The anime "Welcome to the N.H.K.!" (N・H・Kにようこそ！) celebrated its 20th anniversary on July 10th, not only stirring up nostalgic memories for countless fans but also unexpectedly bringing to light an inspiring cross-border creative journey.
Ilya Kuvshinov, a Russian illustrator now based in Japan, shared on X that at just 17 years old, he was so profoundly inspired by the series that he began developing his own indie game. This pivotal moment eventually launched his career as an illustrator and anime character designer, sparking widespread discussion among netizens.
The story began with a commemorative post celebrating the 20th anniversary of the "Welcome to the N.H.K.!" anime.
Kuvshinov recounted how, at 17, the anime deeply moved him, prompting him to create an indie game and submit it to a Russian gaming magazine. Despite being a personal, independent project, the editorial team loved it so much they dedicated an entire page to it and even included the game on the magazine's bonus CD. Even more surprisingly, the magazine later invited him to start serializing a comic, officially paving his way into the creative industry.
He expressed his gratitude, saying, "I truly don't know how to thank this work enough."
Ilya Kuvshinov's impressive portfolio includes roles such as Animation Director for "PSYCHO-PASS 3: First Inspector," Character Designer for "Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045," and Character Animation Director for "Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: Witch of Circe." Now 36, he has lived in Japan for 12 years, continuing to take on significant animation projects and host personal illustration exhibitions.
Upon learning of this backstory, many Russian netizens became curious if his old game could still be found. When asked if he still had the data, Ilya replied, "You can definitely find it on Rutracker."
When pressed for the game's name, he directly shared a link to its page on VNDB (Visual Novel Database), prompting many to start searching for his early work.
The post even caught the attention of "Welcome to the N.H.K.!" original author, Tatsuhiko Takimoto, who exclaimed, "I'm so surprised and delighted that Mr. Ilya was so deeply influenced!" He also revealed his admiration for Ilya's character designs for Motoko Kusanagi and Purin Ezaki in "Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045."
Ilya happily responded, "Thank you so much!!"
GONZO, the animation studio behind "Welcome to the N.H.K.!", also commented on the post, saying, "What an unexpected connection! We're so happy to hear this story." Ilya replied, "Happy 20th anniversary! I'm truly happy too!"
This incredible journey sparked a flood of comments from netizens, with many exclaiming, "That's legendary!" "He submitted a game, ended up serializing a manga, became an illustrator, and worked on anime—what an amazing progression!" "Stories like this must be the biggest encouragement for all creators." "I never realized 'Welcome to the N.H.K.!' had such a huge impact overseas."
Others reflected that this story perfectly encapsulates the indie game culture of the 2000s. Back then, many creators aimed to have their work included on game magazine bonus CDs, and Ilya's journey from that very step to becoming a renowned artist active in Japan today is truly remarkable.
To be so deeply moved by a single work, travel from a distant country to Japan, and become a key figure in animation and illustration—such a story is undoubtedly a powerful inspiration for anyone with similar aspirations.