(L) NHK ni Youkoso! (Welcome to the NHK!)

[tun]

The ending wasn't as great as physics223 is making it out to be. How you like it will depend on what you liked about NHK.

[physics223]

I'm sorry if I've implied that it was a really awesome ending. I'd say no, it wasn't - at least not compared to Honey and Clover's (if they're really comparable), but I'd say that it was sweet yet not saccharine.

But then, it's only the raw I've seen and I'm not as proficient in Japanese as I would have liked, so it may not really be as great as I'm making it out to be.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Alexo75

Is it possible to get my hands on the Soundtrack?

You can buy both soundtracks from CDJapan.

[Ori]

I am totally worshipping Norio Matsumoto from now on. I just realize how many of my all time fav. animation scenes are done by him. And the last episode of NHK just added a new scene on my list.

Animation aside, I thought the voice acting in this episode is amazing as well.

[wao]

I thought Satou's voice acting was still a little odd here and there, but I think a lot of it is simply because Satou himself is an awkward character. He definitely did get the mood nailed down in some scenes. But I was so impressed by Misaki (Makino Yui)'s voice acting! Put great voice acting and nice animation together and you have Instant Win. The middle-ish parts of the episode really grabbed me precisely for that reason. She didn't sound whiny or like she was trying too hard to be cute - or even overdramatic, IMO - but perfectly agreeable (well for the situation the character was in).

I have to say though for all the nice animation, the directing was a bit flat. It started out well, with the irregular fence and all of that, but I guess there were one too many camera pans for my liking. It got a wee bit distracting. Though I don't know why, I liked the dampened feeling of the middle part in a strange way. It kind of made you think that this is not some dramatic theatric situation, but something you have to think about seriously. I just do wish they didn't extend that damp feeling even until the end, somehow it felt a bit funny... but that's just my opinion.

Personally if the sadistic and selfish side of me took over I would have wanted

Spoiler:

someone to die in this series - any of the main characters at least - and I would have liked a sad ending for at least one of the characters.

I guess that's why I got a little miffed after the suicide arc - all that tension and drama for a sudden turnaround of the characters? - but yes, it's just a shallow and unqualified way of thinking...

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by wao

I thought Satou's voice acting was still a little odd here and there, but I think a lot of it is simply because Satou himself is an awkward character.

When i first heard about a NHK anime, the first think i thought about is how they'll animate Satou - because he is in-fact an over the top character who has over the top actions.. i just couldn't see it happening.

With the anime now ended.. you can see that they had to change the style of the show from the manga for it to work.. example being the completely different Misaki we got, but if one part stayed the same.. it was his voice. Yeah i know.. no VA in manga, though when reading it i have this voice in my head for Satou, and Koizumi Yutaka (Satou's VA) was that voice in my head.

[Phlaw]

Hello everyone, i know i might be the new person in the forums, but i was hoping for a little help none the less. I recently stumbeled across "NHK ni Youkoso" while shopping for a friend in a bookstore. Christmas gifts for active readers type of thing. well as i was leaving i happened to glance by the anime section to see if anything caught my eye, the same way Love Hina did a few years ago. I quickly became one of the biggest Love Hina fans ever still wishing to this day i could see more episodes of Keitaro. I digress, I saw a cute girl on the cover of a copy, skimmed a couple pages and figured it somewhat intresting. I tok it home and never sat it down till i was done. this only left me wanting more. I dont know for sure, but i think manga wise, only episode 1 has been released here in the states. well i decided to see if any shows had been aired, and lo and behold there are 24 of em. well i searched for a day and finally found 22 episodes. i watched all 22 in a matter of two sittings and cannot find the last two episodes anywhere. I was hoping, rather praying that someone knows where i can get the last two episodes. please help a new forum buddy out! thanks everyone!

[White Manju Bun]

Originally Posted by Phlaw

Hello everyone, i know i might be the new person in the forums, but i was hoping for a little help none the less. I recently stumbeled across "NHK ni Youkoso" while shopping for a friend in a bookstore. Christmas gifts for active readers type of thing. well as i was leaving i happened to glance by the anime section to see if anything caught my eye, the same way Love Hina did a few years ago. I quickly became one of the biggest Love Hina fans ever still wishing to this day i could see more episodes of Keitaro. I digress, I saw a cute girl on the cover of a copy, skimmed a couple pages and figured it somewhat intresting. I tok it home and never sat it down till i was done. this only left me wanting more. I dont know for sure, but i think manga wise, only episode 1 has been released here in the states. well i decided to see if any shows had been aired, and lo and behold there are 24 of em. well i searched for a day and finally found 22 episodes. i watched all 22 in a matter of two sittings and cannot find the last two episodes anywhere. I was hoping, rather praying that someone knows where i can get the last two episodes. please help a new forum buddy out! thanks everyone!

Last 2 epis havent been subbed yet. Trust me, we're all waiting to see what happens (at least the non raw watchers) 23 should be out soon though. You kinda did the same thing I did. Watched 22 epis in about 2 days

[tritoch]

hah.. damn you all! im on vacation and have scarce access to the internet!!!! I just got around watching 23 and boy it was GOOD! =)

I really disliked the middle part of the show cause it just seem to drag on and on and with passing episode, Satou is going down. Well hopefully we get a good ending.

haha, i didn't read any spoilers so forgive me for being late =p

[White Manju Bun]

Wow 23 was amazing, I think its my fav epi of the series so far. I was totally blown away. I also love how they didnt cut to credits but just had them run as Satou runs after Misaki. This epi nearly made me cry and I dont say that about alot of anime. Far and away my fav epi.

[Phlaw]

ahhhh! stop teasing me about episode 23, how are some people getting it before others, well regardless thank you for responding to my question.

1 more thing, anyone know about a season two? i know its rare that a season two is made, espicially after laying it down all on the line in the final two episodes. Love Hina let me down, please say NHK wont do the same!

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Phlaw

please say NHK wont do the same!

NHK shall not get a second season - you'll understand that once seeing the end to the anime.

[tritoch]

Heck, watch episode 23 and you'll see why there won't be any need for a 2nd season.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

As for Misaki, I've always thought she has severe psychological problems. One can imagine from the scene on the beach that she may have been abused as a child; perhaps that's why she's living with her aunt. Her self-esteem issues fuel her fantasy about curing Satou. On the one hand, she reiterates to herself how she's a better person than Satou and thus capable of leading him to a new, more productive life. At the same time she fantasizes that, once cured, Satou will inevitably come to love Misaki and thus fulfill her need for someone to make her feel important. I don't know what will happen when these events fail to come to pass, but I don't think it will be a pretty sight.

Sadly most of the above was confirmed in episode 23.

Why didn't her mother run away with Misaki and move in with her relatives or move to some type of shelter? (Are there shelters for abused women in Japan?) No matter how depressed she might have been, how could she just abandon her daughter to her abusive husband? How could she not have foreseen that Misaki would become the next target, and a much more defenseless one at that?

Obviously at this point we can imagine a "love-conquers-all" type of ending, but I sincerely hope that's not the case. Misaki needs serious psychological treatment, not a statement of love from Satou. Nor do I think that suddenly declaring his love for Misaki would be good for Satou either. He may be lonely, but I don't believe he truly loves Misaki. His rejection of her final contract says as much. Moreover the beach scene suggests that there is some potential for abuse in Satou as well, much as he seems like a nice guy most of the time. What would happen when he discovers a few years later that he really doesn't love Misaki? Would we see a replay of the relationship between her mother and stepfather?

Oh, and why does he seem so unconcerned about his father's condition? When my father was hospitalized with coronary problems, I went to the hospital.

Glad to see he has a job though. I still think he'd be better off at the farm with Yamazaki.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Oh, and why does he seem so unconcerned about his father's condition? When my father was hospitalized with coronary problems, I went to the hospital.

I'm taking it as there's nothing seriously wrong with him, nothing has ever been mentioned about Satou's father being in anyway ill.. not even in the manga. So for Satou to be not be that worried, i'm guessing it might be just a bad cold or something.

[Sorrow-K]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Obviously at this point we can imagine a "love-conquers-all" type of ending, but I sincerely hope that's not the case.

I do agree that such an ending would be trite, but can you really see it ending in a different way? I just can't see it ending in anything other than the most light-weight fashion possible, (ie, Satou and Misaki walking hand-in-hand into the sunset, with each of their respective issues magically evapourating in the face of their love for each other, etc, etc) given the tone of much of the rest of the series.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

I'm taking it as there's nothing seriously wrong with him, nothing has ever been mentioned about Satou's father being in anyway ill.. not even in the manga. So for Satou to be not be that worried, i'm guessing it might be just a bad cold or something.

Well, it's serious enough that it leads to Satou's financial lifeline being cut off. Earlier when his allowance was halved, it was because his father had lost his job. Now he loses the other half because his father was hospitalized. True they don't say why he was hospitalized, but it sounds to me like his parents are expecting some big medical bills. Regardless of the reason, Satou is so immersed in self-pity at this point in the story that he seems totally unmoved by his father's condition. Hell, he doesn't even inquire as to what's wrong with his dad.

Originally Posted by Sorrow-K

I do agree that such an ending would be trite, but can you really see it ending in a different way? I just can't see it ending in anything other than the most light-weight fashion possible, (ie, Satou and Misaki walking hand-in-hand into the sunset, with each of their respective issues magically evapourating in the face of their love for each other, etc, etc) given the tone of much of the rest of the series.

Sure, how about Satou rescues Misaki from self-destruction, then she agrees to be hospitalized. After some serious therapy, she goes back to university and begins a professional career. Misaki really needs some source of authentic self-fullfillment that doesn't revolve around a romanticized rescue fantasy. Satou then joins Yamazaki on the farm, and they become successful eroge and cheese producers. They take some of their new-found profits and help Kobayashi Megumi pay off her MLM debts. In return, she moves to the farm and becomes the President of their firm. She'd be much better at administration and marketing than either Satou or Yamazaki. Impressed with Satou's new-found direction and financial success, Kashiwa leaves her loveless marriage, takes the baby, and joins Satou on the farm. The four live together in a menage-a-quatre, joined occasionally by Puru Puru Puruin.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Hell, he doesn't even inquire as to what's wrong with his dad.

Satou's the type of character that would make sure if everything is okay.. he wouldn't leaving something like that hanging, i'm guessing that he did find out about what was wrong, and understood that it was nothing serious. Not adding it to the episode makes sense 'cause it would be a side cut to the story thats happened at the moment.

[Radiosity]

You know, after reading your idea on an ending there, SeijiSensei, I don't think I want to watch the last episode any more, yours is just perfect as it is We just know it's not going to happen though.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Radiosity

You know, after reading your idea on an ending there, SeijiSensei, I don't think I want to watch the last episode any more, yours is just perfect as it is We just know it's not going to happen though.

His idea for the ending might be good - but it no way works for NHK. :3

The ending we get already is good - it ties up everything so no questions could be asked about it.. its just not as good as i know it could be.