The invention provides a method of manufacturing a porous anode for a solid electrolytic capacitor, comprising a step of subjecting a molded body containing powder of at least one material selected from oxygen-containing niobium material and oxygen-containing tantalum material and a pore-forming agent which is solid at reduction temperature to reduction reaction using reducing agent and another step of removing the pore-forming agent from the reduction reaction product and a solid electrolytic capacitor using an anode obtained thereby. As niobium material and tantalum material, at least one material selected from niobium, niobium alloy, niobium compound, tantalum, tantalum alloy and tantalum compound is used respectively. In the invention, the peak position, the number and quantity of pores can be optimized according to the cathode agent used, whereby a solid electrolytic capacitor having an improved property for impregnation with cathode agent, high capacitance, low ESR, good tan .delta. characteristics and long-term reliability, is obtained.