Nana’s impact

TRANSGRESSING IN A CONSERVATIVE ERA

If there’s anyone in the room who’s clueless, they should know that the manga Nana began serialization on May 15, 2000 (it’s been a while) in Cookie magazine. It accumulated a total of 21 volumes in its regular edition until a hiatus in 2009 due to the author’s health problems. This hiatus continues to this day. Fans eagerly hope that one day its creator will be able to resume the work and, hopefully, put a stop to it.

When you love fashion, there is no weekend. Everything just blends together.

Although some sectors insist on classifying the work as josei due to the themes it covers and the unusual maturity of its characters, let’s not forget its origins. The demographic of a work is determined by the publication in which it was published, not by the biased opinion of a fan. We may be shocked to recognize that works like Shin-Chan are seinen or that Banana Fish is a shojo, just as Nana is.

Ai Yazawa, its creator, has always been considered a unique manga artist. She distanced herself from the stereotypes and saccharine sweetness of the multitude of other works populating the market. Her characters broke stereotypes, challenged gender, and dared to reflect other sexualities. This, of course, was both shocking and a breath of fresh air for the time, especially in a culture as closed and conservative as Japan’s.

If there’s anyone in the room who’s clueless, they should know that the manga Nana began serialization on May 15, 2000 (it’s been a while) in Cookie magazine. It accumulated a total of 21 volumes in its regular edition until a hiatus in 2009 due to the author’s health problems. This hiatus continues to this day. Fans eagerly hope that one day its creator will be able to resume the work and, hopefully, put a stop to it.

Although some sectors insist on classifying the work as josei due to the themes it covers and the unusual maturity of its characters, let’s not forget its origins. The demographic of a work is determined by the publication in which it was published, not by the biased opinion of a fan. We may be shocked to recognize that works like Shin-Chan are seinen or that Banana Fish is a shojo, just as Nana is.

Ai Yazawa, its creator, has always been considered a unique manga artist. She distanced herself from the stereotypes and saccharine sweetness of the multitude of other works populating the market. Her characters broke stereotypes, challenged gender, and dared to reflect other sexualities. This, of course, was both shocking and a breath of fresh air for the time, especially in a culture as closed and conservative as Japan’s.

In case anyone doesn’t know, the title of the play is also the name of its protagonists. On one hand, we have Nana Osaki, a brazen and daring punk-rock singer. Her dream is to make it big with her band and surpass the popular Trapnest, the band that includes her ex, Ren. On the other hand, there’s Nana Komatsu, affectionately nicknamed Eight. She’s the complete opposite of Osaki: sweet, innocent, and has always been spoiled and overprotected by her family. You can imagine the contrast in personality between the two. Nothing would indicate that they would end up being best friends. Although, of course, there are certain clashes and annoyances typical of friendship and their two very different worldviews.

The play’s success was such that, as is often the case in these cases, spin-offs soon followed. Live-action films were also made and, of course, an anime. The anime began airing in April 2006 and ran until March 2007. It consisted of 47 episodes, plus three specials that summarized the events of the series to fill in production gaps.

In Spain, Planeta was responsible for its publication. Volume 1 was released in June 2006 at a price of €6.95. What good times! Subsequently, the series continued to be released at a brisk pace, completing the 21 volumes that comprise the series so far. Recently, to celebrate the series’ anniversary and the news that it may be continued, the same publisher has released a new edition adapted to the current times.

This is a completely remastered and revised edition, with new covers created for the occasion and color illustrations. This last edition is especially significant because those illustrations were not included in the original edition. Thus, it’s an ideal opportunity, whether you’re a fan or a beginner, to reconnect with the work. In any case, it’s clear that Nana is an immortal and everlasting work that everyone should know. Its social impact was enormous, and for many of us, it opened up a new and refreshing way of seeing the world and relationships.

What did you think of this article about Nana’s impact? What was your experience with this beloved work? We’ll read you soon!