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

[Dracil]

Hmm.... from the manga...

Originally Posted by kauldron26

The scene from highschool in which we see the amalgamtion of Satou's love for her, and how she rewards him for his dedication towards her and convictions was just incredible.. we've all had that moment (if ur over 18 and have some experience) that moment when u know the girl u've been working ur ass off to win over, sacrificing a shit load of shit to gain her affections, and u finally do... That scene represents moments in which many of us truly felt and feel grateful for life, youth and all that it has to offer. Few moments are greater than getting to bang ur dreamgirl... lmao.. The symbolism with the kettle was just awe-inspiring. Damn i love this show.

Originally Posted by Lilith

I agree. I think that she's the one who ruined him (conspiracy etc) and now she's the one who's gonna help me. Just one thing... did they just kiss or had sex? Or will we know later?

Spoiler:

He's very much a virgin. That was just a kiss.

Originally Posted by Paranoia833

I'll be very interested to see where they go with this, I found the focus on character development to be far more interesting than simply going over the more sordid fetishes of the common garden otaku stereotype (not least because, as a Japanese production, they'll never touch the subject nearest and dearest to my geek heart: Dungeons & Dragons, not that there isn't more than enough hilarious material on that already).

Spoiler:

Well, later on in the manga, there's a bit where Satou starts playing MMORPGs, and since there's now a DDO, I guess it's slightly related. No table-top stuff though.

[Shiroth]

Hmm, been thinking about the whole Hitomi situation..

Spoiler:

Hitomi is just so much more involved with Satou at the start of the story.. compared to the manga, where she really comes into his life around volume 04.

A good idea for the anime? We'll just have to wait and see~

[physics223]

Welcome to the NHK - 05 Insights

Spoiler:

This was a great episode. It made me regain my faith in NHK, and then some.

[Muir Woods]

Saw episode 05 (and also read its corresponding manga chapter). Illustrated psychiatric books through Freud? Counseling conducted by a 17 or 18 year old girl no less? Pardon me while I restrain a chuckle, *grin*. Obviously she's not a professional, but you know you're not getting proper therapy when your counselor can't even deal with matters of sex without blushing. Which begs the ambiguous questions, how or in what way is Misaki and her mere presence helping Satou? And why? These will be sustaining questions in my mind as I watch and (re)read the rest of NHK.

I am curious as to why Freud is such a poster-boy for psychology, and his theories are so prominent to the general population to a point that his concepts are almost always first to be referred when it comes to psychological matters. I suppose it's due to his adaptive theories regarding a prolific subject, and his high influence in psychology, that bolstered Freud's eminence into the household level. But one of the main problems of Freud's theories is that they're constructed in a way that it's self-contained, and are not disapprovable. Even if it's wrong, a psychoanalyst following Freud's train of thought can always think up a plausible explanation regarding the interpretation of a dream. Or for another example, his theory that conflicts between mental structures such as the id and the superego were factors in determining one's personality and behaviour. But there is no way to observe or measure these structures, thus very difficult to test his hypotheses (Neil R. Carlson et al. 2005). Sure, his theories provide a nice guideline to speculate and ponder about, but the way they are formulated makes it hard to give scientific basis to his ideas. Which is why I am reluctant trust the psychology of Freud, at least, elucidations based solely on him.

[arias]

Originally Posted by Muir Woods

I am curious as to why Freud is such a poster-boy for psychology, and his theories are so prominent to the general population to a point that his concepts are almost always first to be referred when it comes to psychological matters.

Freud is pop-psychology.

His status in contemporary Psychology is vastly diminished.. I'm not sure why you have to do the citing thing though Seems cheesy. If you're a modern psych student, then you should know that most PSY101 textbooks take a dim view of Freudian psychology -- well, psychoanalysis in general. And they're definitely right.

But Freud is the gripping stuff of literature. Ego, supression, raw emotions, oedius complex.. all tasty ingredients to good drama. It is hardly suprising that prominent Japanese animators like Hideaki Anno and Mamoru Oshii do read and think in the threads of Freudian psychology.. you just need to see Evangelion and Shinji, as well as what happens in EVA to know that psychoanalysis still runs very strongly in both the social setting and in mainstream media.

As an asides, there are very few practicing psychoanalysts in North America now, but I don't see them dying out anytime soon. There will always be a place in the hearts of commoners to place their blame on something else -- in Freudian psychology namely, your childhood (esp your big bad parents).

[Mr. Guy]

Originally Posted by Angelsama

Having watched episode 05 a few times today, i can easily say i've fallen for Hitomi with a bang.. she's just so much more in-depth within the anime compared to the manga.. gawd i love her. >_<

I don't see it. There's only one instance in the episode that really had new development for her when compared to the manga (that scene should be obvious). Being my favorite character from the manga, I really thought I'd enjoy her at least equally in the anime. This is not the case. The reason the first encounter in the manga stood out to me was because of the front Kashiwa-sempai put on for Satou. In the anime, she's soft spoken and clearly if not depressed, severely sick of life. A similar impression was given in the manga but it had many more layers to it.

What that scene lacked was contrast. What the NHK anime in general lacks is contrast. The funny things were funny because they had a serious side and the serious things came off well because they were so different from the comedy. Everything in the anime seems to constantly be depressing in tone. And as much as I love the seiyuus (they're near perfect IMO) they simply cannot seem to be able to make the comedy work. Again, the whole encounter with Kashiwa-sempai was devoid of any kind of humor and the whole meeting with Misaki seemed heavily toned down as well.

On the positive side, I greatly appreciate any Kashiwa-sempai. Her seiyuu seems almost near perfect and has a sort of aura about her. That flashback scene is probably my favorite scene from the anime yet. Yamazaki is just as awesome as ever and Satou's a very nice interpretation as well. Hearing Misaki pronounce "Freud-san" was hilarious as well. That's something you really need to hear a voice to appreciate!

As a stand alone series, I can see myself finding enjoyment watching this series. But with knowledge of the manga it's just frustrating to watch. It doesn't help that GONZO seems to have a severely limited budget. Episode 5 is probably the best one yet but I think the reality of the whole situation is starting to dawn on me

[Muir Woods]

Originally Posted by arias

Freud is pop-psychology.

His status in contemporary Psychology is vastly diminished.. I'm not sure why you have to do the citing thing though Seems cheesy. If you're a modern psych student, then you should know that most PSY101 textbooks take a dim view of Freudian psychology -- well, psychoanalysis in general. And they're definitely right.

Heh heh, "pop-psych", it just rolls off the tongue. And oh, I did the citation thingy because I wrote almost word for word (although I did switch some synonyms and altered the sentence structure in the referenced lines) from the text, and citing it helps me avoid the guilt of plagiarism. And plus it couldn't hurt in referencing/citing things to give backing to your points and ideas, as it helps make your argument sound more authoritative and "academic", but I suppose it's overkill here in AS .

[Lerry08]

Originally Posted by Lilith

Ep 5
I agree. I think that she's the one who ruined him (conspiracy etc) and now she's the one who's gonna help me. Just one thing... did they just kiss or had sex? Or will we know later?

I think they do have sex in my opinion, or else Hitomi-san won't take off her cloths just for a kiss right? lol

For Angelsama and others who want the audio stream, here. Enjoy

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.ph...DF443D7C743F58

[arias]

Originally Posted by Muir Woods

Heh heh, "pop-psych", it just rolls off the tongue. And oh, I did the citation thingy because I wrote almost word for word (although I did switch some synonyms and altered the sentence structure in the referenced lines) from the text, and citing it helps me avoid the guilt of plagiarism. And plus it couldn't hurt in referencing/citing things to give backing to your points and ideas, as it helps make your argument sound more authoritative and "academic", but I suppose it's overkill here in AS .

Oh, I am very serious when people call it "pop-psychology".. : o Another technical term for it is "folk-psychology" though, but it's slightly different and sort of complicated to explain in a short post I didn't realize you copied it almost word for word, because you could've used the [quote] tags.. ; ) But it's okay.

Good arguments on AS can only run as far as the people good enough to recognize the strengths in the arguments. Pasting stuff from journals or whatever does intimidate some people here though : p

Can anyone tell me if the anime deviates significantly from the manga? I'd watch it if it does.

[myopius]

For those who've read the novels, can I just ask something? The first initial scenes of the ED, before instrumentals turn to vocals, really provide a deep mood (Satou smoking with his gaze obscured, Yamazaki set off the distance, Hitomi's face shrouded in her hair, Misaki holding a crucifix in that manner). Is that a kind of serious, slightly dramatic mood we might see more of later, or is reminiscing about the past and pondering personal interactions the deepest NHK will get?

I think I've definitely become aware of the overall theme of this series. Like Suzumiya Haruhi's theme was that love gives our individual lives meaning (yeah I know that's completely simplified), half of NHK's theme relates to the fact that things don't always turn out well for people, even when it's no one's fault, with the "conspiracy" as the (surprisingly beautiful) "personification" of the world's impersonality. I get the feeling that the other half of the theme is positive, I'm not sure in what respect.

It's great that I can follow the theme of this anime to better understand where it's at and try to figure out where it's going, though--the mark of a really awesome anime (or novels, or just "story"--however you call it).

[Dracil]

Originally Posted by Lerry08

I think they do have sex in my opinion, or else Hitomi-san won't take off her cloths just for a kiss right? lol

From manga...

Spoiler:

Then he wouldn't have talked about graduating from being a virgin in a later chapter as he fantasizes about what Misaki's going to do to him.

Granted, this scene wasn't in the manga, so they *could* actually be trying to take it in that way, but I seriously doubt it. Besides he wouldn't be having nosebleeds (virginity trademark) and being so shocked about porn in the anime if he wasn't a virgin.

[rayk]

Guess no one is doing the releases in .avi format right? Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

[TEKO425]

Originally Posted by rayk

Guess no one is doing the releases in .avi format right? Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

You can easily convert the mkv file to an avi using VirtualdubMod by following this guide. That's what I've been doing.

[ryomakun]

I made a gif animation on my favorite moment in episode 5:
i'll put it in spoiler tags:

Spoiler:

Kawaii Factor:10/10

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Mr. Guy

I don't see it. There's only one instance in the episode that really had new development for her when compared to the manga (that scene should be obvious). Being my favorite character from the manga, I really thought I'd enjoy her at least equally in the anime. This is not the case. The reason the first encounter in the manga stood out to me was because of the front Kashiwa-sempai put on for Satou. In the anime, she's soft spoken and clearly if not depressed, severely sick of life. A similar impression was given in the manga but it had many more layers to it.

I understand what you're saying here, its just - with the school flashbacks already been happening sence the first episode, it brings her storyline relationship with Satou more to the top.. and thats something i'm really enjoying in the anime.

As for the restaurant scene in the anime, that also gives of a better impression of Kashiwa, and how much Satou actually means to her.. more in the way of her only reason of living. Just from thats scene alone, you can see Satou's reason for wanting Misaki's help.

Spoiler:

It is hard to say if we'll end up seeing the same Kashiwa from the manga, maybe it just all depends on if we get the offline meeting chapter. I think its pretty easy to say her bf/husband shall come into the story.. its needed for Satou's turn around.

Originally Posted by Mr. Guy

On the positive side, I greatly appreciate any Kashiwa-sempai. Her seiyuu seems almost near perfect and has a sort of aura about her. That flashback scene is probably my favorite scene from the anime yet.

This is what i mean't when saying she hit me with a bang.. she just stands out so much more when compared to the manga. Just like you - she is my fav' character from the series, and making her stand out like that has really hit me a lot more then in the manga.

[deathbygirl]

Pardon the interruption of the discussion of NHK's actual content.

Originally Posted by rayk

Guess no one is doing the releases in .avi format right? Anyone?

If you're concerned about Oyasumi's MKV playback compatability on your computer, it shouldn't be an issue as long as you have the right tools. AnimeSuki's playback page now links to a guide regarding proper playback of various files (hosted on Froth-Bite's forums) which I would assume is reputable; there is also a link to the Combined Community Codec Pack, a codec pack that handles a large percentage of encodes, as far as fansubs are concerned. If you have a Mac or are running Linux, I believe mplayer is the solution of choice for many (stated in both Froth-Bite's guide and CCCP's FAQ/Wiki). As far as codecs go, Oyasumi's files are encoded in XviD/Vorbis, so CPU-related problems that may occur with H.264 will not apply with these particular encodes.

If you're having issues with playback not relevant to your computer's specifications (e.g. you want to play the file on an iPod, PSP, standalone, etc.) or just have some kind of unexplainable attraction to the AVI container, you can either wait for another group to release Welcome to the NHK! in an XviD-in-AVI encode (I'm not sure whether 264-in-AVI encodes will play back properly on those mediums) or re-encode the file yourself. As far as I'm aware about the former, Studio ADTRW has released the first episode in that format, while Anime-Assassins has released the first episode and plan on releasing subsequent episodes in the near future. I'm not affiliated with either group, nor do I know about their plans for this project, so you should inquire with their respective members if you want further information.

[noisytime]

Indeed I've followed that very guide on froth-bite.com and have never had any problems using MKV afterwards.

On to the anime:

1) I really enjoy this anime because it is so atypical. It's rare for anime to capture human pathos the way this one has thus far.

2) I share Satou's dissapointment with Misaki-chan. Up till this episode I viewed her as something of a divinity. I had assumed she utilised her divine powers to watch Satou, and I was sure she made herself appear during Satou's act of lolicon transgression to confirm this much to Satou, and frighten him out of further damage to his dignity [and society]. All along I expected her to use these divine powers to heal Satou, or at least I thought the nature of her Hikkikomori Recovery Project (or whatever it's called in the show) would never reveal itself -- a mere plot device, like the mysterious briefcase in a Hitchcock film (or Tarantino's Pulp Fiction if you prefer).

3) I don't know much about hikkikomori, and I wonder what kind of reaction they would have to the show. Does it make them uncomfortable because it hits close to home, or does it make them sad because they know that:

a. A Misaki-chan will never come to their rescue.
b. Their Yamazaki-kun does not live next door.
c. Lacking a Yamazaki-kun, they would never venture outside to meet a senpai that would inspire their recovery.

4) Obviously I haven't read the manga, but I'm shocked and horrified by the claim that the scene in the Literature Club was just a kiss. She locked the door for a kiss? She took her blazer off for a kiss? The kettle symbolized a kiss? Absurd! That level of teasing would be enough to scare a man into his home for 4 years.

[Anime Online]

Whistling kettles seem to be symbolic of sex scenes in the movies (Amelia, 2001). I confess I do not see the connection between whistling kettles and sex scenes though.

[Kisuke06]

I have finaly watched episode 5. Very good episode, finaly Saitou entered in the "project" and senpai looks like a very good character.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by noisytime

Obviously I haven't read the manga, but I'm shocked and horrified by the claim that the scene in the Literature Club was just a kiss. She locked the door for a kiss? She took her blazer off for a kiss? The kettle symbolized a kiss? Absurd! That level of teasing would be enough to scare a man into his home for 4 years.

Spoiler:

It could have changed from the manga, and had Satou has not a virgin. .but having that changed would confuse whats to happen in the future.

Its true that the anime has lead us all to believe that more happened in the club room, but having it like thats wrong for the future of the story.