# On All Levels Except Physical I Am A Wolf > On All Levels Except Physical I Am A Wolf is a 2013 exploitable meme originating from otherkin teenager Shiro Ulv's viral declaration in a Logo TV documentary, spawning the catchphrase "On all levels except physical, I am X. "On All Levels Except Physical, I Am a Wolf" is a meme originating from a 2013 Logo TV documentary about otherkin, in which teenager Shiro Ulv (born Matthew Schimmel) declares his wolf identity before letting out a bark while gazing over a body of water[2]. The clip spread across Reddit and Vine starting in 2014, spawning a two-panel exploitable format where characters declare "On all levels except physical, I am X"[3]. It became one of the most widely recognized memes about the otherkin subculture and identity expression online. ## Origin On April 23, 2013, Logo TV aired the documentary *What? I Think I'm an Animal*, which explored the lives of teenagers who believe their physical bodies don't reflect their spiritual animal identities[3]. One of the featured subjects was Shiro Ulv (born Matthew Schimmel), who looked into the camera and delivered the now-iconic line: "On all levels except physical, I am a wolf"[2]. On May 3, 2013, the documentary was posted on the Cringe Channel Forums by a user named Ahlstrom, who specifically highlighted Ulv's quote as a standout moment[3]. The clip sat relatively dormant for over a year before catching fire across broader platforms. - **Platform:** Logo TV (documentary source), Reddit / Vine (viral spread) - **Creator:** Shiro Ulv / Matthew Schimmel (subject), Logo TV (documentary producers) - **Date:** 2013 ## Overview The meme centers on a short clip from the Logo TV documentary *What? I Think I'm an Animal*, which profiled young people who identify as otherkin, believing their true selves are non-human animals trapped in human bodies[2]. In the clip, a teenager named Shiro Ulv stands outdoors and earnestly states, "On all levels except physical, I am a wolf." The camera then cuts to him looking over a body of water and letting out a small, sincere bark[3]. The internet latched onto the clip for its unintentional comedy, with many labeling it "cringeworthy"[2]. The quote's rigid, almost philosophical structure made it perfect for remixing, and it quickly became a two-panel exploitable template. The top panel shows a character or person making the declaration "On all levels except physical, I am X," while the bottom panel shows the absurd or literal fulfillment of that claim[3]. ## How It Spread The meme's life beyond niche forums began on August 20, 2014, when Redditor SpeedyCZ posted a two-panel image to r/payday. The edit placed the scene alongside the mask of Wolf, a character from the first-person shooter *Payday*, creating the first known exploitable version of the format[3]. On December 14, 2014, YouTuber Alfred84 uploaded a standalone clip of Ulv's scene. The video picked up over 600,000 views within four months[3]. Five days later, on December 19, the video hit r/videos, where it pulled in more than 3,000 upvotes (89% upvoted) and over 1,000 comments in three months[3]. By January 2015, the exploitable format had taken off. On January 18, FunnyJunk user applecooler posted a version featuring the Tunnel Snakes from *Fallout 3*, earning over 1,400 upvotes[3]. On January 27, FunnyJunk user britbong compiled and submitted several more two-panel variations in a post titled "On All Level Except Physical"[3]. Also in 2015, the original clip was submitted to Vine, where it went viral and reached a much larger audience[2]. The Vine version gave the meme its biggest push, introducing it to a generation of short-form video viewers. After Vine shut down, the clip was reuploaded to YouTube multiple times to preserve it[2]. ## How to Use The standard format uses two panels: 1. **Top panel:** A character, person, or object paired with text reading "On all levels except physical, I am [X]," where X is whatever identity is being claimed. 2. **Bottom panel:** The subject doing something that absurdly or literally demonstrates that identity, often with a mundane or comedic twist. ## Cultural Impact The clip brought mainstream visibility to the otherkin community, though not in the way many otherkin would have preferred. Ulv (who later went by Naia Ōkami) reportedly criticized the documentary's producers for framing otherkin culture in a way that invited ridicule[1]. According to the Otherkin Wiki, Ōkami still identifies as a British Columbia wolf and red fox therianthrope[1]. Years after the original clip went viral, Ōkami resurfaced on TikTok and revisited the meme. In one video, she returned to the exact location where the original documentary scene was filmed: "I almost didn't come out here because my fur is a mess, but this is indeed the sacred spot where the meme was created"[1]. She then recited the line, bark included, racking up over two million views in two days[1]. When a commenter told her they were glad she didn't hate the meme, Ōkami replied, "I laugh at my past self tbh"[1]. The TikTok appearance showed a more self-aware relationship with the viral moment and brought the meme back into public conversation. ## Fun Facts - The documentary's full title was *What? I Think I'm an Animal*, and it aired on Logo TV, a channel primarily known for LGBTQ+ programming[3]. - Shiro Ulv used several names over the years, including Matthew Schimmel (birth name) and Naia Ōkami[1][2]. - The first exploitable edit connected the meme to the *Payday* franchise, specifically because one of the game's playable characters is named Wolf[3]. - After Vine shut down in 2017, the original clip was reuploaded to YouTube by multiple users to keep it accessible[2]. - Ōkami's TikTok recreation of the meme hit two million views in just 48 hours[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "On All Levels Except Physical, I Am a Wolf"? It's a meme based on a clip from a 2013 Logo TV documentary in which teenager Shiro Ulv (Matthew Schimmel) declares his wolf identity and then barks while looking over water. The clip became a viral exploitable template[2][3]. ### Where did "On All Levels Except Physical, I Am a Wolf" come from? The clip originally aired on April 23, 2013, in the Logo TV documentary *What? I Think I'm an Animal*, which profiled young otherkin[3]. ### What does "On All Levels Except Physical, I Am a Wolf" mean? In its original context, Ulv was expressing his otherkin identity, the belief that his spiritual self is a wolf despite having a human body. As a meme, it's used humorously to exaggerate identification with anything, from video game characters to random objects[2]. ### How do you use the "On All Levels Except Physical" meme? Create a two-panel image with a character stating "On all levels except physical, I am [X]" in the top panel, then show them doing something that comedically "proves" their claim in the bottom panel[3]. ### Is "On All Levels Except Physical, I Am a Wolf" still popular? The meme peaked around 2015 but is still widely recognized. The original subject, Naia Ōkami, recreated the scene on TikTok to an audience of millions, showing the meme still carries cultural weight[1]. ### Who is the person in the wolf meme? The subject is Shiro Ulv, born Matthew Schimmel, who later went by Naia Ōkami. They were a teenager featured in the Logo TV documentary about otherkin[1][2]. ### What is otherkin? Otherkin are people who identify as non-human beings, often believing their spiritual or psychological identity is that of an animal, mythical creature, or other entity. The documentary explored this subculture[2][3]. ### Did the person in the meme dislike the documentary? Yes. Ōkami reportedly criticized the documentary's producers for making a mockery of otherkin culture[1]. However, she has since shown a more relaxed attitude toward the meme itself, telling TikTok followers, "I laugh at my past self"[1]. ### When did the meme go viral on Vine? The clip was posted on Vine in 2015, where it reached a much larger audience than it had on Reddit or forums[2]. ### What was the first exploitable version? The first known exploitable was posted on August 20, 2014, by Redditor SpeedyCZ on r/payday, featuring the Wolf character mask from the *Payday* video game series[3]. ## References 1. [Before you continue to YouTube]() 2. [The Girl Who's A Wolf "On All Levels Except Physical" Now Has TikTok]() 3. [On All Levels Except Physical I Am A Wolf – Meaning, Origin, Usage]() 4. [On All Levels Except Physical, I am a Wolf - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Information]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/on-all-levels-except-physical-i-am-a-wolf Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library