it's the cute ones that get to you
1. NANA always makes me depressed whenever I hear the narration, and for the longest time I haven't figured out why, but I know why now, as I listen to it in the anime. It's because it sounds like a dying person remembering their life. No, oh my god, I'm so serious. the whole bit when Hachi is like, "hey, do you remember the day we first met?" or when Nana babbles about like being a young man in love every time Hachi smiles and when they say things like "back then...". It just scares me, a lot, and I keep expecting the ending to be like, Hachi or Nana crushed brutally under a car and the other one holding onto her hand and crying for her not to die. Like okay, do the last words of chapter 23 not freak you out? "That bathtub with cat shaped legs-- it isn't here anymore, you know."
2. I find it interesting that Hachi recounts the moment of their meeting on the train as where she would like to start over and not the meeting in Room 707. It really does express a lot of how their relationship works-- Hachi makes her decisions quickly, Nana knows about the world but can't make her mind up about how to do things normally. Nana has sharp eyes, like her portrayal of Yokoi as a "lonely man". There is discussion of Hachi's quickly changing hair styles and clothing styles, and it's definitely when you can feel Nana and Hachi both start to change towards each other. Plus, it's the start of their life together-- still happy. Hachi still has Shouji, has yet to face her problems (like her pregnancy oh my god), and Nana's life is just starting.
3. I've never forgiven Shouji for cheating on Hachi with Sachiko. Never. Despite all the reasons it happened, despite being able to understand why it happened, I still hate him for it. I think, though, that the one real lesson in love NANA teaches us is that being nice never really pays off. Shouji manages to get happiness by cheating, Nobu is slated for Takumi despite Nobu being one of the nicest boyfriends ever and Takumi being a bastard (but! a lovable, almost reformable, strangely realistic and demanding bastard!). Ren, even though he did it in the nicest way possible, essentially stabs Blast in the back and makes it big on his own, so now he gets to have his cake and eat it too (date Nana and still make money).
4. When rereading this manga from the beginning, I actually had to pull out tissues so I wouldn't cry all over myself, and I do mean all over myself. It was ridiculous how many times I started crying so hard I couldn't even focus on the page. Particular moments, both happy and sad:
-chapter 7: when Sachiko and Shouji hook up and Nana reveals she took an editing job partially so she could spend weekends with Shouji
-chapter 11: "Nana is much more important than a boyfriend!"
-chapter 13: Ren calling Yasu (hee) about Nana being at his concert, he's so cute (shockingly I didn't cry when they got back together, it's just too happy!)
-chapter 14: Takumi meeting Hachi for the first time (I love the whole scene, ohmygod i cannot believe how much I love this scene ;_:)
-chapter 17: Nana's wish, Reira crying, Takumi raising his finger to his lips to ask Nana to be quiet
-chapter 19: All Shin-chan, all the time, baby
-chapter 21: ohmygod i cried to so much during this one, when Hachi denies that she's prepared anything for their return, and Nana talks to Misato, and then all through Takumi's phone calls later, and just everything in this chapter makes it one of my favorites, especially the ending lines: "I wasn't intending on monopolizing you. I just wanted you to need me."
-chapter 24: Takumi's angry outburst (*loves*), and REIRA AND REN READING JUMP TOGETHER ON THE COUCH, COME ON, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SO CUTE YOU DIED TOO
-chapter 25: the opening scenes narration, Yasu and Nana in the snow and the train, "right now, are you laughing?"
-chapter 28: "like a manga hero too beautiful to be true."
-chapter 32: Naoki being the cutest thing ever, Shin-chan, Ren teasing Nobu about Shin-chan (♥), Nana's letter, Shin-chan redux
-I will not fangirl Yasu in chapter 34, I will not fangirl Yasu in chapter 34, etc, etc
-chapter 39: Yasu's reason for protecting Nana
-chapter 42: is without a doubt along with 21 one of my favorite chapters, the way it starts off, with all the characters grown up (ALSO SHIN IN A DRESS...! YASU WITH HAIR..! SHOUJI!NOBU!!), and then finally Nobu and Hachi poised on their sides of the door
-chapter 45: Ren and Nana's public announcement of their marriage
5. What I love most about NANA is its normality-- the way Hachi can't abort the baby after all, Yasu and his nature (he is almost my favorite male in the manga, but then again I like everyone, even Takumi, so it's hard to pick), Junko and the way she is a second mother to Hachi (and her relationship with Kyousuke, which is heartwarming for its middle-aged domesticity alone), Takumi and his obsession with his work. Rereading has its charms too, because even if I see the emotional punches coming, not dogging them just proves how strong Yazawa's work really is, and there are moments like hearing how much Hachi likes Takumi in chapter five, or how even in chapter four you can tell Nana and Nobu are going to get along beautifully, or Hachi saying that all she's ever wanted to be was a beautiful bride, it just gets me all tingly inside knowing how it pans out. (and omg Yasu is so coo~oool. ♥)
6. oh how very different you look, Shin-chan, when you first appear to how you will eventually end up looking. I almost don't recognize him without the lip ring and the chain connected to his earring. And have I mentioned how I love the Hachi/Shin relationship yet? Completely unromantic yet just so heartbreakingly sweet.
7. I've always imagined Junko, Kyousuke, and Yasu as being somewhat African-American; god where did I get that impression from ._. It's not true at all. I think it's the hairstyle, mostly, and that I can't imagine Yasu looking that good with a shaved head unless he was black? *is so racist omg help*
8. In conclusion, I love Nana&Hachi, I love Yasu (period!), and Shin-chan is my saving grace every time I think that finally, NANA is going to let me down.
P.S. read the manga. the anime can never be as good. :x