Welcome to the N.H.K. is yet another one of those series that was once in ADV's hands, but now finds a welcome home in FUNimation's catalogue of titles. The recent shift has made America's largest anime publisher even stronger and with a more robust selection there's even more reason for otaku to fawn over them. In the case of N.H.K. FUNimation finds themselves with a unique show on their hands.

N.H.K. got its start back in 2002 with a novel by Tatsuhiko Takimoto which was later turned into a manga in 2004 and then an anime in 2006. As far as the anime is concerned it's worth mentioning that the series was produced by Gonzo, and if you're familiar with any of their works you probably already know that the series looks good. The animation house has a knack for quality and considering N.H.K.'s interesting pedigree, there's plenty of material to make for a striking series.

The show follows the life of 22 year old Tatsuhiro Sato, who is a college drop out and professional Hikikomori. In case you're unfamiliar with the term, a Hikikomori is essentially a recluse with no social skills whatsoever. They often hole themselves up in their apartments and do not interact with anyone unless they have to. In the case of Sato he's been in this reclusive state for roughly three years when N.H.K. starts and right from the beginning we see his anxiety towards the outside world and fact that he doesn't have a job. Deep down Sato isn't necessarily a bad guy, but as is the case with Hikikomori the rest of society passes judgment on him for the worse, though the fact he constantly lies to suit his needs doesn't help either. Sure he has some perverse tendencies, he lashes out during normal conversation, and he doesn't pay his bills, but aside from that he seems rather average most of the time.

Joining Sato in N.H.K. is a host of other flawed characters. A young girl named Misaki takes an interest in Sato, but she seems to do so out of her own needs. She is a troubled youth who feels that the only way she can be happy is if she's helping out someone less fortunate than her. Sato's neighbor, Yamazaki, is a hardcore otaku and lover of anime girls who displays symptoms of being Hikikomori himself, though without the hatred of the outside world. One of Sato's old friends from high school is in a state of constant paranoia and depression, and another of his acquaintances is caught deep within a pyramid scheme. All around this is a series with problematic characters, but after watching the first twelve episodes I have to say that's part of its charm.

The second half Welcome to the N.H.K. picks up where the previous one left off with Sato going to a deserted island with Hitomi in order to break out of his Hikikomori shell. Little does he realize that she and the three other guys they are traveling with intend to throw themselves off of a cliff and end their misery. Naturally Sato is put off by this, but after a while he seems to warm up to the idea of suicide. Of course they don't go through with it, and in the end it is Sato's actions that influence their decisions ironically enough.

Once Sato is back on the mainland he buckles down and gets to work with Yamazaki on their gal game. Unfortunately, the shocking news that his allowance has been halved prompts Sato to lose himself trying to find a source of income, without venturing into the outside world that is. His solution is mining for rare items in an online game called Ultimate Fantasy in an effort to sell them for real money. He parties up with a female character and gets drawn into the game to an unhealthy degree, though he doesn't actually turn up any profit. This whole situation doesn't end well and it leads to Sato being drawn into an old classmate's pyramid scheme and getting in debt.

So many things have happened in the series and the second half of the show is no different. Throughout all of Sato's misadventures as a Hikikomori Misaki continues to cling to him inexplicably no matter how poorly she's treated. Yamazaki still pushes him to write their game and Sato's old schoolmates become friends of sorts. Each episode sees a step forward towards a decreasing state of Hikikmori with occasional steps back. Right up to the end of the series you'll be clueless about how it's going to resolve itself and that unpredictability is definitely part of the series' charm.

Welcome to the N.H.K. is such an oddity. The characters are all flawed with problems ranging from childhood abuse to suicidal tendencies, depression, paranoia, social anxiety, and obsessive compulsiveness. With this in mind, the five characters that we're introduced to in this show are more human than we're accustomed to with anime. They feel real, unique, and because of that N.H.K. truly stands out. It helps that the story revolving around Sato is every bit as compelling as the show's characters and in the end this is one of the most unique shows I have ever seen. I was hooked from the moment it started and right up to the end I couldn't put it down.

Welcome to the N.H.K. is presented on DVD with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio. FUNimation has decided to release the series in two parts with two discs in each set. As such you can expect to see the remaining 12 episodes split between the two DVDs in this second part, which gives the series a somewhat claustrophobic feeling. FUNimation has done this as of late and though there is some compression and grain here as a result of the packaging, overall N.H.K. still looks good. Gonzo is known for their high production values and this series stands as testimony to that fact with some unique design, fluid animation, and an all around solid looking presentation. The production team really went all out with some of the trippy hallucinations that Sato has and they definitely give the series an interesting look.

As you'd expect N.H.K. is presented with a Japanese 2.0 stereo dub as well as a 5.1 English offering. Both tracks performed admirably with regards to the voice cast, though I felt the Japanese crew nailed the material more than the English team did. Even so the quality of both dubs is very good so fans of each type should be pleased enough. As far as the audio quality is concerned both tracks perform like you'd expect they would, though this isn't really a show that requires a dynamic presence on the rear channels. The sense of immersion is quite minimal since, for the most part, this is a dialogue-driven anime.

The only bonus features you're going to find here are some clean animations and trailers.

Welcome to the N.H.K. is an addictive show. Once you start watching it you'll be glued until you find out how Sato's adventure ends and if he ever finds a cure to his condition. It's a compelling program with fascinating characters and interesting situations. This is a rarity for anime and if you are looking for something that is essentially unlike anything you have ever seen definitely give this one a shot. It's a fun guilty pleasure that has enough surprises and charms to endear itself to a wide audience. The show's second half is every bit as entertaining as its first and right through the end you'll be hooked. Highly Recommended

Check out more of my reviews here. Head on over to my anime blog as well for random musings and reviews of anime, manga, and stuff from Japan!