First of all, I just want to say, that this is the first anime I've seen that hasn't been about ninjas, samurai, or action in general. It's a story about life, love, hard times, painful memories, and lost souls. The story focuses on a 22 year old college drop out, who spends all his time cooped up in his room. The longer he stays, the more difficult it is to change. I don't want to give any of the story away, but everyone can relate to these characters. They are real, and their words, and actions genuine. A must see for anyone that has ever questioned themselves, or their existence. Makes you want to tell the world about it!

Being a sociologist by qualification and living in Japan, the hikikomori phenomena really makes me think. For that reason, and for actually tackling the issue as the main plot device, NHK got me very interested very quickly.

I finished it in a week, which is very fast for me. I thought it was excellent for the most part, although what initially interested me in the show was not fully treated in the way I would have liked it to be.

Story 8/10 What is a hikikomori? No-one in Japan I've spoken to seems to know, and nor does this anime. It's something of a shame for something so brave as to brand its lead with the affliction, but NHK ni Yousoko can't decide if being a hikikomori is to be lazy, uninitiated, spoiled or a victim of circumstances.

What could have been a very intelligent and still witty expose of the hidden Japanese lifestyle becomes at worse a farce, at best a vivid depiction of the mind of a slovenly, shy person. But that's the problem. I don't think that a hikikomori can be characterised so simply into feelings that the majority of us can easily slip into.

Our hero seems to eternally live in the world of the teenager coming to age. His parents send him money to continue living that lifestyle; so he does. I, for one, certainly went through a phase where staying inside smoking and drinking, playing computer games and watching anime seemed a marvelous way to spend the rest of my life. What happened to me, and pretty much what seems forever inevitably happening to the lead in NHK is that I got bored of it. It was unsatisfying and produced nothing.

For this very reason Satou-kun embarks on various projects to create something; anything. He makes friends (and does so a little too easily to really convince me he is a hikikomori at all), or meets old ones to help him on his way. And they have their problems too, which are certainly not without their charm. The tough issues of the other characters are excellent, and the actually quite dark treatment of several of them cuts like a knife. The lack of 100% happy endings for some is also a brilliant and unpredictable flare of originality.

However, like with a lot of anime, the setting and palate somehow don't quite match the mood for the difficult moments in the series. Apart from the soft and quiet night-setting for the troubled Nakahara-san, and the strained and ultimately horrible but nicely crafted worlds of pyramid schemes and suicide-pacts, the series strays too far from its psychological basis (in plot and design). It also has a tendency to peek behind doors to places it isn't equipped to handle, and is ultimately forced to resolve those plot-lines with below par and unconvincingly pleasant outcomes. That's a bit of a shame, but the strengths elsewhere make it excusable.

Animation 7/10 To add to what I mentioned about the palate and setting, the animation is sometimes very poor. Whether that is deliberate stylisation, or I just had the raw TV version, I don't know.

However, the character designs are nice, and the backgrounds and locations are well rendered and believable.

Sound 7/10 Nothing particularly special here (other than the mighty Odoru Dame Ningen): familiar voices which do a decent job (Japanese), and fairly standard OP and ED. I did like the OP's pleasant balance between Belle and Sebastian and BoA, but it was nothing to skype home about.

Characters 9/10 Satou is clearly the most important character. Maybe I'm missing the point and he isn't even supposed to be a hikkikomori. Maybe that's just his excuse for being so lazy or how he rationalises his lack of social zeal. Whichever way you look at him, he's incredibly interesting. Other characters remain excellent varied creations riffing on the ideas of loneliness, troubled pasts and awkward life-situations. Interestingly the most grounded character, Yamazaki-kun, is the one with the biggest obstacle to overcome - the impossible to over-play pull of Japanese familial responsibilities.

Overall 8.8/10 It's pretty clear from the space given to it above that the story is the most important and significant aspect of the show.

Reading back though it seems as if I haven't really given credit where it's due. The series was exceptional in many ways - in addressing the issues it did (which is a very un-Japanese thing to do), being so left-of-mainstream when doing so, and in its murky yet hopeful perception of the world. I loved it, really, which is very rare for such a bitter and horrible person as myself :D Even when it abandoned the main thrust of the story, took little walks along the beach and played with other peoples kids in a kind of uncomfortable way, afterwards I couldn't help but forgive it. Gonzo created a world so intensely forgivable that it stole my heart. I wanted more but I wasn't angry about it, and that's so close to the ideal way for a series to end that... well, what more is there to say?

A truly refreshing and new anime series which deals about life specifically elements of: love, failure, loneliness, depression, etc. The main character is a 'hikikomori', or a person who has secluded themselves to one room. From what I have seen so far, it is a journey of the protagonist, Tatsuhiro Satō, escaping his own mental construct of a prison, and refacing the big bad world. However he is not alone in this quest, other characters include; his best friend Kaoru Yamazaki, who is an otaku (geekish anime lover), a mysterious girl, Misaki Nakahara who offers proposal to rid him of his hermit ways, and a former 'senpai'(upperclassmen or in this case woman) Hitomi Kashiwa, who Sato has an ambiguous relation with. Hitomi herself is emotionally unstable and she was the first to introduce the notion of life being a conspiracy against humanity to him. Sato discovers the world of otaku and conspires with his next-door compatriot to create sim-date games that borderline on ero. Sato's situation of dropping out of college and being labeled a failure; the idea of seclusion, of life being against oneself is a dark subject for an anime which employ humor on a regular basis. Combined with the touching moments of love, potential loss of love and similar human processes, this series has the possibility to oust Suzuka or The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya from my list of relationship anime, as well as dethroning FLCL (Furi Kuri)for an original concept. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 11 episodes so far, and I HIGHLY recommend it to all anime fans.

Is it wrong to escape when an entire culture seems devoted to escapism? The Japanese phenomenon of the 'NEET' male - the acronym means 'not in employment, education or training' - is explored here in an anime series with an unusually grim and uncompromising tone. The emphasis of the show is on the dark inner psychology of the main character, a typical porn- obsessed 'otaku' who lives in such denial of his 'NEET' status that he sees himself as a victim of a TV network conspiracy to keep him idle and home-bound, while he lies about having a home office business to anyone who asks what he does for a living. A neighbor of his is not fooled however, and seeks to 'rescue' him from his strange social-anxiety riddled existence. The twist is that his strategy for coming back to normalcy requires him to create porno computer games! What follows is not the usual boy-girl zany comedy or way-out fantasy typical of anime series and this may put off anime fans who are looking for more of the same. This is an anti-escapist drama devoted to recovery and re- assimilation into a culture that casts out the unproductive, which casts a harsh and unblinking light upon the world of its main character. His apartment is cramped and dark and littered, and his mind wanders off into unsavory fantasies about the people around him. He may be harmless and part of a growing sub-group, but he is not living a healthy or sane existence by any means and this series pulls no punches in its portrayal of this particular social phenomenon.

Genuinely amazing anime. Great art and animation, voice actors were excellent. The story was funny and inspirational, as well as relatable and painful. The only anime i've ever watched continuously for a day to get from the start to the finish, and I wasn't disappointed with the ending either. From the start to the finish I loved every moment. Such a great anime (and novel). I will be sure to tell anybody I can to watch it! I think when I am older and I come across my old list on anime's I watched years and years ago. This is one anime I will watch and love again. If you haven't read the novel either, then you definitely should! One to keep on your shelves forever!!

This anime is about an N.H.K. (essentially a shut-in with a computer) who meets a girl named Misaki, who for reasons that only become evident much later tries to help him by having meetings in a local park at night. In order for Sato (everyone but his mom calls him by his last name)to get Misaki to leave him alone he and the next door neighbor, a former classmate named Yamazaki who is obsessed with manga and games,devise a gal game of their own. Slowly, Sato has more contact with others. Although meant to be a black comedy at times, it takes the characters seriously and treats the notion of a shut-in fairly seriously. Yes, Sato is seen as a loser, but the story doesn't wholly insult him for that. I recommend this because in its sometimes manic progression of ideas, you want to see everyone happier. Not for children, but the profanity is not too harsh. Give it a try.

This anime was strong at so many points with the character growth and the overall situations all of them had to face. All of the story arcs took off at a great pace but it wasn't until the "Off" meeting episode that it really showed its true colors as an anime. All of the characters at one point or another ,with the exclusion of one, battles rigorously with thoughts of and at several points, attempts, suicide. Overall its attempt at trying to show the perseverance of these characters was greatly overshadowed by their unwillingness to face their own problems head on and trying to find peace within others and not themselves. I was hoping by the end an enriching and gentle life lesson would be told but in reality it was even worse in a manner when Sato attempts to kill himself in hopes that Misaki won't do it herself. He fails of course but in the last few minutes of the final episode Misaki shows Sato a new contract stating that neither would give in to the evil of the "NHK" by killing themselves if the other person wasn't willing as well. Sato himself admits that this was nowhere near a solution to either of their deep-seeded issues but concedes to the contract in hopes of spending a little longer with Misaki. Overall I was impressed by the vivid portrayal of young peoples missteps and pains, but I was at a loss without a deeper meaning to connect this all to. Besides blaming it all on furry Gray things with tacky hats.

This anime was awesome. It deals with current cultural problems in japan. A disease were a person secludes themselves from society and locks themselves in. This leads them to not being able to talk to a stranger. While it centers around this, its also one of the funniest animes i've ever seen. Its the only one that's ever left me laughing so hard i'm gasping for air. Its so good i finished the whole series in 1 day. One thing i did not like was the ending, but i guess they cant do the same ending as the manga since they are not really similar. I will not write more since i don't want to give spoilers about it. If you're not satisfied with the ending, i suggest you go read the manga.

This anime series follows protagonist Tatsuhiro Sato; he isn't a hero and he isn't surrounded by a harem of girls; in fact he is hikikomori… a shut-in who does all he can to avoid interacting with the world. He only goes out to get food and take a night time walk in the park. One day he meets a girl, Misaki, in the park she tells him that she will cure him of being hikikomori if he agrees to meet her there each night although he claims there is nothing wrong with him and even claims to have a job. He doesn't but when he learns his neighbour is somebody he knew from his school days the two of them end up designing a video game… an erotic game. He starts attending Misaki's 'lectures' and works on the game but it seems every time it seems he is getting more confident he suffers a knockback.

I was rather surprised to learn that this series is based on a shonen manga as the subject matter seems more suited to an older demographic; the UK '15' certificate certainly suggests that. The idea of basing a series on a hikikomori might not sound all that appealing but the story soon reels the viewer in as we get to care about the characters and come to realise that Sato isn't the only person with problems or even the person with the worst problems. These lead to some of the series darker moments and more than once it seems likely that somebody may commit suicide. It isn't all doom and gloom though and there are laughs to be had along the way although not in a way that mocks or makes light of the characters' problems. Overall I'd certainly recommend this series; even if you don't usually watch anime this may interest you.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Like 'A Silent Voice' this is, at root, a story about empathy which hits all the right spots. 'Welcome to the NHK!' has and excellent understated eclectic soundtrack and solid animation for its time. The themes it deals with are serious but a healthy dose of humour prevents it from becoming too much of a dismal affair.

It can sometimes be difficult to find anime that resonates with one as an adult. It may take a while to get to that point, but this is definitely one of them. Highly recommended.

I thought this anime was great to showing how a person with a mental health condition like Satou, who has extreme social anxiety and is basically living in his little world of conspiracies. As well as Misaki, who seems bipolar and can't control her moods.

I mean, it is honestly rough when you fear of people but its also very bad that we are unfortunately for real, seeing people like Satou closing themselves in to society. Also with someone like Misaki who had a rough childhood by her step dad beating her and the fact she has a disorder because of that, goes to show how much people are in need to be able to access a range of mental health services.

At least it was a happy ending for both of them that they became a couple and going to college at the same but I hope the characters as well as anyone going through what they are going through, get support and be able to cope in order to move forward with their lives.

Very good anime, definately brings mental health awareness!

Well, I finished this anime about 10 seconds ago, so my memory is still pretty fresh. I have to say, I wish this anime ended after 12 episodes. 24 is just too long because, basically, you see the same thing happening all over again all the time. It is a nice watch, got me motivated to do things, but the main character (Satou) is just not likable in any, and I mean ANY way.

The character development just stops at some point and you feel in the middle that it's just empty episodes, prolonging the anime and showing an endless stream of his "hikikomori"-condition (Being a total non-working nerd, basically) getting better and than worsening again. It's a pain. Sato's behavior is, for the most part, unbelievable. He is shown as a rather smart guy, but then he does the stupidest things. It appears to be just done for a laugh or two and it just decreases the quality of the anime.

The series strong-point however are in its serious episodes, like the "Off-Meeting" around the 12th episode. There you get a nice inside view into a hikikomori's life.

In conclusion, just watch it if you are interested in the social phenomenon of being a "hikikomori", but don't expect anything too logical. Towards the end.. it's more an obligation to watch it till the last episode.

I watched the WHOLE anime and had such high expectations for it in the beginning, but the plot just didn't stay on the same subject almost 90% of the time and it was honestly very annoying.

I would be interested in a portion it would be going into, but then it would immediately cut to another idea out of nowhere, and quite frankly peeved me off... For instance Taro Taro's sister... what happened to her after her debt was lifted? Why didn't her brother come back home after he got a job... they didn't even resolve their issues they just dropped it out of the story all together...

i liked the romance between the two in the beginning but then his high school friend came into the picture and then randomly came back to him after leaving him again...and then had sex with him?? For real? AFTER BEING MARRIED MAY I ADD. It was so uncharacteristic for both of them... all of a sudden she says "like, do you want to have an affair or something?" and BAM skips to them being naked.... it's like they really just wanted them to have sex in the anime and so they did it.

The whole anime was supposed to be about Misaki Nakahara fixing him and I felt like almost all of the anime was shifted towards everything else...

It also had an awful ending may i add, and near the end of the episodes i found myself feeling bored and awkward watching it, mostly because they had halted to story with Misaki so long that i was really uninterested in their relationship at that point because i felt like Sato had betrayed and ignored her to the point i just didn't care for it. It seemed so faked and thrown together at those last few episodes, and I felt like the whole anime ended when Kaoru left.

I would suggest not watching it! save your time.