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Branson Garza
Published Feb 28, 2026, 8:00 PM EST
Branson is a Senior Writer for ScreenRant. Anime has been a major part of his life since he was able to raise his hands in the air for a Spirit Bomb. As a journalist, Branson focuses heavily on listicles and op-eds detailing the industry's greatest shonen series.
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Solo Leveling might be the biggest name in seasonal shōnen anime at the moment, but it's probably going to be a while before we get a third season (or a movie). Instead of waiting for Sung Jinwoo's return, there might be another series that acts as a perfect replacement.
Demon King Daimao isn't the same series as Solo Leveling in a lot of ways, but the two franchises share a couple of elements that make the somewhat silly series a decent stopgap until Solo Leveling comes back.
Demon King Daimao is also on Crunchyroll, making it an easy watch for anyone subscribed to arguably the best streaming service for anime lovers in America.
Solo Leveling Is Becoming a Staple of Shōnen
Within two seasons, Solo Leveling has dominated the world of shōnen. There aren't many franchises that can compare to it, as within just a few episodes, it's taken the world by storm. It's broken several records, become a mainstay on every shōnen lovers watch list, and has created one of the most iconic protagonists in years.
Sung Jinwoo is an exceptional character in Solo Leveling, and his nonchalant nature fits the vibe of the series perfectly. As the only Hunter in the world who can grow stronger, it's his responsibility to defend his friends, family, and eventually, country.
There are a lot of reasons why Solo Leveling works, and one of the simplest is that this series has some of the best fights in anime, full stop. Jinwoo's fight against the Ant King towards the end of the second season is downright epic, and somehow, the brawls are only going to get bigger from here.
Demon King Daimao Has a Few of the Same Elements
Demon King Daimao has a lot of the same elements as Solo Leveling, especially towards the beginning. Like Sung Jinwoo, Akuto Sai starts the series as a relatively normal character whose future is revealed to be anything but.
When Sai heads to his magic academy, he takes a test to reveal what his future might look like. His result: Demon King. It's a shocking, world-shaking prediction that changes Sai's life and the lives of everyone around him.
It's a scene reminiscent of Jinwoo learning that he's an S-Rank Hunter, some of the strongest Hunters in Solo Leveling. Sai's life is a lot different from Jinwoo's after this point, but at their core, both series are fun power-fantasies that see their main characters become so overwhelmingly strong that there isn't another in-universe character who could beat them.
Demon King Daimao Might Be a Hidden Gem
Demon King Daimao might be a hidden gem within the power-fantasy anime community. It's not the most serious of series, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a great, light-hearted adventure filled with plenty of the tropes 2010s anime is known for.
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Looking for Solo Leveling stand-ins? Subscribing to the newsletter offers curated anime recommendations, clear comparisons, and picks like Demon King Daimao to expand your power-fantasy watchlist with context and insight. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Waiting for Solo Leveling is brutal, and there's no telling when more of the anime will be coming out. Instead of waiting to see what's in store for Sung Jinwoo and his army of Shadows, check out Demon King Daimao and see what a power-fantasy anime was like over a decade ago.
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Like Follow Followed Solo Leveling TV-14 Animation Action Fantasy 1273 9.4/10 Release Date 2024 - 2025-00-00 Network Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TVCast
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Taito Ban
Sung Jin-woo
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Genta Nakamura
Yoo Jin-ho
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world's weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
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Crunchyroll
founded
May 14, 2006
notable shows
In/Spectre, Tower of God, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, Shenmue the Animation
Crunchyroll is a North American-based streaming service owned by Sony that focuses largely on Japanese anime but also covers several East Asian drama series. The service is available in several countries and has a small catalog of self-created and published series, with most of its content licensed with partners overseas.
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Looking for Solo Leveling stand-ins? Subscribing to the newsletter offers curated anime recommendations, clear comparisons, and picks like Demon King Daimao to expand your power-fantasy watchlist with context and insight. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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