- Dec 25, 2003
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Just like Genshiken was about otakus, this anime is basically about the hikikomori lifestyle. Hikikomori is a term to describe the new phenomenon in Japan (and spreading worldwide) where people will just isolate themselves in their room for months or years, avoiding all social contact when possible.
Often these people are also NEETs (Not engaged in Education, Employment, or Training), which is related to Freeters (people who are underemployed, going through a string of low-paid jobs), and twixters (a Western term describing the generation of young adults between 18-29 stuck between adolescence and adulthood)
You've probably seen hikikomoris in other places, like Jun from Rozen Maiden, or one of the guys in Densha Otoko.
Anyway, in this anime, there's a girl who seems to be trying to help him, and an otaku friend who's much more well-adjusted than he is. Genre-wise, I'd call it a comedic drama, but if you strip out the humor, it's a somewhat serious social commentary that also explores some of Japan's subculture, like otaku, lolicons, internet suicide, galgames. I think the author of the novel from which the anime was adapted from was originally a hikikomori himself as well, so the story's a little autobiographical.
The anime is actually somewhat censored compared to the manga/novel, e.g. they cut out the drugs, less focus on the lolicon aspect, etc.
Those of you who've seen Suzumiya Haruhi and the ending parodies will be delighted to know that the person who did the Gundam ending parody has done a Gundam ending parody for this anime too!
Warning, the original may be a little disturbing. The song's basically about how the world's wonderful when you're a baby, and the world becomes bad once you're an adult, so it's best to be a baby human/adult (fansub says kidult).
Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfFOfi83GwI
Parody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbLDITqACVc