Alternative TitlesEnglish: Welcome to the NHK Synonyms: NHK ni Youkoso! Japanese: N・H・Kにようこそ！
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 24
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 10, 2006 to Dec 18, 2006
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.531 (scored by 18222 users)
Ranked: #612
Popularity: #61
Members: 30,532
Favorites: 1,604 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
comedy drama psychological romance slice of life |
SynopsisSatou Tatsuhiro, 22 years old, thinks that everything that happen around him is a conspiracy. He even figured out who is behind it all: The NHK, an evil secret company. "When you think anime, you think otaku. When you think otaku, you think people that dislike other people. Those people become hikikomori (people who shut themselves in)". So Satou manages to uncover the plot of The NHK (stands for Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai), after three years of shutting himself in (and rapidly approaching the fourth). In reality, he is nothing more than a NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training), desperately in need of a cure from that "disease". He wants to break out from the curse, but going out and getting a job is frightening enough for him. That is until he gets selected for a "project"; it is a plan to help hikikomori like him in facing the reality of this world.
Source: ANN |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Welcome to the NHK, Welcome To The NHK
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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shinigamidono
79 of 102 people found this review helpful
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24 of 24 episodes seen
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| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
10 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
Welcome to the N.H.K. is the story of a 22-year-old hikikomori/NEET named Satou, Tatsuhiro.
More than half of you are probably wondering what a hikikomori is; So that explanation should probably come now before getting into the review of the series. The dictionary definition of hikikomori is - a state or condition of acute social withdrawal. The number of people living the hikikomori or NEET (Not pursuing Employment, Education or Training) lifestyle are increasing everyday worldwide but they are predominantly concentrated in Japan among the adolescent male population (source: wikipedia.org and dictionary.com). The hikikomori are basically shut-ins. They feel uncomfortable in presence of other people. They don’t leave their rooms/houses unless they absolutely have to and make just enough money through various means (parents, relatives, jobs that can be done from home, and rarely part-time jobs outside the house) to survive and continue their hikikomori lifestyles.
The main character of the story, Satou, Tatsuhiro (whom I suspect is somewhat named after Tamaki Saitō who first coined the term hikikomori), is a college dropout. He is a complete conspiracy nut who believes a giant organization encompassing the whole planet called the N.H.K. (Nihon Hikikomori Kyoukai / Japan Hikikomori Association/Society) is working around the clock to ruin his life and make sure he stays a shut-in forever through any means necessary. The origin of his obsession with conspiracies seems to be an upperclassman named Kashiwa, Hitomi with whom he spent a lot of time with in high school. Satou realizes that he can’t continue living as a NEET forever and wants to escape the lifestyle and overcome the conspiracies of the NHK but he is too afraid and doesn’t know how to go about it. However, everything changes when one day he meets a girl named Nakahara, Misaki who claims that she will save him from his hikikomori lifestyle if he agrees to sign a contract with her and become the subject of her “project”.
The story is about a very serious subject matter but it is still full of humorous moments. The creators of the anime realize that the best way to convert such a serious subject matter into an enjoyable anime that will not only entertain the viewers but also educate them is through humor. That being said, the anime is also full serious and sometimes very sad occurrences. If you happen to be an emotional person, be prepared to shed a few tears or at least feel downright horrible watching some of the episodes of this series. The story progresses at a fair pace with a good mixture of serious episodes and some not too serious ones.
The characters are well designed and although I have never actually met a hikikomori, I would guess that the personalities and lifestyle are fairly depicted. For me, the most notable character in the series is the female lead Nakahara, Misaki. She remains a mystery for almost the entire series and refuses to reveal any personal details about herself to Satou. Even when asked directly, she makes up obvious lies in order to avoid divulging anything personal. Her actions leave the viewer wondering and guessing and although that becomes somewhat annoying at times it contributes to the story coming together quite well in the end.
As for the other characters –
Satou is your “typical” conspiracy nut shut-in (or what you would imagine one would act and feel like). While his hikikomori lifestyle doesn’t seem to be as severe as some other people’s, it is bad enough to keep him from functioning as a part of society and most of his ventures to the outside world seem to end with him becoming completely scared and freaked out.
Satou’s only male friend Yamazaki, Kaoru is your typical anime/hentai/game otaku. He is obsessed with all sorts of things the most notable of which happens to be echii games. He is very passionate about his obsessions and becomes easily enraged by the smallest things especially if they have any relevance to his obsessions. Needless to say, he is an amusing character to watch.
Satou’s upperclassman (senpai), Kashiwa, Hitomi is a complete conspiracy nut like Satou. She seems depressed most of the time and even sees being happy as a sign that she is playing into the conspiracies. She is a supporting character in the series, but plays an important role in the development of the story.
The voice acting is nothing spectacular but the voices fit the characters well. The same can be said about the music. There is no ground-breaking piece of music in the series. There is however a somewhat catchy anime song that is played throughout pretty much the entire series. Do be careful not to get it stuck in your head.
The art and animations are at best average. You won’t find any great-looking characters and the animation can be sort of clumsy at times. I can best compare the art to ‘Great Teacher Onizuka’. However, it looks slightly better and animations are done at a higher quality. That being said, the art style does fit the series quite well. I can’t imagine the story represented with any different kind of art style.
ATTENTION: The next paragraph talks about the ending. While I will not include any specifics about what happens at the end of the series, I will talk about the style and quality of the ending. If you feel this might spoil things for you, skip over the next paragraph.
The story ends. That sounds like a weird statement, but most of you know that in many Anime series that doesn’t happen and it’s always a letdown when this occurs. So rejoice; this one actually concludes. It is the ending you will likely suspect part of the way through watching the series with a few twists and turns before it gets there.
In conclusion, Welcome to the NHK is a well-written and well-told story about a serious subject matter. It has a good pace and just enough of both humor and sadness. I enjoyed the series very much and if it is a type of anime you normally enjoy, I am sure you will love this series as well.
read more
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Mikkie
18 of 24 people found this review helpful
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24 of 24 episodes seen
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
Outstanding thing. Some times it was amusing to watch, sometimes it was painfully.
"Welcome to the NHK" is a kind of collection. Collection of troubles and problems we can meet in our life. It doesn't perceive as anime. It doesn't perceive as something fictitious. It is life. Hateful everyday life gets emotional colors and draws a wide reaction with slowly walking real life on the our side of screen.
In "NHK" everyday events are not shown grotesque and mockingly as in parodies and not weightly depressed as in psychological thrillers but somehow chaotically and tragicomicly — you want to weep, smile, think ironically and philosophize simultaneously. Every joke provokes not a roar of laughter but the sad smile as you recognize yourself and your troubles in "fictional" heroes.
Even if you have a job, relatives, interests, it doesn't change anything. You aren't able to get rid of solitude if you feel your purposelessness and pettiness. If you laugh, you laughter is insincere. If you cry, you wail. Problem of self-concept and fear of the life is urgent for many people, but the feeling of hopelessness and despair appears only when there is nobody to support you. You've got tired from struggle along on your's own not at once but gradually. It happens little by little but it does. There are no N.H.K., there is no god, there are only nonchalance, loneliness and despair. You think that people around get everything easier and live merrily and sociable but you simply can not see the same as you as they also are dissociated from the world. It is impossible to meet for such humans but only they can understand each other. It is very hard and cruel. In "NHK" it is shown somehow exaggeratedly but the inner life is described entirely faithful. Psychology is described as much as possible faithfully, all the reasons are named correctly, emphases are placed where they needed.
Art and sound do for this work and don't have any serious shortcomings. All the aspects of this anime are high qualitative.
Such masterpiece anime must be a conspiracy... Conspiracy against what? read more
Recommendations
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shows about being an otaku...experiences, people you meet and the trouble being part of a subculture or fitting in the "normal" world...NHK goes even further...the main protag is a NEET and not only a plain otaku. Genshiken is much more light-hearted opposed to the often very dark sarcastic humor of NHK.
It's all about otakuness and relationships between people.
Genshiken is an anime about otaku.
NHK is about hikkikomori.
hikkikomori and otaku share many traits,and so the animes are similar. Although NHK has a serious undertone to it because it actually looks into the disadvantages and reprocussions of being a hikkikimori.
its more seriusly into the Okatu thng.. its as much as funny.. not much school stuff involved but it has more emotions involved in it.. etc its awesome
Both are otaku and slice of life themed. On a personal note, Genshiken is better than NHK Ni Youkosu.
Like Genshiken, NHK deals with different geek and otaku subcultures in Japan. Both can be simultaneously comedic and uncomfortable. However, where Genshiken stays primarily focused on light and geeky themes, NHK delves into the hidden, desolate lives that many social outcasts have found themselves in.
Many people are attracted to Genshiken because they see a part of themselves in it, and personally know the unique humor of being an outcast. But at the same time, the reality can also be very lonely, and even painful. In the end, NHK ultimately centers around one question: when a person has become completely trapped in a hopeless life, do they still have the ability to turn around and come back? Genshiken, on the other hand, speaks for otaku culture as a whole: at the core of their beings, are they really as strange as they're made out to be?
Atmosphere in these two are about the same.
We have couple otaku, depressed mood but in a funny way, parody, and sometimes even som girlbeauty hangin around.
However, while there are pretty darn serious moments in NHK, Genshiken has only those moments when they are NOT bombing comedy.
So Genshiken for comedy and slice-of-life, NHK ni Youkoso as well for comedy, but together with moving story.
Both animes are about otakus or NEETs, and the main characters have poor experiences in finding jobs and try to create a game and doujinshi. Otakus themed animes are more into how to interact with people but at time they include comedy scenes or ecchi. NHK is much better for its comedy.
Both are looks into the social structure of Japan, primariy of the otaku subculture. This similar thread runs throughout the series.
Genshiken is a comedy focused solely on the otaku lifestyle, while NHK is a dramatic look at the larger society and at the human condition as a whole.
Genshiken deals with otaku's and Welcome to the NHK deals with a hikikamori and a otaku.They both had the same feel.
Both are about people who are otaku's even though Welcome to the NHK has a more serious tone and Genshiken is comedy and everyday school life.
both are comedies at the first sight but infact have deeper meaning to peoples lifes , the otakus in genshiken are mostly bad looking and ..lame while the main character in NHK is a hikomori and might be considered lame too as he is insecure and lives a life almost like an otaku
both animes deal with oktaku-ness. i had some good laughs watching both these series
Both series concentrate on otakus. NHK takes a more serious approach and deals with hikikomoris in particular while Genshiken takes a much more comedic approach and deals with the otaku culture in general. Both however deal with a lot of similar things such as spending all your earnings on "otaku merchandise", otaku clothing, cosplay, women and the otakus...
These two shows are not similar enough to say that if you like one you will definitely like the other. However, if you find the subject matter of otakus and the otaku culture interesting, you will likely have an interest in both of these series.
It explores the Japanese subcultres in the same way like Genshiken but goes a step further while exploring many subcultres
Both animes share similar themes dealing with otakus. Genshiken's story is more broad, exploring the comings and goings of an otaku club in a university, while NHK's story is more focused on the story of an otaku hikikomori and a girl who is trying to help him
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Theyre both about a main character that seems to think there are mass evil organizations in their lives. both of them also have a young girl trying to cure them of this
theyre both funny as hell too
It has a similar mood and has the same black comedy style to it
Both of the male main characters are depressed and think their lives are worthless, and they both meet cheerful optimistic girls who could help them with their depression.
both wacky, crazy, and amazing!
Both are dark comedies that make fun of social problems and vices in a very cynical and twisted way, with over the top situations and very, very crazy characters. However, SZS is much more random (actually it has no plot, it's just sketches) and NHK has a lot of (melo)drama and serious situations.
They are equally by the two are on qestões emotional, and the two are comedies ...
Both are dealing with social issues. Also, in both main hero is introduced to a mysterious cheerful girl who's playing an important role in his life.
A young man struggles with his own issues and is forced to deal with the strange and overbearing supporting cast, mostly female, he attracts. Both series take an over-the-top approach to humour that can get quite dark at times; they're quick-paced, cynical, and rife with anime references, and the parallels between Satou's intense paranoia and Itoshiki-sensei's perpetual despair, both played for laughs, are hard to deny.
I think that both Welcome to the NHK and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei are really alike.
They both have much of this "dark" feeling, easy to get depressed as a watcher, at least I did. Even though there are some up moments too.
They both consist of a person on the verge of committing suicide, because he thinks the world is... Well... A bad place :D
And a way out of the world... Why not suicide? "my life isn't worth anything anyway"
Sorry, I'm quite bad to explain this. But at least I liked them both very much xD
And I'm sure you will as well >:D
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Opening Theme#1: "Puzzle" by ROUND TABLE feat. Nino (eps 1-12)
#2: "Puzzle -extra hot mix-" by ROUND TABLE feat. Nino (eps 13-23)
Ending Theme#1: "Odoru Akachan Ningen" by Kenji Ohtsuki and Fumihiko Kitsutaka (eps 1-12)
#2: "Modokashii Sekai no Ue de" by Yui Makino (eps 13-22,24)
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