Recovery of an MMO Junkie is a charming show about a woman in her thirties, Moriko Morioka, who quits her job and decides to become “an elite NEET,” aka someone who’s made the informed and conscious choice to barely interact with society anymore. We aren’t told what prompts Moriko’s decision, but we do see her decide on a new MMO, create her character and make her first fumbling steps into this new gaming world. The twist? Her character is male, even though she’s female! Dun dun dunn.
This wouldn’t be too remarkable... except that she quickly becomes friends with a sweet, endearing female healer. The friendship makes her heart go doki-doki, but she and this healer know nothing about each other IRL. The unspoken risk: what if the healer is another girl and I’m actually gay?!
But of course, this anime won’t go quite that far. Instead, it’s clear the healer is played by a handsome, sensitive, type-A guy who may have encountered our protagonist back in her corporate days. This fellow, Yuuta Sakurai, runs into Moriko a few times, most notably when he accidentally elbows her in her flu-ridden face and feels so bad he takes her to the doctor, waits for her and gives her his number just in case.
The most enjoyable thing about Recovery of an MMO Junkie is how likable Moriko is. Her haggard appearance, with deep circles under her eyes and disheveled hair, isn’t played as some kind of supernaturally monstrous horror. She’s just kind of bedraggled, and anyone who’s familiar with being a vaguely depressed shut-in will get it. She stays up way too late playing her game and chatting, she tries to score limited items as a gift for her special gal pal, she talks to her guild members when she has issues, and she’s a well-loved member of her online community. She’s not a moron, she’s just… Moriko, and her unpolished edges and rejection of corporate life are deeply relatable.
As for their alter egos, a fair amount of the show does take place in the MMO. While Yuuta and pink-haired healer Lily aren’t explicitly linked yet, it’s pretty clear that’s where the show is heading. Lily is sweet and understanding, and Yuuta seems earnest and sincere, just like his online persona. Their guild members are a fun bunch and we even get the story of how their guild almost disbanded before their current leader took it over. Yuuta’s scenes with his zany coworker are less interesting, but do give us a look at who Yuuta is.
Recovery of an MMO Junkie’s technical merits are nothing remarkable, with animation, colors and background work more serviceable than anything (and notably bland in most cases). But we can actually root for the success of our two main characters, because they’re both likable people who feel real (and because the series is not littered with odious sexual “humor” that detracts from everyone’s dignity, including that of the audience).
While an LGBT romance is a sadly missed opportunity, I wasn’t expecting it. Instead, I’m expecting a sweet, funny and heartfelt straight romance between two sweet, funny and relatable people, and so far, I think that’s exactly what’s on the menu.
Recovery of an MMO Junkie is simulcast Fridays at 11 a.m. EDT on Crunchyroll. What do you think? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
