Looking spiffy there, Otoko

 
           “Wow”. That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this movie. It may just be my inner geek talking, but I really enjoyed all aspects of this movie. It’s a cute story about an otaku changing his life around after he meets the girl of his dreams. Sure, it’s a clichéd story, cheesy even, but that didn’t stop me from liking it.
           Densha Otoko even has a history behind it. It’s not a simple story that a bored writer decided to conjure up. No, it’s actually based on true events, which only makes this story so much more enjoyable. Back in 2004, this little drama unfolded at 2chan with our main character sharing his latest experience on a train ride back home. Now I’m sure most of us know what 2chan is, but for the uninformed, 2chan is a Japanese board [not to be confused with Futaba channel, sometimes also called 2chan]. According to Wikipedia, it’s thought to be the largest forum in the world. Interesting stuff. In any case, yes, Densha Otoko (the person, that is. To be referred to as “Otoko” from now on) posted his account of first meeting the girl of his dreams on a train, in which he protects her from a crazy drunk. After that first encounter, Otoko gives his address to the woman so she can send a gift of thanks. He never got her number or her address, and deeply regretted that. A few days later, he gets a package from her, and it’s a Hermes tea set. This earns her the nickname “Hermes” on 2chan (and thus will be referred to as such). Otoko informs 2chan of the newest development, and many Anonymous agree that the tea set was too expensive to be merely a simple thank you gift. The Anonymous stick with Otoko, and give him advice on anything and everything. He contacts Hermes and arranges a meeting, in which from then on, their relationship starts to grow.
           By giving a little history, I’ve already given you a summary of beginning events. Given the nature of the story and the history of it, it leaves no real surprises and has a very predictable ending. However, this doesn’t detract from the movie at all. This movie isn’t about a grand fantastical story with plenty of plot twists and surprising elements. No, it’s just a story of a man, a woman, and a legion of anonymous as they go through life. It isn’t just a romance story; it’s a story of change. That single moment on the train cued the beginning of the rest of Otoko’s life. He changed himself from a full blown otaku to a regular member of society. Although he originally changed himself only to be more presentable for a girl, he eventually comes to the point when he starts changing his life for himself. He’s moving forward, getting as much as he can from life. He inspires the lives of many other 2channers, giving them the courage and motivation to fix the problems in THEIR lives, instead of just sitting back and giving tips on Otoko’s.
           And this isn’t just a serious movie about growth and relationships. The comedic moments had me laughing out loud, from the gunfight at the frontlines to the immaturity and childishness of Otoko. It serves as a reminder that sometimes we need to look at ourselves and laugh too, not only at the loser otaku that acts before us.
           Now as much as I like this movie [so much in fact, that I took a break from writing this post and watched the entire movie again =p ], I wouldn’t be quick to recommend it. I would say that this movie has a small target audience, and outsiders won’t appreciate it to its full extent. Anime obviously isn’t an alien concept to me [otherwise what am I doing writing for Anime Blog ga Arimasu?], but even then that may not be enough for full enjoyment. Some knowledge of 2chann would be preferred, like the anonymous system or the common ASCII art and stuff like that. And if you add a pinch of being an otaku into the mix, then you can easily relate to Otoko and his situation, as well as understand his actions. I’m not anime guru, certainly not a 2chann expert, and I would say I’m not THAT big of an otaku, yet you already know of my opinion on this movie. As long as you understand the world of otakus, this movie should at the very LEAST be worth your time.
           Now I admit that when I first heard of the Densha Otoko movie, I was a little worried. The history of the movie greatly interested me, but I wondered how the execution of the retelling would go. After watching it, I must say all fears were for nothing. They turned a great otaku story to a great otaku movie. And now one more otaku enjoyed it.

           Oh, and one last thing. There’s an additional one minute clip after the credits roll. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the smile shown in the last second of the clip alone can justify watching the entire movie.

//Soda