Hello everyone! Welcome back to another season of Throwback Thursday. This time we are watching the otaku-fueled think piece Welcome to the NHK. There’s a lot going on here, with a lot to talk about, so lets jump right in to it!
First up we need to talk visuals. While the animation isn’t anything to write home about, Yuusuke Yamamoto’s direction does a lot to cover for that. NHK has some pretty creative visual metaphors, augmented with some snappy direction and scene editing. I’m talking about creative camera angles or smart use of close ups and expressive faces to really sell a scene. I especially like the detail put into the environment, really hammering home the listless and stagnant nature of the Hikikomori lifestyle. Aside from a few overly perverted scenes, which if we are being honest fit into the Otaku headspace very easily, I think NHK earns passing marks. And maybe, as we leave the house and get out more, the animation will have more room to shine and we can see more of those detailed environments! Only time will tell. Now on to the spoilers!
First up we have Episode 1, “Welcome to the Project!”. My initial impressions of NHK are that this show is… I don’t know what I expected really, but it wasn’t this. The core of NHK’s story seems to revolve our MC, Tatsuhiro Sato, working to overcome his NEET/Hikikomori tendendies. Along the way exploring what exactly the Hikikomori condition is, how people end up this way and, most importantly, why they stay this way. And you know what? I love that. One of my favorite series ever put to animation is Tatami Galaxy, which explores a premise in a very similar vein regarding university, coming out of your shell and experiencing the life in front of you. If NHK can be even half as impactful on my life as Tatami Galaxy, it will be fantastic. I have only one concern.
The lead girl, Misaki Nakahara. She comes off as very… convenient? I want to be clear, I’m not laying any judgements yet! We are only 2 episodes into NHK so far, that’s far to early to write her off. I’m just concerned about the “Throw a cute girl at the Otaku to make them go outside” route that series on the lazier end of the spectrum would no doubt use. It’s simply that she appears out of nowhere and immediately latches on to our MC. Meanwhile the MC is having multiple perverted thoughts, etc etc. Yes, those thoughts make sense, he’s a shut-in. And yes, the plot has to start somewhere. So long as, it’s remaining 22 episodes, NHK can dodge this one pitfall, then I will be happy. Because aside from this concern? I think Misaki is fun and she’s gives Sato a lot of, deserved, shit.
As far as the actual depictions of Hikikomori go, I think NHK once again does a good job here. It’s shown in a very interesting, but not necessarily positive, way. Take the delusions for instance, and the way they reinforce his decision to stay inside. Or the excuses Sato comes up with to either do something or convince himself that he is only doing it because he wants to and not because of any outside influence. Anything to hide the truth, his true feelings, or to avoid being affected by others. All of these are shown in a very unhealthy light, going so far as to paint Sato as a conspiracy nut, while at the same time helping us understand the underlying feelings behind these delusions. That NHK managed that in just a single episode, two at most since that’s what we are covering this week, is impressive.
Finally for this episode I just want to make sure I say this: I really like our MC so far. Sato is pitiful yes, but both he and NHK are aware of it. That’s a really good sign for a series that is seemingly going to critique said lifestyle! Additionally, we see Sato actively trying to fix that pitiful nature of his. Whether it be going outside multiple days in a row, or trying to get his own job. He hasn’t fallen so far down the Hikikomori rabbit hole that he can’t see how unhealthy and unsustainable this lifestyle is. I think that NHK did a great job establishing that in this first episode. And as far as I’m concerned? That knowledge, that desire to be better, is the most appealing part of his character.
Of course it also helps that, even in his pitiable state, NHK goes to great lengths to show us Sato isn’t a bad person. We see it when he runs to the park out of concern for Misaki and molesters for instance. One could argue that he did it out of personal concern of not being hassled by press, but that just seems like another one of his delusions to me. The things he makes up to justify his own actions in a selfish lens to himself. But even then, there is no such justifications when he meets his Kouhai from school and simply… offers him a beer and time to chat. There’s no pretense between them, little judgement, just relaxing and comforting each other. This kind of balance between positive and negative traits is nice.
Moving on, we come to episode 2, “Welcome to the Creator!”. This episode starts to expand on Sato’s previously mentioned Hikikomori lifestyle and his interactions with Misaki. On the surface this whole contract deal seems… weird. Very convenient, like the rest of Misaki’s presence in the show. However I’m very curious where it will go. What does Misaki get out of this contract, why is she so determined to help Sato? Why has she been stalking him, how does she know him, etc? Is she even real, or is all of this another hallucination on Sato’s part?! After all, the first time we met her she had the parasol and every time after without, so what if she isn’t real to begin with. Whatever the case, I think this contract stuff is an interesting vehicle through which to explore both of their characters.
As for Sato himself, I’m not sure this contract will ever be signed. But then… does it need to be? In quest to reject the contract, to prove he isn’t a Hikikomori, Sato is actively breaking out of being a Hikikomori. He hasn’t even signed anything, yet he’s doing exactly what Misaki wants him to do. Going outside, learning new skills and doing things. And I think that’s all really cool! I’m curious just how far NHK will go before Sato realizes what has happened. It might even make it all the way to the finale! Whatever happens, I just know I like it. I like that Sato recognizes what he is doing is pitiful, actively lying about his situation, and that said lies and refusal to admit his Hikikomori status is pushing him out of said status. It’s clever.
Things bring me to aforementioned “new skills” and “going outside”: Sato met his neighbor! Again! This was an interesting twist I wasn’t expecting. I kind of figured we would be listening to this music occasionally for the entire season, with part of the finale being gathering the courage to confront someone himself. Instead it becomes a supporting character, and an interesting one at that. Kaoru Yamazaki, Sato’s neighbor and previous kouhai, is on the cusp of becoming a Hikikomori. He’s already a mega-otaku, covering his room in tits and figures, and he has the incel/4chan attitude of calling everyone morons and despising girls. And yet he’s still going to school, he’s still in education, so like Sato he also hasn’t fallen completely down the well yet. With his introduciton, I’m curious just how many different kinds of NEET/Hikikomori NHK will explore.
All in all I think these were to really good introductory episodes. We’ve met what seems to be our core cast in Yato, Misaki and Kaoru, with each of them having their own issues to work through. And while we haven’t seen Misaki’s issue yet, I’m sure it exists. And each of these issues seems to be slightly different, yet all related to interacting with other people and society at large. Because of this scope and subject, this seeming respect yet also pity towards the lifestyle, I think Welcome to the NHK has a lot of promise. So long as Misaki can become her own character and each of these character threads develop well, I think I’m going to enjoy this a lot. So while only time will tell if it will be any good, for now? I’m looking forward to watching this every week.
Oh and P.S. I absolutely love this Knock Knock song.
This series hits a little too close to home but that’s why it is great.
I remember Psgels mentioning once that the second half of this show is stronger than the first half.
Stronger and Darker
Interesting.