Customer Reviews

Welcome to the NHK: Complete Series Box Set

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are some anime properties that you really can't imagine working in any other medium. Sure anime is very closely related to its manga cousin but comics fail to deliver when things really get zany and personable. Welcome to the N-H-K is exactly one such property. It's so unique on so many levels that it's actually hard to believe it came out of the typically conservatively regarded Gonzo studios. But before we get ahead of ourselves here, let's take a look at the hard facts.

Originally released by ADV Films, Funimation has recently acquired the rights to the show and has wasted little time in getting a Complete Series release out to the public. Coming in at a total runtime of 600 minutes, Welcome to the N-H-K the Complete Series spans 4 discs and comes packaged as a pair of thin packs within a cardboard slipcase.

The show wears an appropriate TV MA (17+) rating, which is surprising should you base the show on the previews alone (a more accurate depiction of what's in store would be to check out the cover art and its foaming can of beer, pair of scantily clad women, and lead character looking slightly neurotic).

Language options are typical sub & dub meaning the option of original Japanese dialog track (stereo) or an English dub (5.1 Dolby Surround) and English subtitles available under either language choice.

Extras are limited to textless songs and a host of Funimation trailers.

I'll do my best to summarize the story without giving away any spoilers. The viewer is introduced to Sato, a college dropout who has just about had all he can take of society. So withdrawn from society is our hero that he locks himself up in his dreary apartment where his very grip on reality is becoming more and more twisted by the day.

His own delusions coupled to his lack of outside contact result in his becoming convinced that he is the subject of a vast conspiracy designed keep him under wraps by the secretive agency known as the N-H-K.

Like most mentally ill individuals, being a delusion-suffering recluse results in a twist of incredible fortune when a friendly, pretty, and just generally good hearted young lady named Misaki shows up one day out of the blue with intentions of getting old depressed Sato back into society.

The lead character pair ends up becoming a trio once the loud-music bumping neighbor of Sato's (and an old high-school pal, it turns out) joins the fray. In all this unlikely team makes it their mission to rehabilitate the ever-degenerating mental and social health of Sato through a sort of long and drawn out intervention.

Believe it or not, this is a comedy anime title despite what you may have figured after reading the summary. It's based on a novel, which although I haven't had the pleasure of reading personally, can't possibly capture the oddity and personality that the anime just relishes in around every corner.

The core of the show alternates between a cityscape reality and the hallucinations of Sato, which sometimes border on sexual fantasies. I should note that there is no real nudity involved in said scenarios, but rather provocative outfits and a bit of suggestive dialog. It is the language that earns this show a majority of its MA rating here in the US.

A lot of the show's charm stems from the age-old gag of presenting a fairly "out there" conspiracy theory that can never fully be dismissed by the viewer. The show's creative team does a great job painting a lead character who is clearly suffering from social dysfunction although there are moments along the way where you can't help but wonder if indeed some other forces (like a top-secret agency for example) aren't at play.

The biggest problem I had with the show is that it lacks consistency in nearly sense of the term. There are some genuinely funny moments but they are few and far between. There are some intriguing psychological undertones that slip away to cheap attempts at humor. There are some nice textures and visuals on occasion but more often than not you'll be looking at art that simply gets the job done. About the only aspect of this program that holds steady is the soundtrack, which includes some smooth melodies and catchy J-Pop numbers throughout.

The acting work is solid in both language options, with the Japanese dialog squeaking into the top-spot thanks to a female actor ensemble that feel almost custom tailored to the material.

In all, this is definitely not a show for everyone, nor is the silly/ goofy type of light-hearted romp that previews suggest. It's really a tragic tale if you allow yourself to look beyond the bright visuals and giddy personalities that make up the superficial. Pacing is nice and swift even if the show does struggle at times to firmly establish itself into a genre.

Length:: 4:17 Mins

Gina from Haunted Flower reviews "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, and Ben Kingsley in this video game adaptation about a prince who finds a magical time altering dagger.

[...].

I admit I'm a few years late to this particular party, but I definitely feel the need to post a review to give a nod of recognition to this excellent series. Welcome to the NHK is part comedy/part drama. Like all the best comedy it is meaningful, and like the best drama it doesn't take itself too seriously. Sato is a hikikomori: (I hope I spelled that right) basically an unemployed hermit who fears the pressures of the outside world. How Sato reacts to the outside world is a source of most of the humor.

First, I'd like to rave a little about the characters. ALL the noteworthy characters in this show have problems of some sort. Sato's problem is the focus of the show and being a rather self-absorbed person his perspective doesn't allow him to learn that much about the people around him. As a viewer we can empathize with Misaki and Yamazaki (God, I hope I'm getting these name's right) his two closest friends. To avoid spoiling too much let's just say that Misaki is a young girl who apparently wants to help Sato overcome his problems for no reason other than kindness and Yamazaki is an Otaku with rage issues.

The animation is excellent with a few exceptions. A couple shows look terrible and it makes me wonder if they intentionally designed them that way because it is sooo different than the rest of the show. The music is amazing and really sets the mood of the series. (I especially like "Dancing Baby Human" the ending song for the first disk or so)

The high point of the show, however, is not so much the things that happen to the characters, (although some rather extreme situations do crop up) but how the characters react to their situations. Sato's first reaction to any situation tends to be addiction and escapism and it's easy to see why. The introspective sessions which follow these boughts of hedonist revelry tend to be brutal and tainted with what can only be called psychosis. Misaki is a puzzle at first, but the seeds of her character are planted from the start. The neighbor and best friend Yamazaki is much more complex than he appears. His abrasive behavior and misogynistic rants are a product of real pain, and the writers do a great job of making his character sympathetic despite his many faults.

If you're interested in character studies and psychology (the "dream analysis" scene is the funniest thing I have seen in ages) than buy this series immeadiately. Some people will be put off by the numerous reverances to "deviant" Japanese culture, but it wouldn't be a very honest show if factors like internet pornography and hentai games didn't enter into it at some point.

Up front, there isn't much to speak of in terms of the box set itself; It's a pair of slimline DVD cases without inserts, each disc containing little more than the episodes themselves with Japanese and English audio tracks and an assortment of trailers. In fewer words, you get what you paid for - no more, no less.

Welcome to the NHK concerns a young shut-in, who retreats to his off-campus housing after dropping out of college and sustains himself on his parents' living allowance, and the series opens a few days before he comes to learn a high-school friend has taken up residence in the room beside his. Still later, and even more improbably, he finds his reclusive ways being actively disrupted by an unexplainably benevolent girl who takes an interest in him and declares her intent to rehabilitate him. The premise brings to light what's probably the most jarring aspect of the remainder of the series: the kind of serendipity that can only exist in a world penned by a human author. As much as I expected this series to take a more sardonic, bleak and introspective tone, the plot as it unfolds is for the most part, deeply sentimental and warm-spirited. Oddly so. While I have no qualms with my expectations being broken, the way the story takes form is so far divorced from reality and saturated with euphoric ideas of love and comradery it often seems to dive straight into outright escapist fantasy. Indeed, the author of the original novel the show is based on is a self-described hikkikomori himself, and in watching this there's an overwhelming sense of melancholy that seems to have less to do with the story itself than a lingering feeling of someone clawing at a distant idealized life, the kind of wishful rescue fantasy that has more grounding in the desperate imagination of a shut-in than in real life. For that reason the story sorely lacks introspection on the part of the author and the only real insight this show offers into the condition of a Hikkikomori is realized when it's viewed from the context the story was written in, rather than taken at face value. The series progresses from the premise noted earlier into mountingly unlikely dramatic scenarios of last-minute rescues and tearful confessions of love in ways far beyond romanticized, and the feeling one gets from watching this is a disconnect from real-life and a sort of Norman Rockwell depiction of a failed college student recalibrating to everyday society. Amazingly, in a dialogue near the end of the series one character unflinchingly contrasts the monotony of everyday life to the "outbursts of emotion" of TV dramas, with no apparent trace of irony.

In fact, it seems so clearly to be the intention of the show to evade the coldness of reality that it's slightly hard to criticize it for being as it is. Welcome to the NHK is a manifested fantasy of love and friendship arbitrarily befalling a lonely self-insert recluse, the story of a nobody who spends all his time alone in hiding masturbating and playing video games, suddenly drawing the affections of an attractive young girl who rejoices in pursuing a complete stranger, and in cooking him meals, cleaning his room, solving random tribulations, enduring his repeated tantrums, and above all, loving unquestionably.

Why? It doesn't matter. It's fiction and it's supposed to make you feel good. And it often does.

Spoilers in the comments.

Anime is one of the great joys of my life. I tend to research my shows before viewing, scoping reviews before renting or hooking up the laptop, because I would hate to waste any of my precious watching time on a load of crap. It has unfortunately happened a few times, and I'm always piqued when it does. On the other hand, I've also seen some animes so good, so well done, that my expectations were exceeded. Enter Welcome to the NHK.

I think what appealed to me most about this series was it's realism. NHK is not a college drama; its action exists rather on the fringes of this environment. However, for those of us who have entered a college away from home, and have experienced the type of world within which Satou, Yamizaki, and Misaki survive, this show is about as true-to-life as you can get. For many of us, college did not offer the experiences portrayed in movies like "Animal House" or "Van Wilder"; its aftermath--joblessness for many--is simply too disheartening for most comedies. NHK nods towards those who strive on the outskirts to realize some great dream, no matter how trivial others might think it. We see the underbelly of life as a 20-something college drop-out, with the depression, loneliness, and unemployment that often accompanies it.

That being said, this is a comedy, and a really good one. I've noticed some reviews claiming that NHK is depressing, but frankly I can't see it. While the problems it wrestles with are real (internet suicide, multi-level marketing, MMO addiction, to name a few), NHK never becomes bogged down in its own subject matter. The characters remain sympathetic and likable, and the show holds tight to its humor throughout. What we get is a show that understands the failings of young people faced with city life, but one that believes that life finds a way. We may not end up where we want to be, and we may not be better off for it, but we live.

If you think you might enjoy a story about the interactions between disparate yet equally socially repressed characters, then this show may be for you. If you enjoy slice-of-life animes in general, then please watch this immediately. Definitely the best show I've seen this year.

I came across this series by accident, and fell in love with it almost instantly. Its an incredibly entertaining and humorous take on the hikikomori phenomenon in Japan.

The main character, Sato, a college dropout who suddenly became a phobic social recluse, a "hikikomori" as it is known in Japan. After a few years, he begins to formulate theories of conspiracies against him and makes a desperate attempt to get his life back.

Having an anxiety disorder myself, I was able to really empathize with a lot of what the main character was going through (minus the more neurotic habits).

A wonderful anime series with an original story, highly likable characters and a strong plot. Definitely reccomend it for any anime fan who enjoys a comedic series.

Interesting anime you get to see through the eyes of the Japanese culture. Its kind of like therapy and cheerleading for the hikikomori or recluse. Though Japanese society of course is portrayed as totally blameless, it is highly taboo in Japan to question the structure of their society, likewise the Japanese family structure is shown as above question and totally blameless. Never mind I'm sure many of the hikikomori were victims of abuse and neglect in the nuclear family. The crushing spiritual weight of the Japanese educational system and career expectations are likewise not give air time. All the reasons for Satou withdrawing totally from society are goofy and simply dont resonate. The anime simply doesnt have the guts to challenge Japanese society on any deep level and kind of feeds into the superstitions and invectives used on hikikomori. They had some silly emotional rejection, they withdrew, society is great and they just need to pull it together and get moving.
So really if the anime refuses to deal with these mammoth social problems in Japan I have to question how helpful this anime was really to the hikikomori. Could it really resonate with them? Or does it just make them blame themselves even more for their inability or lack of desire to connect with Japanese culture in the 'normal' way. Perhaps just bringing the issue to light in a way that isnt totally negative is pleasant for the hikikomori, here is hoping so.
Taken purely as entertainment its got its moments. Some of the more wacky scenes are quite a bit of fun and some of the scenes work on an emotional level. There are also moments of humor but some of it is heavily ingrained in the Japanese culture of strick social rules so it loses a bit of impact to Westerners. Some of the episodes feel contrived and feel like an American 'after school special', an example of this would be the death pact group. The anime's intentions were good but it just felt heavy.
The anime is overall enjoyable and worth watching but it is hit or miss most definitely. I would give it 3.5*'s if I could but I cant.

Welcome to the N.H.K is an anime that enters the viewpoint of, Sato. He is a Hikkormori, someone who refuses to leave his house, save for late night food runs. Sato hates normal life, is afraid of the outside world and believes an evil organization the N.H.K is plotting against him. Story wise this anime, delivers. It's a romantic dramady focusing on lives of Otaku. The driving aspect of this anime is it's realism, it has a certain charm that makes the story, stick. It has a dark theme to it, but just when it becomes to much they spice it up with a dash of comedy and a pinch of romance. I would have given this anime five stars, however one aspect bothered me. Certain episodes within the series just slowed down the plot completely. They were unneeded and had almost nothing to do with character development. This series is great, but if those were dropped it would have been flawless.

Animation style was relaxed and in a way very crisp. The art was stimulating to the eyes and never really took away from the series. In certain scenes the artists used a very dark undertone yet never making it feel too dark, a perfect mix. In the animation department, I have no real complaints, the artists were spot on.

The soundtrack was also hit the spot. The soundtrack fits the tone of the story and really sets the mood. It never feels as if they dragged out any of the music and kept it fairly simple. It never became to dark or to fluffy and the soundtrack kept perfect balance.

Story:4/5
Animation:5/5
Soundtrack:5/5

This is one of the comedies/dramas of anime that does not have characters too goofy or rediculous. I actually managed to laugh a good amount of times while watching this series and it is not easy to get me to laugh. Most of us should have no problem relating to this anime series because it is about an anti social person.

Tatsuhiro (the main character) never goes outside unless its night and he needs food. He blames the NHK for all of his problems. He is called a neat (a hermit that never leaves his house). Then one day a girl (Misaki) comes up to his door and tries to sell him a magazine about neats. She later tells him that she wants to cure him of being a neat. He eventually agrees and they go through and over come many challenges and of course Tatsuhiro falls in love with her.

This is an amazing anime that will leave with a different perspective on life after you finish it. If you were anti social at one point in your life you will love this anime and even if you were not you still probably will enjoy it. All of the characters are easy to relate to and you can always manage to find some humor in every situation. I do not recommend this series for people under the ages of 16 because of all the suggestive themes.

I got this boxset when it was $36.99 and I quite glad that I did because it's perfect.
If your a person who would like to see a unique anime that stands out from the rest, then this is the boxset for you.
It will make you laugh, think, and try to make you relate to the main character, even though its hard to fully relate to him.
All in all, this anime isn't one of your common anime and deserves a look at by all who claim to like anime and/or japan culture.