History Main / NEET

PrettyFreeloaders generally manage to dodge this stigma on the account of, well, [[{{Double Standard}}s being pretty]], despite the fact that they might not contribute money to the household, as it's more socially acceptable for a woman to be without an income than it is for a man (though this is changing). Only a woman in these circumstances who is also actively being hassled for not having a job or being in school can be considered a NEET. A {{housewife}} does not count, despite technically fulfilling all three of this trope's requirements.

* Nagi from ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' aspires to be a NEET. Not that it would matter, since [[{{Fiction 500}} her family's fortune is so vast as to be literally almost uncountable.]]

* Satou, the main character in ''Anime/WelcomeToTheNHK''.

* ''Even If It Was Just Once, I Regret It'', is about an unemployed woman who makes a deal with her landlady to fulfill various requests in order to pay off her overdue rent. The tenant had worked for a gaming company, but left after being [[ReassignedToAntarctica reassigned to General Affairs]] after a "loss," and is trying to find another job.

* Comicbook/ScottPilgrim freeloads off his friend Wallace for most of the comic, doesn't have a job, isn't in school, and is frequently told to get a life. This eventually changes, starting with him getting a job dishwashing at Stephen Stills' restaurant.
* ''Comicbook/TheUnbelievableGwenpool''. Her backstory is revealed in issue 16: she dropped out of high school and has no job, and has very little connection to the outside world. This takes a toll on her home life, as her parents grow more and more openly fed up with her, and this helps push her towards the main Marvel universe.

* In ''Fanfic/DanganronpaLastHurrah'', [[LoserProtagonist Nao Hisoka has the dubious honor]] of being the Ultimate NEET. For those who aren't familiar with ''Franchise/DanganRonpa'', an "Ultimate"(or "Super High School Level" in the original Japanese), is a high school student who is the best at what they do, thereby gaining an invitation to the exclusive Hope's Peak Academy. That being said, he does occasionally come to school for tests and other events, so he isn't completely a NEET. [[spoiler:In the final trial, Nao acknowledges that he shouldn't count as a NEET, but someone who "slack(s) off." He was invited because one of the officials saw potential in him, and given the title because it was "believable enough."]]

* Lucifer in ''LightNovel/TheDevilIsAPartTimer'' after his failed betrayal has [[StealthPun fallen]] to being a NEET that resides in his master's (the titular Maou) tiny residence. And is mercilessly mocked as such by various characters.

* Kazuma Satou from ''LightNovel/KonoSuba'' was one back in the real world, before being TrappedInAnotherWorld. Aqua constantly uses this as an insult to him.
* Princess Raynesia of ''LightNovel/LogHorizon'' desires nothing more than to sleep the majority of the day in her comfortable flannel pajamas, rather than playing the part of a PrincessClassic for stuffy nobles. Krusty is able to handle her easily due to his experience with his NEET sister.

* Sora and Shiro from ''LightNovel/NoGameNoLife'', are NEET siblings. At the start of the series, their entire world consists of a small room where they play video games all day. They are quite proud of this fact (for some reason) and declare that ""『　　』" will never do work!". They are vulnerable to panic attacks if they go outside. Most of the time their tendencies are simply PlayedForLaughs, but every so often they get portrayed sympathetically, with implications that Sora and Shiro are not just BrilliantButLazy, and that ParentalNeglect, a FriendlessBackground and possibly outright bullying, and [[AmbiguousDisorder a plethora of unfortunate psychological conditions]] all contributed to making them turn out the way they did. The lyrics of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X35C9Y-EEk Oracion]], the ending theme of the anime, all but confirm that Sora and Shiro were deeply broken individuals until they met each other. After all, there must be a reason why Sora holds the firm opinion that [[HumansAreBastards Humans]] ([[KnightInSourArmor except for a select few worth fighting for]]) [[HumansAreBastards Are Bastards]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'':

* The protagonist from [=ClockUp=]'s '' ESEX Shikorsky: INTERNEET Security Cloud 2017'' is this; it's right in the title!

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Riff in ''WebComic/SluggyFreelance'' gets described as a [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/19971110 "freelance bum"]] by Torg when the latter notices he's not actually doing anything besides being a MadScientist GadgeteerGenius. Subverted later when it turns out he's being secretly employed to do just that by a dodgy corporation that funds such people to get the occasional brilliant invention they make. Later, after Torg's freelance web design career goes under and Riff leaves his job with guns blazing and stuff, several characters all find themselves in this position. Chapter 41 is even called "Freelance Bums". At one point, Zoë's roommates are all living on her pay and playing videogames all day until she forces them to come up with ways to make money for the [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20040502 "'avoid having your console sledgehammered' tax."]] Luckily, they get to live in a big house for free after [[ItMakesSenseInContext their landlord is eaten by a giant monster in a hellish alternative dimension]].

* The lyrics to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzEUeWnV73U famous Astroemeria remix]] of Music/BadApple are about NEET[=/=]{{hikikomori}} depression.

* Subaru Natsuki from ''LightNovel/ReZero'' is shown to be one, as he references all of the LN's he read and the Games he played before being transported to another world. He eventually, however, becomes what is considered to be the ultimate [[DeconstructedCharacterArchetype deconstruction]] of how such a person would actually work in real life, culminating into one hell of a [[TearJerker tearjerking]] Self-inflicted TheReasonYouSuckSpeech in Episode 18. All the suffering he goes through up till then has been, to his self-loathing and realization, to be the result of his rotten character, a person who has done absolutely nothing productive his whole life, in spite of having all the time in the world, foolishly thinking that all the knowledge he gained from doing nothing but gaming and bingeing on anime, manga and light novels, that it could get him a better life in another world simply by being teleported there, only to find this to be not at all what happens. He states multiple times at that point that he hates himself for it. Case in point:

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/ScottPilgrim https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_scott.png]]]]

* The lyrics to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzEUeWnV73U famous Astroemeria remix]] of ''[[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Bad Apple!!]]'' are about NEET[=/=]{{hikikomori}} depression.

* In ''Manga/KOn'', when asked about what she wants to become, Yui says she wants to become one of these. Being as [[TheDitz airheaded]] as she is, she doesn't seem to quite understand the implications.

* In ''Manga/KOn'', when asked about what she wants to become, Yui says she wants to become one of these.

* ''Even If It Was Just Once, I Regret It'', is about an unemployed woman who makes a deal with her landlady to fulfill various requests in order to pay off her overdue rent. The tenant had worked for a gaming company, but left after being reassigned to General Affairs after a "loss," and is trying to find another job.

The NEET is most commonly a teen or college-age male. A NEET is either between jobs and down on their luck, an [[BookDumb idiot]] who has failed the entrance exams for college, or a LazyBum with no goals in life, freeloading off whoever is around. Occasionally the NEET might also be a [[{{Hikikomori}} shut-in]], and shunning society due to being unable to function well in it, because of some debilitating AmbiguousDisorder, agoraphobia, depression, anxiety or peer pressure. Whether their condition is their fault or not, they are likely to get no respect whatsoever, be called an embarassment to their friends and family, or have "Get a job!" yelled in their face at least once. Often [[PhraseCatcher more than once]].

* Near the end of ''Manga/GirlFriends'', [[ClingyJealousGirl Kuno-chin]] mentions that she may not be able to see her boyfriend often now that he's graduated from university because he said that he's become the Housing Security Officer of his own home... which is just a really fancy way of calling himself a NEET, so [[LovableJock Taguchi]] assures her that she'll be able to see him everyday.

* Another [[BoysLoveGenre BL]] example is the main character of ''Konbini-kun'', Endou Hiroshi, by JUNKO. He takes up a job as a convenience store worker, but breaks down when helping customers. He does get better after interacting with his co-worker [[spoiler: and eventual love interest]], Yamai Kouhei.

* In ''Manga/RecoveryOfAnMMOJunkie'', main character Moriko Morioka is a [[ChristmasCake 30-year-old, single woman]] who has dropped out of the business world to play [=MMOs=] all day. She considers herself an "elite NEET" because she chose the lifestyle rather than having it thrust upon her (it's heavily implied that she quit due to the pressures of her work environment being too much for her), but at the same time she's still embarrassed and tries to keep people from finding out.

* The protagonist of ''Manga/{{Yuureitou}}'' is a NEET with some {{hikikomori}} mixed in. After being nearly killed, Taichi is rescued by a man named Tetsuo. He becomes his partner in solving a mystery involving a "ghost tower", where a woman was killed 2 years ago in a similar manner to the way Taichi was to be. Noticeably the story takes place in TheFifties so he lacks stereotypical qualities liking constantly being glued to the internet or being anime/game obsessed (he does like mysteries and scifi, which is presented as niche and weird, though).

* ''Manga/HatarakanaiFutari'': is a slice of life manga about the day to day of the Isshi siblings: a pair of NEET (with Haruko being a hikikomori) in their early 20's who for yet to be reveal reasons simply refuse to study or to get a job, also featuring their socially awkward friends. Despite the simply premise if features lots of character development and hidden depths for the main characters while also questioning people's value in society, with 700+ chapters is one of the longest running manga using this concept.
* The main protagonist of ''Manga/TheDungeonOfBlackCompany'' Kinji Ninomiya is one. He starts the series bragging about his status as one but his free ride through life ends when he is unceremoniously yanked out of modern day Japan to a fantasy world and put the work in the mines. He spends the rest of the story determined to find a way to return to said lifestyle.

* Comicbook/ScottPilgrim freeloads off his friend Wallace for most of the comic, doesn't have a job, isn't in school and is frequently told to get a life. This eventually changes, starting with him getting a job dishwashing at Stephen Stills' restaurant.

* Subaru Natsuki from ''LightNovel/ReZero'' is shown to be one, as he references all of the LN's he read and the Games he played before being transported to another world. He eventually, however, becomes what is considered to be the ultimate [[DeconstructedCharacterArchetype deconstruction]] of how such a person would actually work in real life, culminating into one hell of a [[TearJerker tearjerking]] Self inflicted TheReasonYouSuckSpeech in Episode 18. All the suffering he goes through up till then has been, to his self-loathing and realization, to be the result of his rotten character, a person who has done absolutely nothing productive his whole life, in spite of having all the time in the world, foolishly thinking that all the knowledge he gained from doing nothing but gaming and bingeing on anime, manga and light novels, that it could get him a better life in another world simply by being teleported there, only to find this to be not at all what happens. He states multiple times at that point that he hates himself for it. Case in point:

** Jason actually comes from a wealthy background. It's possible he funds most of his hobbies via a trust fund. That or he simply asks his mother and/or older brother for money (his father died several year prior to the game's storyline).

* ''Webcomic/BlasterNation'' has Rinnie during it's first chapters, as she would rather freeload from her friend Kimmy, lives in her livingroom and doesn nothing but eat junkfood and write Yaoi Fanfiction, with Dan (Kimmy's boyfriend) constantly telling her to get a job or move out. She eventually realizes that she had reached bottom and tries to be a better person (with very slow steps, anyway).
* Elliot Torres, the protagonist of ''Webcomic/BloodStain'', is a more serious approach to how a NEET would exist in a realistic setting. She never decided to work due to her older sister, Clara, taking care of financial responsibilities, so she instead slacks off, gets kicked out from any job applied, and plays game after college until the age of 27. When their mother lands in the hospital, the Torres' expenses shoots up to the point where they need to cut corners. Once Clara points out that she'll have to cancel internet service for Elliot's games, Elliot makes a genuine effort to hold onto a job. However, due to her employers' own financial struggle, Elliot is let go, so she desperately reapplies to a shady job opening, which sets up the main story of the webcomic.

* Master Shake of ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' spends his days lazing around watching TV and refuses to actually work, or even do the simplest of tasks whenever he’s not tormenting Meatwad. The few occasions he had a job were short lived because he always quit out of laziness, and on one occasion he tried to rob the register and stole ham on his way out.

* The two main characters in ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'', Coop and his best friend Jamie, pretty much hang out in Coop's parents' basement playing video games all day everyday and do not appear to have jobs, at least not for long. Kiva is horrified by their LazyBum lifestyles.

Compare ThisLoserIsYou, {{Hikikomori}} and TheThingThatWouldNotLeave. There's also a Spanish version of this trope, called ''Ni-Ni'' [[note]]"'''ni''' estudia, '''ni''' trabaja", [[YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord "neither studies, nor works"]][[/note]].

PrettyFreeloaders generally manage to dodge this stigma on the account of, well, [[{{Double Standard}}s being pretty]], despite the fact that they might not contribute money to the household, as it's more socially acceptable for a female to be without an income than it is for a male (though this is changing). Only a female in these circumstances who is also actively being hassled for not having a job or being in school can be considered a NEET. A {{housewife}} does not count, despite technically fulfilling all three of this trope's requirements.

PrettyFreeloaders generally manage to dodge this stigma on the account of, well, [[{{Double Standard}}s being pretty]], despite the fact that they might not contribute money to the household, as it's more socially acceptable for a female to be without an income than it is for a male (though this is changing). Only a female in these circumstances who is also actively being hassled for not having a job or being in school can be considered a NEET.

* Z., the protagonist of ''VisualNove/{{Psycholonials}}'', is an unemployed 23-year-old college graduate who spends all her time on social media and never leaves the house. While this situation is largely due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, it's also due to her deep depression.

* Master Shake in ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' spends his days lazing around watching TV and refuses to actually work, or even do the simplest of tasks whenever he’s not tormenting Meatwad. The few occasions he had a job were short lived because he always quit out of laziness, and on one occasion he tried to rob the register and stole ham on his way out.

* Cuuko (Cthuguha) from ''LightNovel/HaiyoreNyarkoSan'', whom Nyarko calls a NEET and a {{Hikikomori}} as insults. She refers to herself as a "home security guard" (自宅警備員, ''jitaku keibiin''), which is a term coined by [[ImageBoards 2ch]] with pretty much the same meaning[[note]]technically, it refers to someone who spends all day on their computer, "monitoring" their home[[/note]]. Cuuko actually ''does'' have a job (SpaceCop) and attends a local high school as part of her cover (she's already graduated from [[SpaceX Space College]]), but still chooses to spend all day playing video games and needling [[OnlySaneMan Mahiro]] into cooking for her. She even goes off to play video games during the BeachEpisode!

* ''Series/TheBarrier'': Álex downplays this. He's technically jobless, but he's frequently seen helping out in the store run by his brother's mother-in-law and ends up becoming a general errand boy for the rest of his family. Early in the series, Álex points out that his lack of job gives him time to do the legwork necessary to help his brother with a bureaucratic process that the government seems to be intentionally making difficult and time-consuming. Later, when asked by a policeman who he's working for, he's technically being truthful by claiming he's working for nobody.

* Sora and Shiro from ''LightNovel/NoGameNoLife'', are NEET siblings. At the start of the series, their entire world consists of a small room where they play video games all day. They are quite proud of this fact (for some reason) and declare that ""『　　』" will never do work!". They are vulnerable to panic attacks if they go outside.

The NEET is most commonly a college-age male. A NEET is either between jobs and down on their luck, an [[BookDumb idiot]] who has failed the entrance exams for college, or a LazyBum with no goals in life, freeloading off whoever is around. Occasionally the NEET might also be a [[{{Hikikomori}} shut-in]], and shunning society due to being unable to function well in it, because of some debilitating AmbiguousDisorder, agoraphobia, depression, anxiety or peer pressure. Whether their condition is their fault or not, they are likely to get no respect whatsoever, be called an embarassment to their friends and family, or have "Get a job!" yelled in their face at least once. Often [[PhraseCatcher more than once]].