Train-Man: Densha Otoko

by Hitori Nakano and Hidenori Hara

A real-life thread on an internet forum started it all. A nerdy otaku meets a girl on a train and posts an urgent query on the web--How the heck do you talk to girls? What should he wear on the date?... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1421508508
• ISBN13: 9781421508504
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Length: 185 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

The final battle begins... plus, denouement.

Well, the love affair is over... between Train and the 2channers, that is. I'm pretty sure there are no surprises as to the ultimate end of this book, with Train riding off into the internet sunset, the townsfolk cheering him on from their village of the otaku damned. Most of this volume is about the anticipation of that final moment when Train plans on popping the L-word to Hermes... and there is a lot of it, as there are several depressive moments where it takes the 2channers words to get him up and going again. I was really impressed with the ending as it gave Hermes a chance to explain her side of things; something that I felt was absent from from the Shoujou version (put out by Del Ray) and haven't had a chance to check yet in the CMX version's final volume which apparently isn't due to come out until April 2007. Hidenori Hara does a great job of illustrating the ups and downs that come with this sort of relationship prelude and does so without relying on fanservice... even when the dialogue refers to what could be a VERY servicey moment. Kudos on the consistency, as I would have been disappointed after the momentary elation if Hara HAD relied on such tricks. I'll withhold final judgement until the last CMX volume is out, but this version has certainly garnered the most love from me so far. One minor character nitpick, I wasn't at all happy with the spring otaku cleaning Train went through... I'm not a big fan of "I have to change who I am and what I like for the girl's sake" sort of devices, I'm of the "take me as I am" school of romance... but that's just me. It only detracted a little from the overall appeal of the book. Enjoy, and don't forget to give the other titles at least a glance, if not a buy.