At the recent Fan Fusion in Phoenix, Solo Leveling’s voice actor Aleks Le had a moment that left fans both laughing and cheering. Known for his powerful delivery of lines, one might think his most iconic catchphrase would be “Arise!” But, during the Q&A session, it turns out there’s another line that fans can’t get enough of—“Wakey Wakey!”
The story behind it is as wild as it gets. Apparently, when the Japanese sub didn’t include the much-anticipated “Arise,” fans were not happy. The pressure was on Aleks to deliver this line in the English dub, and the intensity reached a point where his DMs were flooded with demands, some even threatening. So, what does Aleks do? He claps back with humor, creating a hilarious video where he jokingly threatens to switch things up in the script if the DMs don’t chill out.
In the video, Aleks teasingly tells fans he’ll swap out “Arise” with something completely unexpected, like “Wakey Wakey!” The joke caught fire, turning into a meme that spread through the fandom like wildfire. Now, “Wakey Wakey” has become an inside joke, a phrase that fans shout at cons, much to Aleks’ delight.
This moment at Fan Fusion showed just how much fun Aleks has with the role and how deeply connected he is with the Solo Leveling community. He knows how to take the pressure and spin it into something hilarious, making the fandom love him even more. It’s a reminder that voice actors don’t just bring characters to life—they become a part of the anime culture themselves, creating moments that are as iconic off-screen as they are on it.
