5 Action Anime Better Than Solo Leveling

There's no arguing Solo Leveling's status as one of the best action anime of the decade. The anime is less than five years old at this point, and it's already solidified itself as a must-watch shōnen sensation.

While Sung Jinwoo's story is one of the most captivating in the genre, it isn't the absolute best. There are a handful of action anime that aren't just as good as Solo Leveling: they're better.

To be better than Solo Leveling, a series needs depth, amazing characters, and the best fights in anime. They are three fairly straightforward qualifiers, but only the best of the best have all three.

Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter is a staple of shōnen. It isn't just a great shōnen series: it's one of the best anime ever made. The story has gripped millions, and while we may never get the ending we all want, the story so far is nothing short of incredible.

Hunter x Hunter stars Gon Freecss, a kindhearted boy looking to leave his hometown, become a Hunter, and find his father, Ging. What starts as a story small in scope transforms massively, becoming an amazing tale of growing up, learning cruelty, and at times, becoming cruelty itself.

Solo Leveling is amazing because of how simple it is, and in a way, Hunter x Hunter also thrives in simplicity. Gon learns more about the world, himself, and what it means to pursue one's goals. While Hunter x Hunter has plenty of relatively simple moments, there is an underlying depth and complexity that makes it stand out from the rest of shōnen.

Hunter x Hunter is also about loss, grief, and moving on. Solo Leveling doesn't take more than a few moments with relatively complex subjects, but Hunter x Hunter is brave enough to head right into them. There will never be another series quite like Hunter x Hunter, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen might be the single greatest shōnen of this generation. The first season is solid, the second season is even better, and the third season is nothing short of a 10/10. The third season is what really took Jujutsu Kaisen up a few notches, and the fourth season's trailer looks like it'll keep that momentum going.

The older generation of shōnen, namely The Big Three (Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece) are all incredibly safe. Few, if any, major characters die, almost every villain gets redeemed in one way or another, and there aren't many conflicts that leave lasting consequences. Jujutsu Kaisen couldn't be more different.

Few people survive Jujutsu Kaisen. Even the most popular characters in the series are subject to brutal, unpredictable deaths that rock the series' characters and viewers to their cores. It's a perfect representation of the new generation of shōnen and it's willingness to push boundaries well beyond what anyone could expect.

Somehow, Jujutsu Kaisen is only going to get better from here. The fourth season will animate the second half of the Culling Games arc and will probably end with Satoru Gojo's most famous line in the franchise. The final seasons after that will bring manga's most anticipated fight to life and cement Jujutsu Kaisen as one of the best series ever made.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of the very few anime series that deserves every piece of praise it receives. It's such a good anime series that it transcends the art form, becoming one of the best pieces of fiction ever made. In a world where nearly every anime series is called the best in one capacity or another, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood actually is.

Not only is the series amazing, its influence cannot be understated. It solidified anime's popularity in the West, introducing an entire culture to the wonders of Japanese animation. If Dragon Ball Z brought anime to America in the late 90s and early 00s, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood began to push it into mainstream culture in the late 00s.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood does so many things right that it can be hard to find somewhere to begin complimenting it. It's less than 65 episodes: an almost unheard of runtime for an action anime. Most action anime series are well over 100 (sometimes even 1,000) episodes long, and they don't need to be.

Instead of filling itself with bloat or unnecessary moments, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a succinct story that's over as quickly as it begins. There are no skippable moments, and not an episode that feels out of place. It's a perfectly paced piece of art perfect for veteran anime fans and those new to the art form alike.

Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga might be the single most emotionally-moving action anime around. What starts as a bloodthirsty tale of revenge becomes so much more, as Thorfinn discovers what it means to be truly free. His character arc is more powerful than anyone's, and in a genre filled with amazing characters, that's saying something.

The first season of Vinland Saga is brutally exciting. Thorfinn transforms from a starry-eyed boy to a vicious, and oftentimes coldblooded, warrior. His mind is focused on avenging his father, and nothing else matters to the young man. The second season sees Thorfinn transform into someone otherwise unrecognizable, learning that the path of revenge will leave him with nothing.

There aren't many action anime that can make even the toughest anime fan cry, and Vinland Saga is one of them. It's incredible from the very first episode, is historically enriching in its capture of England 1,000 years ago, and always leaves viewers wanting more.

Attack on Titan

Dragon Ball Z brought anime to America in the late 90s and early 00s, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood introduced it to the mainstream of Western culture in the late 00s and early 10s, and Attack on Titan made anime required viewing for every fan of action in the mid 10s to early 20s.

Attack on Titan is one of the most influential anime series ever made. It changed the way Westerners saw anime, and after its release, the art form was never the same. Attack on Titan feels like more of a cultural moment than a series, as it defined entertainment for nearly a decade.

While its influence can't be overstated, the series itself is a masterpiece. It's a near living example of what it means to be just about perfect, as other than the relatively controversial ending, there isn't a single part of Attack on Titan even the most petulant fans would change.

Attack on Titan is violent, vibrant, emotional, devastating, and incredibly intriguing. It's a series that will leave you with more questions than answers, and somehow, we wouldn't want it any other way.