From my perspective, what seems like a "self-help" anime for those with suicidal thoughts and depression, the nature of this show (and its outcome) could easily have the complete opposite effect if the viewer is not in the right mental state. This is because, despite a fairly (good?) ending to the story, the pessimism and nihilism HEAVILY outweigh the hope and optimism.
This paragraph will address those who really enjoyed this anime and may even call it a masterpiece. You are of course entitled to your own opinions and might have good reasons for liking this anime. Needless to say I do not feel the same way, but I can acknowledge that people experience life differently. However, if you are someone who "resonates" with the protagonist's struggles or find the overall show relatable to a significant degree, then its likely that you are not in a good headspace and are not living a healthy lifestyle (whether or not it's your "fault", I am not judging here). I sincerely hope you find the help you need, because as far as society goes it is alarming how many people back in 2006 felt in touch with this. I can only imagine how much worse its gotten in the 2020s.
Moving on, every significant character in this show is heavily flawed, to the point where it would not be rude to call them mentally unstable. Satou the protagonist seems to do okay some episodes in terms of progressing as a functioning member of society, only to have significant drawbacks where he openly reveals his ugly side. It is very difficult to defend him from a moral standpoint because he does some pretty shitty stuff and never redeems himself (nor is he punished!), but I can partially excuse his character because it's clear that he needs serious mental help and is not meant to be someone who viewers should idolize.
It doesn't help that the people around him are also mentally unstable. Misaki, who is propped up to the be the "guide" or even "savior" of Satou early on, turns out to be in (arguably) a much worse state. She admits to seeing Satou as inferior to her and using him to feel better about herself. She might not have meant to act toxic, however her parasitic relationship with Satou is a point of concern that only intensifies as the series progresses. In fact, rather than helping Satou overcome his NEET life, she undeniably makes his mental and emotional state much MUCH worse by only adding to his issues rather than solving any.
Hitomi, another unstable girl in Satou's life, also wrings him around in order to fullfill her own selfish desires and whims. She ends up using Satou as a crutch for her own issues, knowing full well that this crutch was on the verge of shattering. Hitomi was such a bad influence that not only did she try to kill herself, she coerced him into thinking along similar dark thoughts, and once he started (about mid-season) he never "recovered" and the Satou from the early episodes was effectively dead. Point is, the women in Satou's life are clearly a detriment to him, yet the story seemed to imply that a romantic relationship would magically fix his problems in the long run. Contrary to what the otaku community seems to think, waifus (real or fake) are not necessarily a remedy for insanity.
In conclusion, defenders of this show might argue that this is a "realistic" portrayal of human interaction and society as a whole, and that fact makes this anime an important staple of mid-2000s culture (and beyond). I can sort of understand that logic, but just because something is "realistic" does not necessarily mean that it is well-crafted. IF, and I mean IF, this anime intended to motivate those dissatisfied with their lives to change their habits for the better, then I could at least leave this show saying that it was a positive social commentary or something. Instead, the resolution of this story is painfully bleak, with any sparse words of encouragement drowned out by existential nihilism and Evangelion-type craziness. This show ends up resembling an auto-obituary of sorts, with the author hinting at what went wrong with his life without offering up any potential solutions. This "giving up," in my opinion, helps no one.
Thanks for reading, and apologies if my viewpoint is tough to swallow. Yeah, the score of 1 is probably too harsh, but it is matched with "Appalling" on MAL, which is basically what I'm feeling right now.
