Since cutting back on my Netflix watching, I haven't been too concerned when holding onto a film. It takes me a few days to get to my latest red envelope and a few days to send it right back.

My latest was the Japanese romantic comedy, Densha Otoko (Train Man). I've watched it twice and feel that I like it.

It's the story of a Japanese otaku who saves a woman on a train from a drunken salary man. The savior gets a nice thank you gift from her, and they end up going out for dinner. You can imagine where it goes from here: straight to love.

What's interesting about the film is that it was inspired by a seemingly true tale on 2channel, a Japanese message board. The eponymous Train Man wrote the tale onto this message board and received the help of its denizens to woo this girl.

Could this have been real? Or was it another internet hoax?

I don't know but I liked the simple tale of geek falling for the girl. Or the girl falling for the geek. Simply adorable. And so heartwarming. It's for all the inhabitants of the internet who get no love and want to aspire to that transcendent state.

The film follows the Train Man as he gets up the nerve to ask her out. His internet buddies cheering him on. He cleans himself up to not be too geeky and to be more human. His internet buddies guide and coach him. He falls for the girl and his internet buddies help him move their relationship forward. His internet buddies also gain from him as they take on assess their lives, loves and relationships they have in the meatspace.

While this is not for everyone, it's really enjoyable for those lovelorn geeks in all of us. And also Miki Nakatani is cute.

4 of 5 stars.

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