Glancing up towards the sky,
Whenever I turn my back
Against this perfect world
I mumble out
"Where should I go?"
With you, someone who shares the same thoughts I do.
In the shadows of an alley, the hands on a clock
Restart the time that stood still
The arms extended out to you
And the unfinished puzzle
Have been left behind
Until we met
And realized something was missing.
So the last piece
Must be found
In order to move forward.
There's no doubt about it.
This is a conspiracy!
That's right. All around me...
Around me... There's this large conspiracy.
The dream and conspiracy of
A conspiracy of epic proportions...
A conspiracy...
That has been engulfing me!
No...
No!
A different me!
It feels like my mind has been out of sync lately.
Purupuru pururin
Is it because I sleep sixteen hours a day?
Pururin
Purupuru pururin
Puru pururin
Purupuru pururin
Pururin
Next door, the theme song from a bishoujo anime has been playing at full volume again.
Little girls
Every single day since last month.
For some mysterious reason
Aren't satisfied
Being forced to listen to the song hundreds of times, I've memorized it.
With only text messages
In any case, who came up with the name Plrin?
Is it about a jelly-like girl?
Puru puru puru puru puru pururin
That's not even human.
Does that mean she's a pudding-like girl?
I'm Plrin, puru pururin, pururin, puru pururin
Rinrin purupuru puru pururin pururu
Quiet down!
Pururururu
Shut up!
That does it. My tolerance has reached its limit!
Being forced to constantly listen to a song you don't even like is certainly not beneficial to one's mental health.
I'm going to complain!
It's not a big deal. It's quite simple.
All I have to do is open the door, take a few steps toward their room...
Knock...
And open it...
"Hey, neighbor! Turn it down, will you?"
And shout at the person like that.
That's all there is to it.
It's as simple as that.
Isn't he strange?
I keep hearing voices.
Shouldn't he be ashamed of himself?
Isn't he scary?
He's an idiot.
He shouldn't be walking outside.
Totally gross!
You're a nuisance.
Give me a break!
It was the summer of my freshman year at college...
I was on my way to the university on an extremely hot day.
I returned to my apartment as if I was running away from something.
Since that day, I've avoided having to go outside.
Gardening Galore. Today's theme is the goldenrod.
Conspiracy.
Conspiracy... Conspiracy... Conspiracy...
Purupuru pururin
Pururin
Purupuru pururin puru pururin
Purupuru pururin purupuru
Conspiracy.
In this world, conspiracies do exist.
The Columbia disaster was a conspiracy setup by Venusians.
That's right. Even she said so.
Hair coloring is one established by hair beauticians.
It's true that the world talks about conspiracies as if they actually exist.
Even hay fever is a conspiracy set up by the tissue industry.
But senpai...
Ninety-nine percent of what people consider conspiracies are simply delusions...
Or deliberate lies.
Thereby making them hoaxes.
Then... Does that make the remaining one percent legitimate?
An underclassman was being bullied.
Take this!
He was a junior high student.
I wanted to show senpai my virtuous side.
Stop it!
Please tell me, senpai.
Is this some kind of conspiracy?
I am Plrin, puru pururin
Stop the chit-chat!
Pururin purupuru rin
Homeroom hasn't finished yet!
Quiet!
You're the one who's being loud!
Pururin purupuru pururin
Satou-kun!
If you have something to say, raise your hand first!
Pururin
Was that a conspiracy?
Is this a conspiracy?
And this... And this...
And this...
Is everything part of a conspiracy?
The dream and conspiracy of
The magical girl
Conspiracy... Conspiracy... Conspiracy...
Right. I've fallen into the one percent chance of being involved in an actual conspiracy...
Congratulations, Satou-kun! You've finally figured it out.
Yeah.
The reason why nothing works out for you is because...
Everything was part of a conspiracy attempting to isolate you.
But who would conspire against me?
Ow... Ow... Ouch! It's a conspiracy wave!
Are you all right, Televi-kun?
It's the N.H.K.! An attack from a sinister, secret society known as the N.H.K.
N.H.K.?
I see!
Why haven't I noticed something this obvious before?
When you mention anime, you automatically think of otakus.
And otakus usually have sociological difficulties.
Such people also tend to become reclusive.
That is... By airing funny anime, they are mass producing anime otaku...
And thus are partly responsible for the emergence of such a significant number of NEETs.
In other words, the N.H.K. is...
Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai.
Welcome to the N.H.K.!
I am the man who took notice of the conspiracy plotted by the Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai.
Satou Tatsuhiro, twenty-two years old.
A hikikomori for already three years...
Nearly four soon enough!
A certain karate expert took recluse in the mountains...
And mastered the art of crushing boulders.
If one can gain such power by self-imposed isolation...
I should have enough strength to break a beer bottle.
Who's the one who broke the bottle?
It was me!
Ouch! It stings! It hurts!
First aid kit... Good.
Before that, I have to do something about the broken glass!
Calm down. First, clean up all the glass. Then...
Treat my wound. Then...
Shut up! I'm preoccupied with other things!
Besides, I'm a NEET.
NEETs aren't supposed to casually show their face to outsiders.
Wait a second... Could it be the utility bill collector?
No! I haven't sent in a payment in a while.
If the electricity is cut...
I won't be able to live a comfortable NEET life.
That's not good at all!
Coming!
Damn! I responded, you know.
Yes?
Huh?
What?
Huh?
My, you were home after all!
I'm sorry to bother you, but... Argh!
Are you okay? There's blood on your face.
Er, no problem... at all... Um...
Oh, I see.
That is... We are handing out these complimentary booklets.
Huh?
Here is this month's special feature.
Do you know what a NEET is?
It is a person who doesn't go to work or school and secludes themselves in their home.
Could this woman know I'm a hikikomori?
Could it be that I'm a well-known NEET in the neighborhood?
Is that the case?
Are you interested in it?
In that case, please take a closer look at it.
I'm a NEET, you say?
That's ridiculous.
Don't tell me I haven't spoken to anyone in almost a year...
On top of that, a college dropout and unemployed as well?
And the fact I've already lost hope in the future? What kind of story is that?
"Are you okay!" Of course I'm okay!
I'm... I'm...
If I could cure my hikikomoli self by praying, I wouldn't be struggling as much as I am now.
What do you know?
When I don't even know myself...
There's no way you could understand me!
Misaki-chan! Come on, let's go.
What are you doing?
Huh?
Misaki-chan!
To be honest, I know what I have to do.
Go out immediately and start doing something, like working a part-time job.
That way, the rumor of a NEET living in this room won't spread.
Even that girl would think the reason I was home was because I had a day off.
Misaki...
Handkerchief, tissues, wallet...
Resume...
I came by after I saw the notice for a part-time job...
Excuse me, I heard you were hiring part-time...
Pardon me, I read the ad about the part-time job...
I came to apply for the part-time job...
I would like to apply for the part-time job...
I came by after I saw the notice for a part-time job...
Excuse me, I heard you were hiring part-time...
Pardon me, I read the ad for the part-time job...
I heard you were hiring people for part-time work.
I came by when I heard you were hiring people for a part-time position.
Good.
E-Er... Excuse me?
I came by...
By...
What did you come by for?
By...
Bikes! Do you like bikes?
I like them a lot.
You can really become one with the wind.
I can't get enough of the thrust from the engine.
How about coming along with me next time for some touring?
Then again, it's not like I've ever driven a bike before.
Bye.
I want to die!
However, I know you can't kill yourself like this.
That's because you'll pass out before you suffocate yourself, loosening your grip.
Of all people, why did she have to be there?
Is it even okay for someone who is dedicating her life for the sake of God to be working part-time?
Then again... Even the devout need money.
She's human, after all.
Human... To do such things...
It's a sin to be doing something like this...
No! Absolutely not!
The Lord is watching...
Now that I think about it...
The people from the electric company wouldn't come all the way here to make a collection.
So it wouldn't make any difference whether I ignore the doorbell or not.
I take that back. It's best if I ignore it.
Since yesterday, because I absentmindedly opened the door...
Huh?
What?
That girl...
Did she come all the way to deliver this to me?
Satou Tatsuhiro-dono, you have been chosen for my grand project.
Please come to the Mita Fourth District Park at 9 PM.
Nakahara Misaki.
This is too direct for religious solicitation.
I don't think anyone would be fooled by this.
However, that's their strategy.
To use young women in order to gather young men.
It's an ancient ploy.
She's such a slutty girl.
Does she think I'm going to fall for this?
Ah, Satou-kun!
Come, Satou-kun...
That's downright idiotic!
Please come to the Mita Fourth District Park at 9 PM.
That park is the only place besides home where I can relax.
I was thinking of relaxing at that park tonight.
I can't allow that strange letter to confuse me and throw my schedule off.
Yes, I was going to that park from the beginning.
There was something important I overlooked.
The possibility that the letter was a prank.
If that ends up being the case, I'll be laughed at for coming out here at this time.
What am I saying?
I was going to come here anyway!
Why did you run away this afternoon?
Huh?
The store is short on people right now, so you would have been hired on the spot.
Were you afraid of working in the outside world?
Is it because you're a hikikomori?
But you'll be fine...
Since I know how to cure you of your hikikomori ways.
Besides... I knew about you from the past, Satou-kun.
I came to rescue you, Satou-kun.
Welcome to the Project!
You can't run away!
This is Hitomi's plea.
You can write the script, can't you?
The next episode, Welcome to the Creator!