Small compartments--Train_man's bedroom and office, train cars and stations--are manifestations of the online and fictional worlds to which the hero escapes. For some reason, Train_man has a loyal group of online followers. He's like lonelygirl15, except he's not hot, an actor, or on YouTube. Again, I'm not sure of the appeal.
It first appears that Train_man (Takayuki Yamada) is a geek (or is he a nerd?) in the "She's the One" mold; a makeover will solve all of his problems. After successfully inviting his crush to dinner, he buys contacts, a haircut, and fashionable clothes. Yet he can't buy confidence. In Hermes' (Miki Nakatami) presence, and without greasy bangs to hide behind, Train_man is a nervous, stuttering buffoon. The "moment of truth" scene--lit by the neon of Akihabara Electric Town, of course--finds a comfortable balance. Train_man loses his contacts and fancy shirt, but finds Hermes and the right words.
(Hermes real name is never spoken. She's named after the expensive Hermès tea set she buys Train_man as a thank-you gift.)
This is mildly amusing at about the :50 mark.
1 comment:
Joe, what, again, is the connection between Train Man and Napoleon Dynamite?
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