Ryan
Even though the Train Man dates the Train Woman, at the same time he's getting guidance from others online, so who is the relationship really between? Him? Anyone else who he is in contact with? Who is responsible for this relationship?

Danielle
How is getting advice online different from talking to real friends? Is this interaction similar to Second Life? Is it more real since they are talking about dating in real life? Can these people be considered real friends?

Drew
So many people in the online world follow and indulge in Train_Man's love affair with Hermes. Is this any different from people following someone, be they famous or not, on twitter?

Dixon
The internet can be seen as both a blessing and a curse for the main character. On one hand, it is the only way he is able to truly express his feelings and interact with others yet it also seems to be partially responsible for his social ineptitude in real life situations. That said, do online forums actually make the main character's life any better? Would he be forced into actual conversations without the comfort of his online life or remain isolated?

Meagan
How do your initial perceptions of Densha Otoko compare to your thoughts at the end of the film? The story behind Densha Otoko was also made into a book, manga, and television series. Had you heard of it before watching the movie? Did the movie reinforce any stereotypes you have heard about Japan? Did it dispel any?

Tom
Since the film was Train Man's fantasy, should we still enjoy the story? Does knowing that it wasn't real make the film impact us less? Since most movies are not actual events, aren't they all just fantasies?

Samantha
As the film progresses, the lines between the "fantasy" of the BBS website and the "reality" of the actual world begin to blur and merge.  As Train Man's relationship with Hermess progresses, so do the lives of the other characters in the actual world.  To what extent does the "fantasy" of the BBS website help these characters to apply lessons to their life in the actual world?  How does the story of the film support learning from the experiences/interactions that can occur in fantasy spaces?

Martin
How does technology change the nature of romantic relationships? In the movie it seems that technology provides new degrees of freedom and enables social interaction, but it also seems to make them less predictable, exciting and real by creating more and more stereotypes? 

Margaret
Is what Densha does to win the heart of Miki a fantasy of some sort? Thinking about how change to become the "man/women of her/his dreams", wouldn't changing one's lifestyle to fulfill what they think the person they like fantasizes about be considered a fantasy?

Will
Can train_man's online friends be considered real friends even though they didn't actually know his real name? By the end of the film he has had an impact on all of them in some way. Does that make the relationships real?

Jenny
Would it be correct to say the online supporters of the protagonist were each going through their own separate, but different fantasies?  AS opposed to being the supporting characters in the protagonist's fantasy?

Emily
Do you think that this relationship was imaginary and purely a fantasy? Or do you think that it was his fantasy set in reality?

Sean
Although "Train Man"'s plot is essentially driven forward by the online community with which Densha interacts. Although this virtual space provides him with his chief means of social interaction, the film's twist ending seems to argue against Boellstorf's claim that these sites provide a legitimate and fully realized senses of human contact. How does this change our perceptions of virtual worlds and our place in them as members of society?

Luke
As we see particularly in the tea shop scene there is an uncomfortable social structure to bridge the online relationship and the person to person interaction.  Aside from dating websites what is the protocol for breaking the anonymity internet friends?  Would making this bridge more often hurt the online friendship or strengthen the overall relationship?

Yen Joe
How is following someone's adventure through online forum different from reading a novel? In fact, wouldn't it be closer to reality considering it's a real life story and you get to engage in influencing the 'plot'?

Lauren
Is it possible to form stronger friendships online with people one has never met (in person) than with people in the actual world? What makes an online relationship important enough to someone that their interaction with a person they have never met causes bleed-through into the actual world by affecting their actions, thoughts, and character?