review: Nana

by Ai Yazawa
Rating: 4/5
Volumes/episodes:
manga: 21 (ongoing);
anime: 47;
j-drama: 2 movies
Mature content: not really (though in the manga you can sometimes see half-naked women)
Genre: Josei

On the train to Tokyo Nana meets Nana.
One Nana (later going by the nickname Hachi to avoid confusion) is following her boyfriend from a small town to the big city to live there. The other Nana, a punk girl, is going to Tokyo to become a professional singer. Shortly after they meet again and decide to rent a flat together. And so their friendship begins...
The story is mostly told by Hachi and focuses on her love life, the strong friendship between the two of them and their circle of friends. But also money problems, finding a job, unexpected pregnancy and, of course, the music business are issues covered.



Hachi got her nickname because she reminded Nana of a dog (Hachiko was a Japanese dog famous for it's loyalty). She's more or less your average shoujo/josei girl: careless, clueless, cute and caring. She's fickle, weak-willed, slightly possessive (esp. concerning Nana), a drama-queen, she flirts around and falls in love with every second guy she meets - no matter whether she has a boyfriend at the moment or not. When she starts out in Tokyo she really is a bit clueless and heavily depends on others to help her, but this gets a little better. Maybe clueless isn't quite the right expression; she is, in some ways, clueless, in other ways she's fake, manipulating and not as innocent as she looks. She doesn't seem to have acquired any skills and expertise and her only goal in live seems to be getting married. Even though this really sounds bad, for some reason she's not quite as annoying as the usual annoying anime girl.
Nana is proud, ambitious and honest. She is independent in a way, but also greatly relies on her friends in times of need and can be possessive, too, at times. She can be a little self-conscious regarding her quality as a singer. It is quite often mentioned that she acts like a guy, but I think that's only compared to the average girl in Japanese culture. She considers Hachi as some kind of pet for her and her band mates. Their relationship becomes very close, though, and several times it's hinted that they might be in love with each other.
The other characters are also well described. I kind of like Shion, though at first I found her suspicious. I like Miu, too.



I really loved the story until about half way into the anime (which I watched first). After that it just became very whiny and too much of a drama. It started out so promising - and then ended in another episode after episode of crying girls. But even so I kept on watching. The narration seems to come from the future looking back on things, and there's some comments here and there that made me wonder what happened. The last episode of the first season was a bit of a bitter-sweet one, with a glimpse into the future - but still leaving quite a few questions to be answered.
I wonder if there was a second season planned. The anime stops at chapter 42 (Volume 12) of the manga.

Because I was curious I went on with the manga.
There's more "flashes" into the future in the manga. The crying is a lot less annoying - probably because you can just flip over it (and don't have to hear it).
The manga finally reveals a very tragic event that is the big turn-around that apparently leads to the future events that are hinted at throughout the anime and manga. Naturally there's even more crying, but this time there's a valid reason. But I don't want to spoil...
So far there are 84 chapters released.


I dislike that this manga/anime really doesn't promote a healthy livestyle. Half the people are serious chain smokers, there's frequent drinking sessions, cheating on partners, self-harming, drug abuse, reckless driving and a 15-year-old boy working as a prostitute.
Besides, Yazawa's drawing style makes people look extremely thin. I don't really like that, but I got used to it. I do like the attention she gives to clothes and fashion.
I'll definitely will follow that one. The way the story is told - changing in between two different time settings - really makes you wonder what happened, you want to get to that point where the two different time setting finally meet.

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short reviews: Chihayafuru, Uta No Prince-Sama, Koukaku No Regios

Chihayafuru

At first I thought it was a bit weird - an anime about a card game? But I've really grown to like this one. It's generally classified as josei, there's 18 episodes so far and it's still going on.

When Chihaya befriends her new classmate Arata, he introduces her to the competetive card game karuta. She becomes obsessed with the game and starts dreaming of becoming the "Queen", the best female karuta player in Japan. When Arata moves away, she vows to keep on playing karuta.
Later when she's in high school she meets her old childhood friend and former karuta teammate Taichi again. She convinces him to try to form a karuta club at school. They need five members to officially form a club, so they look for suitable candidates.
The plot then follows them becoming friends, trying to get better, going to tournaments, etc.

What I really like about Chihayafuru ist that they don't magically win everything. There are defeats and set-backs. The characters are distinguishable, have their own strengths and weaknesses and all get some character development.
It's heart-breaking how Taichi - nice, good-looking, good in school, rich, good in sports - obviously loves Chihaya, they're such an amazing team, but she's completely oblivious of it and goes on raving about Arata.

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Uta no☆Prince-sama♪

Another one of these otome game adaptions (13 episodes). But what can I say - I like bishonen reverse harem. And as long as the girl is a flat character, there's a chance she's not totally annoying.

The story (if you can call it such) takes place in a boarding school for artists. There are pupils who want to become "idols" and ones who want to become composers, there's a mad principal and falling in love is against the rules. Naturally the story is full of music, songs - and innuendos. And besides it being an otome game adaption, there's also lots of possibilities for yaoi couples (though there's not even hints at such).
I really like the drawing style. Nanami, the main girl, has yellow eyes though, which I found rather strange and distracting. She also has an annoyingly high voice and is rather clumsy, and an airhead... the usual. But of course everyone wants to pair up with her. The usual. But there's a mysterious cat, too, so that's a bonus point. I also like the voices of some of the voice actors, especially when singing.
You don't watch these for the plot, you watch them for the dream that maybe someday, someone like these guys will turn up in your life and love you. Don't you?

Still. Like with Starry☆Sky I kind of wish this one would have gotten a bit more time and depth. It would have been a great opportunity to get more into the single characters and their friendship. And what's up with that cat? Even on the basis of an otome game, it could have been much more than just these 13 episodes.
Good news is that I heard there's gonna be a second season - so let's hope they'll take the chance and build this up to a good story.

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Koukaku No Regios

Chrome Shelled Regios (its English name) is an anime adoption of a teen book series.

Sometime in the future Earth is polluted and humans are living in mobile cities, called regios. Outside of those they can't breathe and there's giant "filth monsters" roaming about.
Layfon Alseif had to leave his hometown - where he was a member of a group of special warriors - and tries to start a new, peaceful life in an academy city. Layfon seems like an average nice guy (and most girls fancy him), but turns into a total badass when fighting. His superior fighting abilities are soon discovered and he's coaxed to join the martial arts students and the 17th platoon.

This is a quite good shonen anime. It's not too long (24 episodes), the characters are all likable (even most females) and the plot is suspenseful. I also like how women are treated absolutely equal to men.
Sometimes it gets a bit gory (but not very often) and there's these flashbacks in bad English that apparently explain the back story - but I didn't get it. I also would have liked to get to know some characters better, like Harley. Maybe there'll be another season?

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Goin' Back

I think I'm going back
To the things I learnt so well in my youth.
I think I'm returning to
Those days when I was young enough to know the truth.

Now there are no games,
To only pass the time.
No more colouring books,
No Christmas bells to chime.
But thinking young and growing older is no sin.
And I can't play the game of life to win.

I can recall a time,
When I wasn't ashamed to reach out to a friend.
And now I think I've got
A lot more than just my toys to lend.

Now there's more to do
Than watch my sailboat glide.
And every day can be
My magic carpet ride.
And I can play hide and seek with my fears,
And live my days instead of counting my years.

Then everyone debates the true reality,
I'd rather see the world, the way it used to be.
A little bit of freedom's all we lack,
So catch me if you can, I'm going back.




I really like this song. Not only Freddie's voice and the music (I'm aware it's a cover).
Sometimes I wish I could revive those childhood days. There seemed to be no sorrows. When was the last time I played a game, just to pass the time? The last time I was drawing something? And wasn't it so much easier to say "do you want to be friends" back then? When is the last time I was running - just for fun? Sometimes I see a playground and I want to go there, climb on things, get on the swing (maybe I will some time when no one is around).
I think I really had a happy childhood and I'm grateful for that. Read more on this article...

Winter Sleep

For the last few months I find myself in a strange mood.

I like to sleep a lot. If I make myself some food, it's mainly soup. I want to cuddle up in fluffy blankets. My consumption of hot chocolate has peaked.
When I was at my parent's over my birthday and the holidays, I took a hot bath nearly every evening.
I've been reading a lot, real books again, not mangas. Fantasy. I re-read the Belgariad and started the Kingkiller Chronicle.

I also hate getting out of my comfort zone even more than usual.
For example I really would have loved to see The Answer together with The Union in London. It's not uncommom for me to travel to see a concert - after all I travelled to Berlin to see The Answer. And I love Great Britain. But for London I'd have to get on a plane. I've been flying a lot last year, but I dislike it. I hate the whole issue of packing liquids the right size, arriving early, the security checks, the flying. So I won't be going.

I really don't think it's a bad thing. Maybe it's just natural and I keep following my instincts. I just never noticed it like that. Read more on this article...

josei manga short reviews: Hapi Mari, Hotaru no Hikari, Pink Lady

Hapi Mari
A josei manga by Enjouji Maki.
Takanashi Chiwa never had a boyfriend and focuses on working hard to pay the debts of her father (mainly in order to keep the house). One day she's called to the new president (young and good-looking) of the company she's working for - and asked to marry him. There's something in it for both of them (she gets her debts paid and he can stay president of the family company), so she agrees. So far, so WTF.
Of course they don't get along at all at first and of course they fall in love with each other later on. He's the boss not only in work life, but also in their personal life and the virgin woman never really carries through with any of her efforts to get a little freedom on her own. He's violent, nearly raping her several times, but she always comes running back to him. They never talk much with each others, they sulk, and she's trying to be the good wife and no burden to her husband, crying and apologizing for everything even if he's being a huge asshole. Did I mention she's not the brightest? They're constantly fighting and hurting each other but of course they "love" each other.
Pretty much run-of-the-mill josei. The best character is his mother-substitute secretary.
So far there's 27 chapters, it's ongoing. I will not continue reading.


Hotaru no Hikari
Another josei manga, by Hiura Satoru with 31 chapters so far.
Actually, similar to Hapi Mari, Hotaru isn't interested much in relationships - she's a so-called "dried fish" - and she also suddenly comes to live with her boss (secretly). The difference is, he's forty-something and they don't marry. Actually she finds herself a different boyfriend, an furniture designer three years younger than her, but more experienced relationship-wise. The plot is about her struggling to make the relationship work after having been several years "out of the game".
I think I can identify with Hotaru - working at the office, loving to laze around at home, no relationships the past years... So I really like this one.
But I have to say that the drawings sometimes aren't really that good. Apparently there's a TV drama series, too - I think I'll try that one out someday.

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Pink Lady
This one actually is a manhwa - that's the Korean version of mangas or comics. Since it started out as a web comic, it's in colour.
Gyeo-Wul studies art at the university. One day she meets a blunt male co-student whose drawing style is praised by the others. She starts doubting her own skills. Then it turns out she and the young man have already met as children.
There's only about 7 chapters translated, so the plot didn't progress very far. It has a different stlye than what I'm used to, and also it's all in colour - but that's a nice change. Apparently the creator Yeon Woo is an art student, too, so you can notice that they know what they're talking about (there's references to techniques, famous paintings, etc).

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The Webcomic (Korean)
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How to take a science fiction plot and make it into a fantasy bestseller

A young boy lives with his uncle on a quiet and remote farm (he has no knowledge about who his parents are). He finds something round and blue - that turns out to be alive. When he isn't at home one night, the farm gets burned down and his uncle killed. He meet with this one guy... what was his name again? Short and starting with B? Anyway, the old men was supposed to be a strange hermit, but it turns out he had been a member of a long-forgotten group of warriors. He has this blue word and teaches the young boy how to use it and how to do magic. Together the two of them leave the village, but are hunted by the evil empire (who are behind killing the young boy's uncle).
On their flight they get knowledge of a princess who is held captive by the empire (who by chance is the one who actually send the round blue thing to the old hermit in the first place). They also meet another young man. Young farm boy wants to rescue the princess, the other young man is somewhat reluctant. Anyway, the emprie catches up with them, the old man is wounded badly and sacrifices himself so the two young men can escape with the princess. Farm boy has the hots for her and wants to join the rebels, the other guy again is reluctant but accompanies him.
[...]
In the course of the later story it also turns out that the young farm boy is the son of the right hand of the evil emperor. And the other young man gets the hots for the woman who is leading the rebels.

Well then, tell me what the name of the story is... Star Wars, right? Or maybe Eragon?


I admit it's recently annoying me again how much praise Paolini gets.
He just fucking stole the whole thing from different sources.
Eragorn sounds similar? Yeah, not only that.

Dragonrides communicating telepathically with their dragons? Dragonriders of Pern
Young farm boy with a mark in his palm getting a blue sword and becoming a great magician? Belgariad
A language only known my magicians in which you can not lie, in which dragons speak and in which everything and everyone have a true name, knowledge of which will bring power over them? Earthsea
Roran is basically Perrin from Wheel of Time, the dwarves are really pretty much 100% like Tolkien's and the elves are not far off either, with Arya being pretty much a copy of Arwen (right down to the falling in love with a mortal human issue).

Why the hell does hardly anyone notice? Is Eragon the only fantasy book you ever read?
And this is not just similarity, in a way that many fantasy books are inspired by LOTR. This is in your face stolen stuff. There's whole paragraphs that are stolen from other books (e.g. Eddings).

After reading the second book, we (me and some girls from the New Murtagh Fanclub) guessed on how Murtagh would end. Since he was based on Han Solo and Anakin Skywalker we figured he'd "do a Dath Vader" and save Eragorn and destroy the evil emperor last minute. Then we weren't sure: either he'd die killing the emperor (like Anakin), or he'd end up with the rebel leader lady (like Han). I haven't read the last books yet, but according to wikipedia we were right.

Here's a blog post who gives some examples (incl. one for a stolen paragraph): Paolini and plagiarism
Another source and blog post: http://aydee.wordpress.com/2006/12/17/eragon/ Read more on this article...

short reviews: Starry Sky, Stardust Wink, Tactics

And here's the next two short anime reviews, and one manga review:

Starry☆Sky
This is an anime adaption of a so-called otome game, a dating game for girls. That tells you all about the plot: it's non-existent. The female heroine has no character (still of course everyone likes her), but she's also not playing too big a role. The anime focuses on twelve guys, one for each Western Zodiac, portraying each one in two episodes. The episodes are rather short, about 10 minutes each, which makes 20 minutes for each character. I'm sure there could have been a nice plot which explores the relationships between the characters more, their future and the strange abilities some of them have - unfortunately there isn't much of that.
But it's well-drawn and there's lots of bishonen guys. Not a great one, but simple entertainment if you don't want to spend too much time and just need something easy for "in between".

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Tactics
"Tactics" is an anime set in the early 20th century Japan. Kantarou is a folklorist who can see mythical creatures. He makes a living by writing articles and being an exorcist. Since his childhood he has been friends with "monsters" and searches for the "oni-eating tengu". He finally finds him, frees him, names him Haruka and the tengu comes to live with him and a fox girl. There's also an annoying little girl who fell in love with Haruka and some others who keep constantly visiting Kantarou.
For me the secret star of the anime is Moo-chan, a small monster with very peculiar looks who is married to a tengu. She doesn't speak any words and looks like a cute ...thing... so it's funny to see how she's a married "woman" and actually saves the day once or twice.
Sorry for all the Japanese words, but it's a bit hard for me to distinguish between the different mythical creatures such as youkai (like the fox girl), oni and tengu. The subtitles translate them as monsters, ogres and goblins but those words don't really fit and maybe they should just have kept the Japanese terms.
At first the anime has stand-alone episodes with searching for new creatures and solving new riddles in every episode. A bigger plot slowly reveals itself and is only the main theme in the last few episodes. Be warned: the ending is bitter-sweet.
So far there's 25 episodes, but there's hints to more.
Contrary to what the fan art might suggest, this is neither a yaoi nor a shonen ai anime.

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Stardust Wink
Anna is 14 and always together with her neighbours and best friends since childhood, Sou and Hinata - both boys. Both of the guys are very popular with the girls at school and Anna is asked constantly which one of them she's dating. But they're just friends, right? Until Sou messes things up by confessing to her. She likes him, so they start to date, but things don't go well and they break up soon. They intend to stay friends, but then Anna falls in love with Hinata and... well, it's quite the chaos. Strangely the three of them manage to stay friends, with one of the boys saving the day when there's a tough situation between the other two.
Again the female lead is rather uninteresting, she's a stupid crybaby and the most anyone can say about her personality is that she apparently has no will of her own and just follows the flow without much consideration about other people's feelings. The two guys are more interesting, even though they're the usual hothead/stoic duo.
I don't really know why I read this all through... There's 19 volumes so far.

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