Friends Like Her

One of the best anime i binged in 2024 read this short explanation to see your self i wrote.

Bullied by his classmate and popular Newtube streamer Pakgo, Yoo Hobin's high school days are filled with humiliation and abuse. His troubles don't end there though; outside of school, Hobin slaves away at a part-time job to pay for his mother's hospital bills. One day, Hobin accidentally spills ramen on Pakgo's cameraman "Jiksae," tripping over a cord and disconnecting the other boy from his gaming stream. Finally fed up with his miserable lifestyle, Hobin fights back and ends up in a pathetic brawl with Jiksae. The next morning, it is revealed that the camera from Jiksae's stream had been recording the two boys' entire embarrassing fight. Moreover, the footage was accidentally uploaded to Newtube and had gone viral overnight, earning Hobin a whopping ten million won from viewership. Drawn to the money Newtube streaming can offer him and his mother, Hobin works together with unlikely ally Jiksae to produce more videos of him fighting and see how far Newtube streaming can take them. Taking on bullies like Pakgo and other seemingly unsurpassable opponents, Hobin will either rise to the top of the streaming world or finally meet a foe he can't outsmart.

I'm surprised from the lack of ratings for viral hit. I watched it after getting recommended by a friend and I watched it all in a couple weeks. After that, I still wanted to know more, so I read the Manhwa and I seriously enjoyed it. I found the character designs great for both the anime and Manhwa. The story is unique. It is not what you'd expect from an anime and I think it allows watchers to "grow" alongside the characters. However, I do think that the story could've been made better in the sense that some things work out for him too well. All in all, I would give this show an 8/10 rating.

I wrote a review on this show when it first dropped; I said essentially that the show was unique, bold and a good adaptation of the Manhwa. People didn't like that, the review bombed and I felt like I had trash taste. But at this stage? I don't care.

Viral Hit is a great show. Coming from a unique "streamer" perspective, it is a good example of a Korean delinquency story. The plot is essentially that a poor high schooler, Hobin Yu (I don't know his Japanese name but this other name is used in audio) is badly bullied, desperate for money, and ends up running a Youtube channel called Viral Hit, devoted to calling out bullies. It's an interesting concept; Hobin doesn't sugarcoat it, he wants money and he's a bit scummy trying to get it. But at the same time he becomes an exactor of justice, and represents the victims of bullies who watch him. This all happens while the technicality of running a channel occurs, with some generic teen anime social dynamics and gag humour.

While I won't say the ideas here are all flawless, and the execution of the show relies almost on an investment in Hobin as a character you root for and want to see develop, the reasons why this show works are simple. It takes a formulaic delinquent plot and action sequence and applies it to this unique scenario of a Youtube channel. What's more, the fights in this show work even without the production quality. Definitely, this adaptation is cheaply done, basically like the panels of the Manhwa dubbed over and slightly animated, but it works because Viral Hit provides context on the world of martial arts, different moves, different fighting styles, and explains why Hobin is able to overcome stronger opponents. While undoubtedly there is some plot armour and a lot of lucky situations in the show, the story makes the fights more plausible by ensuring we see Hobin actually struggle to train to fight opponents. That's something you don't often see in delinquent anime. Hobin isn't ridiculously strong, he just strategises. That's why this show is interesting.

While not providing all the benefits of usual delinquent anime, it is better in many ways. As I have said, the nature of fights is more plausible, but also the characters are all very plausible. No character is shown to be totally perfect even in the main circle of characters - this is good for the show! You don't have to have perfect characters, and the show understands - character writing is executed in a way where a person can do stupid things without you losing interest or starting to dislike them. It is a sign of good writing: even if the show isn't perfect the characters are far more human because you expect them to make mistakes. I find this makes it easier to invest yourself in the show. Overall, the fighting itself takes a backseat when paired with the explanations of the fights in front of you, and the plot buildup and livestream style of the fights.

On that note I find it frustrating to see people hate on this show immediately for how it looks. It's by no means a visual spectacle, but you can't judge this show on how it looks. It is, fundamentally, a good show, and it is more watchable than Tokyo Revengers or Baki any day of the week. I just think people should give this show a chance. Don't shoot me for that.

I loved this show. It had everything I look for in an anime-good fights, solid characters, and a story that actually made me care. The animation wasn't always the best, I'll admit that, but the plot was so strong that I honestly didn't mind. There were moments where the visuals could've been smoother or more detailed, but the emotion and intensity behind each scene made up for it. Even when the action wasn't flashy, the weight behind the fights and the characters' motivations kept me hooked.

One of the best things about this show is how it handles its characters. They weren't just fighting for the sake of it-everyone had their own reasons, their own pasts, and goals that made sense. You could see how their experiences shaped who they were. Some characters were easy to root for from the beginning, while others grew on you over time. And then there were a few who you hated at first but eventually understood. I like when a story makes me feel that kind of conflict-when villains aren't just evil for no reason but have real depth. It made the whole experience feel more grounded and emotional.

The fights weren't just flashy either; they were smart. A lot of anime just throw punches and explosions, but this show made its battles feel earned. Strategy, emotions, stakes-they were all part of it. You could tell the characters weren't just trying to win a fight, they were fighting for something bigger. Sometimes it was pride, sometimes revenge, sometimes protecting someone they cared about. It added layers to the action and made even small fights feel important.

And then there's the story. Man, the story was good. It wasn't just your typical hero's journey or tournament arc kind of thing. It had twists, emotional beats, and moments that really caught me off guard. I remember sitting there thinking I had the plot figured out, and then it hit me with something completely unexpected. But it never felt forced. The pacing was solid for the most part, and it always left me wanting more after every episode.

Even with all the great things the anime did, I know it didn't have the highest budget. You can see it in some of the animation quality, especially during the less important scenes. But honestly? I didn't care. When the story is this good, I can overlook a few janky frames. I'd rather have a deep, meaningful narrative with average animation than a shallow one that looks amazing. And let's not forget-there were some scenes that did look great. You could tell the studio put their effort into the most important moments, and those hit hard.

What's crazy is that after finishing the anime, I didn't feel done with the story. I immediately looked up the manhwa and started reading it. That's how much it pulled me in. The manhwa adds even more depth to the characters and explains a lot that the anime couldn't fully show because of time or budget constraints. Plus, the art in the manhwa is super clean, and the pacing feels even tighter. If you enjoyed the anime, I 100% recommend reading it. You get a much clearer picture of the world and its characters, and it just enhances the whole experience.

Overall, this show was more than worth my time. It had flaws, sure, but they were small compared to everything it did right. The characters felt real, the fights had weight, and the story kept me invested from beginning to end. It's one of those shows that sticks with you after you finish it. Not just because of the hype moments, but because of how much heart it had. I'd definitely watch it again-and I'm already deep into the manhwa. That should tell you everything.

I wrote a review on this show when it first dropped; I said essentially that the show was unique, bold and a good adaptation of the Manhwa. People didn't like that, the review bombed and I felt like I had trash taste. But at this stage? I don't care.

Viral Hit is a great show. Coming from a unique "streamer" perspective, it is a good example of a Korean delinquency story. The plot is essentially that a poor high schooler, Hobin Yu (I don't know his Japanese name but this other name is used in audio) is badly bullied, desperate for money, and ends up running a Youtube channel called Viral Hit, devoted to calling out bullies. It's an interesting concept; Hobin doesn't sugarcoat it, he wants money and he's a bit scummy trying to get it. But at the same time he becomes an exactor of justice, and represents the victims of bullies who watch him. This all happens while the technicality of running a channel occurs, with some generic teen anime social dynamics and gag humour.