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Dark but funny. Melancholic but hopeful. Amazing atmosphere. One of a kind.

A long time ago i read the novel Welcome to the NHK, the source material that this anime was based on. Recently, i started watching the anime. It took me a long time to start it because the art and animation in the first episode felt subpar to many current shows, which is understandable since it's more than a decade old. but after i got past that and continued to watch more episodes, i got completely hooked.

Welcome to the NHK is a show that is unlike any other anime out there. It tackles ... many difficult subjects, such as mental illness, personality disorders, post traumatic stress, scams, depression and suicide. These are things the characters deal with, so naturally there will be some dark scenes and depressing situations. However, if you can handle that, then the show balances this out by presenting a lot of comedy, as well as hopefulness. This may sound weird, but somehow they pulled it off and it works.

The main character is a shut-in, who doesnt work or go to school. He's slowly losing his grip on life, and falling deeper and deeper into his hole. A mysterious girl starts to help him, and they agree to meet at the park every night so she can give him a psycho-therapy lesson. He also has a neighbor who he knew as a youngster, and together they decide to make a computer game together. Those are the three main characters, and throughout the show, they become aware of their weaknesses and try to improve themselves and each other in their own way. However, they often hit obstacles and drawbacks. Our main character also develops feelings that he has trouble accepting and doesn't know how to handle. I can not overstate how much I wanted to see what happens to these characters, that's how drawn i was to this show, which does not happen that often for me anymore when it comes to anime.

The overall atmosphere is amazing. sometimes there is a lazy summer sun-washed vibe, sometimes melancholic and nostalgic, and sometimes there are frantic rushes of panic and dementia. The music is also a highlight, featuring many songs that I really liked and matched well with the mood. Sometimes the art leaves more to be desired, but it didnt hold back my enjoyment because there was so many other things to appreciate about it.

I've watched over 100 anime shows, and when I finished Welcome to the NHK (in less than a week), I immediately put this in the top 5 of my favorites list. A show like this is very rare, and if you can handle the subject matter, it is a absolute gem. There is no other show that does this nearly as well.