Solo leveling snubbed at anime awards – is its reign over?
Crunchyroll's Anime Awards have revealed their 2026 nominations, and a glaring omission has sent ripples through the anime community: Solo Leveling, the breakout hit of 2025, is notably absent from the top category, Anime of the Year. The snub, occurring after the premiere of its highly anticipated second season, raises serious questions about the platform’s evolving preferences and the future of this formerly dominant series.
The field is fierce
The competition for Anime of the Year is stacked this year. Gachiakuta S1, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON, DanDaDan S2, Takopi's Original Sin, and The Apothecary Diaries S2 are all vying for the top spot – a diverse roster reflecting a vibrant and increasingly competitive landscape. The void left by the departure of titans like Attack on Titan has been swiftly filled, with new contenders like Takopi's Original Sin seizing the opportunity to capture audience attention. The concluding chapters of My Hero Academia are also bound to garner significant recognition.
While Solo Leveling wasn’t entirely overlooked, it’s clear the platform views its influence differently now. The series remains in contention for categories like “Best Ongoing Series,” facing stiff competition from the long-running One Piece, as well as nods for “Best Animation,” “Best Action Anime,” and individual accolades for its voice acting and soundtrack. Nine nominations are respectable, but pale in comparison to the prestige of the main award.
Film frenzy and a lingering question
The “Best Movie of the Year” category boasts a strong lineup, including the blockbuster Guardianes de la Noche: La Fortaleza Infinita, MAPPA’s ambitious Chainsaw Man: Arco de Reze, and other contenders like Scarlet, Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II, 100 Meters, and The Rose of Versailles. The absence of Solo Leveling from the top tier, particularly as the third season remains elusive, speaks volumes. A-1 Pictures must be reevaluating its strategy.
Crunchyroll’s decision, while perhaps reflecting the natural ebb and flow of anime popularity, underscores a larger shift: the dominance of any single series is fleeting in this rapidly evolving medium. The platform’s choices reveal a willingness to embrace new narratives and, perhaps, a diminishing reliance on proven successes. The question now isn’t whether Solo Leveling can reclaim its former glory, but whether its absence signals a permanent change in the anime awards landscape.