Welcome to the NHK – 9/10 [Welcome to Summer Days!/Welcome to the Dark Side!] – Throwback Thursday

Welcome everyone, to what will no doubt be a late week of Welcome to the NHK! I apologize for that, I’ve been playing a bit to much Path of Exile this week and I’ve shirked my duties a bit. Don’t worry though, I’ll get over this obsession soon… I hope. Now on with the show!

This week lets skip the preamble and jump right in with episode 9, “Welcome to Summer Days!”. This was an interesting one, because it was a Yamazaki centric episode. And if I can be honest, it’s more than I thought Yamazaki was ever going to get. My mistake, I know, but I kind of thought NHK would be all about Sato. That it would be using him as a comparison point to all of the other characters, rather than giving them their own solo-stories. More the fool I, huh? My own stupidity aside, I really like what NHK did here. It didn’t just present Yamazaki as this pitiable fool, rather it showed us how he got to be the way he is. And just how easy it would be for him to escape it had he the will. Not to dissimilar to Sato, huh? Spoilers after the break!

The key idea behind this episode is one of betrayal and distrust. A fear of putting yourself out there, of showing your true self, and having it be rejected. Of not “fitting in” with society. But where Sato’s came from the opinion of his peers, of focusing to much on what people thought of him, Yamazaki’s comes from romance. Yet just like Sato, I view it as a defense mechanism. After all, if all women are liars, if they are all out to hurt him, then Yamazaki isn’t the one at fault. He isn’t the one who has to change, who might be undesirable, they are just terrible people. Similarly, if you never ask, if you decide ahead of time they will say no and don’t bother, then you can’t be rejected. Essentially its all about minimizing personal risk.

And yet look at just how quickly Yamazaki changed his tune after being asked out. He was elated! Overjoyed! He immediately went back on everything he said, switching moods in an instant. It’s clear that while Yamazaki is to afraid to pursue it himself, he still yearns for it. For that personal connection, that romance. Now some may call this hypocrisy, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But to me that is less a judgement of his character, since this isn’t truly a moral question, and more an indicator that he doesn’t actually believe what he preaches. That it’s all a mask, a defense, he puts forward to avoid having to change himself. And I think it’s something NHK presented well! Once again we get a look into the why someone becomes a NEET/Incel/Hikikomori, rather than just making them the butt of a joke. It’s startlingly human.

As for the date, I’ll admit I was surprised. I was prepared for it to be a cruel prank. For Nanako to invite Yamazaki out and screw him over, pushing him even further into incel-dom. Effectively making Yamazaki a tragic character. There’s still time for that of course! We aren’t even half-way through the show! But if it is genuine it makes you wonder… Will Yamazaki tank it himself? Will he ruin his own love life out of a fear that it is a trap, like Sato is doing? Knowing just how self-destructive these two are, I wouldn’t put it past him. But I think Yamazaki is instead a opportunity for NHK to try and pull Sato out of his condition. To show him that it is possible that you can succeed from here. That if Yamazaki can do it, so can he! I wonder which NHK will use.

Speaking of Sato, lets take a small moment to talk about him and Misaki pre-episode 10 explosion. In the moment, before episode 10, I seriously wondered if this was going to happen. Sato is clearly falling for her at this point, that much is clear. And despite Yamazaki’s attempt to drag Sato down into incel-dom, which we later learn sort of worked, Sato seems to pursue it. They go on what can only be called a date to the festival, they hang out, hold hands, all that good stuff. And on top of that, Misaki is the one who asks Sato! Ignoring the age difference, it’s only 4 years but those are 4 very formative years, this is pretty cute! This wasn’t at the mothers prompting or Sato’s hairbrained schemes. She just wanted to go out with him. And that was nice.

That brings us to episode 10, “Welcome to the Dark Side!”, and wouldn’t you know it! Sato has gone and blown it all up. Good job NHK, you really had me there. This episode is all about that self-destruction that I mentioned in the previous one. How people in these situations convince themselves that everything is against them. That anything they do will blow up in their face and that it is thus better to do nothing at all. In Sato’s case, he’s convinced himself that Misaki is to good for him. That there is no way a girl like this would choose to spend time with him. Clearly there is an ulterior motive here. And of course it doesn’t help when your furniture and appliances start to tell you that to.

Now to be fair to Sato, he isn’t completely without reason here. He really does know nothing about Misaki, while she knows so much about him. On top of that, he’s found so much “evidence” that she was spying on him. The view from their apartments, the shady organization, etc. It’s all understandably weird and a tad creepy if you ask me. But it’s nothing that couldn’t be solved by communicating. By talking to Misaki, asking her how she knows so much, what that group is, why she wants to help him. Indeed, every healthy relationship involves communication. But that’s sort of the stickler with NHK isn’t it? None of these people have healthy relationships. Not having them is what defines most of their characters. So it makes me wonder a little… What’s Misaki’s hang up that she would spy on and befriend a Hikikomori in a park?

Anyways, the big thing to come out of Sato’s meltdown is that he has cut off the sessions. I figured he would rant a bit, maybe threaten, but to end them entirely? Halfway into the series? It’s impressive to me how much NHK is willing to change the status quo so fast. That isn’t to say the pacing is out of control or anything, its not skipping or burning over plot points. Characters are learning, growing, interacting, NHK is neither rushing to the end nor padding out its runtime at the speed of a glacier. It’s just… progressing. At a nice click. I like that. So many anime have a pacing that says “This won’t finish, go read the source material”, but I get the feeling that NHK will finish. And that sort of thing, the investment and engagement that pulls from the viewer, is really valuable I think.

Whew, almost started waxing philosophical there. All in all I think these were another 2 good episodes. NHK has started to explore other avenues of Hikikomori/NEETdom through Yamazaki, giving him an actual arc/backstory, as well as clearly setting up something not being OK with Misaki and and Hitomi. Personally I’m suspecting some kind of religious cult or something, maybe trying to take her money since she’s clearly well off. That or she’s just very sheltered and is basically sneaking out of the house to visit Sato, the one person she can be herself around. A different, slightly less self-imposed, kind of NEETdom. Whatever the case I’m excited to see where NHK goes in its second half.

P.S. I only remembered this when going for screenshots, but Yamazaki getting drunk and lying to get them on another stupid time crunch was hilarious. They keep putting themselves in stupid situations for their own pride and social standing.

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