Bradylama
So Old I'm Losing Radiation Signs
Recently a social phenomena has exploded in Japan in the form of Densha Otoko. The Manga, Movie, and Television show are all inspired by an occurence on 2chan a few years ago, when an otaku nerd stood up to a drunk harassing a girl on the train. He posted about the experience on 2chan, and later the girl tried to contact him. The forum members began calling him Densha Otoko (Train Man), and since he was incapable of talking to women, he asked them for advice (all of whom were also hopeless Otaku nerds). It worked, of course.
A collection of the 2chan posts regarding Densha Otoko are currently being sold as a book, and while there has been a lot of debate concerning whether or not it's real, or an elaborate hoax, it sure makes some damn fine tv.
The television show is a drama, with each episode clocking in at about 42 minutes. It's hilarious stuff, however, and they do a perfect job of making Densha an empathetic character. What the show does best, however, is build up tension and excitement over Densha's pathetic social adventure, to the point where one ends up feeling like one of the forum members following Densha Otako. There are sub-plots, of course, involving a few nameless forum members and the girl's family, but they're not boring, and don't detract too much from the main story.
Screencaps (fairly large):
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2802/densha42rh.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4645/densha50yb.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4286/densha32jg.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6307/densha25yi.jpg <- the main character
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/815/densha17ud.jpg
Female Leads:
http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/5140/itoumisaki019cq.jpg <- Misaki Ito
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/250/a000540518152286ej.jpg <- eriko sato
Of course, the show is still being released, and is currently on the 6th episode. It'd be impossible for most of us to watch it without acquiring it through shady methods, but as I recall, unless the show becomes licensed for your country, you won't be breaking any laws.
It'll probably never get licensed outside of Japan, however, and suffer a fate similar to Battle Royale.
A collection of the 2chan posts regarding Densha Otoko are currently being sold as a book, and while there has been a lot of debate concerning whether or not it's real, or an elaborate hoax, it sure makes some damn fine tv.
The television show is a drama, with each episode clocking in at about 42 minutes. It's hilarious stuff, however, and they do a perfect job of making Densha an empathetic character. What the show does best, however, is build up tension and excitement over Densha's pathetic social adventure, to the point where one ends up feeling like one of the forum members following Densha Otako. There are sub-plots, of course, involving a few nameless forum members and the girl's family, but they're not boring, and don't detract too much from the main story.
Screencaps (fairly large):
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2802/densha42rh.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4645/densha50yb.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4286/densha32jg.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6307/densha25yi.jpg <- the main character
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/815/densha17ud.jpg
Female Leads:
http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/5140/itoumisaki019cq.jpg <- Misaki Ito
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/250/a000540518152286ej.jpg <- eriko sato
Of course, the show is still being released, and is currently on the 6th episode. It'd be impossible for most of us to watch it without acquiring it through shady methods, but as I recall, unless the show becomes licensed for your country, you won't be breaking any laws.
It'll probably never get licensed outside of Japan, however, and suffer a fate similar to Battle Royale.
