Title: Densha Otoko Volume(s): 3 Author(s): Hitoru Nakano, Wataru Watanabe Format: Unflipped; Right-to-Left Publisher: CMX MSRP: $9.99 Genre(s): Drama/Romance Rated: Teen (13+)

“Densha Otoko” is based on the true life story of an otaku who fell in love with a woman on the train. According to various reports, the otaku interfered with a drunk man who was harassing several women, and eventually ended up dating one of them. The fact that this is a “nerd falls in love with a pretty girl” storyline is besides the point. Many people will hear this description and pass this series up. How many losers can we watch fall in love with pretty girls, manage to get them, and still stay awake? By now I’ve read “Love Hina,” “I’’s,” “A.I. Love You,” “Tenchi Muyo,” and so forth...by now even I’m getting a little sick of the genre. But “Densha Otoko” is indeed a little bit different from all the previous storylines of this nature in the fact that it is based on some form of real life events, and that the relationship doesn’t feel like a farce.

The storyline revolves around an otaku (who’s real name is never really identified here) who buys anime, plays video games, and has no social life outside of 2channel, something that is sort of like a chat room mixed with a message board. In a moment of either true bravery or pure panic, the otaku does manage to stop a drunken man from harassing some women, and one of them requests his address so she can thank him properly. Since the otaku isn’t good at introducing himself, the girl calls his Densha Otoko, which translates to Train. Train (as I’ll call him since it’s easier on my spell checker) shares his story on the 2channel, where everyone who reads his message gives him advice on what to do.

The girl mails Train a set of expensive tea cups with a thank you note containing her phone number. Train posts this information on 2channel, and receives encouragement from online users to call the girl. Now some of you may be reading this review and giving me an evil glare that says “does this guy ever do anything WITHOUT the fancy message board?!” Surely we don’t want to read a story about a guy who gets most of his advice from the computer do we? Trust me, this is a lot more interesting then it sounds. But yes, I have to be up-front with all of you: Over half of this book is spent reading messages on the 2channel. It makes sense since the true life story was played out mostly through 2channel, where people were able to actually record the story as it happened in real time.

That the story ends happily ever after is expected. What is unexpected is how much growth there is to Train as a human being. He constantly posts messages on 2channel about the progress of his relationship with the woman, and receives much advice back. He is convinced to cut his hair, buy new clothes, and slowly he begins to come out of his anti-social shell. The story almost has a fairy tale quality to it in the fact that Train has to overcome and defeat a powerful enemy to win the love of the woman. The only difference is that Train’s worst enemy is himself, and the fact that he overcomes many of his own shortcomings is certainly cause for much celebration. If there’s one thing that will get in the way of the storyline it’s the artwork, which is a little crude at times and non-existent at other times.

The character designs are very simplistic, but the fact that this was a story that blossomed through a message board becomes very apparent when more then half the story has us looking at 2channel messages and icons, leaving the real world behind several times. Yet the story really does work so well that the artwork is besides the point. I guess a story that revolves mostly around 2channel posts was probably never meant to have great visuals in the first place. I’m sure there are better fictional stories that are similar to “Densha Otoko,” yet I find this story to be one of the more pleasing romances I’ve read. It’s easy to see why this story swept all of Japan and became such a huge hit. Hopefully it will do so here also.

- -Review By Kevin T. Rodriguez- -