English Dub Season Review: Viral Hit Season One

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Like and subscribe to NewTube’s latest streaming sensation, Hobin Yu (Brandon Acosta)!  Tired of bullies, the scrawny high schooler is fighting back and streaming it.  With tips from a mysterious online channel, he’s cashing in and knocking out bullies.  He’s got the internet going crazy, but can Hobin keep it up, or will he get crushed by his next match?

Our Take:

Viral Hit is an anime adaptation of a South Korean manhwa written by Taejun Pak and illustrated by Kim Junghyun.  It is directed by Masakazu Hishida, with Toshiya Ono writing the script.  It is produced by Okuruto Noboru, known for providing animation for projects like the Hyperdimension Neptunia OVAs, Tomodachi Game, and My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered.  Satomi Miyazaki handled the character designs, and Yutaka Yamada composed the music.  The opening theme song, “Wild Boy”, was performed by MA55IVE THE RAMPAGE, while the ending theme, “Viral Hack”, was performed by Crab Kani Club.

It’s always good to grow or maintain your fanbase with invigorating content when you’re a streamer.  Whether it’s video discussions, gaming, or drawing art, being a popular streamer takes a lot of work, but it’s also not without the rewards coming from it.  For someone who’s been endlessly tormented by bullies, the best content to achieve online success is by getting even with their tormentors.  It’s not a great way to gain millions of followers through violence and abuse, but the bullies have done it, so I guess anything goes in the streaming world, especially in anime.

The series centers on Hobin Yu attempting to make money from NewTube to pay her mother’s hospital bills.  Inspired by a mysterious channel from a chicken-mask-wearing person named Samdak (Chris Rager), Hobin creates a channel called “Viral Hit”, which has him battling every bully who torments him and others.  That includes those outside his school, mainly in the show’s second half.  With the assistance of his former bully, Snapper (Jessie James Grelle), and editor, Gaeul (Trina Nishimura), Hobin seeks online success while confronting his fear of getting killed in front of everyone.

Viral Hit is one of the shows that took me a few episodes to admire for several reasons.  One is the show’s intentional ability to frustrate its viewers.  Viral Hit is another piece of content that deals with bullying, mainly through social media popularity.  Pakgo (Corey Wilder) is the prime example of this theory; he uses his NewTube fame to “playfully” make fun of his victims while hiding his abusive nature.  What’s frustrating about it is that no one is around to end his bullying ways, including the teachers, leaving Hobin to handle the problem himself.  At times, its intention was admirable in provoking my anger toward those who keep getting away with their heinous abuses.  Heck, hearing Pakgo or Snapper mention Hobin’s sick mother is enough for me to throw them out the school window.  At other times, though, it can get tiring seeing Hobin get his ass kicked until he learns to fight back later on.  That’s when the series transformed into an entertaining and rewarding underdog story emphasizing bullying through online popularity.

The other reason is Snapper, one of Hobin’s bullies from school, who gradually becomes Hobin’s NewTube partner and eventually his friend.  When I first met Snapper, I immediately wanted to slam his head against the wall.  Not just because he treated Hobin poorly but also because he used Hobin’s mother’s name in vain.  I don’t care if that sounds harsh or not.  If you offend a loved one close to someone, whether sick or dead, you deserve a butt-whooping.  Fortunately, it didn’t take the show too long to provide a redemption arc for this character, even though he’s still an annoying jerk sometimes.

The other reason is the animation produced by Okuruto Noboru.  The presentation resembles the artwork and designs from the South Korean manhwa, similar to other anime adaptations.  While it still has that usual anime-like influence, the animation also surprisingly puts more emphasis on the characters’ expressions.  At first, their detailed facial expressions looked a bit more ugly than the characters’ cartoonish ones from other anime, whether they were mischievously smiling or crying.  But I got used to it after the first few episodes, especially regarding the stylized yet authentic action involving Hobin battling the bullies.

One of the crucial elements of a triumphant underdog story is, of course, the underdog, the protagonist of their own story.  They not only need to have an apparent reason to defy the odds, but they also have to generate likability and empathy to make viewers relate to their actions and journeys easily.  Hobin Yu, brought to life by Brandon Acosta’s performance, is another solid example of creating an amiable underdog.  Additionally, Hobin stood out from the OP protagonist crowd because he adapted to his training instead of finding his inner strength to fight his own battles, especially in its eighth episode, “A Real Fight”.  The show’s tenth episode, “A New Opponent,” reflects Hobin using his brains instead of brawn to expose the Comedy Crew’s harmful and fake prank videos, using his intimidation method to scare them.  Despite his strategy not going as planned, the episode showcased Hobin using his sensitive and fearful side to plan his non-lethal methods.

Overall, Viral Hit is a smashing online sensation whose themes and actions pack as much punch as its narrative.  The first few episodes can be a bit tough to endure regarding its characters and bullying concept, especially if you’re not a fan of the latter.  But if you’re willing to tolerate those elements, you’ll be rewarded with another solid and often emotional entry in the online fame anime library.  With its likable protagonist, diverting narrative, and solid animation, this anime is a knockout!