NHK ni Yôkoso had been of one my favourite animes for years, one I'd rewatched quite often until the the feelings faded away, and I ended up forgetting as well as removing it from my podium of favourites, even going as far as putting a nine out of ten instead of the original ten. Somehow, it didn't feel like a masterpiece anymore, though it certainly remains a great memory and a work I enjoyed and would probably still appreciate, albeit mainly because of its realisation.

It was no wonder I would end up one day reading the novel or the manga. The manga did possess quite a bit of fame, and the novel, although quite obscure, was nonetheless a piece edited in English and the original work and creator of all the fame surrounding its children. I did try out the novel, however as displeased as I am with light novels, I found it bland and uninteresting, maybe too similar to the anime but then it just didn't work as a text-only material. Still, the anime was a great memory of my childhood, something I could relate to and wholeheartedly enjoyed, and still reminisce about while listening to its soundtracks.

I had downloaded the novel's ebook years ago, maybe just after finishing the anime for the first or second time, I hardly remember, but I hadn't read it yet and it kept remaining on my hard drive until someday I found it lost amongst all these others ebooks I mass downloaded and never read. In the end, I did probably try it thrice without really liking it, and there remained the manga I'd never let my eyes fall upon. Instead, it was a friend of mine who, years after the anime just the same as I, decided to read it instead of the novel, and liked it. I decided to give it a try too.

I read half the manga in what seemed like less than two hours, or maybe even one, and then I left it hanging for a few weeks too. Still, it wasn't because the work bored me, as I did actually enjoy it. Without even reading the later part, I'd already come to the conclusion that it was better than the anime, and I still don't think that I was wrong. Since I never really read the novel, I still don't understand what's taken from the original story and what's not, but without any soundtrack, without the sublime animation of the other adaptation, this piece of paper easily surpassed Gonzo's adaptation. I started to find that one rather bland, actually.

The manga brings a completely different point of view to the story, and even without reading I am pretty sure neither the anime's nor the manga's vision are present in the novel, for it is utterly lacking any kind of description and almost only about Satou's thoughts. The anime focused a lot on artistic realisation, and I do think it did a magnificent job at that, but what about the actual content ? That's where I now realize it's quite a bit lacking.

In this manga adaptation, every character is brought to life, be it in actions or simply the drawn expressions, way more numerous and present than the anime. The anime is, on that point, closer to the novel which only shows Satou's thoughts, at it is way too focused on our protagonist, but the manga is not. NHK made little sense, yet here every character is brought up together in the end and everyone get his own little personal development. Misaki who was merely a plot tool in the anime becomes a character of its own, Yamazaki is more than just a background element and even the president's hikkikomori brother, which is in my opinion the most interesting and my favourite character, even he gets his own development. What's also really likeable is how each of them are shown to be broken, be it the successful Jougasaki, the carefree Yamazaki or his completely ordinary girlfriend.

This manga manages to bring the most potential out of the manga. It tells the story in a way which hardly lacks anything and with a pacing perfectly fitting it. Hell, I would even dare to say it did a better job at trying out an artistic realisation than the anime version. Each chapter is cut at the right part and the mangaka especially did a good job at using multiple point of views at the same time in a single chapter, allowing his work to possess more profoundness through the presence of multiple protagonists. This is really interesting as it allows for a paralleled development of everyone and follows deeply the idea of everyone being the same. What's more, through the story, the roads of every personage just end up crossing each other.

Leaving the quality as an adaptation apart, it is also an excellent standalone work. This is, in the same way as a few other works such as Baka ga Zenra de Yatte Kuru or "Haikai Roujin" Don Quixote a strange bildungsroman of a late blooming neet, who through his misadventures end up confronting his past and at the same time discovering himself a future and a present to live in. Once again, the manga perfectly manages what it tries to do, and the short trip of Satou through society is a worthy tale about society and its depressing parts, but also about freedom as it remains a main idea throughout the story, for Satou's deepest desire reveals itself to be merely a dream of that. A dream of perhaps the most unreachable thing for a human, and maybe even more for a man of society.

Illustrated with simplistic drawings, the manga express to its deepest core depression. It's drawn with sad but pretty lines, with a pacing just slow enough to tell the events without ever delaying, and relate a cynical turn of events. Perhaps, if it's lacking anything, it would be Satou's thoughts from the original work, or maybe distancing itself is how it manages to excel this much, for it certainly was a worthy read and a dreamlike modern tale hardly forgettable.

I don't think I can properly comment on this manga. So I'll just say it was the most...fulfilling thing I have ever read.

Ever.

In my entire life.

More fulfilling then any other written piece of work, including books.

Strange, isn't it?

Anyways, I don't recommend this as a read for everyone. It's a manga that's...complex. It almost seems to mold itself into whatever the reader wants it to be. I guess I simply enjoyed what I ended up reading.

It's great.

The later chapters deviate a lot from the mood in the beginning. It goes from I'm-a-happy-funny-addict to everything-that-can-go-wrong-with-a-person-personified.

It's one of the few mangas in which I actually do want a happy ending. Usually, it's not good until someone dies.

Frankly, I felt that Misaki could've been developed better [she was more complex than the main character], and the ending was not well paced. It was adrupt and left many loose ends.

Despite it's faults, it really draws you in. Halfway in the series it starts to connect with you personally. If you're facing the type of issues that these characters are, you really can't put it down.

this manga is about some of the fallen of the society, the losers and weak, the depressive and the manics. it manage to make such an enjoyable and hilarious manga out of such a heavy topic, thus anyone may be able to read this without lying down on bed, crying. the chapters take mostly this formula = the first 90% is wacky hijinks and the protagonist doing insane stuff, the last 10% is when all the comedic bafoonery get to a peak, and he and us crashed down to the reality, or the reality that he accept where he is a worthless human being.

this is truly a great manga for anyone who love interesting characters.

The story itself is so intriguing. Part time through you're hoping the author finally gives him a job, but it never comes. It was, as others have said, a brilliant read. You can interpret it which ever way you want really. Trying to understand the internal meaning to the whole thing isn't gonna help you understand it in the long run, it could've been something the author had had experienced at some point (I doubt it), but you feel yourself more in tune with the main character as it progresses. You can literally feel his sadness. More than once I've thought of this while laying on my bed.

In any case, I don't recommend this series. It is more for those who are in his position that you'll most likely have the same effect, maybe for those that have been in his position before, but I wouldn't go out and recommend it to people I know.

tazman0208's comments are something you have to consider while reading this manga, the ending does end in a very abrupt fashion and it may disappoint a few readers. there is a point to this story that gives it its charm. but the meaning behind this story is also something that is actually very commonly seen in a lot of abstract(artistic) movies that are made in asia. if you are familiar with artistic films, you would know what i am talking about*.

Nothing too deep or hard to understand as long as you are of the right age and read it to the end. The story isnt a rubix cube it just may take a bit of time to sink in. id give it an 8

I had an interesting time with this manga. The depressing parts were carried out so well it managed to make me feel worse about myself. However, I didn't really appreciate the way the mangaka tries to fuck up the characters by injecting a hilariously cruel but unbelievable twist to their situations. Otherwise, the OTT reactions from the main lead are amusing, and I liked the few heart-warming moments. The ending of the manga left me a little unsated, drawing no closure for me nor leaving any clues as to how everyone would end up. *Sigh*

Still a fun ride though, and I liked the messages the mangaka left. Misery does love company and if anything can go wrong, it definitely will. It was quite meaningful.

... Last updated on August 28th, 2012, 11:58pm

I wish I could say that NHK was a good manga. It is clearly a labor of the author's heart. If only it weren't so excruciating.

I'll admit that I was initially very positive about NHK, but my enjoyment of the manga declined all too quickly. After the first few volumes, the story rapidly spirals away from simply being "the trials and tribulations of a hikkikomori" and develops instead into a study of the interrelationships of the mentally ill. I admire the tackling of such a mature and difficult topic, but I can't say that it's done well. The characters become increasingly irrational and unlikable, and consequently more difficult for the reader to project onto. The narrative becomes increasingly disjointed, and it is often difficult to determine what is fantasy and what is reality. Perhaps the author intended this as a way of re-enforcing the idea of the characters' mental stability, but as a reader it just made me feel more disoriented and alienated from the world of NHK. Whether the attempt is intentional or not, the result jarring and frustrating, as it becomes increasingly difficult to grasp meaning from the manga, if indeed there is any.

While I applaud the author's intent, I find that I can neither enjoy it nor extract any artistic value from it. Though there may be some value to be found in this story, it's an arduous journey getting there.

was addictive and interesting to start with but sadly became a trainwreck. lost the meaning, plot, purpose of the series around the 25 chapter mark. it was all a mess. mangaka also had a hard time depicting the events clearly after a while. you were completely lost between present time, flashbacks and make-believe and that made for a sloppy read. not well executed at all.

... Last updated on November 3rd, 2022, 2:05pm

It takes a while to say what really want to say, and even when say it sometimes ins't so satisfactory, but it is very competent when it comes to character study, and thematically still very relevant talking about social phobia and tendency to self-sabotage caused by adulthood desillusions.