Kita ze Inbou! - キタぜ陰謀!

I’m going to just come right out and say it. I loved the anime adaptation of NHK ni Youkoso to death. I know there are many who dislike it simply because it was handled by GONZO and others who dislike it because it strays from the manga storyline but I think they are people who are just nitpicking. But that is their opinion. This review is solely my own opinion on what I feel is one of the best series of 2006.

NHK ni Youkoso was very thought-provoking in my eyes. Seeing Satou at his lowest and somehow being able to climb back up to an acceptable level of being a human was one of the most painful and emotional things I’ve seen in animation. Seeing all of his friends such as Yamazaki, Hitomi, Iincho, and most of all, Misaki interact with him was always a treat whether something good or bad was happening.

Although the series protagonist was obviously Satou, everyone else had their own share of problems as well. However, we’re not introduced to their issues until the latter half of the series (since the first half dealt solely with Satou and his obsessions/addictions/breakdowns). Hitomi and her brush with suicide, Yamazaki being called home to run the family business, Iincho having to deal with her brother and a pyramid scheme…they were all people with problems we saw investigated thoroughly and also saw them get resolved, most at the end of course. The final two episodes of the series were among the best in the series and in my history of watching anime. And I’ve seen a lot. Seeing Satou and Misaki tango with the thought of suicide/death was heartwrenching but seeing them overcome it brought one of the largest smiles to my face in a long while. Even though the ending still leaves us with the impression that both Satou and Misaki still have some hardships left to go through we’re shown that they’ll be facing them together and not alone any longer. Words can’t express how I felt at the very end but if I could use just one it would be “romantic”.

So while there is some criticism with the NHK ni Youkoso anime, personally I’d say pay not attention to them. The manga is brilliant, yes, but the anime is great in its own respect as well and doesn’t deserve to be discredited for deviating from the manga. It has some wonderful animation (although it can be a tad spotty at times) and even better musical compositions that grace your eyes and ears throughout the entire 24-episode journey. In closing, I’d definitely recommend this anime to any anime fan or friend who is looking for something different from the norm because in the end they’ll be rewarded with a fantastic cast of characters and a depressing and yet uplifting storyline.

My Verdict: 9/10