Nana

The longer we live, the more weight we carry in our hearts. A sentence that truly summarizes and embodies the manga of Nana. The tale follows the lives of two very different girls who share the same name of Nana, and not much else. After a fateful meeting on a train bound to Tokyo, they manage to become friends and their lives weave closely together from that moment forwards. Written most nostalgically by one of the Nana’s from sometime years in the future, the story is a remembrance of the friendship between two girls and all the people who surrounded them who all rushed into lifewith the vigor, innocence and optimism of youth; and returned so tragic, weary and worn by circumstance and choice. While wrongly categorized as a Shoujo series, Nana is very much a Josei in its explicit content, realistic storytelling, and maturity, so it is far better to be read by an audience who can handle such things. ★ Story (9) – Like longing letters written to the past, Nana unfolds in remembrance and nostalgia from the point of view of one of the Nana’s many years into the future. A simple meeting between two girls of the same age and bearing the same name quickly evolves into a tangled web of many lives with romance and betrayal; long distance relationships and unhealthy romances; cheating scandals and underage prostitutes; unplanned pregnancies and family secrets; obsession and desire; sex and rock n’ roll…All of which is set against the backdrop of a very modern, very fashionable, very young Tokyo where debauchery and youth go hand in hand reigning supreme, and friendship deeper than anything remains the unbreakable link between people lost in the modern world, and in themselves. Punctuated with ambience throughout, this series is littered with an aching yearning for the past, and a wish to relive life and avoid all the mistakes that brought the story to a vague, but seemingly unhappy future. ★ Art (9) - The artwork of Nana is incredibly distinctive, stylish and highly unique and in so is an absolutely acquired taste. Very artsy and drawn in high style, the characters of Nana are all skin and bones (almost disgustingly so) and always sporting the very latest in fashion. The photographic backgrounds add a touch of realism to the artwork, and yet another sense of style to this very stylish series. Everything is drawn painstakingly well, and in detail from strands of hair to eyelashes. While the style will not be liked by everyone, the art still remains a high scorer for the unique style and the high and consistent quality. ★ Character (10) – This is a series where I really dislike the majority of the cast. So why did I rank the characters so highly? Simple – they are so realistic. Every single character is a three dimensional person unto themselves, with very distinctive personalities and traits unique to them. Not one character can be boxed and labeled as a cliché or a stereotype and indeed, their characterizations are deconstructed time and time again in the course of the story. No matter what choices the character makes or does not make they are given insight and depth throughout. Complex and layered, these characters function and fumble along like real people, constantly shedding and growing new sides to them while remaining themselves in their entirety. While the characters are rather difficult to like on the whole, it is very easy to come to terms with them, and to reach out and understand them on a different level. They are difficult and contradictory; prickly and sweet; unlikable and loveable – they are completely and utterly human, and in this humanness they are defined. ★ Enjoyment (9) – This is a series for people who want to read about the joy and pain of youth; of the good choices and terrible mistakes which haunt lives years afterward. This is a slice of life story of the most realistic and raw degree with all the twists and turns of life, and the bumps and bruises of stumbling through them. ★ Overall (9) – This beautiful, mature Josei series is a real page turner, and highly recommended for those mature enough to handle it. This is a series that shows how even the most simple and mundane of choices in our day to day lives can have an effect on those same lives, and can spiral into something much larger in time. It shows us how youth can be the most precious key given in life, with the most painful doors and secrets to unlock. It shows how life gives us such fond, wonderful memories – but also chokes and tears us apart with those same remembrances. And it shows how friendship is the most wonderful gift to have, and how it is also the heaviest burden to carry. How very true it is then: that the longer we live, the more weight we carry in our hearts. Hey Nana...

This is one of the most beautiful mangas that I have ever read. Just the storyline amused me a lot. At first, I saw the anime until episode 47 and then I continued with the manga. The anime is loyal to the manga; there are rarely any differences at all. All of the characters of the manga are really when done; they all have rally profound characteristics and they continue throughout the story. Something that I found annoying was how in the manga of the pages it was all so crumpled up, there were so many texts in one page it was difficult to concentrate. It isa sad story, with themes on drugs, sex among others. However, I really think that it teaches people about life and how you should really enjoy it. It’s a great story of friendship, love and dreams I think that everyone that can deal about strong things should read it

I am fairly new to shoujo Mangas, but I think that Nana is one of the best ones ever. It’s just that kind of manga that keeps you on your toes, trying to guess what’s next (even though you will be shocked at how different what Ai Yazawa comes up with is from what you expected). Nana is about how life is extremely unpredictable; two girls with the same name “Nana” meet on a train to Tokyo. The girls are totally different but meet again in an apartment that they end up renting together, so they become roommates and friends. Then the Mangaka takes us onthe journey that the girls take (one wants to become a famous singer, and the other wants to find love) and how the choices they make will affect their lives, friendship, and relationships to others later on, sort of like the Chaos Theory. The Character development (throughout the chapters available) is exceptional. Trying to change and grow, trying to forget the past, making the same mistakes…etc. I just think that the characters in Nana are awesome and so realistic. Nana made me laugh, cry, think, drop my jaw. If you read Nana, you will find themes like: friendship, love, life, Dreams, celebrities world, drama, realism and many more. I just wish that Ai Yazawa could get better and finish it, it kinda pisses me off that I can’t finish reading it!!! I recommend it to all because I am sure you will find something that will appeal to you :)

Warning: NANA has been on hiatus since 2009. Although faithful fans continue to hope for the end of this series, there's no real indication that our dreams will become realized. However, even with such an unnerving warning, I still strongly recommend this manga to anyone who enjoys a multilayered story with human characters and beautiful art. There was news last year that Ai Yazawa was going to return from her leave to continue the series, or at least, she had the intentions/desires to. So, I decided to reread the entire manga series from Volume 1 all over again. Even though I'm frustrated that there still remainsany signs of a new chapter, I couldn't help but fall in love all over again. The art is incredible. Every character is beautiful and their clothing and accessories an aesthetic bonus. Attention to detail... Tribute to Vivienne Westwood... There were so many artistically appealing qualities to NANA that I can't put all of the praise to words. Looks alone, I'm pretty sure I swooned for everyone. The story is the most intricate that I've encountered in manga (or anime). As in life, there are many gray areas and many layers and perspectives to every situation. Because Ai Yazawa has crafted such a multifaceted plot, it's hard to speculate the ending. Although many fans have produced interesting and plausible theories to fill in the plot (and time) gaps, who knows what the Queen (that is Ai Yazawa) has in store for us. She's just THAT good. Naturally, the characters have to be outstanding in order for the story to be. And they are. It's hard to hate anyone because they are so human (and with humanity, comes human error and flaws). I think I fell in love with every single one of the characters. Each one has their own story that is unique and gives readers a better understanding of how their faults came to be. However, that's not to say that some of them won't do things to completely upset you. I'm sure everyone who reads this series ends up liking some characters more than others. Regardless of your own story, I'm pretty confident that you'll find relatable aspects among the cast of NANA. Personally, I was a lot younger when I first read NANA and now rereading it almost a decade later, I found myself empathizing more, having gone through similar experiences in my young adulthood. Thus, I do truly agree that this is best categorized under josei. Even though younger female readers would enjoy this series, I think the enjoyment and appreciation is different (and deeper) for a more mature audience. Finally, I couldn't give this manga a solid 10 because in spite of how amazing it is, it's still unfinished. Not that I think Ai Yazawa could really botch NANA at this point, no matter how she decides (if ever) to conclude the story, but to be fair, enjoyment and story wise, it's not really ideal to have an open ending with so many questions left unanswered. Last Warning: This manga pulls hard at heartstrings. Don't read if you can't handle drama, angst and heartache.