I too was changing channels when I found this on PBS...I heard Japanese language, so I stopped. I've lived in Japan so I was interested at first to see how Japan and Japanese were portrayed. I was impressed with what I felt to be an authentic portrayal of bustling Tokyo commuter life, of a younger generation of Japanese and how they are caught up in traditional social behaviour patterns and how one day that's all turned on its head. A great story of one person breaking out of her shell and helping a couple of others to do so as well. Thankfully, Doki Doki was void of all the Western clichés about Japan and instead showed Japan and Japanese as it is. A country and people in search of the same things as most people...human contact.

My parents saw this short film on KET a while back, and liked it so much they bought the DVD from the official website for the film.I just now watched the long-version. It's a really well-done short film - good acting, an involving plot, and I like the cinematography. I especially like the contrasting black and white vs. color scenes in the film. The film showed how stressing it must be to live in a large, busy city like Tokyo, which is especially foreign to me since I've lived in a small town for most of my life. I sort of wish it had been dubbed in English just so I didn't have to follow the subtitles, but I think it being in Japanese is definitely important to the film overall. If you ever have the chance to watch it, I recommend you do so.

This is the Japanese answer to AMELIE. It looks at how one woman can effect the lives of those around her, just by taking notice of those who wait at the bus stop with her everyday. DOKI DOKI is witty, beautifully filmed and full of warmth and introspective content. The young woman in this film is in love with a man she sees, day in and day out, during the mundane commute. He is handsome and she remembers him from pre-school. As the young woman contemplates how to approach him, her life intersects with those around her..... I don't know if this available anywhere (I saw it on PBS a couple of months ago), but it is DEFINITELY worth watchng!!!!!

At first glance, the film is a cute, innocent love story, but real life is bittersweet. The heroine, young Yumi, creates life changes for the group of strangers she sees every day. She's not sure she can do anything at all, but finds the power within herself at long last. The film is black and white, the story simple, but elegant. The camera angles reflect Yumi's view, and they especially highlight the dichotomy of large and small spaces within Tokyo's expansive city. The large traffic intersections collide with confining train cars as we watch Yumi run through the city. These visuals create an intriguing backdrop for the character development of Yumi's strangers. Ultimately, it makes this Japanese "Amelie" short, succinct, and sweet with melancholy.