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Densha Otoko (drama)
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese television drama
that aired on Fuji Television
. It is based on the Densha Otoko
story, which has also been portrayed in other media.
The drama's 11 episodes were aired on Fuji TV
from July 7 to September 22, 2005 (with a special episode on October 6, 2005). A two hour long TV special, Densha Otoko Deluxe, aired on September 23, 2006, featured a visit to Tahiti
. Pony Canyon
released the series on a DVD box set on December 22, 2005. It also aired in Taiwan's Videoland Japan from January 24, 2006 (with a special episode on December 28, 2006), and in Hong Kong's TVB Jade
from April 15, 2006 (with a special episode on January 27, 2007).
tea cups as a thank you. Relying on advice from users on a website he is able to find the courage to change and eventually confess his feelings to Saori. The drama is filled with various dream sequences in which the characters use to portray their fantasies.
Tsuyoshi Yamada
Saori Aoyama
Saori sends Yamada teacups as a thank you for rescuing her from a drunken man in the train. Through the series she slowly develops feelings for Yamada. In this drama, she has a fondness for Benoist tea
. After her father lied to her mother in the past, and recently coming out of a deceiving relationship, Saori cannot stand being lied to.
Misuzu Jinkama
Kazuya Sakurai
Kaho Sawazaki
Keisuke Aoyama
Ushijima
Atsushi Itō and Misaki Ito have a cameo appearance
after the end credits in the movie
. In turn, Takayuki Yamada
who portrays Densha Otoko in the movie, appears in a brief cameo in the first episode of the TV series, as well as in a special episode. Miho Shiraishi had also a brief role in the movie, but as a different character. The Japanese Rock Band that played the ending credits, Sambomaster, also made a cameo in episode 11 where Densha had to go to the hospital where he believed that Saori has collapsed (a lie by Kazuya-San)
users. Many scenes from the original series were parodied. e.g. Kazuya confessing to Jinkama like how Yamada confessed to Saori.
.
, and the space ship in the first opening is similar to the logo of the band "ELO", that composed Twilight. Though rival anime studio Gonzo produced the Densha Otoko opening and is referenced several times in the series, the producers acknowledged Gainax's work by putting their name in the credits before that of Gonzo. The opening sequence is also a homage of the opening for the cult-anime Galaxy Express 999
(1978–81, Toei Animation
), in which a poor boy meets the very beautiful Maetel and travels through space on the train Galaxy Express 999, which embarks them into adventures.
The series also makes use of Shift JIS art
, or Japanese ASCII art during screen transitions and within the story itself.
" by Styx
. Subsequent openings play the song "Twilight" by the 1970s Birmingham
rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)
, which was also the background music in the Daicon IV anime short. The end theme is Sambomaster
's .
al anime series were produced by Gonzo. Both Gonzo and the producers of the Densha Otoko TV series put a concerted effort into creating the appearance of a long-standing franchise
, from hiring seiyū
Saori Koide (to play both the voice of Mina as well as Karin Takeda, Mina's voice actress) to recording an opening theme for the Mina series, "START ME @ STARTING LOVE" by Missing Link.
Several toy
s, "video games", custom figurines and other "merchandise" were made specifically for use by otaku in the series. One of the figures, valued at $4000, was inadvertently broken by actor Atsushi Itō
during filming. Replicas of the original figure were later sold at the Winter 2005 Comiket
.
On January 13, 2007, the real world version of Getsumento Heiki Mina began airing in Japan. Gonzo had mentioned on December 16, 2005 that all the existing sequences and properties from Densha Otoko would be used. However, the narrative of the real-world adaptation of Mina is different from the version written for the drama series.
), Best Supporting Actress (Miho Shiraishi
), Best Director (Takeuchi Hideki), Best Musical Arrangement and Best Opening.
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...
that aired on Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
. It is based on the 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...
story, which has also been portrayed in other media.
The drama's 11 episodes were aired on Fuji TV
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
from July 7 to September 22, 2005 (with a special episode on October 6, 2005). A two hour long TV special, Densha Otoko Deluxe, aired on September 23, 2006, featured a visit to Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
. Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
released the series on a DVD box set on December 22, 2005. It also aired in Taiwan's Videoland Japan from January 24, 2006 (with a special episode on December 28, 2006), and in Hong Kong's TVB Jade
TVB Jade
TVB Jade is a flagship TV channel in Hong Kong, established by Television Broadcasts Limited, and is one of the free-to-air Cantonese language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival ATV Home...
from April 15, 2006 (with a special episode on January 27, 2007).
Overview
The plot follows the life of Yamada after a chance encounter with Saori, when he rescues her from a drunken man on the train. Saori sends him a set of HermèsHermès
Hermès International S.A., or simply Hermès is a French high fashion house established in 1837, today specializing in leather, lifestyle accessories, perfumery, luxury goods, and ready-to-wear...
tea cups as a thank you. Relying on advice from users on a website he is able to find the courage to change and eventually confess his feelings to Saori. The drama is filled with various dream sequences in which the characters use to portray their fantasies.
Episode synopsis
| # | Title | Original Air Date | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main characters
- The lead protagonist of this drama. Yamada is a typical "otakuOtakuis 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...
" who consults a local website for advice on how to win over Saori. He is very shy at the beginning of the series, often stuttering to the opposite sex and his superiors. In the beginning he is willing to try to do away with his "otaku" side, however through the series he is able to admit being an "otaku" to Saori and take pride in who he is.
Saori sends Yamada teacups as a thank you for rescuing her from a drunken man in the train. Through the series she slowly develops feelings for Yamada. In this drama, she has a fondness for Benoist tea
Benoist (tea)
Benoist is a type of British-style tea marketed in Japan. The brand was greatly popularised by the Japanese movie Densha Otoko, where sales reportedly tripled as a result of being featured in the movie. The drama claimed that Benoist is the only tea company to hold a set of three Royal Warrants,...
. After her father lied to her mother in the past, and recently coming out of a deceiving relationship, Saori cannot stand being lied to.
Other characters
- A client of Yamada, she often bullies him and makes him pay for her meals. At the end of the series she is able to convince Saori to give Yamada another chance. She dates Saori's younger brother for a while. She is portrayed as a heart breaker leaving a lot of men in her wake.
- Although he's a rival for Saori's affections, he often unknowingly assists Yamada. He plans elaborate settings in an attempt to woo Saori but is never able to show her, often getting interrupted in the last minute. At the end of the series he falls for Jinkama. However their relationship is ended in the TV special when he confesses to Jinkama that he has lost his money.
Kaho Sawazaki
- Friend and co-worker of Saori's.
Keisuke Aoyama
- Saori's younger brother who dates Jinkama for a while. He accidentally discovers the website where Yamada discusses his relationship with Saori and informs her.
Ushijima
- A regular to the same messageboard Densha frequents and a die-hard Hanshin TigersHanshin TigersThe are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
fan. Has a very minor role in the drama but is expanded in the specials.
Cast and roles
(Japanese names are listed in western order: first-name last-name)- Misaki ItoMisaki Itois a Japanese actress and model. Her real name is .-Career:In 1999, Ito became the Asahi Beer "image girl" and a model under an exclusive contract to CanCam magazine...
– Saori Aoyama (沙織 青山) aka. "Hermes" - Atsushi ItōAtsushi Itois a Japanese actor, He started acting at the age of three in education programs. He is currently studying at Hosei University Business Faculty. He is frequently cast as geeky or otaku characters...
– Tsuyoshi Yamada (剛司 山田) aka. "Train_Man"/"Densha Otoko" (電車男) - Miho ShiraishiMiho Shiraishiis a Japanese actress from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.-Filmography:* Shiroi Fune * Swing Girls as Yayoi Itami* Densha Otoko cameo* The Harimaya Bridge as Kayo Takeuchi-TV dramas:...
– Misuzu Jinkama (美鈴 陣釜) - Eriko SatoEriko Sato, originally a glamour model, is a Japanese actress.She was born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and raised in Tokyo. She was given the Best Actress award at the 2008 Yokohama Film Festival....
– Kaho Sawazaki (果歩 沢崎) - Risa Sudo – Yūko Mizuki (裕子 観月)
- Mokomichi HayamiMokomichi Hayamiis a Japanese actor. He has acted in shows such as Densha Otoko, Gokusen, Nakagawa Masaya|Tokyo Tower and as Night Tenjo in Absolute Boyfriend/Zettai Kareshi. Hayami has appeared on CMs for Daihatsu Tanto, Bourbon Petit, Ban Deo Spray and au by KDDI...
– Keisuke Aoyama (啓介 青山) (Saori's younger brother) - Maki HorikitaMaki Horikitais a Japanese actress and endorser. She debuted in 2003 as a U-15 idol and has since starred in Japanese television dramas, television and magazine advertisements, and movies.- Childhood:...
– Aoi Yamada (葵 山田) (Tsuyoshi's younger sister) - Shirou KishibeShiro Kishibe, born 7 June 1949, is an actor from Kyoto, Japan.He played the role of Sandy in Monkey. Before becoming an actor, Kishibe was a member of a Japanese band called The Tigers. On some songs he sang vocals. He has an elder brother, Ittoku Kishibe, who is also an actor, and a leader and bassist in The...
– Tsuneo Yamada (Tsuyoshi's father) - Gekidan Hitori – Yuusaku Matsunaga
- Eiji Sugawara – Shinji Kawamoto
- Saori Koide – Karin Takeda (花梨 武田)
- Shun OguriShun Oguriis a Japanese actor, director and voice actor.-Career:Born to a theater director father, Tetsuya Oguri, and having an actor brother, Ryo Oguri, Shun Oguri started his acting career quite early in his life...
– Munetaka Minamoto - Kosuke Toyohara – Kazuya Sakurai (和哉 桜井)
- Kumiko AkiyoshiKumiko Akiyoshi, better known as , is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 1st Hochi Film Award for Banka, Saraba natsuno hikariyo and Brother and Sister.-Filmography:...
– Yuki Aoyama (由紀 青山) (Saori's mother) - Chizu Sakurai – Ryoko Hashizume
- Seiji Rokkaku – Sadao Ushijima
- Youichi Nukumizu – Susumu Ichisaka
- Tatsuya Gashuin – Tominaga
- Iori NomizuIori Nomizuis a Japanese voice actress, actress, singer and songwriter affiliated with Production Ace-Anime cast in:Leading roles in bold.2009*Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu *Sora no Otoshimono 2010...
– Moe Kagami (Meganekko / posting board member)
Atsushi Itō and Misaki Ito have a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
after the end credits in the movie
Densha Otoko (film)
is a 2005 Japanese film, starring Takayuki Yamada and Miki Nakatani. It is part of the Densha Otoko franchise. The film was a big success at the box office, making the story of Densha Otoko popular. It was directed by Shosuke Murakami...
. In turn, Takayuki Yamada
Takayuki Yamada
is a Japanese actor and singer. He has two elder sisters and one son. At age 15, he was discovered by talent agency and made his debut in his acting career in the TV drama Psychometrer Eiji 2 in 1999....
who portrays Densha Otoko in the movie, appears in a brief cameo in the first episode of the TV series, as well as in a special episode. Miho Shiraishi had also a brief role in the movie, but as a different character. The Japanese Rock Band that played the ending credits, Sambomaster, also made a cameo in episode 11 where Densha had to go to the hospital where he believed that Saori has collapsed (a lie by Kazuya-San)
Crew
- Directors – Takeuchi Hideki, Nishiura Masaki and Kobayashi Kazuhiro
- Producers – Wakamatsu Jisashiki and Kawanishi Migaku
- Original Story – Nakano Hitori
- Screenwriters – Mutou Susumuware and Tokunaga Tomokazu
Special 1 - Another Ending
The first special contains a few story arcs which chronicles the lives of the other 2channel2channel
is a Japanese textboard. In 2007 there were 2.5 million posts made every day. Launched in 1999, it has gained significant influence in Japanese society, comparable to that of traditional mass media such as television, radio, and magazines. As of 2008, the site generates revenue upwards of ¥100...
users. Many scenes from the original series were parodied. e.g. Kazuya confessing to Jinkama like how Yamada confessed to Saori.
Ushijima's Story
Ushijima believes the love of his life has run off with his money. He finds her but discovers that she did not steal his money but got scammed herself. They reunite happily.Matsunaga's (Guitar Otoko) Story
Matsunaga, one of Yamada's friends is tricked into buying a guitar. He attempts to woo Yuko, one of Saori's friends by singing live at the Tokyo DomeTokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
.
Opening sequence
The television series makes numerous references and homages to otaku culture. The opening animation is a homage to the legendary Daicon IV "Twilight" anime short, which was created by the founders of GainaxGainax
is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with...
, and the space ship in the first opening is similar to the logo of the band "ELO", that composed Twilight. Though rival anime studio Gonzo produced the Densha Otoko opening and is referenced several times in the series, the producers acknowledged Gainax's work by putting their name in the credits before that of Gonzo. The opening sequence is also a homage of the opening for the cult-anime Galaxy Express 999
Galaxy Express 999
is a manga written and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto, as well as various anime films and TV series based on it. It is set in a space-faring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer their minds into mechanical bodies, thus achieving practical immortality.The manga won the...
(1978–81, Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
), in which a poor boy meets the very beautiful Maetel and travels through space on the train Galaxy Express 999, which embarks them into adventures.
The series also makes use of Shift JIS art
Shift JIS art
Shift_JIS art is artwork created from characters within the Shift JIS character set, a superset of ASCII intended for Japanese usage. Naturally there are many similarities between Shift_JIS artwork and ASCII art....
, or Japanese ASCII art during screen transitions and within the story itself.
Music
Introductory music from the first episode is "Mr. RobotoMr. Roboto
"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in...
" by Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
. Subsequent openings play the song "Twilight" by the 1970s Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
, which was also the background music in the Daicon IV anime short. The end theme is Sambomaster
Sambomaster
is a Japanese rock band signed by Sony Music Japan. The band's name, Sambomaster, refers to the Russian martial art called Sambo.-History:Lead vocalist and guitarist Takashi Yamaguchi first met drummer Yasufumi Kiuchi a few years back, at a university music club they were both members of...
's .
Getsumento Heiki Mina
The animation sequences for both the opening and series shots of the metafictionMetafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al anime series were produced by Gonzo. Both Gonzo and the producers of the Densha Otoko TV series put a concerted effort into creating the appearance of a long-standing franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
, from hiring seiyū
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
Saori Koide (to play both the voice of Mina as well as Karin Takeda, Mina's voice actress) to recording an opening theme for the Mina series, "START ME @ STARTING LOVE" by Missing Link.
Several toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s, "video games", custom figurines and other "merchandise" were made specifically for use by otaku in the series. One of the figures, valued at $4000, was inadvertently broken by actor Atsushi Itō
Atsushi Ito
is a Japanese actor, He started acting at the age of three in education programs. He is currently studying at Hosei University Business Faculty. He is frequently cast as geeky or otaku characters...
during filming. Replicas of the original figure were later sold at the Winter 2005 Comiket
Comiket
, otherwise known as the , is the world's largest self-published comic book fair, held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. The first Comiket was held on December 21, 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. Attendance has since swelled to over a half million people....
.
On January 13, 2007, the real world version of Getsumento Heiki Mina began airing in Japan. Gonzo had mentioned on December 16, 2005 that all the existing sequences and properties from Densha Otoko would be used. However, the narrative of the real-world adaptation of Mina is different from the version written for the drama series.
Reception
On October 25, 2005, Densha Otoko was awarded six prizes at the 46th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Drama, Best Supporting Actor (Atsushi ItōAtsushi Ito
is a Japanese actor, He started acting at the age of three in education programs. He is currently studying at Hosei University Business Faculty. He is frequently cast as geeky or otaku characters...
), Best Supporting Actress (Miho Shiraishi
Miho Shiraishi
is a Japanese actress from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.-Filmography:* Shiroi Fune * Swing Girls as Yayoi Itami* Densha Otoko cameo* The Harimaya Bridge as Kayo Takeuchi-TV dramas:...
), Best Director (Takeuchi Hideki), Best Musical Arrangement and Best Opening.