Solo Leveling was recently crowned anime of the year in 2025, and while it was certainly one of the most exciting anime of 2025, the series winning over the likes of Frieren wasn’t well-received by every anime fan around the world. Solo Leveling faced some tough competition this year by the likes of Dandadan, The Apothecary Diaries, and most of all, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
A New Anime That Can Officially Beat Frieren Is Coming in 2026
Frieren is one of the most anticipated anime of 2026, but it has some tough competition.
With an ever-growing popularity, Solo Leveling and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End have definitely proven to be very competitive in the overseas market. The two series are very different, but both are worth the hype and have fans deeply invested in their respective stories. However, now, Solo Leveling’s biggest rival is out of the race at the moment as the Frieren manga officially went on an indefinite hiatus, something that has fans very concerned. Fans don’t know when the Frieren manga will return, but at the very least, Frieren Season 2 is still coming in 2026.
Frieren and Solo Leveling Have Enjoyed Heated Battles
- Frieren is going on a hiatus
- Solo Leveling doesn’t face the same issue as the story is already over
In 2024, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Solo Leveling were the most popular anime series worldwide. This was also when both anime series debuted, and fans were captivated by their intense, yet very different, stories. While Solo Leveling was all about the battles, Frieren had both flashy fights and an interesting story.
Solo Leveling and Frieren have competed at the top stage ever since their debut, but now, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End manga has some bad news for the fans. The Frieren manga is going on an indefinite hiatus. This was recently announced, and fans are very concerned, as rumors suggest the hiatus is due to the author and illustrator’s health issues.
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This is not only a concern for manga fans, but also for anime. If there’s no content to animate, then fans can bid farewell to future Frieren seasons.
Because the current is so strong, if we focus too much on it, only that aspect becomes emphasized as anime’s defining characteristic. Before it gets to that point, I feel it’s important to share anime’s diverse appeal with the world. I have a desire to create works that can draw the world’s attention through a variety of approaches.“ — Keiichirou Saitou, Frieren’s Director
Meanwhile, Solo Leveling has not suffered a similar problem. Solo Leveling has already concluded a while ago, and the studios can fully adapt not only the story of Sung Jinwoo but also the story of his son, Sung Suho, from Solo Leveling: Ragnarok. Solo Leveling won’t run out of content anytime soon.
When Will The Frieren Manga Return?
- The Hiatus is Indefinite
- Fans Have Season 2 To Look Forward To
Many Frieren fans are wondering how long the manga break will be, and at the moment, the truth is that nobody knows when the series will return. When the hiatus was announced, it was quite clearly stated that the break is indefinite, and hinges on the severity of health issues faced by the creators, so resumption could take a while.
The last time Frieren went on hiatus was in late December, and it took the manga about seven months to return. This was a very long break, and now, it seems that the health of author hasn't improved. Fans can only hope for the creators’ health to improve in the upcoming months while they wait for the manga’s return.
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 for fans to enjoy while awaiting any news concerning the third season. For fans who can’t wait for season 3 to come out, checking out the manhwa might be a great option.fire
- Release Date
- September 29, 2023
- Network
- Nippon TV, YTV, FBS, Chukyo TV, RNB, FCT, STV, KNB, HTV, YBS, RAB, TVI, YBC, UMK TV Miyazaki, TSB, MMT, TeNY, RNC, NIB, KKT, KTK, NKT, ABS, JRT, Daiichi-TV, FBC, RKC, KYT, KRY
- Directors
- Kento Matsui, Kota Mori, Takahiro Natori, Morio Asaka, Lim Ka-hee, Taku Kimura, Ken Ando, Hirotaka Mori, Ayaka Tsuji
Cast
-
Atsumi TanezakiFrieren (voice) -
Kana IchinoseFern (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is an animated adventure-drama series based on the manga series created by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe. Following her parties' victory against an all-powerful demon king that threatened to destroy their world, Frieren, an elf, attempts to find her place in a new world with an undetermined future fifty years later.
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Creator
- Kanehito Yamada
- MyAnimeList Score
- 9.31
