Anime is of course entertaining for many, but in some cases, it has a secondary appeal. Many of these shows have an educational aspect to them, showcasing different elements of Japanese culture or concepts from the world at large. One somewhat obscure anime took this idea to a rather handsome extreme.
Miracle Train was made with the intent of bringing viewers up to speed on the Toei Odo train line. Of course, it does so in a way that only anime can, recasting train stations as attractive young men. The result was one of the most bizarre forms of marketing ever, giving public transportation a gorgeous anime transformation.
Miracle Train Turned Train Stations Into Helpful, Handsome Young Men
As far as weird anime "adaptations" go, Miracle Train definitely takes the cake. The 13-episode show from 2009 was meant to promote and give facts about the Toei Oedo line of trains, which runs in the city of Tokyo. Of course, the train stations themselves aren't exactly stations, as they're depicted as attractive men who help those they encounter throughout their day. Each of these "stations" has its unique personality and quirks, reflecting the nature of the subway lines they're based on. For instance, the stoic Roppongi Fumi is based on the steadfast Roppongi Station, which is where the Oedo line begins, while Ryogoku Station is represented by the excitable Ryogoku Itsumi.
The fact these stations are all men ties into a supposed urban legend about only attractive men riding the trains in the subway. The individuals encountering these men are all young women with their own specific problems. These include things such as lost dogs and other personal issues, all of which are sure to be solved when these ladies ride the Miracle Train. This focus on trains makes sense from a Japanese perspective, as trainspotting and similar activities are incredibly popular there. Likewise, train and subway culture has taken hold due to the presence of the country's high-speed bullet trains, making these vehicles synonymous with the taxi cabs that once dotted New York. For those who don't know an engine from a caboose, however, it might be questionable whether they should watch Miracle Train.
Miracle Train Is a Relaxing, Easygoing and Episodic Anime
Miracle Train's 13 episodes are individual stories that contain little in the way of an overarching theme for the series. When added to the fact that it's literally about human train stations, it makes for a rather relaxing, simplistic affair that doesn't have to be thought about or paid attention to all that much. In this way, it's similar to relaxing, laidback iyashikei anime, albeit with a much different setting than those usually more rural shows. This lack of depth does hold back its staying power somewhat, but those looking for what's essentially a remix of Ouran Host Club with handsome train stations can't go wrong.
The actual educational value of the series is fairly strong, though not quite in the direction that some might expect. The emphasis on the train stations' real-life counterparts is somewhat minimal, but each character highlights aspects of Japanese culture that many viewers in the West might not know about, including Japanese history and even cultural foods. Thus, train enthusiasts, viewers interested in Japanese history and those simply in search of a relaxing anime to chill out to should head over to Crunchyroll, where they can stream Miracle Train and enjoy a calming ride.