The just-concluded Crunchyroll Anime Awards garnered some fantastic votes and views. However, half the community was gutted by what many believe to be a controversial award winner. Solo Leveling, the popular manhwa-turned-anime that stole the show since its first airing, has received intense heat for winning the Anime of the Year award.
It was a big night for Solo Leveling, as the popular anime was nominated for 13 awards and won in nine categories. However, the fanbase finds it hard to agree with the awards, and many question the validity of the awards.
Explaining the controversy surrounding Solo Leveling's win
Solo Leveling has undoubtedly been one of the most popular anime series since it first premiered. However, the Anime of the Year award is meant to encapsulate multiple facets of an anime, not just action and animation. The competition for the Anime of the Year award was the closest it had ever been since the award show's inception, with all nominees genuine contenders for the awards.
The nominees included Kaiju No. 8, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Dan Da Dan, Apothecary Diaries, and Delicious in Dungeon, all of which are excellent shows. While Solo Leveling is better than the rest in terms of action, the anime pales in comparison to the storytelling and character depth of the rest of the anime it was up against. Frieren, who many believed would have won the award heading into the event, offers a rich story with evident character development. Many have praised Frieren and even Delicious in Dungeon as the biggest names in the Fantasy genre, and understandably so.
Dan Da Dan was another strong contender that turned heads with its fantastic story and fight scenes. The anime has also been praised as the newest big Shounen in recent years, with many considering it one of the best in its genre. Additionally, Apothecary Diaries has brought us one of the best female main characters on-screen today, with a compelling and touching story that left people begging for more. The anime was also at the center of another discussion involving Solo Leveling, as many believed Mao Mao should have won the award for Best Main Character (which ultimately went to Sung Jin-Woo from Solo Leveling).
Some Solo Leveling fans likely voted with season 2 in mind (and season 2 is considered by many to be superior to its debut outing); however, the nomination was for the first season of the show. This has also become a point of discussion among the fans as a result of that.
Overall, Solo Leveling is a great anime that delivers some of the best action you'll ever see on television (or indeed in any format), but as mentioned above, the Anime of the Year award should be awarded to an anime that encompasses all facets.
Solo Leveling is available to watch on Crunchyroll.