Hikikomori – Review

How would you feel if you stood out of the regular crowd? If it made you sick every time you stepped out in the real world? If, instead of interacting with the world you lived in your own little bubble and shut out everything else entirely?

This film is about the story of a Hikikomori. A Japanese term, Hikikomori refers to people who like to keep to themselves because they do not get along with the society.

The story opens with a guy who spends all of his days inside his home: reading comic books, playing video games or lying on his bed simply staring at the ceiling. He doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. The latter half of film has been compiled with clips of similar people who are misfits and do not like to mingle with others. They talk very less; stay at home and either sleep or play video games.

Music was a bit too simple but it did the job of setting up the mood through the entire film. Camera work was clean and simple. Director Sergio Alvarez, who also plays the protagonist, deserves your claps for his excellent direction, choice of story and the way he has presented the film to his audience.

Hikikomori deserves praise for its totally off beat concept. It’s too rare that such stories are given a voice. Definitely worth watching!