NANA – Two Lives, One Apartment, One Name
It begins with a snowy train to Tokyo: two young women, both named Nana, both in their early twenties, first share a compartment and shortly after that Apartment 707 – a play on words, since "nana" is the Japanese word for seven. Ai Yazawa's manga has been running since 2000 and became one of the most successful shojo titles ever; two live-action films hit Japanese theaters in 2005 and 2006, and the anime premiered in 2006. It tells the story of the ups and downs between the punk stage and everyday life, of bands like Blast and Trapnest – and of a friendship that carries more weight than any romance. At Elbenwald you'll find fan items for exactly this kind of heart.
What makes NANA stand out?
Its emotional honesty. Ai Yazawa doesn't tell stories of dream careers, but of compromises: Nana Osaki wants to get on stage with the Black Stones without selling out; Hachi searches for true love and nearly loses herself in the process. Add to that Yazawa's famous eye for fashion – the series' punky outfits, Vivienne Westwood nods included, made NANA stylistically influential too. And because the series has been on hiatus since 2009, the fandom has developed its own culture of waiting: every sign of life from the author is celebrated, every reprint discussed. NANA fan items are therefore less about hype than about devotion – quiet signals of recognition among the initiated.
Frequently asked questions
What NANA products does Elbenwald carry?
A compact selection for connoisseurs: T-shirts with Osaki and Hachi designs, a mug, and a canvas tote in a strawberry look. The category overview shows the current stock.
What is NANA about?
About two young women both named Nana who meet on a train to Tokyo and share an apartment: punk singer Nana Osaki and the romantic Nana "Hachi" Komatsu. Ai Yazawa's manga has been running since 2000; the anime adaptation followed in 2006.
Is the NANA manga finished?
No. The series has been on hiatus since 2009 due to author Ai Yazawa's health. There's no official ending so far – the published volumes are nonetheless regarded as a modern classic of the shojo genre.
Range overview
The fandom gets worn with T-shirts that cleanly separate the Osaki and Hachi sides – or don't, exactly like in the series. The mug takes over the breakfast table, the tote from the bags section handles the record store run, and the source material itself waits among the manga – don't forget the tissues.
What else goes with it?
Emotional depth with a drawing pen also comes from Fruits Basket, the neighborhood's other great shojo heart. Anyone who doesn't want to leave the stage: Aggretsuko also screams her office frustration into a microphone, real band fan items gather in the Music theme world – and, as always, Anime keeps the big overview.
