Story:
First off, I consider myself an introvert.
Sure, I occasionally go out, socialise online and have friends around, but as far as eighteen year old males go - I'm considerably home-bound. My brain works the best it can, and I'm socially accepted. Introverts are normal components of society.
Hikikomori, a Japanese term for people who lock themselves away in their rooms in an effort to seek refuge from society, are not ‘normal’. To be classified as a hikikomori in Japan, you need to have not left your house for at least six months.
And leaving the house is exactly what kick-starts the events of NHK ni Youkoso.
Twenty-two year old college drop-out Tatsuhiro Satou hasn't left his house for almost four years. By the time we've met him he's a paranoid, lonely, depressed, self-pitying, and misunderstood individual who believes that the reason he's NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) is due to a secret organisation known as NHK who's goal it is to spread hikikomori culture across Japan. He's effectively deflecting responsibility so as to better suit his solitary lifestyle.
Those of you who have seen Steins;Gate may have experienced slight nostalgia at that last part. In Steins;Gate, Okabe Rintarou dons the persona of Hououin Kyouma as a form of escapism. He babbles on and on about an organisation trying to get him, believing himself to be of greater importance than he actually is. Satou differs in that he genuinely believes all of the conspiracy theories that have grown inside of his brain. He's afraid, paranoid, and not playing around. He also doesn't at all think himself to be greater than anyone else, believing quite the opposite in fact. His self confidence is basically non-existent by the time we're introduced to him.
Satou has no friends, and his family are located elsewhere financially supporting him under the false pretence that he is a busy young man who's got his act together. So when somebody knocks on his door one uneventful day and he opens it with paranoid reluctance, he is forced to face reality when the person on the other side is an employee of the local job centre spreading awareness of NEET lifestyle along with her assistant - Misaki Nakahara. Misaki takes pity on the delusional hikikomori and makes it her job to help him join society as a working, healthy, individual.
The story touches on many dark tones, such as suicide, depression, and paranoia, but never distastefully. However, I'd be wary of watching this anime if any of those themes make you uncomfortable. The show handles it well, and breaks it up with well timed comedy, but it's very blunt in it's realistic depiction of a modern day mentally unstable hikikomori.
Art:
It's rather unfortunate that I can't rate the art in this show very high, but the truth of the matter is that at times it really sucks. You can literally see the art drop in quality infrequently. The character designs are fine, but at times they can become disproportionate. I'm going to assume that the inconsistent quality of animation boils down to budget issues or time restraints. Nonetheless, it is jarring and distracting enough that I can't praise it.
The colours used have been described as 'drab' or 'dull' in other reviews, but all I can say to that is - what did you expect? This is an anime realistically dealing with mental illnesses. I don't think a Gatchaman colour palette would really fit the mood of the show.
Don't let that put you off though. It's actually quite refreshing to see darker colours (think Death Note) used and they work well with the overall tone.
Sound:
The voice acting for this anime is incredible. Both dub and sub.
Both Yutaka Soizumi and Chris Patton excel at bringing Satou Tatsuhiro's parasitic personality to life. A miscast would have spelt disaster, considering his character carries the show, but luckily the casting for both the English and Japanese versions of the show were near enough spot on perfect.
Misaki Nakahara's invasive, though well-intended, character must have been difficult to cast but Yui Makino and Stephanie Wittels perform admirably.
The as-of-yet not mentioned third main character Kaoru Yamazaki is voiced exceptionally well by both Greg Ayres and Daisuke Sakaguchi. I'm not usually much of a fan of Greg Ayres work, but I feel he suited Yamazaki's character perfectly.
The openings were each rather forgettable, and the endings were zany and ridiculous enough to be remembered long after you've finished the last episode.
Lastly, the insert songs were generic but served their purpose. Honestly, above average background music would've only detracted from the incredible dialogue. I'm not sure whether or not this was Yoku Shioya's (sound director) choice, but it was the right move nonetheless - as the conversational pieces are where NHK shines brightest.
Character:
I've already touched on the characters a lot, but I guess I'll go a bit more in depth here.
Kaoru Yamazaki is probably the least significant of the main trio, but even he has layers to him that the anime succeeds in unravelling. He's got the basic traits of the stereotypical hentai otaku but instead of being used for comedic effect, he's utilised in a way that reflects Satou. Yamazaki is a mirror Satou needed to look into for him to be able to accept rejoining society. That's not Kaoru Yamazaki's only purpose, however, and his character development is just as interesting as the other two's.
Misaki Nakahara at first appears to be a caring, considerate teenager who only wants to selflessly help others. However at the risk of spoiling, I can't go into much detail about what kind of a person she truly is. Though, I can say that all three of them are likeable, just for reasons you didn't at first think you liked them for.
Lastly, Tatsuhiro Satou. He's perhaps one of the most relatable, yet distinctly alien, characters I've had the pleasure of being able to watch. He's got a backstory that will keep you hooked, and his way of thinking drives the plot forwards and home in a way no other anime has for me.
It's a very character driven show, and I wouldn't give it such a high score had they disappointed.
Enjoyment:
This is a tough one. Did I enjoy watching it? Yes - but also no.
It depends on how you rate enjoyment. If you rate it based on the amount of entertainment you managed to get from watching it, then I suppose I enjoyed this anime a lot.
To put it metaphorically, I'd garner entertainment from watching two strangers publicly argue over something insignificant - but I wouldn't particularly enjoy watching them.
Welcome to the NHK was an experience for me, and I guess my enjoyment of this anime is being grateful for being able to experience watching it in the first place.
Conclusion:
NHK ni Youkoso isn't for everyone. To fully experience the show, you need to be able to perhaps relate on some level to the characters and the changes they're undergoing. It's a solid anime with plenty of artistic flaws I'm willing to overlook in favour of the down to earth storyline and mature character development.
