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Editorial Reviews
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A supposedly true combination of a romance and a Pygmalion story, Densha Otoko began as an on-line tale that captivated audiences in Japan: there's a novel, a TV show, and a manga series, in addition to this feature. The title character is a textbook otaku, an anime and video game nerd who divides his time between the electronics stores in Tokyo's Akihabara district and the computer in his cluttered room. One day on a commuter train, he prevents an obnoxious drunk from bothering a pretty girl. She sends him a set of Hermès teacups as a thank-you and a tentative romance begins. Train Man has no idea how to behave with a girl, so an on-line posse tells him how to dress and what to say. Ultimately, his example inspires them to go out into the world. Director Masanori Murakami effectively uses a split screen to create the on-line community. Takayuki Yamada makes a wonderfully maladroit Train Man: when he calls Hermès for the first time, he holds the phone as if he were about to commit seppuku. Miki Nakatami infuses Hermès with a winning mixture of gentleness and independence. This touching romance will delight Gen-Y and -Z members, whose lives are bound to the Internet. (Unrated, suitable for ages 13 and older: minor violence, alcohol and tobacco use)--Charles Solomon
Product Description
TRAIN MAN:DENSHA OTOKO - DVD Movie
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a nerd finds love,
By
This review is from: Train Man : Densha Otoko (DVD)
The Train Man spends his days either working in the back of an office building aiding his fellow employees with his computer skills or wandering the shops in Akihabara purchasing anime and manga paraphernalia, video games, and other things that otaku enjoy. Living in his parent's home, the Train Man is ensconced within the safe confines of his fandom, but he is far from content. At 22 years old the Train Man has yet to have a girlfriend and in fact feels that he is undeserving of a woman's love. However, one day upon the train his humdrum life changes completely.
After purchasing a few random anime knickknacks, the Train Man boards a train and is soon humiliated by a couple when they notice the items that he has purchased. Yet, it is on this same train that the love of the Train Man's life boards. Of course, being painfully shy, the Train Man does not approach the woman, but when she is later accosted by a drunken salaryman, played by the abrasive Osugi Ren, the Train Man comes to the woman's aid. Although terrified of the larger man, the Train Man stands his ground and defends the woman who has already grasped his heart. In order to thank the Train Man, the woman asks for his address and soon sends him a couple of Hermes tea cups. Having no real life friends to turn to, the Train Man does what a number of other otaku do: turn to the Internet for help. On a message board, seven people come to the Train Man's aid, including three otaku who hang out everyday at a manga café, a lonely nurse who cannot get over her boyfriend, a shut-in, or Hikikomori in Japanese, a person who has basically cut themselves off from the world and generally pursue their hobbies in their home while being supported by their parents, and a husband and wife whose relationship is on the rocks. With the aid of these individuals the Train Man pursues his romance. However, can the Train Man truly rely on others for the pursuit of his own happiness? I was honestly reluctant to watch this film at first mainly because I thought the story was quite hackneyed: nerdy guy meets beautiful girl and lives happily ever after. However, Train Man escapes this cliché because of the sympathetic if pathetic figure cut by the actor Yamada Takayuki. Certain scenes in which the Train Man, Yamada's character's name of the message board, talks to Hermes, the name the Train Man gives the woman of his dreams on the message board, on the phone or in person are almost painful to watch because his nervousness is almost palpable. I found myself both encouraging and cursing the Train Man in my mind when he was trying to take the relationship to the next level. Also, I think that the interaction amongst the message board members was quite humorous and well done. Also major kudos to the caster for casting Nakatani Miki in the role of Hermes. Nakatani, although very attractive, is not as stunning as Ito Misaki who played the role of Hermes in the televised version of Train Man. However, Nakatani's character is incredibly sweet and one can easily feel why the Train Man becomes so enraptured with her. A fun film that pulls at the heartstrings, Train Man does a wonderful job reviving a threadbare genre. Since the film is based on a true story, one wonders if a number of nerdy Japanese guys have come to the aid of woman being harassed on trains since its release?
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A wholly innocuous trifle, but a fun one all the same,
By
This review is from: Train Man : Densha Otoko (DVD)
To put it simply, the 2005 romantic comedy Train Man is a fairy tale for geeks. As derisive as that comment may sound, it's not really meant as a criticism, just a factual description. Supposedly based on a true story, Train Man (a.k.a. Densha Otoko) centers on a twenty-two year old manga enthusiast known only by the online handle "Train Man" (Takayuki Yamada). Unlucky in love for his entire life, Train Man has consoled himself to the fact that he probably won't be getting a girlfriend anytime this millennium, so he decides to embrace his nerdy fate and spend his free time prowling for toys in Akihabara.
One evening, our hero's prospects for romance begin to change when he spots a lovely woman (Miki Nakatani) being harassed by a drunken commuter. In a moment of awkward heroism, Train Man intervenes on her behalf. Although he's certainly no Superman, he does delay the drunkard long enough for security to show up. Later, to Train Man's complete surprise, the woman asks for his address so she can properly thank him for his good deed. So energized by this encounter is Train Man that he posts his story on a message board, an act which eventually earns him a faithful, albeit anonymous readership. Little does he know, however, that his story has only just begun. Things pick up quickly when Train Man receives a set of expensive Hermes teacups in the mail. The sender? You guessed it - the woman on the train. Both ecstatic and highly confused by this surprising turn of events, Train Man turns to his online pals for help, who post back bits of advice on what his next move should be. After much debate, he finally summons up the courage to call her, and amazingly, she agrees to meet him for dinner. But in preparing for his first ever real date with a woman, Train Man smartly makes a few cosmetic adjustments on the advisement of his online peers. It isn't long before he gets a stylish haircut, purchases some designer threads, and doffs his glasses in favor of some contact lenses. The transformation from geek to chic is surprisingly fast, but no matter what he looks like, it's clear that Train Man is still a socially-inept otaku, as his jitteriness and all-around dorkiness in the presence of the woman he dubs "Hermes" is strikingly apparent. Still, Train Man begins to make progress with Hermes, but unfortunately, his deep-seated insecurities just might mess the whole thing up. It's clearly time for Train Man to grow up, but will he do it in time? On its premise alone, Train Man is essentially a G-rated version of The 40-Year-Old-Virgin culturally suited to fit Japanese tastes. While both films maintain an underlying message that love is more important than lust, the main character in Train Man seems to operate in a world where sex isn't even something that would cross his mind, a factor which greatly contributes to the fairytale quality of the film. And while technology, particularly computers, is crucial to the plot, Train Man is, at its core, an old-fashioned romance about finding one's true love. Some may balk at the simplicity of the story, but in some ways, that's part of the charm. As far as performances go, Takayuki Yamada makes for a fine Train Man, particularly once the She's All That-style makeover takes place. It's easy to act nerdy when the character is dressed to the nines in Akihabara geek wear, but once he makes the transformation into a more presentable stud, it would be easy for an actor to slip out of the required geekiness necessary for his performance. However, that's not the case with Yamada; the incongruity between what Train Man looks like post-makeover versus his actual behavior helps give this geek fantasy some semblance of realism. No matter how polished Train Man looks, he's still an otaku at heart. Also carrying the film along with Yamada is Miki Nakatani, who has the unenviable task of making her character's interest in Train Man seem believable. As likeable as Train Man is as a character is, his appeal seems somewhat elusive. Yes, he's a nice guy, but he's also annoyingly skittish, and as the finale proves, a bit of a crybaby to boot. However, the "crying" scene does make for a funny reversal of expectations as Hermes must console the weeping Train Man with several comical "there, there" reassurances. And while the believability of a relationship between Hermes and Train Man is precarious at best, it would be completely unbelievable if not for Nakatani's performance. She is able to project an inner life, if not an entire past history with men for her character that is not in the script, which gives some indication of why she values Train Man so much. One of the more interesting aspects of the film is how it focuses not only on Train Man's mission, but also on his ability to touch the lives of his readership. Among his online supporters, there's a young shut-in, a nurse who seems to be recovering from a failed relationship, three overgrown otakus who've had worse luck in life than Train Man, and a husband and wife who don't realize they're posting on the same board. As each of these characters participate in Train Man's strange coming-of-age story, his amazing strides with Hermes opens their eyes to what's missing in their own lives, showing them that if he can get a girlfriend, then just about anything is possible. Although, these "sidestories" could probably be developed even better in a television drama, the small glimmers of their lives given in Train Man are a welcome presence and enhance the main storyline immensely. After all is said and done, Train Man is more or less just a fun little underdog story, thanks in large part to the likeable performances from its cast members. Sure, things are a bit too chaste and simplistic considering the situation, but in some ways, that's part of the appeal. Unlike the protagonist, the film Train Man may not dramatically change your life, but in its all-too-true rendering of the anxieties of dating, on some level it's sure to speak to everyone's inner geek.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A movie for everyone,
By kaneda (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Train Man : Densha Otoko (DVD)
A wonderful, sweet movie, with superb performances by Takayuki Yamada and Miki Nakatani. Unlike American romantic comedies which culminate with the two main characters getting together in bed, this film focuses not only on the awkwardness and difficulties of first love, but the impact one person has on the live of others. As Train Man's fellow chat-room members (who are invisible to him) help him and cheer him on, we the viewers see their own lives change as well, as they gain courage to move on and become better human beings.
As a Japanese film, this story works well. If Hollywood gets hold of it and Americanizes it, like they did with 'Shall We Dance?' it will be ruined!
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