Densha Otoko was the very first drama I ever watched from start to finish. I came in expecting a cliched plot about how the geek gets the girl through unrealistic means. A main character who starts out unbelievably weak but it somehow able to goad a female into liking him through means unexplained. I've watched plenty of anime that have this type of plot, and while it's not terrible, it does grow tiring to see it reused consistently. This show does a great job at deviating from the mold.
It's a show about an anime otaku named Tsuyoshi Yamada (Atsushi Ito), who confronts a creepy old man harassing Saori Aoyama (Misaki Ito, no relation), and how the two end up dating one another. Now on the surface that seems like a cliched plot, until the show throws in a twist that completely inverts the normal RomCom plot. Because he has no experience with women, he has documented the entire dating process with her on the Single Men's page of the BBS Aladdin Channel (a fictitious version of 4-Chan), and he consults the members of the BBS for help on how to win her over. They help him with everything from how to dress for the first date to him sealing the deal with a kiss.
The show starts out as a ridiculous, over-the-top showing of a nerd looking for love with a chick clearly out of his league, but it has some great developments that really change the scope of the show as it progresses. Tsuyoshi isn't the only character whose troubles are chronicled, as many of the members of the Single Men's BBS have their stories shown. Not only do they succeed in helping him out of his qualms, but they end up heeding their o0wn advice and improve their lives for the better. Even some his Tsuyoshi's friends find a way to improve themselves for the better.
I really love the cast as well. Atsushi probably played the most entertaining geek I've ever witnessed. I never felt like he was overacting and sometimes, you felt like you were in his shoes with the way he could relate to others. I actually put a personal stake in his reletionship success because of how relateable he was to me at least. Misaki played her role with class and it really helped to show that the way men think women judge their worthiness of dating is dependent on the person themselves, not by a broad way of thinking. She portrayed Saori with a level of value you don't see in most dramas.
I marked out when they played ELO's 'Twilight' as the opening theme. And then did much of the same when Sambomaster did the ending theme. The music selection was very exciting, and to this day I think of this show when those songs queue up on my iPod. The music BGM was fun and silly. It conveyed that the show was a lighthearted funny affair, and not a roller coaster ride like others. This a show to enjoy, not one to fret over.
Overall, it's a perfect show to watch if you're new to drama. If you're a fan of RomComs, this a one of the best ones you'll watch. It never strays from its mood, and always finds a way to really keep you interested. You feel the guy's pain (and he gets pretty pathetic at the beginning) and you feel great when he succeeds inch by inch throughout the show. It's a definite must-watch if you're an anime fan!
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