The Hikikomori Trial (A Holiday Message from the Otaku Author)
Depending on where you are in the world it’s probably one holiday or another and there’s a good chance you’re in the middle of your Hikikomori trial period. You may not know it, but you are!
What is a Hikikomori?
Hikikomori’s are adults or adolescents that have chosen to withdraw from society for whatever reason. They usually hide in their rooms playing video games, watching anime, or reading manga. There are many other solitary activities that they could do too, but I think you get the idea. They rarely see anyone other than family members and even then, often avoid interactions as much as possible.
You may also be familiar with Hikikimori’s as they are often the star of Isekai anime, having been transported from their own world to live in a world that resembles the game they play with the powers and abilities they acquired in the game. You don’t often see Isekai shows about accountants or other upstanding roles in society, with the exception of High School Prodigies Have it East Even in Another World.
So, what if the Hikikomori’s have the right idea and all the work we do in this world is setting up our next life. Would you want to be in a world that reflects the hours you’ve put in in the office? What if you get Isekaied to an office world full of copiers and fax machines while the gamers are living it up in some fantasy world surrounded by elves and buxom warriors?
The Hikikomori Trial
This holiday period, why not treat it as a trial of what life would be like as a Hikikomori? Sure, it’s not all glamorous, but what if they have it right? I don’t want to spend my next life in an office when I could be fighting dragons and rescuing damsels in distress. Do you?
It’s all right to hide in your home surrounded by family. Play some games, video or board game, it doesn’t matter, just have fun and enjoy yourself, but don’t forget to level up, you never know when those skills may become useful. Ultimately, find a way to do what it is that you love, because even if you don’t get Isekaied, wouldn’t you rather have a good time in this life too.
Thanks for stopping by for this holiday message from the Otaku Author. Now, get back to eating, drinking, and having a good time. Enjoy being a Hikikomori even if only for a couple of days!
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 |
Happy holidays! Being a hikikomori sounds pretty relatable to me but this article opened up my eyes to say its okay to relax during this time of year for sure! Hope your holidays are going well!
*by relatable I mean, in terms that I can be a lazy neet or have the same kind of personality as one but I don’t mean I literally have been isekai-ed. Sorry i kind of worded that wrong, Im unfamilar with the term!
Happy holidays to you too. And no worries, just need to find a way to finance it and it’s Hikikomori time for sure!
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