Solo Leveling Reading Order: Manhwa, Novel and Anime

Solo Leveling reading order, checked October 28, 2026: read the manhwa's 179 main chapters, then its 21 side-story chapters (180 to 200), then the sequel webtoon Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, which stopped at 69 episodes on Tapas for a hiatus after its Season 2. The web novel is the same story in prose and optional. The anime covers only part of the story in two seasons, and the next piece, the film Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, has no release date on AniList.

This page covers the cross-format order. For where anime watchers should start in the manhwa, see the Solo Leveling reading guide; for the quality verdict see the Solo Leveling review; for the power system, Solo Leveling Power System Explained.

Solo Leveling Reading Order: Overview

Solo Leveling.

Solo Leveling started as a web novel by Chugong, serialized on KakaoPage from July 25, 2016, per Wikipedia (not on Munpia in 2014, as an earlier version of this guide said). The manhwa adaptation launched on KakaoPage on March 4, 2018, drawn by Jang Sung-rak (DUBU) of Redice Studio. The main story concluded December 29, 2021 with its 179th chapter.

DUBU died on July 23, 2022, after a cerebral hemorrhage. The completed manhwa is his most visible work, and the side story chapters were drawn by DISCIPLES (REDICE STUDIO), per the Tapas and Tappytoon credits.

The table at the top is the order. The sections below say what each format covers and where to switch.

The three formats tell the same story but cover different amounts of it. The web novel (KakaoPage from 2016, later 14 print volumes under D&C Media's Papyrus label) is the complete original in prose. The manhwa (2018-2021) adapts the full novel across 179 chapters plus 21 side stories. The anime (2024 onward) is the newest and shortest: two seasons in, it has not reached the ending, and a sequel film picks up after Season 2. So the choice of entry point also decides how much of the ending you get up front.

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Read the manhwa (chapters 1-179)

Start here. The manhwa is the only finished version you can read in English from start to end, side stories included; it's the one we'd pick.

For English digital, AniList lists Tappytoon, Manta and Tapas. Tappytoon tags the series "[Epilogue now available]"; Tapas lists 202 episodes as a completed series but shuts down on March 31, 2027, so start on Tappytoon or Manta. If you want print, Yen Press publishes the collected volumes.

Solo Leveling (manhwa): available digitally on Tappytoon or in print through Yen Press

The Korean release came in two runs: Season 1 from March 4, 2018 to March 19, 2020, then Season 2 from August 1, 2020 to December 29, 2021, per Wikipedia. That's a release schedule, not a story break. The story runs straight through, so read it as one numbered sequence.

Step 2: Read the side stories (chapters 180-200)

Twenty-one chapters. Not optional.

The side stories are the actual ending. Chapter 179 is the climax, not the resolution. After the main battle, chapters 180-200 cover Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In's relationship landing somewhere, the world adjusting to what happened, and a time-skip to introduce Sung Suho (Jin-Woo's son) as the next generation. If you close the tab at "THE END" on chapter 179, you've read most of the story but missed the part that resolves it.

Read these immediately after the main run.

Step 3: Light novel (optional)

The Yen Press English print edition runs 8 volumes, published between February 2021 and July 2023. It's the same story as the manhwa: no separate plot, no exclusive events, but written with more of Jin-Woo's internal reasoning visible. His grief, his calculations, his attitude toward the people he loses. The manhwa cuts a lot of that for pacing.

Worth reading if you finished the manhwa and wanted more time inside Jin-Woo's head, or if you're the kind of reader who wants to understand the Monarch lore at prose depth. Skip it if re-treading the same plot in a different format sounds like work.

We found no official map between novel volumes and manhwa chapters, so expect to skim the first volume for scenes you already know.

Wondering how Solo Leveling stacks up against other isekai manhwa before committing?

Best Isekai Manhwa Ranked for 2026 →

Step 4: Anime, based on where you are

A-1 Pictures handled the adaptation, with music by Hiroyuki Sawano. Between the seasons came Solo Leveling -ReAwakening- (November 29, 2024), which AniList describes as "a movie compilation of the first season and first two episodes of the second season." If you've seen both seasons, you can skip it.

Solo Leveling Season 2 "Arise from the Shadow" (A-1 Pictures, January 5 to March 30, 2025): 13 episodes

Haven't read the manhwa at all: the anime works as an entry point. Season 1 ran 12 episodes from January 7 to March 31, 2024, and Season 2 "Arise from the Shadow" ran 13 episodes from January 5 to March 30, 2025. Both are on Crunchyroll. We found no official chapter map, so when you switch to the manhwa, start a few chapters before the last fight you watched. A sequel movie, Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, has been officially confirmed (A-1 Pictures, Aniplex) as a follow-up to Season 2, though no release date has been announced yet. Whether it's a standalone film or a lead-in to a full Season 3 isn't clear yet.

Already read the manhwa: the anime covers ground you know, and you won't hit new story until Solo Leveling: Beyond the System gets a date. On October 28, 2026 AniList still listed the film as not yet released, with no start date.

Step 5: Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, the sequel webtoon

Ragnarok is the sequel webtoon, credited on AniList to Daul (original story), Do Dang (story) and REDICE (art), and it assumes you finished the original, side stories included. One r/sololeveling reader put the order plainly on October 12, 2026: "Need to read all of the original series and the side stories before starting ragnarok."

It is paused, not finished. On October 28, 2026 Tapas showed 69 episodes and a notice that "Season 2 has come to a close and so we will be taking a hiatus before returning with season 3," while AniList still lists it as releasing. AniList's English homes for it are Tappytoon, Manta, Tapas, Webnovel and Yen Press print; skip Tapas for the same March 31, 2027 reason. Our Ragnarok reading guide has the details and the hiatus explainer tracks its return. If you'd rather leave the Solo Leveling world, Manhwa Like Solo Leveling is the list we'd use.

Tips

Platform availability has shifted: know which is current

Tappytoon and Manta are the safer English digital options. Tapas also hosts the official chapters, but it ends service on March 31, 2027, and unlocked episodes don't carry over. Yen Press physical volumes are the collected edition for print readers.

Sung Suho belongs to the side stories

Sung Suho appears only in chapters 180-200. If you keep seeing his name in discussions and have no idea who he is, you stopped at chapter 179. Go back.

Looking for other completed manhwa series you can finish in one run?

Best Manhwa to Read in 2026 →

Common mistakes

Two mistakes cost readers the ending: stopping early and assuming the anime finished the story.

Stopping at chapter 179. The main battle ends and there's a final page, but chapters 180-200 are where the story resolves: Jin-Woo's arc with Cha Hae-In, the fate of the world, the next generation. Stop at 179 and Ragnarok won't make sense either.

Starting with the web novel. It came first, on KakaoPage from 2016, two years before the manhwa, but we'd still start with the manhwa: it's the finished version with the side stories, on three English apps. Go novel after if you want the full picture.

Assuming the anime adaptation is complete. Two seasons and the ReAwakening recap film don't reach the ending, and Solo Leveling: Beyond the System (A-1 Pictures/Aniplex) has no release date and no word on how much of the manhwa it adapts. The manhwa is finished and available now. For other completed series where you won't hit that wall, Best Completed Manhwa → has the full list.

Once you've read Solo Leveling and want a verdict on where it stands, the Solo Leveling review → covers the full run, including what holds the score back from a perfect 10.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many chapters does Solo Leveling have?

The numbered Solo Leveling story runs 179 main chapters, completed on December 29, 2021, followed by 21 canonical side story chapters (180-200). AniList currently lists 201 chapters and Tapas lists 202 episodes, so platform counters do not map one-for-one to the numbered chapter guide here. Tappytoon also includes Episode 0 and labels the epilogue separately. Should I read the light novel or manhwa first?

Start with the manhwa: it is the complete story with its 21 side-story chapters, and in English it is on Tappytoon, Manta and Tapas (closing March 31, 2027), with Yen Press print. The web novel tells the same story in prose. Read it after if you want more of Jin-Woo's inner monologue. Where can I read Solo Leveling officially in English?

The manhwa is on Tappytoon, Manta and Tapas (digital; Tapas closes March 31, 2027). Physical volumes are published by Yen Press in English. The light novel is also published by Yen Press in 8 volumes. Crunchyroll streams the anime. What chapters does the anime cover?

Season 1 ran 12 episodes from January 7 to March 31, 2024, and Season 2, Arise from the Shadow, ran 13 episodes from January 5 to March 30, 2025. We found no official chapter-by-chapter map from Crunchyroll or Aniplex, so if you switch to the manhwa after Season 2, skim back a few chapters from the last fight you watched rather than trusting a fan-quoted chapter number. Are the Solo Leveling side stories worth reading?

Yes, they're fully canonical. The 21 side story chapters (180-200) cover the aftermath of the final battle, Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In's relationship, and a time-skip to the next generation. Skipping them leaves the ending incomplete. Is Solo Leveling completed or ongoing?

The manhwa is complete. The main story ended December 29, 2021, with the side stories wrapping up shortly after. The anime adaptation is still ongoing: a sequel movie, Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, has been officially confirmed (A-1 Pictures, Aniplex) as a follow-up to Season 2, though no release date has been announced yet. What's the difference between Season 1 and Season 2 of the manhwa?

Two Korean release runs with a break between them. Per Wikipedia, the webtoon's first season ran from March 4, 2018 to March 19, 2020, and the second season ran from August 1, 2020 to December 29, 2021, ending with the 179th chapter. The story is continuous; the split is a release schedule, not a narrative gap.

For series recommendations in the same genre, see Completed Manhwa Like Solo Leveling: 8 Series Worth Reading.

Related Reading

• Best Isekai Manhwa Ranked for 2026 →
• Best Manhwa to Read in 2026 →
• Best Completed Manhwa →
• Solo Leveling review →
• Solo Leveling: Beyond the System Anime Movie Explained →
• Manhwa Like Solo Leveling →

References

• Solo Leveling: Wikipedia
• Solo Leveling manhwa: Yen Press
• Solo Leveling light novel: Yen Press
• Solo Leveling on Tappytoon
• List of Solo Leveling anime episodes: Wikipedia
• Solo Leveling on AniList (English platform links)
• Solo Leveling -ReAwakening- on AniList
• Solo Leveling: Beyond the System on AniList
• Solo Leveling: Ragnarok on AniList
• Solo Leveling: Ragnarok on Tapas (episode count and hiatus notice)