Densha Otoko
This story, along with the corresponding TV drama is one of the Culturally Important Treasures from the Internet.
"Densha Otoko, or 'Train Man' is the name of a very popular book published in Japan in early 2005, which tells the true story of a nerdy guy who falls in love with a girl who he saved from a drunk on a train. This entire story takes place on a Japanese bulletin board system called 2ch, or 'ni-channel', particularly in a thread called 'Men Being Shot from Behind', where single men get together and gripe about being single.
In typical Japanese fashion, after the tremendous success of the book, both a movie version and a TV drama series were released. 'Densha Otoko' is really the "it" book of 2005 for Japan. It's a really great story and I hope that this translation helps you enjoy it, too."
-- Lindsay, English Translator
Now if only someone did the same thing for the Damaged Goods or Blindmute Loli stories...
The original archived posts are public domain and are saved here without worry.
- Mission.1 - dinnerwhere help
- Mission.2 - I've got you
- Mission.3 - She gently takes my hand
- Mission.4 - The time to use the cups has arrived
- Mission.5 - Please don't put me in that kind of mood
- Mission.6 - The miraculous final chapter
- Congratulations!
The English Translation is here.
Message from the Translator: HOWEVER, translation is a very personalized process and I would greatly appreciate it if you'd refrain from reproducing these translations. But please feel free to link to the Project - it is totally LINK FREE.
What do we do now? We need the translation. I guess we're going to have to be renegade archivists like the Archive Team, if we want to save anything.
And if shit hits the fan and we haven't prepared, we'll be these guys.
- Mission.1 - dinnerwhere help
- Mission.2 - I've got you
- Mission.3 - She gently takes my hand
- Mission.4 - The time to use the cups has arrived
- Mission.5 - Please don't put me in that kind of mood
- Mission.6 - The miraculous final chapter
- Congratulations!
The Densha Otoko TV Drama takes the story from the book and fills in the blanks, turning it into one of the greatest TV shows ever made. It gives viewers a boatload of awesome jokes and the signature drama tearjerker. The drama also provides a rare insight into the difficulties in life that cause people to end up on the internet all day. Few other media has depicted so well the unmatched familial bond and support that users feel, even as they talk on an anonymous BBS.
See Densha Otoko TV Drama for more info and subtitles.
- Train Man - The main character. A self-professed anime/game nerd who frequents Akihabara, the technology/anime/idol Mecca of the Tokyo area.
- Hermes - A young lady of proper upbringing, with whom Train Man falls in love.
- The 2-channelers - The anonymous residents of the 2ch BBS system. They are witness to Train Man's romantic coming-of-age, and also offer wisdom, advice and support.
- Nakano Hitori (Naka no Hito) - The 'Densha Otoko' archivist. "nakano hitori" means "one of them"; it's the penname of the anonymous 2-channeler who compiled all the original posts into a website, which started the 'Densha Otoko' phenomenon.
A great writer has made an awesome critical analysis into the story, how people reacted, and how it affected Japan.
Misaki Ito, the actress who played the role of Hermes in the Densha Otoko TV Drama, has made an interview which was translated Densha Otoko Q and A.