Solo Leveling traces its origins back to South Korea as a web novel created by the legendary Chugong. With time, this web novel then went on to receive a Manhwa adaptation. However, the franchise as a whole shot up to unprecedented heights after being brought to Japan. In Japan, Solo Leveling finally received its long-awaited TV anime adaptation in January 2024, and before that, it was also released as a manga.
Solo Leveling’s manga debuted in 2019 in Japan. Sadly, on June 23, 2026, after 7 years of serialization, it officially came to an end. We’re sad to see Solo Leveling go, but with Volume 25 now out, a new sales milestone could be hit ahead of the anime’s return.
Solo Leveling Manga Officially Concludes Its Run In Japan On June 23, 2026
In South Korea, Solo Leveling was first created as a web novel by Chugong, which was in serialization from July 25, 2016, to March 13, 2018. The series went on to achieve great success, and a Manhwa adaptation for it was also announced on March 4, 2018, which wrapped up on December 29, 2021. The popularity of Solo Leveling reached such heights that it came to be known as the best Manhwa of all time, and in 2024, it went on to receive an anime in Japan by A-1 Pictures and Aniplex Studios. While huge, this wasn’t the series’ first introduction to the country. A few years prior to the anime, on December 23, 2019, Solo Leveling went on to make its debut in Japan as a manga series.
Solo Leveling had a good run, but sadly, on June 23, 2026, the story reached its end as a manga series, with the release of its very last Volume 25. Solo Leveling Volume 25 was long-awaited, and on the cover, we can see Jinwoo’s stunning Astralization form. To be clear, the Solo Leveling Manhwa and Solo Leveling manga aren’t much different. In that sense, the manga in Japan is simply the localization of the already adapted story by Redice Studio. The only major difference is how they handle the collection of chapters. In South Korea, Solo Leveling was collected in 15 volumes, while in Japan, they make up 25 volumes. This is to adapt to the Japanese market, where manga is the medium that fans are used to. It must also be said that some names are localized in the manga, such as the change of the name Sung Jinwoo to the Japanese variation Shun Mizushino.
Solo Leveling Officially Announces New Manga Before Season 3
Solo Leveling season 3 is highly anticipated, but before that, it is getting a new short manga.
Solo Leveling Is Set to Surpass 4 Million Manga Sales In Japan
Solo Leveling’s manga might have ended, and while that is sad, it could open the door for the series to reach a new milestone in the country. With the release of the final volume of the series, many fans will inevitably rush to purchase it. Final volumes especially generate higher sales, so this could be a major boost for the franchise. Volume 25 could become the best-selling installment of the franchise with the final battle and epilogue unfolding in it.
Right now, Solo Leveling’s latest sales report indicates the series is at around 3.8 million sales. With the final volume out, Solo Leveling might break a new milestone and reach 4 million sales soon. Of course, with future anime season releases, this number is likely to increase further. New releases usually allow for a massive amount of backlog sales, and Solo Leveling is still very far from its peak potential in Japan.
Jinwoo’s Story Is Set To Continue In The Solo Leveling Anime and Other Projects
Sung Jinwoo’s story might be over in Japan as a manga series, but there are other projects ahead for the franchise as a whole. For one, the biggest project is its TV anime that’s currently being produced in Japan, for the most part. Solo Leveling by A-1 Pictures and Aniplex released its first season in January 2024, followed by Season 2 in January 2025, and it has been a massive success, even in Japan. Aniplex and A-1 Pictures aren’t done with the story, and they will be returning with a third season, as officially confirmed by an investment report from D&C Media, the original publisher of Solo Leveling. The targeted release date for Solo Leveling Season 3 is set between 2027 and 2028, but we will have to wait for further information from the studios.
Aside from the anime, Solo Leveling has other projects that are not based in Japan. In South Korea, it’s getting a new video game known as Solo Leveling: Karma by Netmarble Studio sometime in 2026. It’s also getting an exciting K-drama adaptation by Netflix sometime in 2027.
Source: Kadokawa
