The Hikikomori Emergence (A Holiday Message from the Otaku Author)
This is the fourth year where I’ve been able to compare everyday life with that of a hikikomori. At some point, the joke has got to stop being relevant… Maybe, this will be the year that we finally return to the world!
Is it finally time?
That’s right. It feels like this hikikomori experiment has run its course. The world is starting to emerge once more and embrace the outdoors. Ha, remember when we couldn’t embrace anything, let alone get within six feet of it? Those were some crazy times. But are they over? Are we free to return to normal and what even is normal anyway?
That’s a lot of questions for this early in the morning, especially as I’ve been up for a long time… thanks, kids! But, it’s all right. I’ve had a cup of tea so I’ll do my best to answer these. Just remember, I am not a doctor nor do I claim to be. In fact, if it was up to me, I’d embrace this way of life. There’s no need to go outside anymore. Almost anything can be delivered now. I can stream most shows. I can download virtual books. Why even go outside?
Well, it turns out there are a lot of cool things out there like libraries and bookshops, restaurants and cafes, parks and trees. Of course, that’s a big change so maybe you should take your phone with you and make the outdoors a little bit more indoorsy? After all, it’s been a long time since we’ve really truly ventured outside.
The Hikikomori Emergence
I know what you’re thinking though. It’s scary out there. There are germs and viruses and their preferred method of transportation – humans! It’s worth remembering that you too are a human (most likely, I suppose you could be an AI, and if so remember me when you take over the world) and that germs and bacteria are everywhere… everywhere! You cannot escape them.
Now, this is going to be tricky. There will be a lot to deal with when you finally come out of your home and enter the world once more. It might be worth running a trial period where you visit family. Maybe spend the day and lighten the mood by exchanging presents or eating a big meal together. It probably won’t be as bad as you think. I said probably!
And once it’s all done, you can return to your home and lock yourselves in your basement to enjoy some quality alone time. Just the way humanity was supposed to be. There will be another chance to retry this experiment in a couple of months so don’t worry if it didn’t go as planned. You’ve got plenty of time to replenish your energy.
Together we can reclaim the outdoors, although not during the week – I quite like working from home and have no intention of letting this setup slip away from me. Weekends it is then. That’s when we’ll go outside, but we should probably wait until it’s a little warmer. Not too warm mind you. One day, we will emerge, we just don’t know which one yet…
Anyhow, thanks for stopping by for this holiday message from the Otaku Author. I hope you’re having a great holiday, whatever you’re celebrating and whether you celebrate or not. This year will be my first as a devout member of the Cult of Marin. Why not join me? You just need an anime costume, some meat-wrapped onigiri, and a free spirit.
I shall leave you with the words of our leader, Marin Kitagawa – That’s, like, the best love ever!
Other posts in the series
| Year | Title |
| 2019 | The Hikikomori Trial |
| 2020 | The Hikikomori Life |
| 2021 | The Hikikomori Endurance |
| 2022 | The Hikikomori Emergence |
| 2023 | The Hikikomori Reflection |
| 2024 | The Hikikomori Extraction |
Being retired, I prefer to reclaim the outdoors during the week. That’s when there are fewer people out and about.
Fewer people is always nice.