Warning: Spoilers for Viral Hit episode 1Viral Hit definitely has the narrative momentum from its debut episode on Crunchyroll to become the next manhwa anime hit after Solo Leveling. The only problem is that this series didn’t have such a rabid fandom as Solo Leveling benefited from before its anime debut to help give it the boost to attract more attention. Crunchyroll also didn’t promote Viral Hit as extensively as Solo Leveling. Regardless, all the necessary ingredients to make a massive hit are clearly there in Viral Hit‘s debut episode.
The most prominent aspect of Viral Hit that should get the adapted manhwa on more people’s radars is that it’s clearly a satirical commentary on the contemporary obsession with social media influencers, especially with YouTube livestreaming.
Viral Hit masterfully explores the frustration of those who don’t benefit from such attention, which plagues the majority of today’s generation in real life. This dynamic is further exacerbated by the fact that these “stars” are not complying with other societal norms and yet are still succeeding in life, like getting paid even though they don’t get good grades in school. The series’ protagonist, Hobin Yu, serves as the basis of this particular perspective, making it easier for viewers to sympathize with his plight.
Viral Hit Tackles An Important Aspect With Contemporary Society
Based on the manhwa by Taejun Pak and Kim Junghyun, produced by Okuruto Noboru
As an anime, Viral Hit amplifies this dynamic to the extreme by first putting Hobin in unique situations where he’s forced to contend with his failures directly in the very space where he’s unsuccessful, rather than just suffering silently in the background. He is ridiculed, taken advantage of, and even physically assaulted in relation to his social media performances. Aside from this, Hobin is also subjected to more common types of bullying as is usually the case with many popular heroes, though the topic is much more sickening in Hobin’s case since it revolves around his mother’s critical medical condition.
Viral Hit’s twist that puts Hobin on top or in some form of control is so effective because it follows the same theme that originally plagued him, creating a much more connected and holistic delivery.
So, the suffering and bullying that the protagonist experiences is not just intense and personal, but also thematic, the latter being so critical and ubiquitous in well-executed anime. However, Viral Hit‘s twist that puts Hobin on top or in some form of control is so effective because it follows the same theme that originally plagued him, creating a much more connected and holistic delivery.
Before the twist, viewers were also given some semblance of hope for their protagonist by introducing a love interest who could potentially return Hobin’s affections despite his lowly status, especially after he “saves” her from being subjected to what is so clearly emblematic of the series – YouTube livestreaming. He is the unlikely knight in shining armor who shows an unconventional form of strength.
So, while Viral Hit is in no way like Solo Leveling, the fact that both are a manhwa or began in another medium from South Korea and that this newer venture could be just as massive as its predecessor bodes well for this particular medium in relation to the more popular and pervasive Japanese manga industry.
There might not be any supernatural abilities or monster-spewing dungeons in Viral Hit, but there is an underdog who suddenly gains power through unconventional means that could make him relevant, as is all very much the case in Solo Leveling, which is definitely good news for this new Crunchyroll series.
Viral Hit is simulcasting on Crunchyroll
Watch on Crunchyroll
