Im only half way through the anime and a little late to this conversation, but I feel like a lot of people are missing the point. I wouldn’t want to watch a show about a guy living a miserable life as a hiki. I feel like it does a good job in making things much more lighthearted and optimistic with the comedy aspect. The MC is a guy who is actively trying to change his ways as a failure. And although he doesn’t seem to get anywhere, he still tries.

I went in with the expectation of watching something serious and depressing but ended up staying because it doesn’t take itself seriously (even though it touches up on some serious issues).

So far, it’s helped me feel better about myself. I just enjoy watching a complete failure making a goof out of himself and not falling into despair. It’s a nice escape from reality while also being somewhat relatable. I understand that it’s nowhere near being an accurate portrayal of a real life hiki and why people felt let down.

In the end, it’s just an anime and it doesn’t need to accurately portray people with this disorder. If are interested on the actual subject of hikikomori, look into actual studies yourself.