is a 2004 novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

 by Ira Ishida

Ira Ishida

is a Japanese novelist, actor, and TV commentator.After graduating from Seikei University, he worked for a number of different advertising production companies and as a freelance copywriter....

 which spawned a manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

, television drama

Japanese television drama

, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

, and movie adaptation.

The drama and manga versions have considerable differences from the original novel.

The original novel focuses on a group of outcasts and their attempt to make a new search engine, which would have its own Artificial Intelligence that would understand users intentions and help them in their online searches. This technology gets the attention of Digital Capital, who wants to steal the technology for themselves.

Taking place in the Tokyo district of Akihabara

Akihabara

, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...

, or Akiba as it is often shortened to, the story in the drama focuses on a group of outcasts of society, mainly otaku

Otaku

is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...

, and a company they establish to "troubleshoot" the problems of Akihabara. The manga has a story more similar to the novel, in that the Otaku are in conflict with Digital Capital over the development of new software. The movie, on the other hand, shows a much darker, more violent and slightly twisted perspective of life as an Akiba-otaku. The movie was released in September 2006.

Akihabara@Deep was adapted into a manga a year after the novel's publication. It featured art by Makoto Akane, and followed the same story as the original novel. It was serialized in Weekly Comic Bunch

Weekly Comic Bunch

is a defunct Japanese manga anthology marketed to young adults that was edited by Coamix and published weekly by Shinchosha from 2001 throughout 2010...

, a seinen

Seinen

is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...

 manga magazine, in August 2005 and spanned a total of six tankōbon

Tankobon

, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...

 volumes.

Novel

A group of outcasts who meet each other through an online website decide to form an IT company. They seek to create a search engine that will become more popular than Google. They call their creation CROOK (クルーク). This new search engine uses Artificial Intelligence to understand the user's intentions and help them narrow their search. This attracts the attention of Nakagomi Takeshi, the president of Digital Capital (DigiCap), who after a failed attempt to take over Akihabara@Deep, steals the technology for himself. The group must then find a way to get their technology back from DigiCap. The novel is narrated from the point of view of CROOK's Artificial Intelligence.

Drama

The Drama takes a much more lighthearted approach to the story. It all begins when a mysterious online personality named Yui decides to assemble these outcasts to try and form a group dedicated to solving the problems that plague Akiba by forming the "troubleshooting" company, Akihabara@DEEP, often shortened to just @DEEP. One example of this troubleshooting would be that the otaku of Akiba have come under a surge of bullying. @DEEP's first task was to eliminate this bullying. After getting rid of this problem, @DEEP began taking up other tasks as well. Some of these include clearing the name of a cosplayer in a case that involved the distribution of underground videos depicting other cosplayers getting undressed in dressing rooms, protecting a news anchor from attacks by otaku who were enraged at a story that she had previously worked on that bashed the youth of Akiba, and helping out a maid cafe

Maid cafe

Maid cafés are a subcategory of cosplay restaurants found predominantly in Japan. In these cafés, waitresses dressed in maid costumes act as servants, and treat customers as masters in a private home, rather than as café patrons...

 that the people of Akiba frequent from an opposing maid cafe that was acting extremely hostile to this maid cafe and even provided various prostitution services to the visitors of the opposing maid cafe.

While @DEEP solves these cases, the group unintentionally attracts the attention of a seedy character named Nakagomi Takeshi. The reason behind this is because of a secret past relationship between Nakagomi and Yui. What adds to this is a fully self-reliant AI

Ai

AI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...

 program that Nakagomi would greatly benefit from if he got his hands on it. This is because he is the president of a very influential electronics company called Digital Capital, often shortened to DigiCap. He will eventually raid @DEEP's headquarters, steal Yui's AI, and kidnap Akira.

Characters

The main characters of @DEEP are all outcasts of society and usually have something fundamentally wrong with themselves. After getting advice from a website called "Yui's Lifeguard" these six individuals are called together by the website's creator, Yui, to help clean up Akiba.

:(Drama: Shunsuke Kazama

Shunsuke Kazama

is a Japanese actor and singer affiliated with Johnny's Entertainment.-History:As a Johnny's Junior he was member of .He is also a member of TU→YU along with V6's Hiroshi Nagano, NEWS's Takahisa Masuda, Hey! Say! JUMP's Hikaru Yaotome and actor Tatsuya Takeda...

; Movie: Hiroki Narimiya

Hiroki Narimiya

, better known as , is a Japanese actor.-Early life:He was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. His parents are Okinawan, so he is of Okinawan descent. His parents divorced when he was young, and in his third year of junior high school, his mother died and he and his brother were raised by his...

)

Page is the leader of Akihabara@DEEP. Although articulate, he has a severe stutter that prevents him from speaking at length without the aid of a text-to-speech program on his computer, which Taiko later upgrades to speak more fluently in Page's own voice. Page is the only member of @DEEP without a particular area of expertise, but proves a worthy leader for the group. He always has his friends' best interests at heart and works hard to protect them, as seen when he stops the merciless beating of Akira, Box, and Taiko by threatening to blow himself up with 'bombs' (in actuality, fireworks) strapped to his body.

At the beginning of each mission, he often says, "All right, battle plan!" to the point where he is teased by the others for its constant repetition and his inability to say it properly.

:(Drama: Toma Ikuta

Toma Ikuta

is a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.-Career :Ikuta Toma used to be in a variety show for kids called Tensai Terebi kun. Being a member of a then all-children band called Strawberry Parfait, he was popular with the audience...

; Movie: Shugo Oshinari

Shugo Oshinari

is a Japanese actor best known for his roles in the controversial Battle Royale II: Requiem and Shunji Iwai's film, All About Lily Chou-Chou ....

)

Box is @DEEP's resident graphic designer. He wears gloves at all times to prevent direct contact the world, and changes to a fresh pair every two hours. Box is afraid of women to the point that he foams at the mouth if one gets too close. He, however, has no problems at all with what he terms '2D women', for example animated women, female cosplayers, or maids (although not ero maids; Box says they have too much bare skin to be grouped in with his 2D women). Apparently, whenever a girl is around, he hears a noise in his head go, "kyupin!" and he runs away.

In episode 9 of the drama, Box's past is revealed along with the reason why he is afraid of women. Also, Box's nickname is explained.

:(Drama: Gen Hoshino; Movie: Yoshiyoshi Arakawa)

Taiko is a techno-musician who creates ringtones and the like as a hobby. When he is exposed to flashing lights, he seizes, freezing up like a computer. His nickname is derivative of his musical ability. In the movie, he appears to be a mechanic–technician, instead of being a musician.

:(Drama: Yuka Kosaka

Yuka Kosaka

is a Japanese gravure idol, actress and model. She was born in Izumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. She is also known as her nickname "Yuka-chin", and has starred in a number of TV dramas and films.- Profile :...

; Movie: Yu Yamada

Yu Yamada

is a model, actress, and singer best known from her modeling work with CanCam magazine. Shintaro Yamada is her brother.- Career :Yamada graduated from Okinawa Actors School...

)

Akira is @DEEP's fighting maid, working at 'Akane-chin' during the day and fighting cat-fight cage matches at night. She provides the initial funding for @DEEP's headquarters and activities with the prize money she wins in a high-profile match. Although already quite popular among Akihabara otaku, Akira begins to attract an exponential amount of attention after Page, Box, and Taiko create her official website.

:(Drama: Hatsune Matsushima

Hatsune Matsushima

is a Japanese gravure idol, actress and model affiliated with Harmony Promotion . She was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her real name is Noriko Matsushima, and goes by the nickname Hachu. She has starred in a number of TV dramas, films, and internet productions...

; Movie: Haruma Miura

Haruma Miura

is a Japanese actor and singer. He is part of the Amuse agency, and debuted as one of the members of Brash Brats, a J-pop group. However, they are currently on hiatus, while Haruma is still active as an actor. He gained popularity with Gokusen 3 and 2007 film Koizora...

)

@DEEP's coding and hacking prodigy, Ism is the one who programmed Yui's website and AI system. Ism is also the first one of Akihabara@DEEP to ever meet Yui in real life. In the novel and film, Ism is male, but in the manga and drama is female. She/he suffers from a condition that creates ice-blue colored eyes.

She is also good friends with Tosaka, a programmer working for Nakagomi's Digi Capital.

:(Drama: Yuki Himura)

Daruma is @DEEP's cosplay expert. In the novel and manga, he is a middle-aged lawyer who provides legal consultation for the team. In the drama, he retains his cosplay expertise, and also serves as @DEEP's accountant, but mostly he provides comic relief. He was excluded from the film entirely.

:(Drama: Manami Honjo)

Yui is the mysterious woman who brings the members of Akihabara@DEEP, all regular visitors to her website, together. She once had a relationship with Nakagomi which ended because of their contrary motivations; Nakagomi sought financial gain, while Yui simply wanted to help others. After Yui dies, her AI (designed by Ism) evolves into a sentient program.

:(Drama: Kazuki Kitamura

Kazuki Kitamura

is a Japanese film and television actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 14th Yokohama Film Festival for Minazuki, Kyohansha and Kanzen-naru shiiku.-Movies:...

; Movie: Kuranosuke Sasaki)

Nakagomi is the CEO of Digi Capital, and an otaku himself. He and Yui were in a relationship and had planned to start Akihabara@DEEP together but differed in how to run the company, Nakagomi wanted to make money while Yui wanted to help people. After learning of the existence of Akihabara@DEEP, he attempts to help them anonymously, but when they refuse to surrender Yui's AI to him, he seeks to destroy them.

In the drama, he has a strange addiction to chupa chups

Chupa Chups

Chupa Chups is a lollipop company founded by the Catalan Enric Bernat in 1958, and currently owned by the Dutch-Italian multinational corporation Perfetti Van Melle. The name of the brand comes from the Spanish verb chupar, meaning "to suck."- History :...

 and often cosplays as Char Aznable

Char Aznable

, born is a fictional character from the Gundam franchise. He is originally one of the main antagonists in Mobile Suit Gundam and later becomes one of the protagonists of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. In his final appearance in Char's Counterattack, he assumes leadership of the Neo Zeon movement,...

 (Mobile Suit Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam

is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...

). He refuses to consider himself as an otaku like everyone else in Akihabara and calls himself a "evolved otaku"

:(Drama: Mickey Curtis

Mickey Curtis

is a Japanese actor, singer, and TV celebrity. He began his entertainment career in 1958 as an actor, and later became a rockabilly singer. In 1967, he became internationally known through his avant-garde rock band "Mickey Curtis & The Samurai". After five years, Mickey disbanded the group and...

)

He was a Communications Engineering professor at an electronic engineering university. He taught both Yui and Nakagomi, he and Nakagomi were working on a new OS system. When it was almost finished Nakagomi stole the data and sold it. He used the money from this to start Digital Capital. In the drama he warns the @DEEP crew about staying away from Nakagomi.

:(Drama: Satoshi Matsuda; Movie: Masato Hagiwara

Masato Hagiwara

is a Japanese actor. He is employed by Alpha Agency.-Live-Action Roles:*Change!*Onmyoji as Imperial Prince Sawara Shinno-Anime roles:*Akagi as Shigeru Akagi*Blade as Kykyo Mikage...

Friend of Ism and fellow programmer who works for Digital Capital. He had a company similar to @DEEP but lost it to Nakagomi. At the end of the series he becomes a prominent figure in the programming field.

:(Drama: Masayuki Izumi)

Nakagomi's manager–assistant who also seems to be Nakagomi's gofer, and provides some comic relief. He is a character exclusive to the drama series.

:(Drama: Youssef Lotfy)

An Indian sidewalk vendor in Akihabara. He offers some fine second-hand items such as computer parts, rare items, and even illegal paraphernalia. In the drama he sells just about everything from oden cans to fireworks to a Densha Otoko

Densha Otoko

is a Japanese movie, television series, manga, novel, and other media, all based on the purportedly true story of a 23-year-old otaku who intervened when a drunk man started to harass several women on a train...

novel. At the final episode, he gave assistance to Akira, and the other @DEEP members for the infiltration on DigiCap Headquarters.

TV drama episodes

Episode 1: Our City Akihabara. Exterminate the Otaku Hunts! [aired]
Episode 2: Fighting Maid Akira. Get Revenge in the Cat Fight! [aired]
Episode 3: Getting Over Yui's Death. @DEEP Gets Started. Catch the Cosplay Peeper! [aired]
Episode 4: Taiko in Love!? Save the Brainwashed Akiba Children! [aired]
Episode 5: Appearance of Imposter Yui! Exposing the Suicide Site Targeting Ota! [aired]
Episode 6: Female Announcer vs Otaku. Prevent a Media Frenzy! [aired]
Episode 7: Akiba of the Dead. Repel the Otaku Zombie! [aired]
Episode 8: Great Maid War. Investigate the Ero Maid Cafe! [aired]
Episode 9: Box's Past. Conquer that Fear of Women! [aired]
Episode 10: Daruma Falls!? @DEEP splits up!? [aired]
Episode 11: @DEEP Goes Forth! Rescue Yui from the Electric Brain Castle! [aired]
Special: ??

External links

• Comic Bunch Akihabara@DEEP Page
• Akihabara@DEEP drama official website
• Akihabara@DEEP movie official website