A New Anime Announcement Guarantees That Solo Leveling's Reign Will End In 2028

Published Aug 18, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT Merlyn De Souza is a freelance writer and anime enthusiast based in Goa, India, with a Bachelor's in English Literature. When she isn't writing, she can be found exploring various realms of entertainment, including, but not limited to, K-dramas, novels, and even the occasional manhwa. She also enjoys all things creative, like sewing and makeup. Solo Leveling is, without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest webtoon-turned-anime at the moment. Even in the wake of potential successors like Tomb Raider King, there has yet to be another franchise that has even remotely gained similar momentum or challenged Solo Leveling's throne in any way. However, that may not last forever. Admittedly, Solo Leveling is preparing for what could be its biggest year yet, between the theatrical release of Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, the potential return of Solo Leveling: Ragnarok's manhwa from hiatus, and Netflix's star-studded live-action series. Neither of these releases have officially locked down release dates, though most are expected in 2027 or 2028 at the latest. That said, despite these releases, it seems like Solo Leveling's reign has a ticking timer on it, as its biggest rival is already eyeing its throne. Omniscient Reader's Anime Just Got A Huge Update It is no secret at this point that Omniscient Reader by singNsong is receiving its own anime. It's been well over two years since the anime adaptation was first announced by Aniplex at Anime Expo 2024, and with the series often being hailed as Solo Leveling's only true rival, the anticipation surrounding the anime has been palpable. The hype surrounding Omniscient Reader's anime has held on even in the absence of any real updates or sneak peeks since the announcement was made, and while the series finally has an update, it's maybe not the one fans hoped for. Com2uS, who are currently developing a PC and mobile action RPG based on Omniscient Reader, recently shared a financial report for the second quarter of 2026, which brought with it an unexpected update on Omniscient Reader's anime. The report, which is available on the developer's Korean website, states that the Omniscient Reader game in question is planned to be released in 2028 along with the anime, which is being produced by a "famous Japanese studio" that has yet to be officially revealed. This means Omniscient Reader's anime has been quietly delayed to 2028, as a previous report from Com2uS stated the anime was expected in 2027. All that said, this delay may have been a blessing in disguise for Omniscient Reader and a sign of Solo Leveling's inevitable decline in 2028. Omniscient Reader Will Dominate 2028, And Solo Leveling Doesn't Even Stand A Chance All in all, while the delay is certainly disappointing news for fans of the franchise who've waited this long already, it might just work out perfectly in Omniscient Reader's favor. For one, with most of Solo Leveling's big upcoming expansions eyeing 2027 releases, Omniscient Reader will face little competition for viewers' attention in 2028. Beyond potentially improving the quality of the anime, this delay could also have been a strategic decision to avoid the two popular franchises cannibalizing each other's success, especially as both webtoons are from Redice Studio. That said, with both an anime and a game on the way, Omniscient Reader is set to directly challenge Solo Leveling in two different mediums at the same time. After all, if there's anything this year's anime awards have proved, it's that the hype surrounding Solo Leveling quickly quiets down in the absence of any new releases. And as of right now, it looks like this pattern could repeat itself in 2028 once the Beyond the System movie is done and dusted and fans once again start waiting around for the next installment. It is also time to face the fact that with the movie set to adapt the Return to the Double Dungeon Arc, Solo Leveling's anime has only three major arcs left to adapt — the Japan Crisis Arc, the Monarchs War Arc, and of course, the Final Battle Arc, which altogether could spawn maybe two seasons at best, counting the epilogue. Solo Leveling is slowly but surely coming to an end, and what better series to take its place than Omniscient Reader, whose webtoon is still less than halfway into its story after six years and well over three hundred chapters. Omniscient Reader Writers Shing Shong Penciler(s) Sleepy-C Inker(s) Sleepy-C Colorist(s) Sleepy-C