Densha otoko

In all my years of reviewing Japanese media I've never seen a show of this caliber. This show...no... dare I say masterpiece, carefully blends an emotionally breathtaking theme and setting with its powerful romantic plot to create an experience other worldly. After watching this show I feel whole, like a dark void in my heart has been filled by the passion put into this gem. I've never seen such a well crafted performance by the main character, every time he cried, I cried with him. Would absolutely recommend to any person ever.

The storyline is amazing and gives hope that even an Otaku can still have a chance with a beautiful girl. I found the story well written and the daily life of the Otaku very realistic when I compare them from this TV series to the actual Otaku that you find in Japan.

The characters are well played and the main character gave off a real presence that you often find lacks in most TV series.

This is one show I will remember for a long time and all the people I have introduced this show to have loved it.

The series only gets better as it progresses through each episode.

Plus you've gotta love the title song!

It's hard to imagine a drama or film that involves the internet in quite the same way as Otoko Densha.

The story, as many know, is basically true: In Japan, a shy anime geek tries to save a young woman from being molested by a drunken man in a train. He's almost willing to drop things there, but when an attractive young woman expesses her gratitude, a series of small adventures magnify to colossal ones. That's where his internet chat comes - a network of support he clings to as he tries to wade his way through the uncertain waters of a personal relationship.

A few of the performances here can be a overbaked at times, but Otoko Densha basically a comedy, It's aksi incredibly winning. To add realism, we actually get to read the actual internet posts that the forum members left over the course of the young man's coming of age, including ascii art work left to give him inspiration. There are some deviations from the original plot (some contrived, others extremely funny), but it's hard to recall a dorama that's quite as sweet and touching.

Subtitled versions of the serial are available with a bit of searching, as well as an extensive translation of the original posts.

I had the experience of seeing this the first time it aired in Japan, but unfortunately I didn't speak enough Japanese at the time. I think that this show has a bit of context thats hard t understand outside of Japanese cultural subtext. First I think that the bizarre comedy, it does get annoying sometimes, then again the most popular comedian right now is a guy going by Opapi(which is something like Ocean Pacific peace) and his entire act entails wearing a thong doing a dance while yelling that he doesn't care about that. The second is the way Japanese society can be completely different from western society. Other than those sort of hard to get past barriers this is still my favorite thing to watch on TV in a long time.

I thought that the series was well written and I enjoyed the idea of the relationship between the up-town girl and the nerd. And I would have given this series a "9" instead of an "8", but the actor who played the nerd just went a little overboard in being a dork. His character eventually got on my nerves (although he was a good bloke).

You can be a nerd without being a sniveling, whimpering, idiot like his character. It would have been enough to play a naive, clumsy, innocent character without taking it to the extreme that this character portrayed.

Nevertheless, Ito Misaki, as usual acted well and looked just lovely. Cheers!