Title: Nana Complete Collection on Blu-ray
Director: Tadahiro Yoshihira
U. S. Distributor: Sentai
Studio: Madhouse
Release Date: May 17th, 2022
Format: Blu-ray / 50 Episodes / 1250 minutes
Genre: Drama
Age Rating: TV MA
Synopsis:
Set in the early 2000’s, Nana is a anime drama based on the manga by Ai Yazawa. Nana Komatsu (NK) is on the train heading to Tokyo to live closer to her boyfriend. She has a cute and bubbly personality, often enthusiastic and easily excited. She ends up sitting next to a woman who gives off a rocker vibe. Nana happily chats away during the ride, being very open and curious during the conversation. Her fellow passenger, eventually reveals her name is also Nana, Nana Osaki (NO).
Their lives begin to intertwine despite their different personalities, history and situations. NK really was looking to settle down with her boyfriend and find a traditional style life, while NO’s sole purpose was to make her way in the music world as a rock musician
The story follows them along, shifting focus between the two women, but centering around the creation of the rock band called Black Stones. The demands of performing, being controlled by music executives and the restraints of public life begin to orchestrate their lives. NK finds the excitement she is wants in the rock world of NO and she has her interests settling on more than one musician. NO has a tough, confident and edgy personality. Yet, she heavily relies on NK for stability and a sense of family that she never had.
Life gets complicated when the Nanas have relationships with guys, whether it is short term, looking back to old loves or just casual for benefits. Their friendship is tested. Are they chosen family or just a moment in each other’s lives?
Commentary:
I found Nana an interesting drama, although it’s not typical for what I am looking to find in anime, which is something different from Western storytelling. It’s a story you could get caught up in. So, in a way, it doesn’t really feel like anime. It could just as successfully been a live action series (there are live action Nana movies). Although the storytelling was similar to Western style stories, there are some elements that are Japanese specific.
The characters of the two Nanas is what I appreciate most of this series. Their designs visually embody and emulate their personalities really well. From the voices, character appearance and expressions, the character design does a good job visually illustrating the personalities of the characters. A contrast between the soft and edgy, still finding common ground. The English voice actors were also well chosen and performed the characters richly.
Nana is made for an older viewer, with the situations, activities and language. As a drama, I suppose the events and reactions are what should be driving the narrative. But again, I think Nana did the best with characters and the bonds that developed between. There were two instances where I think the characters really give insight to this. First, in her own words, NK says she is looking not for a boyfriend but a knight in shining armor. Second, during a conversation, NO says: “I’m not your boyfriend Nana.” Then NK responds with energy, “No, you’re way more important than that!”
With this blu-ray release there is and English Dub or Japanese audio with English subtitles. If you are wondering why the package says there are 50 episodes, yet the discs only go through episode 47, you’ll find there are some recap episodes sprinkled in there called Junko’s Room that make up the missing 3.
I found the ending satisfactory enough, yet it is not actually finished. However, they were doing a back and forth between the current and future so we get a sense of how things turn out.
