10 Action Anime That Are (Almost) As Good As Solo Leveling

In the span of just two seasons, the Solo Leveling anime has become one of the most popular and entertaining action series out there, and that invites a lot of comparisons with other action anime. The fandom can point to a few action that are still better, such as the members of the original shonen "big three" and the likes of Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen, but Solo Leveling also has many other action anime beat.

Anyone who's caught up on Solo Leveling and wants more action has probably already seen the very best action anime too, so fans can keep themselves busy with action anime that are almost as good. These action anime titles are roughly on par with Solo Leveling, even if they don't have the same hype, and they have plenty to offer — whether or not they match Solo Leveling's monster hunter vibes.

10 PHOTOS

10. The 1997 Berserk Anime Is an Exciting Taste of Medieval Warfare
Berserk (1997) Is Not Available to Stream

Fans would definitely argue that the original Berserk manga by Kentaro Miura is stronger than the Solo Leveling franchise, but its anime adaptations are a different story. The 1997 Berserk anime isn't bad, but it's also not as legendary as the manga, so it's on parity with Solo Leveling. The 1997 Berserk anime benefits from the original material's strength just enough to be a good, not amazing, fantasy action anime.

The 1997 Berserk anime is all about the brutal reality of medieval warfare as Griffith leads his men to victory in the Kingdom of Midland — at first. The story will then take a horrific twist as Griffith reveals his true nature to Guts and Casca, ending the 1997 anime on a bombastic cliffhanger that will make any viewer desperate to see what happens next in the manga. The trauma of the eclipse was just the start of Guts' dark antihero journey.

9. Gantz Features Desperate Heroes Fighting Bizarre Aliens for Survival
Stream Gantz on Crunchyroll

The original Gantz manga tells the complete story, and it compares well to Solo Leveling, while the anime adaptation from the 2000s is one step below Solo Leveling. Anime fans craving another "hunters vs monsters" anime will certainly enjoy the dark, violent vibes of the Gantz anime, which has a more sci-fi twist to feel more like a Men in Black anime.

Protagonist Kei Kurono is almost like Sung Jinwoo, a young man who cheated death at the last second, only to end up in gory games for survival against monsters. Kei doesn't have a theme of becoming the ultimate power trip, but he will still grow into his role as a high-tech alien hunter. He will learn some hard-won lessons and become the finest alien hunter of all, relying more on wits and teamwork than endless level-ups.

8. Undead Unluck Uses a Creative Combat System of Negating Rules
Stream Undead Unluck on Hulu

Undead Unluck may be considered an underrated gem, since it's often overlooked in favor of even stronger shonen anime like My Hero Academia and Chainsaw Man. The Undead Unluck anime is almost on par with Solo Leveling, featuring a male/female duo who go on wild misadventures with Negator powers, fighting monstrous UMAs and even their fellow Negators.

The battles of Undead Unluck are less about shonen power scaling and more about clever usage of unusual powers, such as inflicting bad luck on people or even preventing objects in midair from moving. Protagonist Fuuko Izumo isn't a gutsy dungeon diver like Sung Jinwoo, but she does know what it's like to avoid death at the last second and make the most of a second lease on life.

7. Mashle: Magic and Muscles Combines Wacky Humor With Profound Societal Themes
Stream Mashle: Magic and Muscles on Crunchyroll

So far, the Mashle: Magic and Muscles anime isn't a mega-hit on par with Solo Leveling and probably never will be, but that's no reason for anime fans to dismiss it. Mashle: Magic and Muscles is even better than it looks, being more than "Saitama goes to Hogwarts," since the anime has surprisingly strong themes about discrimination, the value of human life, and standing up for oneself in the face of hardship or rejection.

Protagonist Mash Burnedead is a quiet himbo who has near-limitless power as a martial artist, making him a parallel to the overpowered Sung Jinwoo. Rather than fight critters in dungeons, though, Mash will fight antagonistic wizards who think he's trash for being just a Muggle. That is the heart of Mashle, and it throws open the doors to creative and hilarious fights of a musclebound hero overcoming sorcery with power alone.

6. Fairy Tail's Magical Combat System Is 1 of Shonen Anime's Best
Stream Fairy Tail on Crunchyroll

Shonen anime fans can compare Fairy Tail unfavorably to the big three, and pound for pound, it's not quite on Solo Leveling's level, either. Still, Fairy Tail has plenty to offer for anime fans who want a new action series to watch, especially if they're in the mood to binge for a few weeks. Fairy Tail promises to entertain new viewers with its remarkably broad combat system, with magic taking all kinds of forms.

Fairy Tail has it all, from fire and ice to demon girls, summoned spirits, and even dragons. Fans may also love meeting the many members of the Fairy Tail guild, who may be stock shonen anime characters but also have great visual designs and strong chemistry with one another. If anime fans have had enough of Jinwoo's loner mentality for now, the power of friendship in Fairy Tail will be refreshingly cheesy and fun.

5. The Rising of the Shield Hero Is an Unpredictable & Dark Isekai Anime Outing
Stream The Rising of the Shield Hero on Crunchyroll

If anime fans want a stronger isekai vibe from anime like Solo Leveling, then the famously dark and rough anime The Rising of the Shield Hero is an option worth exploring. Protagonist Naofumi Iwatani, the shield hero in question, shares Jinwoo's theme of being an action star who levels up with video game logic. Naofumi isn't on track to become overpowered with a shadow army, but he still knows what he's doing.

Like Jinwoo, Naofumi must fight endless waves of fantasy monsters like goblins and zombies, but he isn't alone. Rather than summon shadow warriors, Naofumi has friends like Raphtalia and Filo by his side, all while being something of a foster father to them. Meanwhile, Naofumi has much more tension with the other three Cardinal Heroes, who once believed the lie that Naofumi was a criminal.

4. The New Ranma 1/2 Anime Turbocharges the Fights With Slick Animation
Stream Ranma 1/2 (2024) on Netflix

The original Ranma 1/2 anime from the late 1980s is held back by dated animation, but the same isn't true for the 2024 remake of the same name. The new Ranma 1/2 anime may not have much material yet, but it's still a delightful action romp with dazzling visuals, memorable characters, strong humor, and above all, creative action sequences.

Ranma Saotome may not be OP like Jinwoo, but he is still a top-tier martial artist who tends to issue and receive all kinds of challenges, meaning his life is never dull for a moment. Now, with modern animation backing it up, the Ranma franchise can show anime fans what this story is truly capable of, with comedy and high-voltage action being equally compelling to see.

3. Hellsing Ultimate Boasts Bloody Action & Stunning Characters in 1 Edgy Package
Stream Hellsing Ultimate on Crunchyroll

The original Hellsing anime is definitely a few steps below Solo Leveling, but the 2000s-era Hellsing Ultimate is much closer to Solo Leveling's quality and is worth a watch. This is a flamboyantly brutal, edgy, and stylish seinen anime featuring a powerful male lead who can summon as much power as he needs to demolish his foes. Unlike Jinwoo, a human with endless level-ups, Alucard is an ancient vampire with unfathomable power.

Alucard isn't fighting for a noble cause like supporting a comatose mother — in fact, he's a twisted antihero who is only barely on the humans' side in the war against vampires. Alucard will gladly take on vampire criminals and the Nazi vampires of the Millennium army, but he will still horrify everyone with his cruel, imaginative executions. If anime fans want a merciless hero who fights monsters on their own terms, Hellsing Ultimate is the right call.

2. Tokyo Ghoul Features a Half-Other Hero on a Crusade for Peace
Stream Tokyo Ghoul on Crunchyroll

The original Tokyo Ghoul manga did a better job telling the story, but any version of the Tokyo Ghoul franchise is still worth checking out, including the 2010s-era anime. In this dark seinen anime world, neither humans nor ghouls are entirely innocent or guilty, and Ken Kaneki the half-other hero knows that better than anyone. He has seen the full measure of the world's moral ambiguity, and he can't stand seeing innocents die any longer.

Ken may not be overpowered like Jinwoo, but he's still much stronger than his ghoul enemies think, and he will use that ever-increasing strength to fight for the noblest cause of all. The tricky part is for Ken to not lose himself to his ghoulish strength and bloodlust in the process, or else become the same kind of monster who makes the world so "wrong."

1. Kaiju No. 8 Is a Delightful Twist on the Giant Monster Genre
Stream Kaiju No. 8 on Crunchyroll

Kaiju No. 8 features plenty of monster hunter action to keep fans of Solo Leveling satisfied, all with a fun yet terrifying half-other twist for the hero. Rather than cheat death with a mysterious level-up system, protagonist Kafka Hibino will gain the powers of a kaiju, which both gives him a chance to fight and makes him a target for his allies.

Thus, Kafka has a strange and delicate position in the world as Kaiju No. 8, one of the most notorious monsters whom the JAKDF agents are determined to destroy. Recently, Kafka has proven his worth to Isao Shinomiya, but the situation is still tense, a problem made worse by Kaiju No. 9's rampage. There is also the tantalizing mystery of why the small, flying kaiju elected to make Kafka a half-other kaiju in the first place, a fine reason to keep watching Kaiju No. 8 as the anime continues.