Train ManLove on the Tracksby Akiba Jack
Some see it as a triumph of the Otaku, in that they too can have meaningful relationships outside the fantasy world of anime and games, or as triumph of the real world, in that ultimately fantasy doesn't hold a candle to what is possible out there in real life. However there is still debate as to whether the original messages were genuine, or some kind of hoax. ----------------------------------- Densha Otoko quickly became a genre in itself. It was first published in novel form by someone using the pen name Hitori Nakano, "One of those People". It sold about 40,000 copies in the first month and its popularity brought in no less than four manga by different artists, see below, a stage play and inevitably a movie by Toho Co. This starred Miki Nakatani as "Hermes" and Takayuki Yamada as the Otaku who defends her honour, and was quite accurate to the original. Photographic model and actress Miki Nakatani has a certain elegance, but Takayuki Yamada, better known for heartthrob roles, seems to be trying very hard to look geeky! The film is quite serious in tone apart from some amusing imaginary sequences involving three military Otaku in an internet cafe. It did well at the box office until being shoved off the top of the lists by imported movies. The manga were ; Densha Otoko - Bijo to Junjou Otaku Seinen no Net Hatsu Love Story by Machiko Ocha, published by Kodansha; Densha Otoko - Demo Ore Tabidatsuyo by Wataru Watanabe, published by Akita Shoten; Densha Otoko - Ganbare Dokuotoko! by Daisuke Douke, published by Akita Shoten; Densha Otoko - Net Hatsu, Kakueki Teisha no Love by Hidenori Hara, publisher Shogakukan. ---------------------------------------------------------- Summer 2005 was enlivened by an elaborately produced 11 episode TV drama from the flamboyant Fuji TV, which took over 20% of ratings and was probably the ultimate statement on the matter. It was also subtitled in English and unofficially released on Bit Torrent web sites almost as soon as each episode aired. With a long list of corporate sponsors, topical references, real locations and the beautiful Misaki Itoh as Hermes, it could hardly lose. Other actors well known in Japan included Atsushi Itoh as the Train Man and Eriko Satoh as Hermes friend Kaho. This drama is fascinating to watch. The Train Man's bedroom is decorated with Gundam, Evangelion, Keroro Gunso and other Otaku favorite models and toys. Each forum members room is also cluttered with stuff that instantly proclaims their character and interest - baseball goods, books, railway memorabilia, military equipment, computers and even shelves of shoes feature. The Akihabara lurking antics of Densha's Otaku pals have that sort of painful-to-watch comedy about them. Like the movie, this drama also depicts how certain forum members lives were also changed for the better by the example of the Train Man. Hermes friends are two amusing OL's who are desperate to meet the right kind of guy, whereas she only wants to distance herself from relationships, having been emotionally harmed by an unfaithful partner in the recent past. Ultimately it's Densha's keen honesty that wins him over to her. The whole series, despite stretching out some scenes much too far, has an upbeat feel to it. ----------------------------------------------------------- However there were detractors. Writer Toru Honda wrote a book called "Denpa Otoko" ("Radio Man") which almost rivalled the book "Densha Otoko" in sales of 33,000 in three months. (Sadly neither have yet been translated). In this he criticized the Densha Otoko phenomenon for its portrayal of the Otaku lifestyle as something for puerile losers, and the "real world" of Hermes fashion-conscious, sociable life as the only desirable existence. He declared that the Otaku life was the better of the two and that Densha should have converted Hermes to Otaku-ism rather than Hermes converting Densha to "real" life! There is certainly some truth in this opinion, although it was most likely the Otaku who made the story a big hit in the first place. For what it's worth I believe the core of the story's appeal is sexual in nature. The Otaku are widely perceived, at least in Japan, as never having had sex and not having a chance of having sex apart from curious fantasies about imaginary "Moe" characters. If the otaku would only make an effort to start a relationship of some sort, the story appears to be saying, then he would no longer be the lonely loser with an unusually strong right hand but finally have sex with a real, and possibly very beautiful, woman. In many ways this is a depressing conclusion but it is probably basically true - regardless of whether Densha Otoko was a true story or not. I like to think it was. ----------------------------------------------------------- Links; J-Fan site; http://www.j-fan.com/drama/drama.cgi?action=viewrev&season=Summer_2005&show=densha_otoko Official DVD release obtainable from; http://www.cdjapan.co.jp Official Fuji TV Densha Otoko pages; http://www.fujitv.co.jp/denshaotoko/index2.html DramaWiki article; http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Densha_Otoko Anime News Network article; http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=5875 ----------------------------------------------------------- **Unauthorized copy or link to all iamges on this site is prohibitted and you are not allowed to use, redistribute, or resell any of products without permission. |
