Sato is an admitted NEET (and reluctantly admitted hikikomori, which I suppose shows us he still has some pride), 22 years old, and surviving entirely on the allowance sent to him by his parents (a cultural reference to the common practice of receiving almost complete living support from one’s parents until one is entirely self-sufficient), which permits his ability to live comfortably in a small apartment in Tokyo. Unfortunately, his neighbor is a thoughtless, rude otaku who blasts the theme song to a popular anime during all of their waking hours, which eventually leads Sato to the true identity of the oppressive force responsible for all his shortcomings: the evil NHK.*
*NHK is the abbreviation for a successful broadcasting company in Japan (though the actual company is all but ignored throughout the series), which seems intent on providing countless hours of popular anime to its viewing public. Anime is addictive, (right?!) and addictive anime creates otaku, who can eventually become so dependent on this entertainment that they fall out of society and contribute to the growing number of NEETs in Japan, and from there it’s a short step to becoming a hikikomori. It sounds so simple, right? It’s not Sato’s fault, it’s the fault of the N(Nihon=Japan), H (hikikomori = social-withdrawal), K (Kyokai=Association)!
Soon, however, a young girl (Misaki) contacts Sato with an offer: Sign a contract with her to receive her self-created therapy sessions to cure him of being a Hikikomori. What she doesn’t say, however, is why she has chosen Sato for her little “project.” Still, it does take some convincing to get him to agree, since he does do at least a little socializing on his own and frequently denies his hikikomori state on his basis, going so far as to create elaborate lies in an attempt to persuade Misaki of his normalcy. Unfortunately, she asks for proof of his tales, and he must now enlist help to convince her of his game-creating ability. His otaku neighbor (Kaoru Yamazaki),turns out to be an old schoolmate from Sato’s high school years going to college for game design in Tokyo, and while not willing to help Sato lie, is more than committed to the plan of actually producing a game with him, but what kind of game can you put together with an absolute skeleton team? What game can you make that doesn’t require hundreds of hours of coding to ensure artistic excellence and playability, and that will garner the support of thousands of fans despite the lack of corporate or studio financing? That’s right…a “dating” game. Sato is now the proud writer of the next big, world-changing, “gal game”.
Eventually Sato’s situation will have to find a balance in order to either maintain the lies (to Misaki, to his parents, even to his old high-school crush (a hard-core believer in conspiracies that run/ruin the world)), or face hitting rock bottom and discovering that there isn’t anyone left to support him other than himself. After all, no one plans to spend their entire lives depending on the kindness of family and friend for food and rent. The question is, how far will Sato have to fall before he stands on his own two feet?
Ahead of its time, this series explores an exhaustive range of topics, ranging from an exploration of the human condition, through some of the wider cultural practices of Japan, and deep into some of its exclusive subcultures, while still managing to be addictively entertaining, easily approachable, and carefully inspiring (which is a task in itself when the main character is a 22-year old jobless shut-in). The realistic nature of these expressive characters also allows the viewer to happily explore some of the lower rungs on the average social ladder (NEET, Hikikomori, Otaku) while carefully conveying some of the intense pressures and depression these cultural groups can experience. Covering everything from pyramid schemes, to doujinshi conventions, gal-game creation to ‘actual’ dating woes, this series does a fantastic job of delivering the most realistically pitiable cast without going so far as to set a toe over the ‘to depressing to watch’ line. On the contrary, every challenge fills the viewer with hope that the situation will resolve happily. Also, the irony is not lost on me that this series is ridiculously addicting and hopeful, while entirely starring characters who largely exist in self-created problem worlds. (Also if the NHK of Sato’s imagination is real, this series would be an excellent weapon in its arsenal of otaku-to-NEET-to-hikikomori broadcasting.)
While a small sampling of this series might overwhelm the casual viewer, this complete collection will provide all the mental issues and previous familiarity necessary to fully enjoy the show. Fans of human-struggle or slice-of-life animes will absolutely devour this series, as will any enthusiast of Japanese culture.
The studio (Gonzo, of course) does an amazing job of relating the complexities of everyday life (even Sato’s fridge has a realistic logo, just as the trash in his apartment reveals his eating preferences and popular food brands), and the art stating preferences and popular food brands), and the art style carefully conveys the lonely lifestyle of the main character, even when he seems surrounded by friends. The art and design also manages to be creatively absurd, whenever Sato’s imagination gives life to his surroundings, as his appliances will suddenly come to life to advise him on the conspiracies that surround him, and little purple goblins will indicate conspiracy activity wherever it is to be found).
Also, while both voice casts did an excellent job, I simply feel that the English experience was more enthralling, with wonderfully crude language used in everyday contexts, and the anguished screams (You’ll hear these often, and usually with good reason.) of Sato’s voice actor deserve some kind of award for being both amusing and emotionally moving.