Without doubt, NANA is one of the most famous Janpanese female's comics in recent years. Its movies also achieve good mark in readers and watchers. NANA's original book is one of my favourite stories and I continued to follow this work nearly eight years.
Nana (ナナ) is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa, serialized in Cookie published by Shueisha. The manga derives its title from the name of the two main characters, both of whom are called Nana. One comes from a small town and follows her friends and boyfriend to Tokyo with the hope of having the dream life that she wishes for. The other comes to Tokyo with the goal of making it big with her band, Black Stones. The two Nanas meet on a train ride, then later while looking at the same apartment and decide to rent it together. The series chronicles their friendship and their lives as each chases their dreams. The author of the manga is currently sick and still recovering from the sickness. It was reported in late April 2010 that she has returned home from the hospital and that she does not know if or when she will return to work.
Nana is presently being released in North America by Viz Media. It was serialized in the Shojo Beat until the August 2007 issue, and continues to be released in tankōbon volumes. The manga has also been adapted into a highly successful live-action film with a sequel released on December 9, 2006, and an anime adaptation that premiered on April 5, 2006. The anime adaptation has subsequently been announced as licensed for release in North America by Viz Media. Funimation got the broadcast rights to Viz Media's dub and it premiered on the Funimation Channel on September 19, 2009.
NANA has two finished movies while its comic still continued. For some old readers, like me, we really both hate and love auhor. She describe this excellent stories but it is no ending -- it is really make us upset. Fortunately, we have these movies and I like that two girls who act Nana.
Nana Osaki is a punk singer who wants to debut with her band, Black Stones (BLAST for short), where she is the lead vocalist and her boyfriend, Ren, is the bassist. Nana and Ren have lived together as lovers since she was 16. When Ren is offered a chance to debut in Tokyo as a replacement member of the popular band, Trapnest (Toranesu in Japanese), Nana chooses to continue on with BLAST and to cultivate her own career instead of following Ren, as she has too much ambition to simply be a rockstar's girlfriend. She eventually leaves for Tokyo at the age of twenty to start her musical career.
Nana Komatsu, the other Nana, has a habit of falling in love at first sight all the time, and depending on other people to help her. When her friends, and then her boyfriend, leave for Tokyo, she decides to join them a year later after having saved enough money at the age of twenty.
The two Nanas meet on a train by chance, both on their way to Tokyo. After a string of coincidences, they come to live together in an apartment numbered 707 (nana means "seven" in Japanese). Despite having contrasting personalities and ideals, the Nanas respect each other and become close friends.
Nana Osaki gives Nana Komatsu the nickname Hachi (after Hachikō, because she is weak-willed and has characteristics that resemble a puppy, and also as a joke since hachi means "eight" and nana means "seven" in Japanese).
(competitor of BLAST)
While BLAST begins to gain popularity at live gigs, the two Nanas face many other issues together, especially in the areas of friendship and romance. The story of Nana revolves heavily around the romance and relationships of the two characters as one seeks fame and recognition while the other seeks love and happiness.
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Reference list:
1.^ "Nana's Ai Yazawa Puts Manga on Hold Due to Illness". Anime News Network. 2009-06-26. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-06-26/nana-ai-yazawa-puts-manga-on-hold-due-to-illness. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
2.^ "Nana Manga Creator Ai Yazawa Returns from Hospital". Anime News Network. 2010-05-30. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-04-25/nana-manga-creator-ai-yazawa-returns-from-hospital. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
3.^ "Vz's Shonen Jump Shojo Beat Shake-up". Anime News Network. 2007-06-01. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-01/viz's-shonen-jump-shojo-beat-shake-up-manga-lineup. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
4.^ "Viz Media — Comic-Con International 2007". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2007/comic-con-international/viz-media. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
5.^ VOD Fridays – FUNimation Channel (9/18)
This is an incredible story. A chance encounter between two girls of the same name, "Nana," triggers a series of events and relationships. I thought one thing is really interesting, not because both main characters have the same first name, to differentiate one Nana to the other, Nana Osaki affectionately called Nana Komatsu "Hachi"; but since she thinks Nana Komatsu behaves like a dog, faithful but sometimes annoying. This is actually a play of word. The female name "Nana" is a homonym of the Japanese word "nana" that means "seven", and while "Hachi" is a common dog name in Japan, it is also a homonym of the word "hachi" that means "eight".
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