An otaku, for anyone who doesn't know, is basically a comic geek, and manga comics and anime are treated very seriously in Japan. Otakus are freaks and misfits of course, but they are young people too, despite this unfortunate affliction. Their problems with sociability however make it rather more difficult for them to fulfil basic adult functions such as finding a job, earning a living and interacting meaningfully with the opposite sex. This is particularly a problem for Aoki Mon, a young 'manga artisan' whose medium is rather unconventional, the young man working with rocks instead of pen and paper.

Incredibly, despite his complete lack of social skills, a young woman called Akashi Koino is attracted to this loser, meaning that Mon might even lose his virginity. Koino clearly isn't a "normal" girl then, and in fact, she might even be more of an freak than Mon, indulging in cosplay (dressing up as your favourite manga character) and drawing and publishing her own fan manga. There's inevitably some exaggeration of the characteristics of otaku, but not much. (Sadly, I have to confess I got a kick out of seeing Koino's mum dressed up as Maetel out of GALAXY EXPRESS 999). There's not a great deal of realistic social observation of this phenomenon in OTAKUS IN LOVE, but it might be an eye-opener for an outsider to this world and it is at least very funny.

You always get those films that essentially feel like a bit of a laugh for a group of film-makers to get together and make, and probably get a bit drunk. 'Otakus in Love' is one such film. Written and directed by Suzuki Matsuo(you know him; the one who played the twins in 'Ichi the Killer') and based on a manga, it also features 'Ichi the Killer star and director Tsukamoto Shinya in a supporting role and 'chi the Killer director Miike Takashi in a fairly non-existent role.

To say this film is silly would be accurate: Aoki is a young otaku seeking employment, often failing, trying to fund his bizarrely confused dreams of being a manga artist. At another failed job attempt he meets Koino, a fellow otaku and failed manga artist who finds his strange ways hotter than hot. But, being nerds, their falling in love is fraught with confusion as to what they should be doing, in an on-off relationship, which obviously wins in the end -it is a rom-com after all.

There is nothing particularly impressive on display here, nothing to set the world on fire or win any awards. It is stupid fun made by a group of people that have collaborated in the past, featuring cameos and in-jokes that are more for the makers rather than the consumers. But the story does enough in terms of laughs and entertainment to succeed. 'Otakus in Love' shows a part of Japanese youth: that of writers of fan-manga and cosplay, though probably tells us more about the lives of the film- makers rather than Japanese youth itself.

I saw "Koi no mon" at a film festival in Geneva, Switzerland, with my mother and a friend of mine; there are almost no words to describe the impression that this film made on us!!! Let's say that we were almost breathless from non-stop laughing and admiration: this film really rocks!!! At the beginning of the film, I was thinking (because I knew that it would last 114 minutes) : is it possible to maintain the same pace for such a long time without boring the viewer? I wasn't expecting such a performance from the director, but he really did it!!! Until the very end of the film, the three of us were totally filled with non-stop enjoyment. Besides, I have to say, without spoiling anything, because it would really be a shame for a future viewer, that 'Koi no mon', although some of its aspects (the depiction of some characters or certain situations) might seem a little bit 'over-the-top', is really far from being stupid; the humour is in fact quite cleverly conveyed, never considering the viewer a fool: there are many different issues explored, all of them in an original, absolutely unique way, making 'Koi no mon' a truly original and completely unpredictable gem.I would also like to add, and I think that many people would agree with me on this point, that it is in fact very difficult to make a very good comedy: most of them are somehow 'formatted' in a way or another, which makes them somehow 'cliché'.There is nothing like this here; you go from one surprise to another. I never gave a 10 to a comedy, this is the first time today, but this one really deserves it.Finally, i would really like to say: Bravo, Mr Matsuo, you have really made a true masterpiece, which will remain in my heart forever!!!