Recovery of an MMO Junkie Season 1 Episode 1 ♀ IRL, ♂ Online

In the opening episode of the Recovery of an MMO Junkie, we are introduced to Moriko Morioka, a 30-year-old woman who has decided to quit her job and become a NEET - someone who is Not in Education, Employment, or Training. Moriko has always been somewhat of a loner and has never really found her place in the world. She spends most of her time playing an online game called Fruits de Mer where she has created a male character named Hayashi.

As the episode begins, Moriko is seen on her last day of work, bidding farewell to her colleagues. She seems relieved to be leaving, but also a little unsure of what comes next. On her way home, she stops at a convenience store to buy some beer. While she is there, she notices a group of young people laughing and having fun together. She remembers how it was when she was younger, but now she feels like an outsider.

Back at home, Moriko logs into Fruits de Mer as Hayashi. As soon as she enters the game, she is greeted by a friendly player named Lily. They strike up a conversation and before long, Moriko is feeling much better. Lily is kind and understanding, and Moriko feels like she has finally found a friend.

The next day, Moriko decides to go out for a walk. She sees a group of young people playing a game together, but instead of joining them, she heads to a nearby café to use their Wi-Fi and play Fruits de Mer. As soon as she sits down, she sees that Lily is online, so she sends her a message. Lily responds, and they begin to chat again.

As they talk, Lily tells Moriko that she is a guy in real life. Moriko is surprised but also a little confused. She had assumed that Lily was a girl, but now that she knows the truth, she doesn't know how to feel. Lily reassures her that it doesn't matter and that they can still be friends.

Later that night, Moriko decides to create a female character named Lily in honor of her new friend. She spends hours customizing the character's appearance and making her look as much like Lily as possible. When she finally logs into the game, she is thrilled to see Lily's reaction. They chat for a while before Lily has to log off.

Feeling a little lonely, Moriko decides to check out a forum devoted to Fruits de Mer. She sees a post from a player named Yuta Sakurai who has just started playing the game. They strike up a conversation and before long, Moriko has made another friend.

The episode ends with Moriko feeling a sense of connection she hasn't felt in a long time. Between Lily and Yuta, she is finally starting to find her place in the world again - both online and in real life.