NANA

I remember looking at NANA and thinking, "Another girly anime." But then I saw the first episode and I was immediately hooked. What attracted me to the series with the first episode was the internal relationships of the characters. I could tell that this series would have a deep intertwined story of friendship, love, heartbreak and growing up. It turned out to be one of the finest pieces of Japanese animation that I have seen to date. The storyline is quite cohesive and consistent from one episode to the next. The first few episodes act as an introduction to the story, but after that it picks up very quickly. The music is absolutely wonderful. The rock songs, the instrumental pieces, all are very well done and match the series to a T. The characters are all different and unique. They each have intricate and interesting personalities from each other. How they interact and work with one another within the series is one of the things that makes this series so splendid. Character animation is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend this series, wholeheartedly.

When I watched the first episode of NANA, I was hooked from the start. The interaction between Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu (Haichi) was flawless. And from there on, after going through their numerous tribulations and trials, the friendship between the two Nana's was nothing short of a beautiful, yet tragic bond. Episode after episode, I found myself feeling more attached to each character, from all the members of BLAST to the random friends they run to along the way. Although there were many moments I cried in frustration and misery, I realized that the brutal reality of NANA was what made the show so great. Every character had a flaw and there wasn't one person who was the bad guy. NANA realistically depicted the ups and downs of life, but also the undeniable strength that each person possesses in order to stand back up again. While Haichi falls hopelessly in and out of love, Nana battles against her own desires to become a famous musician, but also to become a happy woman in the end. Romance, although a heavy part of this anime, is definitely not a forefront. The trials of friendship, dreams, and aspirations are a pivotal part of this show that leaves you with a feeling of how convoluted life can be. NANA is not a happy-go-lucky anime for sure, but it will nonetheless bring a smile to your face . It's a truly beautiful story that captures the very essence of what it means to trudge through your problems to find the will to get back up again. I adore NANA and hope that one day the story will have it's rightful ending.

I only have volumes 1-3 of the manga so far, but I am currently watching the anime online, and I am almost done watching it. It is awesome overall. I'm more of a Nana Osaki Fan, but the character development overall is nice, and I definitely love the music seeing that I have some of the NANA music on my iPod. As for the animation, it's just absolutely beautiful~ :D

I highly recommend it~

Disappointed this is not available on CR, but it is on Netflix instant watch and Hulu streaming.

By far the BEST "girly" anime series I have ever watched! Great main characters development. It leaves you wanting more after each episode. I had zero to no sleep when I watched this. It made me laugh and cry. Once you finish watching, you will be left humming/singing various Nana music!

I'm not a manga reader so I was unaware that this had an incomplete ending. From my search the ending does pick up from the manga. It was still a heartfelt ending, but it left you wanting MORE!

taigi, tikriausiai manot kad rašyti revievą dar per anksti, bet ką aš rašau didžiausias nesąmones, dažnai net nesusijusias su matytai epizodais... ir spėkit ką manau gerai kad rašau gimtąją kalba kurią čia mažai kas supranta, nes tikriausiai jau senai mane už tokius monologus butu išmetę, bet žinot ką? man patinka paskui atsiverčiu, paskaitau, pasijuokiu... ir lyg ir ok kad čia pievos, nes taip jau yra kai žmones kurie nemoka reikšti minčių rišliai ( tokie kaip aš) rašo revievus po pirmos serijos ir net nesupranta filmo esmes. bet ką čia tik įžanga... taigi. pradedam.. 1 2 3 4 :DD iš pirmosios serijos supratau kad ta brunete ( NANA nr1 ) nesugeba savimi pasirūpinti, jos vaikinu repertuaras tikrai turtingas mulkiais ir ji nesugeba susigaudyti tarp savo jausmu, tačiau ji turi akla svajone gyventi tokijuje su savo draugu, kuris ja kaip ir myli, ir štai traukinyje susipažįsta su kita NANA ( NANA nr2 ) ir spėkit ką ? Ji ir su ja gyvens ir tipo tai parodo kad kai nesiseka meilėje sekasi susirasti draugu... taigi sėkmes draugu paieškoje mielosios NANOS myliu, bučiuoju ir iki ;*

P.S. Dievinu "ROSE" daina <3
P.P.S. Aš irgi noriu būti NANA T.T

About 3 years ago, I was exposed to the series NANA by a roommate of mine. It had pretty interesting music, but wasn't something that I could find myself watching. Consider, however, it was right after I had watched Elfen Lied and was in the midst of rediscovering my latent love for Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, so I wasn't really in a mood to watch something else.

About 2 years later, I came into contact with the series again for my university's Anime Club. It, again, was not a first choice of mine, but it was chosen despite what I wanted.

It took for me to sit down and consider it.

When I finally did consider it, I learned how horribly wrong I was, and how I so neglected this series.

The story is like this - Nana Komatsu is leaving home for Tokyo, to chase after her then-boyfriend, Shouji Endo. On the way to Tokyo, she meets a punk rocker on the train, whom Nana is immediately enamored with. She finds out that the woman's name is also Nana (she's Nana Osaki), and that they both have the same birthday and are both headed to Tokyo for a better life. When the two women part ways, we learn more about Nana Komatsu's life, and having to eventually leave Shouji's place. She looks for work and her own place, and finds a cheaply priced Western-style apartment that she immediately falls in love with. As she goes into the apartment to look, she comes into contact with Nana Osaki. The two women eventually decide to live with each other, and from the handshake in the last frame of the first episode, a strong relationship is forged. More is learned about each of the women - Nana Komatsu is simply a woman trying to find love and her place in the world, while Nana Osaki is the vocalist for the band BLAck STones (BLAST for short), and is hoping to find her way through the industry.

Characterization
The characters of Nana is the strongest point about the series. Each of them have their own quirks and developed histories throughout this series, and are effectively fleshed out quite well. Nana "Hachi" Komatsu is a woman who is trapped in a well of self-doubt, constantly being relegated to rely on the affections and validations of various men, be it through one-night stands, relationships that eventually go south, and even crushes. Nana Osaki is self-assured and seemingly strong on the surface, and is quite the dreamer and the schemer, though she will do anything to protect her new friend. She even has issues of her own with men and her own dark past. The members of the band are diverse - an heir to a hotel fortune (Nobuo), a lawyer (Yasu), and an underaged gigolo (Shin). Even the members of rival band Trapnest are elaborated on - from Nana's lover Ren Honjo, to playboy Takumi and the half-American lead vocalist Reira.

Storyline
The storyline also ties in with these very well developed and complex characters, though it isn't as good as the characters are. One of the major failings in this series is the romantic issues - they come off as formulaic and contrived at times, with viewers wondering "Who is Hachi going to fall for next?" The one strong point is Nana Osaki's relationships - which are very mature and very strong, plausible even. As I watched this series with my roommate, we noticed bits of ourselves in each of the characters (I was more like Nana Osaki, she was more like Hachi). The love stories, as well as the industry woes and the various makeups and breakups for Nana make this seem more like a TV Drama, rather than an anime.

Music
The Music of NANA is another strong point, though not perfect. There are times where the anime relies on the same piece of music twice or three times in an episode in different forms (the song is called Koi Suru Hachi), and elements of it are used in other songs (Aitai Yo, Omoide). The opening and ending music is immaculate, with Anna Tsuchiya as the singing voice for Nana Osaki, performing "Rose" at the beginning, which pulls the viewer into the mood of the series. The ending for the first season is A Little Pain by Olivia (the singing voice for Reira). This song is not used in the English version (as it bears too strong a resemblance to a Kelly Clarkson song). The songs change as the series goes further, with the songs perfectly fitting the mood that the series then uses. Starless Night is one of the best songs in the series for me, as it conveys a degree of despair that Hachi is feeling during the time.

Animation
The Animation very strongly bears the work of Ai Yazawa. While it is very nice to look at (outfits are done very well, and you can even see the Vivienne Westwood logos on things like Shin's lighter and Nana's finger ring), the biggest problem that I had with the animation was the proportions - which were a bit unrealistic and very distracting.

Overall, NANA is a series that should not be ignored or written off in the manner that I did so. It does a person a major disservice. This is not a series for people that crave action. It is a series geared towards girls in their late teens and college-age women, as they are the ones that can best appreciate it, especially when it comes to things like having roommates and such. I know I did.

Summary : Nana Komatsu 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 20. Nan Osaki is a punk singer who wants to make it big with her band BLAST (Black stones). Her and her boyfriend Ren, who is also the bassist in BLAST, have been together since she was 16. When Ren is offered a chance to be the band Trapnest in Tokyo, Nana decides to stay and continue with her band BLAST and try to make it big. Plus, she is way too ambitious to just be a rockstar's girlfriend. Eventually, she leaves for Tokyo to pursue her musical career, at the age of 20.

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 like and respect each other a great deal.

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" in Japanese).

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...

My review : If you don't like an anime that'll bring you to tears in almost every episode...then this is not for you. It's sort of mature (No ecchi but, you can hint some yuri nothing explicit though!) The plot is very good. From the first episode to the 47th (Which is the last.) you will be HOOKED. The characters develop very slowly, but sure enough by the end you will be like NOW I SEE. The OP & ED songs are really good too! My favorite opening happens to be "Wish" a Trapnest song. (: (It's also on my ipod :D) But, it's not all about Drama. there are plenty of parts where you will be laughing your ass off. And as for romance you almost feel for hachi (Nana K or if you don't know the more girlier Nana) and her situation. involving the opposite sex. (Can't tell you what all goes on, SORRY xD) Nana O's relationship with Ren is almost amazing (Still won't tell. just WATCH!). The animation is nothing special and at first sight looks a little daunting.

Also, there are soo many freakin' twists in the anime it's RIDICULOUS.But, you'll love them.No filler epis either. (which i like.) So you don't have to worry about it going off topic. (: Now for the ending..it's sad and beautiful at the same time. There are plenty of things i wish would've happened, but if they did it just wouldn't be the same..... Remember this: 707 has a special meaning....

All in all : It's a really great anime. One of the best I've seen like forever. I recommend this for anyone who like a well developed storyline, easy to relate to characters, and awesome music. GO WATCH.

I just can't get enough of the drama, romance, and excitement watching Nana. Each event is so real which makes me cry ... That was when Hachi ( Nana Komatsu) was betrayed by her official first boyfriend, first love and heartache... The story also inspires viewers not to give up on their dreams...Like Nana Osaki, punk rock vocalist of Blackstones. The best part of the story is that it shows different sides of life and love between two 20-year old ladies with one name: NANA.

the series were very good! i watched them some time ago, but i really,really liked them!
what i probably didn't like was the ending...i would've prefered for hachi to stay with nobu rather than takumi....
anyway...the story line was great...it's an addictive show :d...i would definetly recommend it to anyone who would like to see it
i like the" long distance love" between nana and ren...it's really nice to think that two persons can love each other like that
anyhow...the series are amazing...so watch it!