'Solo Leveling' sweeps annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards
Korean web novel adaptation is first Korean IP to claim top honor
The Korean web novel-based anime "Solo Leveling" swept this year's Crunchyroll Anime Awards, taking home nine awards including the top prize. This marks the first time a Korean intellectual property has claimed the highest honor at the global streaming platform's annual event.
The series dominated Sunday's ceremony in Tokyo, winning anime of the year along with best new series, best action anime, best main character, and best score. It also picked up awards for best ending sequence and multiple voice acting categories across different languages.
Produced by Japan's A-1 Pictures with support from Korea's Kakao and D&C Media, the anime draws from Chugong's 2016 Korean web novel "Only I Level Up." The 12-episode series follows Sung Jin-woo, a low-ranked monster hunter who discovers a mysterious system that lets him grow stronger with each battle.
The original web novel debuted on Korean publishing platform KakaoPage in July 2016 and was later adapted into a popular web comic illustrated by Jang Sung-rak (known as Dubu), who passed away in 2022. The web comic concluded in December 2021 after two seasons, amassing more than 650 million reads in Japan alone.
The English edition, published by Yen Press and available across major digital platforms, has also built a substantial following in North America.
The anime is available on Crunchyroll globally, with Netflix also streaming it in select Asian markets including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Korean viewers can watch it via local platforms Watcha, Tving and Wavve in addition to Netflix.
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