Densha Otoko - Full Motion Picture
by Pedro Rodriguez
The movie Densha Otoko is based on a series of entries made on the Japanese forum called 2-channel (pronounced Ni-channel, or 2ch for short). Because all of the entries are anonymous, there has been some question as to whether or not the story was real. However this did not stop the story from being made into a novel, several manga, a television series, and this movie. Even more, it helped to show the Otaku in a way that you wouldn’t expect.
The movie begins just like many other versions. An anime Otaku was sitting in a train when a drunken salary man began to harass the women in the passenger car. Then when he reached a specific woman, the Otaku stood up and intervened. Once the train stopped, he and the harassed group went to the police station to fill out a report; afterwards the women asked if he could give them his address. Shortly thereafter he began to enter what happened to him on 2-channel. He referred to himself as Densha Otoko (literally "Train Man").
A few days after his first entry, he received a package from the one of them. It was a set of cups made by Hermes, a producer of luxury goods. He found her cell number on the package, and on the advice of the forum he decided to call her. When he does get a hold of her, the forum recommends that he takes her out to dinner. After she agrees to go Dutch, the denizens of 2ch helped him get ready for his first date.
Over the course of the film, we see a series of on-line chats as he continues to go out with her on several platonic dates. His new found courage does change his life a bit, but he retains most of his quiet personality. His real struggle comes as he begins to understand how his passion for anime and the like will affect his new relationship. There is also a general fear of rejection that plays a role in the movie's development from time to time.
The role of Densha Otoko was played by Takayuki Yamada. Known in Japan as a lady's man, he did an excellent job in composing himself as a quiet and timid Otaku; he also lets his character take his time in changing, even when he prepares for his first date. Playing opposite of him was Miki Nakatani. In real life the two actors were about six years apart from each other, making a similar match to the characters. Her performance as Hermes (the office lady) was a bit of a paradox; while Japanese women have been gotten the reputation of being courteous, her personality was a little more refined than your common variety. While most American viewers might not pick up on it, her portrayal made it easier to question whether or not this really happened.
The denizens of 2ch consisted of five main people. They ranged from a trio of Otaku, to a successful businessman, to a working nurse. The movie also took time to show how things were doing in their own lives as well, and showing how their lives were also improving ever so slightly because of the thread.
The movie does lose some of its charm around the climax; without giving away too much, Densha's big scene may be a little overemotional for some viewers. Also the ending itself is a bit strange leaving you once again to question whether or not any of this is real. While American viewers might not agree with how some of this was handled, it's nowhere near bad enough to ruin the picture.
Viz Pictures chose an interesting trio for the voice commentary. JAY Tack, Patrick Macias, and Tomohiro Machiyama are our guides for the movie. While they didn't take part in making the movie, they each have quite an abundance of knowledge in the movie and in Otaku culture. For people who specialize in communicating through writing, the three of them also have a knack for making their points verbally. They were able to feed off of each other, and making the commentary fell very smooth, even with the accents. DVD features also include a basic guide to the ASCII pics, a Bio on some of the cast and crew, and two of the trailers used to promote the movie in Japan (sorry no subtitles here).
While some Otaku did not like how the movie almost mainstreamed their culture, it did do a superior job in humanizing them. Like the threads, the movie may leave you questioning whether or not any of this really happened, but it does it in a way that feels comfortable. Also while the story's initial appeal is twoards guys, it can also be ideal for a night in with a girlfriend. A word of advice, try not to approach this as you would anime; while it does come from the same part of the world, it has a very different vibe, from what you might expect.
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