Words for Wednesday: Nana manga series

I was never one to be really into Japanese culture.  I am here because originally I needed a job and wanted some adventure and because I eventually felt at home here and fell in love.  If you were to ask me about what non-American cultures I am interested in, I would definitely say a whole list of others like Turkey, Russia, or Hungary before Japan.  Thus, I was never one to be into anime or manga (Japanese comic books).  

However, when I first moved home from Japan in 2008 I found myself missing it and decided to read some Japanese manga as a way to cure my homesickness for it.  I picked up Nana vol 1 because I had seen advertisements for the movie version when I had lived in Japan.  I quickly got sucked in and now have pretty much the whole set which I am currently re-reading.

Manga usually read pretty fast so I am putting the whole series on here rather than just one book.  The story Nana is about two girls named Nana who meet by chance on a train bound for Tokyo.  By chance the girls have the same name are both moving to the city for the first time.  After a long ride, they bid farewell to each other only to meet again by chance while looking for apartments.  They both are taken to apartment 707 (the  word nana means seven in Japanese) and realize that they could save a lot of money if they split the rent.  the story then begins as they become involved in each others lives.

One Nana is really edgy and hopes to become a rock star with her band.  She also happens to be the ex-girlfriend of a guy who has now become famous as part of another rock group.

The other Nana is extremely cutesy and your stereotypical Japanese girl.  She cares about fashion and falls in love at the drop of the hat.  She is obsessed with the band that the edgy Nana's ex plays in, only cutesy Nana doesn't know about the connection.

There are of course several other characters and all sorts of secrets from both girls pasts.  If it were one novel I might be bored with it and put it down, but because it is in these short installments you get hooked on cliffhangers and feel a deep urge to buy the next.  Very similar to a TV show.  I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but the stories are good if you are interested in Japan and if you want to try out manga.

I also recommend the movies although the first one and the sequel have different actresses playing the role of cutesy Nana.  Very annoying!!  Especially since the first one is exactly like how I pictured her to be.  The actress who plays edgy Nana is spot on, as are a lot of the lead males.

If you are interested, the books can be bought at most Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.com