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The highly anticipated anime adaptation of the popular webtoon Viral Hit premiered on April 11, 2024 at 12:55 am in Japan on Fuji TV. The studio responsible for the adaptation, Okuruto Noboru, also adapted Hyperdimension Neptunia's anime and several others like How Not to Summon a Demon Lord and The Girl in Twilight.
Viral Hit is a major shift from cyberspace or fantasy realms and creatures. This story goes into the perils of social media, particularly how going viral can net a ton of money but is often difficult to manage. If the first episode is anything to go by, then main protagonist Hobin Yu has a lot to learn about the online world before he can make a steady living or stand up to bullies.
Viral Hit episode 1: A bullied kid goes viral after beating a bully
NewTubu and Hobin's bad life
Viral Hit Episode 1 showcases everything the audience needs to know in the first couple of minutes. The main character, a male high schooler named Hobin Yu, has a mother stricken with cancer in the hospital.
He barely scrapes together enough money every month to make a living, and is frequently bullied by other popular Newtube streamers like his classmate Pakgo, a troublemaking bully with 700k subscribers, and Rumi, a new beauty tips influencer with 5k subscribers.
Newtube is an obvious YouTube stand-in, showcasing that streamers get revenue (about 0.1 yen for every view) and is a key part of the anime.
Hobin is extremely jealous of the success his bullies have while he's barely making ends meet, as Rumi and Pakgo got 30,000 yen just from humilating Hobin by making him wear mime makeup.
Hobin is skilled at his fast food job, so skilled he makes a burger for a challenge video Pakgo dares Hobin's crush Bomi to do in the timeframe (30 seconds for a burger with 10 ingredients). Still, this doesn't pay the bills as much as it should since his sick mother's monthly hospital stay rate is 30,000 yen.
Hobin fights back
Things come to a boil when Jihyeok Woo aka Snapper, wanting revenue for himself, bullies Hobin into making him use his sick mother's bank account for a Newtube account.
After accidentally tripping over a computer cable during a video game challenge worth 30,000 yen, spilling hot ramen all over Snapper, and enduring his subsequent verbal and physical assault, Hobin decides enough is enough.
Viral Hit episode 1 shows Hobin fighting Snapper, starting with a straight uppercut to Snapper's jaw after he insults Hobin's mom with a low blow about Hobin being to blame for her cancer.
The subsequent brawl involves the two trading blows: Hobin hitting Snapper with the wet noodles and Snapper using the pan as a weapon. It leads to Hobin's already small apartment being a complete mess and him having to sleep on the floor.
Unbeknownst to the brawling students, their whole fight is uploaded to Newtube because Hobin doesn't realize he had unplugged the monitor but the camera was still running. After a brief moment of shock, Hobin receives news that he can make money off the stream to the tune of 1 million yen. He's able to afford his mother's hospital bill, which has gone up to 120,000 yen.
An unlikely team-up
To contrast Hobin's good fortune, Snapper's star has started falling since he was in that brawl. Pakgo mocks him, a kid he thinks is an easy target beats him down in class, and many people laugh whenever he shows his face. This convinces Snapper to track Hobin down and seek revenge.
This doesn't end well for him, as the two are evenly matched on the fighting front and Snapper blames Hobin for everything as they fight in front of the hospital. Afterward, Snapper breaks down and offers Hobin a deal: join him, and they'll both make money and get famous.
After all, Hobin got lucky once, but he doesn't know the technical aspects, the finer points of filming, or how to maintain his success.
Hobin is no fool, however, only accepting Snapper's offer if it's 90/10 in his favor. Snapper begrudgingly agrees and the two set out for a theme for the channel: calling out bullies in real time.
They're going to need help and, if the ending series preview and end credits are any indication, it won't be an easy feat.
Viral Hit episode 1: A whirlwind of unique animation capturing the YouTube generation
The beginning of Viral Hit episode 1 deserves mention, as does the animation throughout. The beginning of the episode especially captures the point-of-view of a mobile phone on a selfie stick that many influencers and YouTube personalities use to film.
Before the opening credits roll, there's a stylized YouTube page previewing the events of the series in miniature. It's even structured like a YouTube page, with likes, dislikes, and a small recommended bar. While it previews the events of the series, it's a very nice touch to get people prepared and preview what to expect.
The exaggerated punches and faces lend an air of comedy to the series much like One Punch Man, especially when Snapper is being beaten by the kid he considers fodder in much the same way Hobin beat him.
The end credits also deserve mention, as they show that the two boys won't be alone in their exploits with the girl in yellow named Gaeul seeming to serve as their editor.
Final thoughts
Overall, Viral Hit episode 1 is an interesting look into the ways streaming platforms and culture can impact the lives of those that don't do well in school or are struggling financially. It's also a double-edged sword, as going viral once may guarantee financial success once but involves a lot to maintain it as a lifestyle.
Future episodes, judging by the previews in the opening and ending, are going to be about building up the channel and Hobin taking on more fierce opponents. It's an anime regarding the YouTube generation and the consequences and rewards of going viral.
Time will tell if this backfires on Hobin, but for now Viral Hit episode 1 is amazingly animated and detailed, funny for the exaggerated faces and circumstances behind the fight scenes, and overall well worth seeing through for fans of the original manwha and webtoon and for newcomers likewise. It can be viewed on Crunchyroll.
