After a strong debut and even stronger follow-up season, One Piece in ratings and dethroned Chainsaw Man as having the single most-viewed episode on the platform. Solo Leveling became something of a phenomenon over the course of its first two seasons, and fans can hardly wait for its return.

Unfortunately, it seems that return might be further away than anyone had hoped. A-1 Pictures and Aniplex, the studios behind Solo Leveling, likely want Season Three to arrive just as quickly as the series' ever-growing fan base does, but it isn't quite so simple. At a recent Crunchyroll-hosted For Your Consideration viewing in Los Angeles, Aniplex producer Sota Furuhashi fielded questions about the series, and hinted that it may not return with a new season until 2028.

Solo Leveling Season Three May Be Years Away, But That Isn't Abnormal

Anime Seasons Can Take Several Years to Produce

At the Los Angeles event, Furuhashi confirmed that a third season would be coming at some point, though he made sure to let fans know that it might take some time to arrive. He said, "If it were up to me, I'd say let's wait until the next Olympics (2028) to see what's going to happen with Season Three." Predictably, countless fans have reacted to the news negatively, believing that much of the momentum built by Solo Leveling's first two seasons will be canceled out by an extended wait.

However, not only does animation of Solo Leveling's quality take quite a bit of time to produce, but a wait of about three or so years between seasons isn't all that uncommon for the top anime titles. Furuhashi further explained his comments, saying, "I think more than anyone, I am anxiously awaiting Season Three! But in truth, between Seasons One and Two, 220,000 frames of animation were created." Production on Solo Leveling began in 2021, with the first batch of episodes ready for release in 2024, and the second in 2025.

Now, with as much fanfare as the series has gained over the last year, production on Solo Leveling Season Three will begin with higher expectations and a much higher budget, meaning an even higher quality and more intense production. It's likely that many of the animators working on the series have already begun working on other titles, or have signed contracts to do so, given other works in production by A-1 Pictures like the highly popular 86 EIGHTY SIX. Higher expectations and demand lead to higher quality productions, which don't just happen overnight.

Other Major Anime Titles Have Taken Similar Time to Return

It's Not Unusual For Top Anime Series to Take Some Time Before Returning

While a minimum three-year wait for Solo Leveling's third season might be disappointing to many, it isn't uncommon in the slightest. Many of the other biggest titles in anime will also take their time before returning with follow-ups, like MAPPA's Chainsaw Man, which debuted in 2022 and will finally resume with the Reze Arc film in October of this year. Another MAPPA production, and arguably the biggest anime series in the world at the moment, Jujutsu Kaisen, returned with its second season in 2023 after debuting in 2020.

Many times, a series like Solo Leveling will become massive despite being created by a relatively smaller team, which can cause long delays between seasons. This was largely the case with Attack on Titan, which saw unexpected success and eventually left fans unsatisfied with Wit Studio and the relatively longer wait for Season Two. Fans will undoubtedly want A-1 Pictures to get Solo Leveling's next season right, and that will not happen by cutting corners and rushing production. The wait may be disappointing, but it will also prove necessary in the long run.