Ep 21. Welcome to Reset!

NHK ni Youkoso! (Welcome to the N.H.K) is a poignant and dark comedy anime that explores issues relating to hikikomori, social anxiety, and depression. The show follows a socially awkward young man named Satou Tatsuhiro, who has shut himself off from the rest of the world for four years. He resides in a run-down apartment in Tokyo, living off his meager savings and constantly battling his inner demons.

In episode 21, titled 'Welcome to Reset!', Satou receives a message from Misaki, the reclusive girl who once tried to help him overcome his hikikomori lifestyle. She suggests they meet up at the train station, and Satou obliges. At the station, Misaki is nowhere to be found, and instead, he comes face to face with Yamazaki, his former classmate who co-wrote an eroge game with him.

Yamazaki is as socially awkward as Satou, but he has a job at a game development company where he designs graphics. He is ecstatic to run into Satou and takes him to his workplace to show him around. While they're there, Yamazaki receives a letter from his game company's president, stating that his project has been canceled due to low sales. Yamazaki is devastated, but Satou tells him that he has a new idea for a game that they could work on together.

Satou's idea is revolutionary: he wants to create a game that helps people overcome their hikikomori tendencies by making them interact with the outside world. He wants it to be a game that not only entertains but also educates and enlightens. Yamazaki loves the idea and promises to help Satou bring it to life.

Excited by this newfound purpose, Satou decides to reset his life and start again from scratch. He feels like he's been given a second chance, and he's determined to make the most of it. He quits his part-time job, throws away all of his hikikomori documents, and starts cleaning his apartment.

When he goes to throw away his old computer, he finds a folder on it named "N.H.K." He opens it and finds all of the conspiracy theory documents he once collected. As he reads through them, he realizes that they were all a figment of his imagination and that he was deluding himself into thinking there was a grand plot against him.

Meanwhile, Misaki appears at Satou's apartment, explaining that she was at the train station but saw Yamazaki and decided to let them connect. She tells Satou that she's enrolling in a university out of town and won't be back for a while. She gives him a letter to read when he feels lost and disappears. Satou reads the letter, and it's from Misaki, telling him that she believes in him and that he's not alone.

At the end of the episode, Satou has cleaned his apartment and dressed neatly. He looks in the mirror and smiles, realizing that he's taken the first step towards resetting his life. The episode ends with a montage of Satou and Yamazaki working together on their game, intercut with shots of Satou interacting with the outside world.

In conclusion, Welcome to the N-H-K season 1 episode 21 is an uplifting and optimistic installment that shows Satou taking control of his life and finding purpose through his love of gaming. The episode addresses the themes of loneliness, isolation, and delusion while also highlighting the power of friendship and the importance of having a positive mindset. It is a must-watch for fans of the series who want to see Satou's growth as a character.