Comments on: The NANA Project #3 — Volumes 5 & 6

By: Sara K.

Sara K. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:08:31 +0000

Thanks for the engaging discussion.

I think around volume 5, when Hachi/Takumi began to vaguely look like something which could actually happen, I thought about how dramatic/poignant/etc it would be if he got her pregnant. And then I thought “too bad that’s not going to happen”. Ah, the irony.

By: Ahavah

Ahavah — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:08:26 +0000

Shin’s relationship with Hachi is probably my favorite in the series. It’s the most beneficial for both parties.

I’m actually glad Yazawa didn’t go the cliche route with Asano. In the first few volumes, I kept expecting Hachi to run into him in Tokyo. A lesser mangaka would’ve milked that for easy drama, but Yazawa never did.

By: Melinda Beasi

Melinda Beasi — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:58:57 +0000

Hi Mary: Ooooh I think Reira is a complete mess, and in a way that makes it much harder for her to grow than Hachi, who is at least constantly learning, but chances are that will come up more in discussion of later volumes. Even here, though, we already see that she is paying a teenaged boy for sex. I think that her issues are somewhat in the forefront even in these volumes.

By: Mary Warner

Mary Warner — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:02:03 +0000

Maybe it’s just been too long since I watched the anime. (Although it’s only been a few months.) I can’t really remember anything about Reira that could be considered screwed up in any way. I should probably watch it again, and watch the later episodes I still haven’t seen. Or read the rest of the manga. (I don’t think I even got to see Reira in the manga, except for that first concert. Shojo Beat didn’t go far enough.)

By: Melinda Beasi

Melinda Beasi — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:10:04 +0000

Mary: I’d love to hear elaboration on your point regarding Reira and Hachi. I tend to think that Reira is *more* screwed up than Hachi so I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Ahava & Danielle: I, too, am probably easiest on Hachi because I identify with her so strongly. I do agree with Danielle here, thought. Hachi was *so* young when she had that relationship. Also, I really believe that when it comes to marital (or any kind) of infidelity, the person at fault is the person who is actually committing the infidelity. If Hachi is guilty of something in her relationship with Asano, it is classic naiveté. That said, while Asano is responsible for his infidelity, Hachi is similarly responsible for her own heartbreak, having let herself become involved with someone she knew to be untrustworthy.

By: NANA Project #3! | Manga Bookshelf

NANA Project #3! | Manga Bookshelf — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:38:47 +0000

[...] the Salt Lake City airport waiting for my flight home. First of all, the third installment of the NANA Project is up, in which Danielle Leigh, Michelle Smith and I discuss volumes five and six of NANA. In this [...]

By: Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Ahavah, I had a similar reaction to Hachi. In my reviews of early volumes, I was dismissive of her and didn’t see her appeal. But now, after everything that’s happened, I think I love Hachi most of all!

By: Why are there no women ukes? « MangaBlog

Why are there no women ukes? « MangaBlog — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:13:17 +0000

[...] Danielle Leigh, and Michelle Smith post the latest entry in The NANA Project, their review of vols. 5 and 6 of Nana. EvilOmar checks in with some brief reviews of recent manga at About Heroes. Yoshinori Natsume is [...]

By: Danielle Leigh

Danielle Leigh — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:31:39 +0000

Ahavah — I always remind myself Hachi was around 17 when that first affair happened (or just turned 18? Either way she was very, very *young*) so I have a hard time judging her too much because of that. (But then Hachi’s always been my favorite, so I’m probably too easy on her!)

Through later flashbacks we learn a lot more about the why and how of Reira and Yasu and I think eventually it makes *more* sense, though I agree, they don’t seem like they ever would have been *good* together.

By: Ahavah

Ahavah — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:09:00 +0000

That was a really absorbing discussion. You are helping me see Hachi in a whole new light. When I first read this part of the story, I was *still* judgemental of Hachi because of how she was initially introduced as a girl who had had an affair with a married man. Because of that, I could never quite identify with her or even sympathisize with her-I kept wanting Jun to set her straight when she did something dumb. I have since changed my view of Hachi through her growth and willingness to accept the consequences of her actions and make the best of her life. She has earned my respect, and your discussions of her make me want to read (or maybe watch) the story all over again!!!

As for Reira, I still don’t quite understand how she and Yasu met and hooked up to begin with, but her current relationship with Shin seems so very disfunctional.

By: Danielle Leigh

Danielle Leigh — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:27:23 +0000

I think the difference between Hachi and Reira is that Reira always expects others to support her (which is why Yasu is so careful to distance himself from her, because otherwise he’ll be pulled back into her orbit) while Hachi develops much more as a person and learns how to support others. (But, of course, along the way Hachi screws up some things but she does seem to *learn* from her screw ups).

By: Mary Warner

Mary Warner — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:36:53 +0000

I only read Nana when it appeared in Shojo Beat, which I think left off right about where this part of the story begins. I got a bit farther in the animated version, but only up to the pregnancy. So I don’t know if I should read the next part of this discussion, unless I read or watch the rest pretty soon. (I’m not even sure why I stopped watching the anime. I guess after watching a couple of episodes a day for a while, I just got tired of it. I keep telling myself I should watch the rest, but I still haven’t done it yet.)

But even though I did get this far into the story, I can’t think of anything to add to what you said at this moment. I do like Reira, though. She reminds me of a less-screwed up version of Hachi.