2008 Woodie Awards
Anime Review: Nana
(Edited by Ethan Kelley)
Morgan De Sena
Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: Campus Life
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Since Planetes, which was reviewed in last week's issue, is still being shown this week and next during Anime Club, I would like to take this time to review an anime I watched over the past summer. Nana, based on the manga of the same name by Ai Yazawa, is about two girls both named, well, Nana, who meet by coincidence (or maybe even fate) on a crowded train heading to Tokyo. Both Nanas have very different pasts and head to Tokyo for different reasons. Nana Komatsu heads to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend, and Nana Osaki is determined to make a living off music. Once in Tokyo, both Nanas go their separate ways, or so they think. They meet again a few days later when they're both looking for a place to live. Long story short, the two Nanas become roommates and live in room 707 (nana is Japanese for seven). During the course of the series, Nana K. has her share of love triangles and other drama, while Nana O. restarts her old band Blast (short for Black Stones). She is trying to beat their rival band Trapnest, whose guitarist is Blast's former bassist and a significant figure in Nana O.'s past.
Nana is a blast (no pun intended) right from the start. Each character is so fleshed out and has his or her own unique personalities, such as the quirky and cute Nana K. who can make you smile and also make you cry, the fiery Nana O. for whom you can't help but root, and also some other characters, such as Trapnest's bassist, Takumi, at whom you just want to yell. The artwork is beautiful and changes to suit the mood of the scene. When being funny, the characters are very cartoony and exaggerated, and when being serious, the artwork, too, is serious and elegant. The opening and closing themes of Nana are centered on the two rival singers of the show, Nana O. of Blast and Reira of Trapnest, and are performed by singers Anna Tsuchiya (who sings songs inspired by Nana O.) and Olivia Lufkin (who sings songs inspired by Reira). Some songs include: the catchy "Wish" and the beautiful and powerful "A Little Pain," by Olivia Lufkin, and the dark "Rose" and the rebellious "Lucy," by Anna Tsuchiya.
Although Nana is not currently being shown at Anime Club, feel free to check it out on your own! It was recently announced that Nana is being licensed by Viz Media for release in North America. There are also two live-action Nana movies, as well as the Nana manga, which was the inspiration for both the anime and movie adaptations. Planetes is still being shown by the Stevens Anime Club on September 14th at 9PM in Burchard 118 and will be concluded on September 21st also at 9PM in Burchard 118.
Nana is a blast (no pun intended) right from the start. Each character is so fleshed out and has his or her own unique personalities, such as the quirky and cute Nana K. who can make you smile and also make you cry, the fiery Nana O. for whom you can't help but root, and also some other characters, such as Trapnest's bassist, Takumi, at whom you just want to yell. The artwork is beautiful and changes to suit the mood of the scene. When being funny, the characters are very cartoony and exaggerated, and when being serious, the artwork, too, is serious and elegant. The opening and closing themes of Nana are centered on the two rival singers of the show, Nana O. of Blast and Reira of Trapnest, and are performed by singers Anna Tsuchiya (who sings songs inspired by Nana O.) and Olivia Lufkin (who sings songs inspired by Reira). Some songs include: the catchy "Wish" and the beautiful and powerful "A Little Pain," by Olivia Lufkin, and the dark "Rose" and the rebellious "Lucy," by Anna Tsuchiya.
Although Nana is not currently being shown at Anime Club, feel free to check it out on your own! It was recently announced that Nana is being licensed by Viz Media for release in North America. There are also two live-action Nana movies, as well as the Nana manga, which was the inspiration for both the anime and movie adaptations. Planetes is still being shown by the Stevens Anime Club on September 14th at 9PM in Burchard 118 and will be concluded on September 21st also at 9PM in Burchard 118.