Napoleon Dynamite has come Japan, but!!

This made my American friend very pissed off!
Napoleon Dynamite was not released in theatres here. But many Japanese checked out its trailer, and read about it's success on the Internet. Actually I think many guys were waiting for its release. But ND did not release it (I don't know why), and now the DVD has been released in this month. Guess what! someone changed the title. It is Bus otoko = Bus man....orz. Of course it came from the boom of Densha otoko = Train man. (one more)

Look at DVD cover, title font is so similar to train man and you will see 2channel mark
"ｷﾀ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━ｯ!!.
It is Ascii Art to show his surprising or emotion, which means "finally". Actually when you see train man drama site, you will see that mark. I don't have any interested in train man, and although I was forced to see Napoleon Dynamite by a friend, but I could not find any timing to laugh:-p  However I think this title change idea was so senseless.

Napoleon Dynamite is good title because of the gap between its lordly big name and cheap poor characters, right? Usually foreign movies title had to be changed when they do not make sense for Japanese but "Napoleon" and "Dynamite" are both easy words. (Even though Japanese English level is lower in Asia, we can understand!). Did you see Napoleon riding on bus so often? My friend said it was just one time in an early part of the movie (I don't remember). Yes yes There is no reason they have to change the title. Maybe 20th century Fox Japan thought "Yeah yeah, since this is an American Otaku movie, let's ride on the train man boom! hya hya hya (^o^)/  it is good timing!".  I wonder if such a title makes regular movie fans hesitate, because it's too cheap-jack, it has too fake a cover.  Thinking of big hit in the U.S, this dealing in Japan is so bad. Don't you think so?  But listen, as far as I checked on internet, many people are angry too. They would complain to 20th Century Fox now.  But such complaining may be a topic!  The odds are all on Fox's side and they will do the same in the future! 

Comments

[Impotence causes]

That's a really cool project, and you've got the right balance of logic and emotion that's persuasive. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of bus you end up with and how it will work for you.

[robert]

I feel totally out of the loop on the whole Napoleon Dynamite thing. Everyone keeps telling me how funny it is, and quoting these nifty lines that seem better as some sort of subcontext than they were in the actual movie. I have heard that the movie was genius and innovative. To be honest, I watched as advised, and to me it seemed very MTV. Slick, Very Self-Aware, and Full of Itself. It was a movie of stereotypes...and perhaps there-in lies the genius, by making such a movie long after the 80's have ended. But to me it seemed a little vague and directionless. There was alot of the abstract that went into a tantalizing direction and then just vanished into a more obvious premise. Of course I'm writing this cold...since it has been a few months since I watch the DVD..but I only remember chuckling a couple of times. Napoleon Dynamite was the kid's name..that's what I got from the picture..but perhaps the absurdity of that concept doesn't translate well. The idea of a nerdy "bus guy" seems to fit into the Japanese cute cult while taking advantage of the train man craze..plus it offers a more connecting image of mass transit..something many Japanese people can relate to..It is a pointless and somewhat vapid title change..that's my two cents short of a dollar. I'm sure I'm way off..but then what do you expect from 0yaji? ;)
®rz

[Mari]

Hi AB
Thanks, Okay there ase Napolen type boy in everywhere. Then such Napoleons talk such conversation seriously or as joke? They are funny because Napolen looks so real or he made good parody?

[AzianBrewer]

There are always some Napoleon Dynamite type kids in every school. Every now and then they get abused by the jocks and teachers. Here are some memorable quote from the flick.

Pedro: Do you think people will vote for me?
Napoleon Dynamite: Heck yes! I'd vote for you.
Pedro: Like what are my skills?
Napoleon Dynamite: Well, you have a sweet bike. And you're really good at hooking up with chicks. Plus you're like the only guy at school who has a mustache.