Thomas_Neville_Servo Densha Otoko (Train Man), while containing an interesting premise based on a possibly real story that was posted on Japan's popular 2ch forum, misses the mark once too often during its running time and can't cross the line into rom-com history.The story follows Train_Man (Takayuki Yamada), a Gundam otaku (not "otoku" as some reviewers have posted; otaku is some sort of nerd/geek who spends a great deal of time and money on Japanese animation collectibles; otoku has to do with being economical) who comes to the aid of Hermes (Miki Nakatani) as she's harassed by a chikan/pervert on a train. To pay him back for his heroics, she sends him a thank you gift. Meanwhile, Train_Man spends his days on 2ch, getting advice about how to win her over and become her boyfriend since he has never been out with a girl before. The rest of the film is spent with Train_Man as he changes his appearance to shed his geeky exterior and win the girl of his dreams.That Hermes is the "girl of his dreams" is one of the film's problems, as her character is sorely underdeveloped and a bit silly. We never see her character go through any sort of development or arc and her manner of speaking is hilariously polite and formal, NEVER conversational. This is no fault of Miki Nakatani's, who is an excellent actress (just watch Memories of Matsuko for evidence of her skill), but more the fault of the filmmakers who, despite the film's "based on a true story" marketing scheme, create more of a fantasy than a true romantic comedy. Because of that, it's hard to get behind the character of Train_Man as he's so eager to get the girl, he drops his otaku exterior to become an outgoing, handsome, socially normal young man. That he gets the girl only after he changes his look and personality also gives the film an air of superficiality.There's a lot from the 2ch transcripts that never made it into the film, such as how many posters thought Train_Man was a disgusting person. In the film, the entire forum is portrayed as a loyal supporter. And the idea of shut-ins (hikikomori) giving dating advice to an otaku, while sort of humorous, just doesn't play out as well as it should. Again, an amusing film, but nothing special.

cputrdoc Speaking as a member of the computer geek community, this film accurately portrays what it's like to be today's connected computer geek with absolutely no social skills. ...and what it's like for them to date someone from outside that community of geeks. (Wow; I'm glad I'm more socialized now than I was). This reminds me a lot of the love stories found in anime cartoons. Great acting, great plot twists. But the characters are not deep enough for this to be a truly great movie that would merit a 10/10 vote. This is a movie with real actors on the screen, not cartoons, but the characters are as two-dimensional as a cartoon. Oh; I need an obligatory 10th line: Um, I was surprised I couldn't find it on Netflix. (that should do it...)

Sinner If you've spent much time chatting on the Internet, you've probably had a conversation along these lines at some point: "They should make a movie like this!" "Naah... who wants to see a movie about a bunch of people sitting at computers typing?" Densha Otoko finally answers that question, and does it in superb style. By use of split-screen, and computer text overlaid on real environments, it makes the online chats visually interesting and fast-paced.But this isn't just some technical storytelling exercise. At its heart, it's a funny and charming romance. Unlike just about every other "naive protagonist gets dating advice" movie, this one is astonishingly pure-hearted.On consideration, I dropped it a point because I felt the character of the love-interest was under-developed. Her role in the romance never quite got fully believable. As even the minor characters are properly developed, perhaps she was intentionally left as a mysterious figure.I really hope this gets a wider audience outside Japan. This is a wonderful, wonderful film, but the central role played by typed Japanese text is going to be a barrier to international audiences. Perhaps the best we can hope for is a competent Hollywood remake. Please, no Jennifer Lopez.

alibash This is by far the best romantic comedy that I've seen in a long time! It's actually a true love story based on a widely read thread on 2ch (a lot like the origin of "My Sassy Girl"), where the main character "blogged" (for lack of a better word) his encounter with the girl of his dreams by randomly standing up for her in a train. You basically fall in love with all of the characters of the story, from the leads to the supporting cast. Maybe even more the supporting cast than the leads. The readers in 2ch are struck by the sweet though pitiable introduction to his story, and help him with emotional support and advice throughout his ordeal. The readers aren't perfect either, and are what ultimately makes the story hit home. My personal favorite are the 3 guys "living" in the manga/internet-cafe.Comically, the movie is brilliant, and Koushi Yamada does an excellent job of channeling the spirit of socially awkward otaku's everywhere. There's a reoccurring theme of friendly total strangers making life worth living, which, sappy as it sounds, really leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling at the end.Definitely see this movie if you get the chance!