NANA

[swollenlymphnodes]

This is a manga shoujo. Girls manga. Like brought up elsewhere on the site, it's based on reality with a focus on relationships. The art is top notch, extremely excellent, vivid and detailed. Being a shoujo, there's a definite emphasis on beautiful characters and their style. But despite the plastic appearances it seems like there's deeper stories that lie beneath.


Episode 1
Very original introductory episode. It has extremely talkative first person dialogue which immediately reminded me of Kareshi Kanojo No Jijou. (His and Her Circumstances). The first main character NANA is super feminine. Just the girliest girl you can be. You are exposed to various trendy outfits and hairstyles.

It's an original introductory episode because it didn't immediately remind me of anything and I appreciated how it lets the viewer just sit back and enjoy the unfolding story. A 'cute' intertwining of paths of two main characters who couldn't be more different who are the same age and share the same name riding the same train to Tokyo. And then the reunion that unites them in the same apartment.

The other Nana couldn't be more of a polar opposite. She's a budding rock star. With goth styles decked out in black and leather. More cool and nonchalant then the mega-femenine girly girl nana.

In between the storyline of these two characters, the girly nana makes her way to Tokyo to her boyfriend, who left on his own, and his independent spirit is immediately apparent as he nudges her off into her own self-dependency. Nana, would love nothing more than to be a homemaker for him... but at the same token is submissively obedient to his proddings. You can take a couple things away from his character. Either one, he's a jerk who doesn't mind the sex, but doesn't want the commitment (a lack of appreciation or failure to notice her cleaning his house top to bottom is another hint), or two he cares that she's not left helpless and the proddings are his way of saying it's for her own benefit.

At this point though, as an introductory episode, there is no 'hook' effect where it's story draws you in and makes you want to know what's next. It's like I said, I nice little introduction. The only thing it offers at this point, is great art, character design, and a foundation for what could be an interesting story. No indications that it will be, but nothing to discredit it yet.
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nodes aka GTBaka
eh?
*Eternally Lurking*

[jjjynx]

I changed my mind about it being only for girls, I went to th Manga store yesterday only to find horrendous amounts of NANA franchise being sold all over. And to think I only found it 1 month ago. It's Manga is already out. Geebus!

[GrinfilledCelt]

You're right, nodes. This is an anime for young girls. I have seen through episode four.


The next few episodes are background on the girly-girl Nana (GGN)and only gets back to the Rocking Nana (RN) in the last half of the fourth. GGN goes down in my estimation. She is extermely naive if not plain stupid. I don't blame the guys she meets for treating her as they do. If I met her, I'd be attracted to her strongly at first but would quickly realize what a psycho she is and back off in a hurry. Her type never bothers to get to know you but instead quickly builds a romantic fanasty around you and begins planning your life together. Until she begins to distinguish between reality and her fantasties GGN is in for nothing but heartache.

From what little I have seen of RN so far, I can say that, although she has one foot firmly planted in reality, RN isn't as different from GGN as it first appears. I loved one of her lines:

[swollenlymphnodes]

I can't really say this is an anime for young girls, as much as it's primarily for a female audience. A lot of the issues would fascinate a female psyche in general. It's the equivalent of a chick-flick.


Episode 2 & 3

I see what you're talking about Grin, now about how she could be a shallow type. After watching it though, she's still sincere as ever... so I would attribute all these infatuations with a personality type of someone who falls easy, someone who falls real fast. There are people like that. I know some people like that. It's bad for them in that it sets them up for a lot of heartbreak, but that's their personality. And it also boils down to her immaturity. She's like what? 16 or 17 by the time she has the affair with that guy?

So of course from a more mature standpoint, even I'm saying, "Are you dumb? Why the heck are you getting involved with someone whose hitched?" That goes on a personal level in which I'm seeing her get her, and a moral level where adultery is not acceptable. No good can come of it. But I can see it as an irrational, hormone-packed, emotionally unstable teen-anger doing what they do: making irrational, hormone-packed, emotionally unstable decisions. I can't really discredit her, because unfortunately, there are a ton of girls who are force-fed a culture of external appearances, so it's only natural that girls like GGNana only care for superficial things like how a guy looks, how her own appearance looks. etc...

Anyway you can start to see how she painfully learns from reality dashing her naievety to pieces, with each new experience. Which is why she distances the romantic notions with Shouji.

Well speaking of Shouji, you start to see him as less a jerk when you get to know him better. If it holds true this quote from him explains a lot why he is the way he is: "By the way NANA, I really want to bring you to Tokyo with me. But look, I'm not in the real world yet. Heck, I'm not even a college student, but just a Ronin. You could be lying in a ditch somewhere and I wouldn't even be able to help. I don't want to be that kind of man. Please try to understand."

This all after the reunion from the spat about everyone's frustration with NANA's childish endeavors about just wanting to be with everyone... while they are all looking out for their own futures.

Well, on to RNana's story. (Episode 4 Spoiler) I really don't like how they tell it. Having the couple Nana and Ren recant the story to each other as if reminiscing about there union was kind of cheap. Who sits around in a tub and tells each other a story they are both very familiar with like it's to some stranger? No. Unbelievable. It starts out all right with the first person narrative like how GGNana's started. But having RNana and Ren recant it, sucked.

Anyway, it's a brief intro, so you just get brief impressions.

RNana, is calloused, defensive, and cynical. This would cause her to be less preoccupied with guys like the other NANA, but it made me think. WHo's happier?

RNana, who isn't letting anyone hurt her, but cynical as a black hole?

Or GGNana, whose daydreams and fantasies will eventually hurt her?

It must be nice to be so blissfully ignorant.
_________________
nodes aka GTBaka
eh?
*Eternally Lurking*

[Sorra]

wow, I"m gonna check this out next time I"m at the mall! I'm always complaining about authors' drawing styles... *dashes to the mall*

[GrinfilledCelt]

Speaking of which, it's been too long since the last episode came out. Where's the next one?
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[GrinfilledCelt]

Nana #13:

Did you ever have to make up your mind?
Pick up on one and leave the other behind.
It's not often easy and not often kind.
Did you ever have to make up your mind?

Did you ever have to finally decide?
Say yes to one and let the other one ride.
There's so many changes and tears you must hide.
Did you ever have to finally decide?
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[jjjynx]

Ah I see I've another here who followed through...I'm just deciding whether or not I should get the manga. So how's it been for you Grin? Think it's still lovely as always? I found similarities between it and Fruit Basket though, just to mention. It's the feeling that it gives.

[GrinfilledCelt]

I suspect that we aren't the only ones here who have kept up with it. We just aren't the types to over-analyse stuff. This is one of those shows that could have gone either way at the beginning. I'm glad it decided to turn out to be a good one. I like shows like this about normal people doing normal stuff - if they're done well.

Fruits Basket, you say? Hmmm...I never would have drawn any similarities, but if you're just talking about the feel of the show I can see it. It's been too long since I saw Fruits Basket. I should watch it again, it keeps coming up. I would have said that it is more like Beck.
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[jjjynx]

Yea I was referring to the geeling it gives, otherwise there wouldn't be anything similar. Actually, if I was to say it is very distinctive, being more focused more on story telling about love and all, than on comedic proportions.

[DropDeadEd]

My significant other loved this anime...

I seemingly liked it until I forgot to keep watching it.

[mayorie]