it.

Sources (Because We’re Legit)

• Solo Leveling Is Now The Highest-Rated Anime on Crunchyroll, Surpassing One Piece & Demon Slayer!

• Solo Leveling Beat One Piece for the Top Spot on Crunchyroll

• Solo Leveling Surpasses One Piece on Crunchyroll - Game Rant

So, what do y’all think? Is Solo Leveling the new king, or is this just hype talking? Let’s discuss.