By the VPN Super Team · Updated August 2026

Short answer: no, not in the US. The Solo Leveling anime streams exclusively on Crunchyroll for US viewers, both seasons and all 25 episodes. Netflix does have a show called Solo Leveling in a handful of countries, but it's a different project, and it isn't out yet.

That mix-up explains why headlines and search results have blurred the two together since Netflix made its announcement. Two different projects, same name.

Why are there two shows called Solo Leveling?

The one everyone's been watching since 2024 is an animated series based on the Korean web novel and webtoon. It airs on Crunchyroll in North America, the UK, and Australia, with new episodes dropping the same day they air in Japan.

The other one doesn't exist yet. Netflix is producing a live-action Korean drama adaptation of the same source material, with its own cast and its own timeline, entirely separate from the Crunchyroll anime.

If a headline mentions Netflix and Solo Leveling in the same breath right now, it's almost certainly about the K-drama, not the anime.

Where does Solo Leveling stream, by region?

Netflix does carry the anime, just not in most of the world. Reporting from Dexerto confirms the current picture:

Streaming licenses shift regularly, so treat this as a snapshot as of August 2026 rather than a permanent guarantee. It's worth a quick check on Netflix's own catalog if you're in one of the Netflix markets.

Why isn't the anime on Netflix in the US?

It comes down to ordinary licensing, not a decision either platform made about this show specifically. Crunchyroll holds the exclusive North American streaming rights for the anime through a simulcast deal with the Japanese production committee, which is why new episodes land there the same day they broadcast in Japan. Netflix's availability in Japan, South Korea, and the other markets above comes from separate, market-by-market agreements that were never extended to North America. Different licenses, different regions, same show.

How to watch Solo Leveling in the US

Crunchyroll is the only legitimate way to stream the anime in the US right now. It ended its free ad-supported tier at the end of 2025 and raised prices across every tier in February 2026, so a paid plan (or an active trial) is what you'll need.

Crunchyroll periodically runs a free trial for new subscribers. The length varies by promotion, so check the current offer on its site before signing up if that's the route you want.

If a monthly subscription isn't what you're after, several storefronts sell Solo Leveling by the episode or season instead: Prime Video (through the Crunchyroll channel add-on), Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Google Play. Most list individual episodes for a few dollars each or the full season as a bundle, and pricing varies by storefront, so it's worth comparing before buying if you only want to catch up on a specific arc rather than commit to a subscription.

Keep your streaming connection private while you watch

Solo Leveling drops new episodes weekly, day-and-date with the original Japanese broadcast rather than on a delayed schedule, so plenty of fans end up watching from somewhere other than home to keep up. A hotel room during a trip. An airport lounge waiting on a delayed flight. Both usually mean joining a public Wi-Fi network shared with strangers, which isn't the kind of network you'd want to log into your streaming account on unprotected.

Running a streaming VPN in the background addresses that specific risk. It protects the connection itself, not what a platform decides to show your account, so it doesn't change what Crunchyroll or Netflix will stream to you. It just keeps the traffic between your device and the internet private while you're on a network you don't control.

Is Solo Leveling worth watching?

Critics and viewers have both landed on the positive side. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists Season 1 at 100% from critics and 78% from audiences, with Season 2 at 100% from critics and 80% from audiences. For a show built around a fairly familiar power-fantasy premise, that's an unusually consistent score across two seasons.

What about Season 3?

D&C Media, the Korean company that holds the rights to the original story, confirmed in a 2024-2025 financial report that Season 3 is targeted for a 2027-2028 window. That's the first official confirmation from the franchise's copyright holder, though Crunchyroll hasn't put out a release date of its own yet.

Quick check: which Solo Leveling are you looking for?

• Want the ongoing anime with 25 episodes already released? That's Crunchyroll.
• Looking for a Korean-language series with live actors? That's the Netflix project, and it isn't out yet.
• Wondering whether signing up for Netflix gets you the anime? Only in Japan, South Korea, and five other Asian markets. Everywhere else, including the US, it's Crunchyroll.

For US viewers, the fastest path to Solo Leveling is a Crunchyroll subscription. If you're planning to watch it on the move, pairing that subscription with a private connection on public networks is the part a VPN actually changes.