It's Official: Solo Leveling Isn't 2025's Best Anime Anymore

Solo Leveling was a huge phenomenon for overseas anime fans, and it was quite evident during 2025’s Anime Awards at Crunchyroll. Solo Leveling Season 1 was awarded the title of Anime of the Year, but fans are even more in love with the newest season that aired earlier this year. Numerous fans consider Solo Leveling Season 2 the best anime that aired in 2025, but overall ratings seem to disagree. Solo Leveling is nowhere close to being 2025’s best-rated anime on MyAnimeList. That honor instead goes to the iconic series, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2. The Apothecary Diaries is quickly becoming one of the most beloved series, both in Japan and abroad, and it has a strong chance of winning Anime of the Year in 2026.

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Solo Leveling Is Big, But The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 is the Highest Rated Anime of 2025

Apothecary Diaries

• The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Has a Rating of 8.91 on MAL
• Solo Leveling Season 2 Has A Rating Of 8.65

Solo Leveling definitely turned many heads this year during the Crunchyroll Awards. After all, this series, which many believe lacks plot, ended up going home with 2025’s Anime of the Year award. While the award itself was given in 2025, it’s actually for an anime series from 2024. So this award was given to Solo Leveling season 1, even though a lot of bias came from its second season airing at the same time. Nevertheless, as the year went on, better anime series have returned or come out, including the likes of Takopi’s Original Sin, To Be Hero X, and The Lord of the Mysteries.

“My position doesn't allow me to officially confirm Season 3 in front of the media. We need everyone's support for the next season. […] My favorite technique by Son Goku is the Spirit Bomb. Spirit Bomb, the technique that combines everyone's power to defeat the enemy. So, for the next season of Solo Leveling to come to fruition, we need everyone's power and support for the series across the world.” — Atshushi Kaneko

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While all these series are great, the number 1 series this year, based on MAL ratings, is actually none other than The Apothecary Diaries Season 2. The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 has an 8.91 rating on MAL, making it the 19th highest rated anime of all time, and the number 1 of 2025. Meanwhile, Solo Leveling Season 2 is at 8.65 on MAL, which puts it rather low, at 79th overall, and not even in 2025’s top 5.

“While thrilled with the response, I personally don't feel like the series is known by everyone at this point. Solo Leveling isn't as 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 season three happens, that’s when I want to truly break that boundary.” - Atsushi Kaneko

The Apothecary Diaries is definitely the better series out of the two. It must also be kept in mind that Solo Leveling is only really big overseas, while The Apothecary Diaries is huge both abroad and in Japan, with the latter being the bigger anime market.

Could The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Win Anime of the Year 2026?

It’s Possible, But it Has Heavy Competition

With 2025 halfway done, there have already been many great series that could go on to win next year’s Crunchyroll Anime of the Year 2026 title. The Apothecary Diaries is definitely one of the strongest contenders for this title, but it has some competition. Solo Leveling, despite having fewer ratings, is still big. But since Solo Leveling season 3 won’t be coming out anytime near the Crunchyroll Awards in 2026, it will not benefit from the same advantage it had in 2025’s awards.

Other anime like Takopi’s Original Sin will also be hard to beat, especially as it’s 2025’s second-highest rated anime at 8.84, which isn't too far behind Maomao’s series.

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 more news concerning the third season.