NHKにようこそ!

Great for language learning, if you can stand it

I only got through the first 3 chapters, so take this with a grain of salt.

Language: I think the book is excellent for language learning. There's a lot of interesting vocab (much of which is repeated), and most of the sentences are pretty comprehensible (if you're at the level for this). The one aspect that was mildly challenging for comprehension is sometimes the main character is going back and forth between reality and delusions/breakdowns, and it can feel a bit blurry as to what's what.

Story: In any case, the story is way too focused in the head of the main character, and his despair, self-loathing, anger at everyone & everything (himself included), etc. This results in an extremely drawn out pacing with almost no plot development (the most exciting events that occurred so far are the main character walking around town, freaking out at religious solicitors, failing to apply to a job due to social embarrassment, and discovering his neighbor is actually his high school kouhai, who's now an eromanga obsessed hikikomori). In addition his whole conspiracy theory about the NHK turning people into hikikomori feels really half-baked (which I guess is intentional). I imagine things improve (and to the MC's credit, he's trying to improve himself), but after three chapters in it's not nearly interesting enough to to put aside my frustrations. It isn't bad writing per se, but for me it feels very similar to how I felt watching Evangelion.

Conclusion: If the above rant hasn't turned you off, you'll probably enjoy the novel, and I recommend it. I just wanted to leave the review for other people who might be turned off by the same things, to spare them some potential frustration.