Solo Leveling May Be Big, But It Isn't This Year's Most-Watched Anime According to a New Report

By Hannah Diffey

Published 2 days ago

Followed

Thread 3

Custom Image by Ana Nieves

For much of 2024, Solo Leveling dominated the anime conversation. The manhwa adaptation lit up Crunchyroll with record-breaking engagement, topping review counts, racking up likes at lightning speed, and even crashing servers during peak demand. Its PR campaign was massive, its hype unstoppable. To many fans, it seemed like Solo Leveling had become the anime of the year. But new Nielsen multiplatform ratings suggest otherwise. Despite its strong streaming performance within anime circles, it turns out that Solo Leveling didn’t even crack the top 100 most-watched shows in the U.S.

According to Nielsen’s comprehensive multiplatform ratings from Variety, tracking viewership across broadcast, cable, and legal streaming services for 35 days after each episode's release, Solo Leveling was absent from both the overall top 100 and the 18–49 demographic rankings. These figures show a critical divide and that being big in anime does not always translate to mainstream success. While anime fans were glued to Jinwoo’s every battle, the average American viewer simply was not watching. The only anime to make the cut was Dandadan, which reached 61st place in the 18–49 demo with 2.6 million viewers.

Dandadan Quietly Outpaced Solo Leveling in Mainstream Reach

Dandadan Wins the Numbers Game Over Solo Leveling

Sung Jin Woo from Solo Leveling holding a bottle and Okarun from Dandadan in Turbo Granny form.

Unlike Solo Leveling, which is exclusive to Crunchyroll in the U.S., Dandadan was far more accessible. It streamed not only on Crunchyroll but also on Netflix and Hulu, which are platforms with massive bases and broader appeal. That accessibility made a major difference. While Crunchyroll excels with core anime fans, Netflix dominates in mainstream streaming. According to recent reports, Netflix’s anime revenue far outpaces Crunchyroll’s globally, and its reach among Gen Z and Millennials is unmatched.

Is Solo Leveling Actually as Popular as We Think? A New Quote Says the Anime Is Even Bigger

Solo Leveling continues to prove that it is a massive success with new data showing that the series is way bigger than anyone ever imagined.

Posts 4

This availability across multiple platforms likely gave Dandadan the edge it needed to break into the Nielsen rankings, making it, by the numbers, the most-watched anime in the U.S. for 2024–25. Even though it did not generate the same intense fandom or social media buzz as Solo Leveling, its broader exposure helped it capture more casual viewers. In today’s fragmented streaming landscape, accessibility can matter more than hype, and Dandadan proved just that.

Hype Does Not Always Equal Viewership in Anime

Why Solo Leveling Did Not Get As Many Views as Dandadan

Solo Leveling remains a titan within the anime world. Its 610,000+ ratings on Crunchyroll and overwhelming demand prove that it struck a chord with fans. However, Nielsen’s data pulls back the curtain on how narrow that success really was. Without multiplatform reach, even the most beloved anime can go unseen by the wider public. The numbers suggest that the anime industry’s big hitters often live in their own streaming silos, detached from broader U.S. viewing habits.

For fans, Solo Leveling was everything 2024 promised and more. But in of raw viewership, it simply did not reach enough people to break into the mainstream. That title, surprisingly, goes to Dandadan, a show with far less fanfare but far more platform reach. In the end, it is a reminder that being loud is not the same as being widely seen.