Thanks! I kinda got tired of people saying that a queer reading of Nana makes it less powerful because it reduces it to a love story, or whatever. But I think a queer reading makes this story more devastating and powerful!
I didn’t know that Nana could break my heart even more than it already has, but your analysis has done just that, while somehow at the same time making me happy. It’s bittersweet. I’m happy that the reality of Nana and Hatchi’s love for each other can be solidified. But I’m also so sad that Nana subjected herself to so much pain in her relationship with Ren in an effort to understand her feelings for Hatchi, just for her to never be able to have her in the end. As a demisexual girl who has gone through so much of the same thing, I don’t know how I missed all of that on my first watch. I thought Nana DID love Ren with zero reservations, but after listening to your analysis, I realized something about Ren having sex with Nana after she confesses her love for Hatchi: Ren was turned on by the idea of Nana having sex with another woman, and he fetishizes lesbians. Nana expresses her romantic feelings for Hatchi, and immediately Ren jumps to the idea of sex. Ren even describes Hatchi’s completely non-sexual love letter to Nana as “hot.” He proceeds to give Nana the green light to express her feelings towards Hatchi however she wants. For someone as possessive as Ren, this doesn’t make sense. Shouldn’t your partner feel concerned that you have feelings for another person? Not unless that person is another woman, and your partner denies the validity of two women seriously loving each other or existing as more than just sexual gratification for men. Hatchi is not a threat to Ren because he fetishizes lesbians. I had an extremely jealous, manipulative ex-boyfriend who, instead of taking my sexuality seriously, fetishized it and encouraged me to tell him the details of me and my ex-girlfriend for his own sexual pleasure. But when it came to other men, he would get furious. The same goes for Ren: he tells Yasu that he wishes he could have Nana all to himself. But when it comes to Hatchi, Ren encourages Nana to take action on it however she pleases, then solicits her to take care of his…brewing problem downstairs? Weird.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think Ai Yazawa is so great at writing toxic love stories that we buy into them pretty easily. It took multiple reads/watches for me to undo a lot of what’s presented to us at face value and to be more secure in my own sexuality and experiences to better dissect these toxic traits. Glad this resonated with you 😊
Love your queer reading of Nana. When I watched the anime for the first time 10+ years ago, I was deep in comphet and couldn’t see the queer overtones. The series wrecked me, but I didn’t know why. Revisiting the story in your video essays helped me finally understand. Excited for part 3!
For me, like speaking for myself only, they are both bisexuals going through comphet, I know many see them as lesbians, but I genuinely think they were attracted to the men they related to in their lives, maybe even loved them. But as bisexuality is complex (every sexuality really but yk what I mean), they didn’t know or acknowledge that they could be attracted/in love with a woman, so it made them feel confused and they both decided to stay with men, which is very common.
Thanks for your comment! That is exactly why I don’t label either lady’s sexuality. It’s cool if others do, but my experience with sexuality has been that it’s deeply personal and complex so unless someone tells me their labels, I just leave it open and in the case of Nana and Hachi, ambiguously queer.
THIS VIDEO IS AMAZING THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU I'm gonna add my two cents in the "Teenage boy..." chapter: as a bisexual woman I resented every stereotypical behaviour related to "heterosexual conduct" (lol). I didn't want to get married ever; playing housewife repulsed me, and the mere idea of having kids (his specifically, bc I wasnt planning on being w anyone else for the time being) (+ he was against abortion at one point in our reltionship) was literally nightmare inducing (i woke up a couple of times crying and continued for some minutes after it bc I felt such anguish). Being "the good wife, the good woman who makes his food" and just any gendering stereotype related to an heterosexual woman gave me the absolute ICK. It wasnt until I broke up w him and started dating my current gf that I felt such liberation that literally sometimes I DO wanna have HER kids (then i dont, bc i truly never wanted kids of my own. but the fantasy is always posiive and happy) I know I want to marry this woman and I cant wait, honestly. Love cooking for her, doing nice housewife-y things bc I know she'll be happy, taking her places, and overall taking her of her... so I relate A TON to Nana in this. I love it. Thanks for pointing this ou. And again, for the overall video.
Thank you for sharing your story. I really connected with it, so I appreciate you being so candid! I’m glad you found your person and are in a happy place. And don’t worry about typos! Your sentiments came through beautifully.
I haven’t watched Nana in a long time, but this video makes me see the series from a different perspective. I always sensed something queer, but I thought that I was just projecting because of my own queerness. I feel bad for Nana O for desperately holding onto people around her because of her abandonment issues. Thank you for the video!
I think a lot of people have felt what you felt and worried it was projection. It was kinda why I wanted to make these videos. I wanted something to justify my own interpretation wasn’t some fantasy I created, but supported by the text!
I’m so sorry that’s been your experience. I hope you’re safe now. 🩷 I’ve just seen so many crazy justifications about the choking and I needed-for my own mental health-to say that no, this is 100% not okay. Literally, he got pissed she turned down his marriage proposal and choked her and people still find excuses for Ren.
I could only watch Nana once, and then tried to avoid it, because the feelings it gave me felt too complicated to address. I feel like they have been somehow addressed through this video, and it almost made me cry. Such a great work. Nana makes me look back at my youth that felt loveless somehow. I'm bi, and it was just so much easier in homophobic country to seek connection to men, ignoring the other part and denying it. Now, years later, I feel loss of something I never had remembering my relationships. "If Nana was a guy, she would be the love of my life" line hunted me because it reminded me of similar thing said to me by my friend when I was 17. She said "I feel like if I was a boy, I would be crazy over you, you would be perfect girlfriend for me". I'm 24 and I still remember it. First, I received it like a huge compliment, but the more time passed, the more it just hurt the same way watching Nana hurt. I first watched Nana when I was 19? or so and to think I was so adamant on interpreting it like a "story about rare friendship" and was even kinda defensive about queer interpretations that so obvious to me now. English is not my first language so it's kinda hard to truly describe how much I appreciated this video, but trust me I really did, thank you. When I will find more strength, I make sure to watch the first part. So glad this one popped on in my feed.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. It really means a lot to me, and I’m glad this validated your feelings about the series. I’m glad you know yourself better now. That is the most important step to finding your partner who will love you for you ❤️
I’ve watched NANA almost every year since I was 12 🥹 justttttt finished the series again a few days ago😇 I love how every few years my perspective changes 25 now and I still cry over the Nana And Hachi. Hachi and Nobu and of course Nana and ren😭🤍
I’m a rewatch/reread junkie too! I love being able to pick up on details I never noticed before, and every time I’m moved by these characters. It’s like visiting with an old friend. 🩷
Was waiting for this video! I meant to have this on as I worked but it was so engaging I put it aside to fully watch. This one made me cry a bit when I recognized some of my own queer struggles in Nana's. Can't wait for part 3!
the algorithm has been recommending me your channel for at least a month or something now and i finally decided to check out your videos. i used to be a HUGE fan of nana (I still am) and punk music in general which is why i'm reluctant to look back on the old days (15+/- years ago) when i was having a really bad time (i'd make a list but i don't want to be irresponsible and exhibitionist, but believe me, it was bad) and shows like nana and music like the distillers (in particular) helped me get through it... I guess I was feeling a gatekeep-y kind of way?? thanks for your videos, they've served me as a good reminder that new generations will watch nana and have as good observations as yours and share the same love appreciation and love as me. and that it will probably help them as it helped me. good job. (feeling like an emotional old man writing this lol)
Thanks for the lovely words! I felt a little gatekeeper-y, too for a while because of my deep, complicated feelings about this series and music from a very difficult time in my life, too. There’s a lot about Brody’s personal life that had such a huge impact on me in my teen years that I didn’t really touch on in this video even though some of it parallels Nana O. I wanted the focus to be on her talent, not her traumas and tragedies. Kinda wanted to do the same for Nana O as well, I guess.
Yeah, I’ve pondered the reason behind the length. I think because, although Hachi’s queerness is incredibly complex and messy, she’s very textbook comphet. I also think there is a lot of glorification of Nana and Ren’s relationship that is in part to us spending the first chunk of the series in Hachi’s perspective. So this ended up being a queer analysis, a character study, and a crash course in narrative theory. 😅
The sorrows this show brings me and the whirlpool of emotions it leaves me with each time I see it is unexplainably beautiful. Thank you so much for making these videos... they bring back these intense sensations I had while first watching nana and make me realise how even years later this series effortlessly manages to bring me to tears. Cried while watching the first essay, this one and will undoubtedly cry when the next one comes out. Take your time, this was a joy to watch.
This revived my love for the series (or more accurately, deepened it). I'm so glad you did more commentary! It would be interesting to do another musician contrast, this time with Anna Tsuchiya (Nana O) and Olivia Lufkin (Reira). I find it rather interesting that they have the opposite destinies compared to their anime/manga counterparts, with Olivia doing the slower life while Anna is way more active in the musical industry.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video. I’ve heard about the parallels between Anna and Olivia. You should do a video essay about that!🥰 I wanted to include Brody and The Distillers because I’m biased and love that band to pieces. But they were a female fronted punk band that released their first album literally two months before the first chapter of Nana dropped and they enjoyed a brief window of infamy before disbanding for reasons that had nothing to do with their music, sadly. There were more parallels between Brody’s personal life and Nana O that I didn’t include because they’re really sad. I really just wanted to celebrate Brody’s voice, which has that cool, unique raspy texture Nobu praised Nana for having 🫶
First off i wanna say incredible video!! You did a great job dissecting the characters' words and actions and i really feel like i understand the story better after watching this. Second, whenever i see people denying queer themes in media it's always from someone who's prejudiced, didn't pay attention or both (like when known transphobes were saying Gwen in spiderverse wasn't trans). Ignoring the queerness of Nana feels forced, always having to make excuses for what is happening and it also waters down the story. Their storyline is def sapphic bc the writing is deeper, more intricate and more meaningful when read this way. Third the queens who like to whatch clip.. i see you 💅🏻
Thanks! And I agree with you about people who try to deny queer themes in media! I think it’s totally fine to disagree and have your own opinions, but the mental gymnastics some people do instead of accepting queer themes is wild to me. And I love Trixie and Katya! Couldn’t resist adding them to the conversation.
I remember having to stop watching this series because it reflected too many real things I was experiencing with a friend I realized would never love me back. Kill me, thanks!
i was trusting the algorithm to bring me back, and it did. i enjoyed the first part and this one even more. thanks so much for these videos, i can’t wait for the next part ❤️
I thought I had commented but maybe not. I still don't see how Nana could have resisted being with Hatchi the entire 6 months she was with her in the apartment. From experience, I can tell you even just three weeks of being with a girl who clearly has a crush on me and who I'm attracted to, is torture. And from experience I can tell you it doesn't matter if your boyfriend is great in bed. Nana needs that female nurturing so desperately they would have totally done it. I can see Hachi being very willing. What is your take on how she restrained herself? Because it's not enough to say society when Nana is so clearly anti-edtablishment.
Fear of rejection. Nana still thinks Hachi is straight, so I can’t see her making a move at that stage in their relationship. Especially when she hasn’t come to terms with her sexuality. The fear of making a move on Hachi and having her reject her would not only potentially ruin her chances romantically, but would force her to renegotiate the terms of their friendship, their roommate situation, and force Nana O to define her sexuality.
Oh my god this was amazing, thank you, you totally get the nuances of queerness and really just reflect what the story of Nana tells us directly. Great case study.
Thank you for reminding me of the complex pain I felt when watching Nana. Watching the relationship between both Nanas develop and get influenced by their relationships with other people was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. It's painful how human these characters feel. Gosh, I hate and love this anime so much. Brilliant video!
Nana K and Nana O have a very interesting dynamic. They have their own red flags that they would bring into their relationship. Thank you for reminding of Nobu telling Nana O to stop trying to use him as bait to get Hachi back. Gives me a lot more respect for him.
No one is Nana is a perfect person, and that’s what I kinda like about it. Even Nobuo is deeply flawed, but I appreciate that he sets his boundaries in his friendship with Nana O. It’s a good skill!
Amazing to find your Nana videos recently released just as I was about to do a little presentation on their queer love at a potluck haha Thank you so much for sharing this, can't wait for the next! One thing I was reflecting on is the similarities between the comphet and compulsory monogamy in the story. So many options for these characters to create beautiful lives together outside of conventional monogamy. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about that.
Love the idea of a presentation at a potluck! I hope I gave you some material to work with 😉. My general thoughts are pretty much summed up in my videos. This series came out in the 2000s, so I feel a lot of its attitudes towards sexuality are reflected in the time it was published. Even the “coded”queerness of it. If these women and this story took place now, they would have more options, yet even though they might have a better vocabulary to identify their thoughts and feelings, I’m not sure how different things might have been. There is still pressure for women to be with a man, regardless of your culture, and these women need to do a lot of work on themselves to break unhealthy habits and love themselves before they can be in a healthy relationship. Which is why I find their narration from the future so poignant. It seems like they’ve identified where and what they lack and are trying to find the courage to take meaningful action to become the best version of themselves.
I myself have been someone who’s agreed when I’ve seen someone state that Nana and Hachi are straight (and I say that as someone who identifies as queer) but this video has really changed my perspective. I’ve always felt icky over Nana and Ren’s relationship but also always seen people glamorize them online (which I assume is cause people think their relationship is better in contrast to other characters relationships) so I just assumed I was in the wrong in feeling off about their relationship. But the way you put Nanas relationship with Hachi in contrast to her relationship with Ren, both intimately and how she expresses herself over them internally, has really changed the way I view them. I’ve agreed that Nana and hachi are straight cause the only motivations I’ve seen for them being queer are “they live together, slept in the same bed and kissed”, which are all things I’ve seen straight girls do with their friends many many times. But the way you analyzed the dialogue really struck a chord with me and has made me view the story differently. Great video, thank you!!:)
Thank you for your comment! I’m glad the video struck a chord with you. I agree with your feeling that just because they live together, kissed, and snuggled doesn’t necessarily make them queer, but when you consider their internal dialogues and narrations from some time in the future, it (for me) paints a picture of women who lacked maturity to understand back then what they now see. I’ve always felt sexuality is personal and complex and shouldn’t be determined and defined purely by physical actions, but emotional and psychological traits. Which was really how I approached these videos. I hope you revisit the series and see all the things I left out!😉
I can't even count the amount of times I felt tears well up while watching this and the previous video. Your analysis of Nana, Hachi and their relationships within their culture is so well done and I can tell how much thought and care was put into these videos. I can't wait to cry more during the third video :,)
I first watched this at 19 on Netflix after getting out of a toxic relationship with a moody high school boyfriend and was falling in love with my female best friend and roommate. I'm married to someone else now but this brings it all back. This series wrecked me and I never realized people thought this wasn't a queer story, it's exactly how I read it, too.
"she doesn't want kids" she's 18 or 19 at this point. when i was that age, nobody knew what they wanted to do next weekend, let alone if they wanted kids. cut her some slack.
i waited 2 months for this video to come out and you didn't disappoint! this was such a thoughtful and insightful analysis of nana, i'm so excited for part 3!
I’m so glad I got this recommended, I’m so excited to check out your other videos now that I’ve seen this one. This was so good, you clearly spent a lot of time in this and bring up great points. Love it!
I watched the video! It is so deep! I actually was not noticing all of the details in the story that you pointed out! Thank you so much! I rewatched the first video 3 or 4 times, seems like will do the same with part 2)
Thanks! I’m glad you had fun with these essays. Admittedly, it’s taken several rereads, rewatches, and being secure with my own experiences and sexuality to make sense of my reactions to this story. Especially since we get Nana O’s pov so late in the series, it can be difficult to undo what we’ve been told about her from other characters.
Every single time I watch these sorts of video essays about Nana, how depressing the way it all ends up always gets me. This was just an amazing video essay and is exactly what ive been thinking about Nana Osaki for like actual years. I cant wait for part 3!!
Ah, thanks! Trust me, I’m a little gray cloud of depression. But even though Nana is depressing, I think these ladies have the strength of character to become the best versions of themselves.
This video and character reading are so well done, thank you for all the effort you've put into breaking down these girls' feelings. I finished the video wanting to cry over a failed relationship with my best friend who, had I watched this anime prior to our relationship, definitely would've been the Hachi to my Nana. Sexuality is still something I'm navigating through, and this video really opened up my eyes and given me pause over why I too always felt such a strong sense of possessiveness and dominance over my friend whenever she'd get a new boyfriend and maybe that it wasn't just from a place of wanting to protect her feelings. That's why I love watching video essays on Nana and shows like it that can portray and address all the strange and complicated dynamics of female friendships and where the idea of getting closer to someone gets blurred and mistaken as one thing in your mind when it might really be something else entirely that you're just not opened to or ready to see yet. All this to say, this video left me emotional and introspective, and thank you so much for bringing this mini-series to life
Whenever I see both Nana's I think of the two songs I kissed a girl and Make me wanna die. The lyrics parallels to how they both feel in their day to day life. I really do think Nana O fall in love with Hachi, because of her sweet naive nature and wanting to make everyone happy. If Takumi wasn't in the picture at all or if Hachi decided to raise the kid on her own. Nana would most definitely have stepped up to help Hachi raise her kid. In their beautiful house on the hill and to finally find that longing happiness that she's been craving for. I can't see Nana and Yasu being a couple, it's cute and adorable. But I can't see it. Everyone in the show depends on each other in some way but the main theme is loneliness and lacking the maturity to communicate those feelings towards each other which makes sense since they're are teenagers and young adults trying to figure out what they want out of life and themselves. Nana O is someone who would make the same decisions all over for someone like Hachi because she's worth it because someone like Yaus and Nobu helped her realized that there is joy in the world. Hachi was that Joy for her.
You have some great insight! I agree with you about the main themes of loneliness and lacking maturity to understand yourself. Maybe you should do a video essay 😉
Fabulous work! Your reading is extremely convincing and well substantiated with direct evidence and quotes from the show and manga. I'm fully integrating this into my view of the story from now on! And oh my queer heart T.T
Thanks! That was exactly my goal in creating these videos. I try to remain objective and stay to the author’s intentions, but I feel the ambiguity in Nana only encourages a queer reading. Glad it resonated with you.
Yeah, that's his voice actor, Richard Ian Cox. He also voices the manager for Nana's band. And Yasu is Renkotsu (the bald one from the Band of Seven arc) in Inuyasha too. I don't think I need to point out Hachi's connection to Inuyasha 😂
I got so sucked into the first part of the video I completely forgot I was watching a video about Nana lolll. Great video man your subscriber count is wayyy too low you deserve so many subscribers after this. Gold star 🌟
Glad you enjoyed it! It was impossible for me to talk about Nana Osaki without bringing up Brody🖤. And as much as I appreciate the likes, subs, and comments, I really do these videos for fun. Everything else is a bonus!
Huge day for the nana community !!
Hope it lives up to the hype!
I waited 23 years for this video
I've avoided nana because im scared of feeling unbearably sad, but this vid is so good
Thanks! Nana is a roller coaster of emotions.
All of NANA in a nutshell:
- If girls could like girls, I would be totally in love with you😊
- Uh, Hachi, girls can love girls
- NO THEY CAN'T LOL
Sadly, that’s a very accurate depiction of non-heterosexuality in the 2000s😬
The way this reads exactly like my highschool conversations is killing me 😂
Did a lil jump of happiness when I saw this on my feed
same!!!
Hope that enthusiasm carry’s through the for 90 minutes 😜
More nana content is always a joy to see!!
Ngl this made my love for the show stronger, can’t wait for more videos!
Thanks! I kinda got tired of people saying that a queer reading of Nana makes it less powerful because it reduces it to a love story, or whatever. But I think a queer reading makes this story more devastating and powerful!
Can’t wait to watch the whole video❤
Thanks! Hope you have fun with it.
wooow so happy to watch this after the amazing part one about nana komatsu 😍
thank youuuuu you are doing amazing work!!!!
🎀✨
Thanks for watching!
I didn’t know that Nana could break my heart even more than it already has, but your analysis has done just that, while somehow at the same time making me happy. It’s bittersweet. I’m happy that the reality of Nana and Hatchi’s love for each other can be solidified. But I’m also so sad that Nana subjected herself to so much pain in her relationship with Ren in an effort to understand her feelings for Hatchi, just for her to never be able to have her in the end.
As a demisexual girl who has gone through so much of the same thing, I don’t know how I missed all of that on my first watch. I thought Nana DID love Ren with zero reservations, but after listening to your analysis, I realized something about Ren having sex with Nana after she confesses her love for Hatchi: Ren was turned on by the idea of Nana having sex with another woman, and he fetishizes lesbians.
Nana expresses her romantic feelings for Hatchi, and immediately Ren jumps to the idea of sex. Ren even describes Hatchi’s completely non-sexual love letter to Nana as “hot.” He proceeds to give Nana the green light to express her feelings towards Hatchi however she wants. For someone as possessive as Ren, this doesn’t make sense. Shouldn’t your partner feel concerned that you have feelings for another person? Not unless that person is another woman, and your partner denies the validity of two women seriously loving each other or existing as more than just sexual gratification for men. Hatchi is not a threat to Ren because he fetishizes lesbians.
I had an extremely jealous, manipulative ex-boyfriend who, instead of taking my sexuality seriously, fetishized it and encouraged me to tell him the details of me and my ex-girlfriend for his own sexual pleasure. But when it came to other men, he would get furious. The same goes for Ren: he tells Yasu that he wishes he could have Nana all to himself. But when it comes to Hatchi, Ren encourages Nana to take action on it however she pleases, then solicits her to take care of his…brewing problem downstairs? Weird.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think Ai Yazawa is so great at writing toxic love stories that we buy into them pretty easily. It took multiple reads/watches for me to undo a lot of what’s presented to us at face value and to be more secure in my own sexuality and experiences to better dissect these toxic traits. Glad this resonated with you 😊
Love the real-life background in the intro 🫶🏻🫶🏻 Your channel deserves so much more attention, you are so underrated.
Ah, shucks! I think I’m rated pretty fairly, but I appreciate the love!
I can't believe I watched the whole video. Your voice really potrayed the emotions well. Nana will always be a complex queer story in my mind.
Thanks! It’s a wonder to me how some say that that a queer reading makes NANA less complex. Kinda why I wanted to do these videos!
28:20 No but fr about Yasu’s damn glasses, like nothing can stop him from gate keeping his emotions 😭🙏
He’s a man of mystery, that Yasu of ours.
Love your queer reading of Nana.
When I watched the anime for the first time 10+ years ago, I was deep in comphet and couldn’t see the queer overtones. The series wrecked me, but I didn’t know why. Revisiting the story in your video essays helped me finally understand.
Excited for part 3!
That’s pretty much my experience with Nana in a nutshell! Glad these essays resonate with you 😌
This ❤
For me, like speaking for myself only, they are both bisexuals going through comphet, I know many see them as lesbians, but I genuinely think they were attracted to the men they related to in their lives, maybe even loved them. But as bisexuality is complex (every sexuality really but yk what I mean), they didn’t know or acknowledge that they could be attracted/in love with a woman, so it made them feel confused and they both decided to stay with men, which is very common.
Thanks for your comment! That is exactly why I don’t label either lady’s sexuality. It’s cool if others do, but my experience with sexuality has been that it’s deeply personal and complex so unless someone tells me their labels, I just leave it open and in the case of Nana and Hachi, ambiguously queer.
THIS VIDEO IS AMAZING THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
I'm gonna add my two cents in the "Teenage boy..." chapter: as a bisexual woman I resented every stereotypical behaviour related to "heterosexual conduct" (lol).
I didn't want to get married ever; playing housewife repulsed me, and the mere idea of having kids (his specifically, bc I wasnt planning on being w anyone else for the time being) (+ he was against abortion at one point in our reltionship) was literally nightmare inducing (i woke up a couple of times crying and continued for some minutes after it bc I felt such anguish). Being "the good wife, the good woman who makes his food" and just any gendering stereotype related to an heterosexual woman gave me the absolute ICK.
It wasnt until I broke up w him and started dating my current gf that I felt such liberation that literally sometimes I DO wanna have HER kids (then i dont, bc i truly never wanted kids of my own. but the fantasy is always posiive and happy)
I know I want to marry this woman and I cant wait, honestly. Love cooking for her, doing nice housewife-y things bc I know she'll be happy, taking her places, and overall taking her of her... so I relate A TON to Nana in this. I love it. Thanks for pointing this ou. And again, for the overall video.
added bonus: when I was a baby bi I had a BIG ASS crush on Brody lol
Thank you for sharing your story. I really connected with it, so I appreciate you being so candid! I’m glad you found your person and are in a happy place. And don’t worry about typos! Your sentiments came through beautifully.
I haven’t watched Nana in a long time, but this video makes me see the series from a different perspective. I always sensed something queer, but I thought that I was just projecting because of my own queerness. I feel bad for Nana O for desperately holding onto people around her because of her abandonment issues. Thank you for the video!
I think a lot of people have felt what you felt and worried it was projection. It was kinda why I wanted to make these videos. I wanted something to justify my own interpretation wasn’t some fantasy I created, but supported by the text!
Nana said “Bet. I’ll be the father.”
Character development!
Non-consensual choking is a crazy prevalent issue in straight relationships. It's really unfortunate and its happened to me.
I’m so sorry that’s been your experience. I hope you’re safe now. 🩷
I’ve just seen so many crazy justifications about the choking and I needed-for my own mental health-to say that no, this is 100% not okay. Literally, he got pissed she turned down his marriage proposal and choked her and people still find excuses for Ren.
I could only watch Nana once, and then tried to avoid it, because the feelings it gave me felt too complicated to address. I feel like they have been somehow addressed through this video, and it almost made me cry. Such a great work.
Nana makes me look back at my youth that felt loveless somehow. I'm bi, and it was just so much easier in homophobic country to seek connection to men, ignoring the other part and denying it. Now, years later, I feel loss of something I never had remembering my relationships.
"If Nana was a guy, she would be the love of my life" line hunted me because it reminded me of similar thing said to me by my friend when I was 17. She said "I feel like if I was a boy, I would be crazy over you, you would be perfect girlfriend for me". I'm 24 and I still remember it. First, I received it like a huge compliment, but the more time passed, the more it just hurt the same way watching Nana hurt.
I first watched Nana when I was 19? or so and to think I was so adamant on interpreting it like a "story about rare friendship" and was even kinda defensive about queer interpretations that so obvious to me now.
English is not my first language so it's kinda hard to truly describe how much I appreciated this video, but trust me I really did, thank you. When I will find more strength, I make sure to watch the first part. So glad this one popped on in my feed.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. It really means a lot to me, and I’m glad this validated your feelings about the series. I’m glad you know yourself better now. That is the most important step to finding your partner who will love you for you ❤️
Watched the whole thing and it made me cry at work. 10/10
Thanks! Making people cry seems to be a talent of mine 😅
I’ve watched NANA almost every year since I was 12 🥹 justttttt finished the series again a few days ago😇 I love how every few years my perspective changes 25 now and I still cry over the Nana And Hachi. Hachi and Nobu and of course Nana and ren😭🤍
I’m a rewatch/reread junkie too! I love being able to pick up on details I never noticed before, and every time I’m moved by these characters. It’s like visiting with an old friend. 🩷
Never let your boyfriend stop you from meeting your wife
Was waiting for this video! I meant to have this on as I worked but it was so engaging I put it aside to fully watch. This one made me cry a bit when I recognized some of my own queer struggles in Nana's. Can't wait for part 3!
Thanks! That’s the power of Nana😉
Finished your video sobbing, so much unnecessary pain because of… heteronormativity 😢
That is the true tragedy of Nana.
I clicked on the notif so fast!!! Time to watch another great essay 🎉
Hope you enjoyed it!
Such a good analysis, can't wait for part 3!
Thank you 🙏
this was beautiful pleaseee make another one!!!
You’re in luck!🍀
yesss i was waiting for this
Hope it was worth the wait!
the algorithm has been recommending me your channel for at least a month or something now and i finally decided to check out your videos. i used to be a HUGE fan of nana (I still am) and punk music in general which is why i'm reluctant to look back on the old days (15+/- years ago) when i was having a really bad time (i'd make a list but i don't want to be irresponsible and exhibitionist, but believe me, it was bad) and shows like nana and music like the distillers (in particular) helped me get through it... I guess I was feeling a gatekeep-y kind of way?? thanks for your videos, they've served
me as a good reminder that new generations will watch nana and have as good observations as yours and share the same love appreciation and love as me. and that it will probably help them as it helped me. good job.
(feeling like an emotional old man writing this lol)
Thanks for the lovely words! I felt a little gatekeeper-y, too for a while because of my deep, complicated feelings about this series and music from a very difficult time in my life, too. There’s a lot about Brody’s personal life that had such a huge impact on me in my teen years that I didn’t really touch on in this video even though some of it parallels Nana O. I wanted the focus to be on her talent, not her traumas and tragedies. Kinda wanted to do the same for Nana O as well, I guess.
This is one of the best video essays/analysis videos I’ve ever seen!
That’s so sweet of you! I can definitely do better, but I appreciate the kindness 🥹
I find it so interesting that this video is like twice the length of Hachi's when I always perceived Hachi to be the gayer one 😂
Yeah, I’ve pondered the reason behind the length. I think because, although Hachi’s queerness is incredibly complex and messy, she’s very textbook comphet. I also think there is a lot of glorification of Nana and Ren’s relationship that is in part to us spending the first chunk of the series in Hachi’s perspective. So this ended up being a queer analysis, a character study, and a crash course in narrative theory. 😅
The sorrows this show brings me and the whirlpool of emotions it leaves me with each time I see it is unexplainably beautiful. Thank you so much for making these videos... they bring back these intense sensations I had while first watching nana and make me realise how even years later this series effortlessly manages to bring me to tears. Cried while watching the first essay, this one and will undoubtedly cry when the next one comes out. Take your time, this was a joy to watch.
Wow, thank you! So glad you liked it. Seriously, all credit goes to Ai Yazawa for creating this brilliant, brutal, and beautiful masterpiece.
My mom loved this anime so much
You’re mom is awesome 😎
Fully agree
This revived my love for the series (or more accurately, deepened it). I'm so glad you did more commentary!
It would be interesting to do another musician contrast, this time with Anna Tsuchiya (Nana O) and Olivia Lufkin (Reira). I find it rather interesting that they have the opposite destinies compared to their anime/manga counterparts, with Olivia doing the slower life while Anna is way more active in the musical industry.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video.
I’ve heard about the parallels between Anna and Olivia. You should do a video essay about that!🥰
I wanted to include Brody and The Distillers because I’m biased and love that band to pieces. But they were a female fronted punk band that released their first album literally two months before the first chapter of Nana dropped and they enjoyed a brief window of infamy before disbanding for reasons that had nothing to do with their music, sadly. There were more parallels between Brody’s personal life and Nana O that I didn’t include because they’re really sad. I really just wanted to celebrate Brody’s voice, which has that cool, unique raspy texture Nobu praised Nana for having 🫶
That was well worth the wait. Thank you!
Hope you enjoyed it!
First off i wanna say incredible video!! You did a great job dissecting the characters' words and actions and i really feel like i understand the story better after watching this. Second, whenever i see people denying queer themes in media it's always from someone who's prejudiced, didn't pay attention or both (like when known transphobes were saying Gwen in spiderverse wasn't trans). Ignoring the queerness of Nana feels forced, always having to make excuses for what is happening and it also waters down the story. Their storyline is def sapphic bc the writing is deeper, more intricate and more meaningful when read this way. Third the queens who like to whatch clip.. i see you 💅🏻
Thanks! And I agree with you about people who try to deny queer themes in media! I think it’s totally fine to disagree and have your own opinions, but the mental gymnastics some people do instead of accepting queer themes is wild to me.
And I love Trixie and Katya! Couldn’t resist adding them to the conversation.
I remember having to stop watching this series because it reflected too many real things I was experiencing with a friend I realized would never love me back. Kill me, thanks!
We’ve all had that friend 🫠
Well, this was amazing, but feels like my heart broke all over again. Lets go lesbian😭💔
Thanks!😊
i was trusting the algorithm to bring me back, and it did. i enjoyed the first part and this one even more. thanks so much for these videos, i can’t wait for the next part ❤️
I’m happy you’re having fun with them. Thanks for watching!
Did NOT expect to get called out this many times in a video essay, amazing job with this✨
Glad you had fun with it!
Hear me out. Nana x Hachi QPR.
Could be! You should do a video essay about it. Id watch🥰
I thought I had commented but maybe not.
I still don't see how Nana could have resisted being with Hatchi the entire 6 months she was with her in the apartment.
From experience, I can tell you even just three weeks of being with a girl who clearly has a crush on me and who I'm attracted to, is torture. And from experience I can tell you it doesn't matter if your boyfriend is great in bed. Nana needs that female nurturing so desperately they would have totally done it. I can see Hachi being very willing.
What is your take on how she restrained herself? Because it's not enough to say society when Nana is so clearly anti-edtablishment.
Fear of rejection. Nana still thinks Hachi is straight, so I can’t see her making a move at that stage in their relationship. Especially when she hasn’t come to terms with her sexuality. The fear of making a move on Hachi and having her reject her would not only potentially ruin her chances romantically, but would force her to renegotiate the terms of their friendship, their roommate situation, and force Nana O to define her sexuality.
Oh my god this was amazing, thank you, you totally get the nuances of queerness and really just reflect what the story of Nana tells us directly. Great case study.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 🥰
Thank you for reminding me of the complex pain I felt when watching Nana.
Watching the relationship between both Nanas develop and get influenced by their relationships with other people was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once.
It's painful how human these characters feel.
Gosh, I hate and love this anime so much.
Brilliant video!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed ☺️
Nana K and Nana O have a very interesting dynamic. They have their own red flags that they would bring into their relationship.
Thank you for reminding of Nobu telling Nana O to stop trying to use him as bait to get Hachi back. Gives me a lot more respect for him.
No one is Nana is a perfect person, and that’s what I kinda like about it. Even Nobuo is deeply flawed, but I appreciate that he sets his boundaries in his friendship with Nana O. It’s a good skill!
Amazing to find your Nana videos recently released just as I was about to do a little presentation on their queer love at a potluck haha Thank you so much for sharing this, can't wait for the next!
One thing I was reflecting on is the similarities between the comphet and compulsory monogamy in the story. So many options for these characters to create beautiful lives together outside of conventional monogamy. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about that.
Love the idea of a presentation at a potluck! I hope I gave you some material to work with 😉. My general thoughts are pretty much summed up in my videos. This series came out in the 2000s, so I feel a lot of its attitudes towards sexuality are reflected in the time it was published. Even the “coded”queerness of it. If these women and this story took place now, they would have more options, yet even though they might have a better vocabulary to identify their thoughts and feelings, I’m not sure how different things might have been. There is still pressure for women to be with a man, regardless of your culture, and these women need to do a lot of work on themselves to break unhealthy habits and love themselves before they can be in a healthy relationship. Which is why I find their narration from the future so poignant. It seems like they’ve identified where and what they lack and are trying to find the courage to take meaningful action to become the best version of themselves.
I myself have been someone who’s agreed when I’ve seen someone state that Nana and Hachi are straight (and I say that as someone who identifies as queer) but this video has really changed my perspective. I’ve always felt icky over Nana and Ren’s relationship but also always seen people glamorize them online (which I assume is cause people think their relationship is better in contrast to other characters relationships) so I just assumed I was in the wrong in feeling off about their relationship. But the way you put Nanas relationship with Hachi in contrast to her relationship with Ren, both intimately and how she expresses herself over them internally, has really changed the way I view them. I’ve agreed that Nana and hachi are straight cause the only motivations I’ve seen for them being queer are “they live together, slept in the same bed and kissed”, which are all things I’ve seen straight girls do with their friends many many times. But the way you analyzed the dialogue really struck a chord with me and has made me view the story differently.
Great video, thank you!!:)
Thank you for your comment! I’m glad the video struck a chord with you. I agree with your feeling that just because they live together, kissed, and snuggled doesn’t necessarily make them queer, but when you consider their internal dialogues and narrations from some time in the future, it (for me) paints a picture of women who lacked maturity to understand back then what they now see. I’ve always felt sexuality is personal and complex and shouldn’t be determined and defined purely by physical actions, but emotional and psychological traits. Which was really how I approached these videos. I hope you revisit the series and see all the things I left out!😉
Can't wait for part 3
I can't even count the amount of times I felt tears well up while watching this and the previous video. Your analysis of Nana, Hachi and their relationships within their culture is so well done and I can tell how much thought and care was put into these videos. I can't wait to cry more during the third video :,)
Sorry about the tears, but thank you for watching!🤗
I loved this reading. Thanks for a great video!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
what's the name of the song broady is singing towards the outro
The one towards the outro is Dressed in Dreams live NPR session. The one at the outro is Hybrid Moments (live). It’s a cover by The Misfits.
I first watched this at 19 on Netflix after getting out of a toxic relationship with a moody high school boyfriend and was falling in love with my female best friend and roommate. I'm married to someone else now but this brings it all back. This series wrecked me and I never realized people thought this wasn't a queer story, it's exactly how I read it, too.
I’m glad it resonated with you! 🤗
@@LittleMissCrabby Love your content, can't wait to see more!
Saw this video on my fyp at 1:00 am, watched it all the way through. it was worth the wait, keep it up^^ I can’t wait for part 3!
Thank you for watching 🤗
"she doesn't want kids" she's 18 or 19 at this point. when i was that age, nobody knew what they wanted to do next weekend, let alone if they wanted kids. cut her some slack.
i waited 2 months for this video to come out and you didn't disappoint! this was such a thoughtful and insightful analysis of nana, i'm so excited for part 3!
This video makes me question my sexuality
You are you, and that’s all you need to be ☺️
IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS !!! love your mind 😽💋
Thanks! Hope it was worth the wait.
I’m so glad I got this recommended, I’m so excited to check out your other videos now that I’ve seen this one. This was so good, you clearly spent a lot of time in this and bring up great points. Love it!
Welcome aboard! Glad you enjoyed it 🫶
Ngl when I first watched nana and saw some images of nana with a cap on it reminded me of Brody!
I’m aware of the pictures to which you refer 🥵
Can’t wait till part 3
Thanks for watching!
sobbing
Need a tissue? 🫶
Nana fandom win
Oooooh, I was so happy to get the notification that you uploaded part 2 🥹😭❤
I watched the video! It is so deep! I actually was not noticing all of the details in the story that you pointed out! Thank you so much! I rewatched the first video 3 or 4 times, seems like will do the same with part 2)
Thanks! I’m glad you had fun with these essays. Admittedly, it’s taken several rereads, rewatches, and being secure with my own experiences and sexuality to make sense of my reactions to this story. Especially since we get Nana O’s pov so late in the series, it can be difficult to undo what we’ve been told about her from other characters.
I LOVE YOUR NANA ANALYSIES!!
Love you for watching!
Thank u for more Nana on my timeline.
Thank you for watching ☺️
I clicked on this so fast!!!!!
Thanks for watching!
oh man both of these videos surrounding nana were amazing I'm excited for the third one to come! great work
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching ☺️
IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE !! ILYYY TYSM
SO EXCITED FOR PART 3 😋
The script was 80 pages long. Figured instead of cutting it, I’d just do another one 😅
cant wait for part 3 loveee 🖤🖤🖤
Hopefully there won’t be as long of a wait.
Yyesssss
oh im excited for a part three hell yeah!!! excellent videos and i enjoy your ideas, thanks for sharing 🥲
Thank you for watching! ☺️
Every single time I watch these sorts of video essays about Nana, how depressing the way it all ends up always gets me. This was just an amazing video essay and is exactly what ive been thinking about Nana Osaki for like actual years. I cant wait for part 3!!
Ah, thanks! Trust me, I’m a little gray cloud of depression. But even though Nana is depressing, I think these ladies have the strength of character to become the best versions of themselves.
Hell yeah!!! So ready to watch this
Grab a snack, and I hope you enjoy!
This video and character reading are so well done, thank you for all the effort you've put into breaking down these girls' feelings. I finished the video wanting to cry over a failed relationship with my best friend who, had I watched this anime prior to our relationship, definitely would've been the Hachi to my Nana. Sexuality is still something I'm navigating through, and this video really opened up my eyes and given me pause over why I too always felt such a strong sense of possessiveness and dominance over my friend whenever she'd get a new boyfriend and maybe that it wasn't just from a place of wanting to protect her feelings. That's why I love watching video essays on Nana and shows like it that can portray and address all the strange and complicated dynamics of female friendships and where the idea of getting closer to someone gets blurred and mistaken as one thing in your mind when it might really be something else entirely that you're just not opened to or ready to see yet. All this to say, this video left me emotional and introspective, and thank you so much for bringing this mini-series to life
Your comment is so lovely. Thank you for sharing. And really, I think that’s the power of Nana: how it helps us see ourselves ❤️
Omgg
omg i just watched part 1 and was pleasantly surprised to see u just uploaded part 2
aaaa and it’s 1.5hrs long this is great
Its fate!
🖤🖤🖤
Such a great video essay! Can't wait for part 3
Yay! Thank you! Coming soon(ish).
Oooof such a great video!!! Part 3 please!!
Thanks! The script is in progress.
im so excited for part 3
It’s on its way!
Now this is going to be good, time to go get some tissues and popcorn
Snacks make everything better!
your videos are so underrated i love them
Glad you think so! But I feel pretty happy with my rating. Quality viewers and subscribers over quantity.
THANNK YOOUUU 🪷
Thank you!☺️
Whenever I see both Nana's I think of the two songs I kissed a girl and Make me wanna die. The lyrics parallels to how they both feel in their day to day life. I really do think Nana O fall in love with Hachi, because of her sweet naive nature and wanting to make everyone happy. If Takumi wasn't in the picture at all or if Hachi decided to raise the kid on her own. Nana would most definitely have stepped up to help Hachi raise her kid. In their beautiful house on the hill and to finally find that longing happiness that she's been craving for. I can't see Nana and Yasu being a couple, it's cute and adorable. But I can't see it. Everyone in the show depends on each other in some way but the main theme is loneliness and lacking the maturity to communicate those feelings towards each other which makes sense since they're are teenagers and young adults trying to figure out what they want out of life and themselves. Nana O is someone who would make the same decisions all over for someone like Hachi because she's worth it because someone like Yaus and Nobu helped her realized that there is joy in the world. Hachi was that Joy for her.
You have some great insight! I agree with you about the main themes of loneliness and lacking maturity to understand yourself. Maybe you should do a video essay 😉
Fabulous work! Your reading is extremely convincing and well substantiated with direct evidence and quotes from the show and manga. I'm fully integrating this into my view of the story from now on! And oh my queer heart T.T
Thanks! That was exactly my goal in creating these videos. I try to remain objective and stay to the author’s intentions, but I feel the ambiguity in Nana only encourages a queer reading. Glad it resonated with you.
you really really tried to make a point, but it simply is not there
Thanks for the comment ☺️
1:04:50 INUYASHA IS THAT YOU!?
Yeah, that's his voice actor, Richard Ian Cox. He also voices the manager for Nana's band. And Yasu is Renkotsu (the bald one from the Band of Seven arc) in Inuyasha too. I don't think I need to point out Hachi's connection to Inuyasha 😂
I got so sucked into the first part of the video I completely forgot I was watching a video about Nana lolll.
Great video man your subscriber count is wayyy too low you deserve so many subscribers after this.
Gold star 🌟
Glad you enjoyed it! It was impossible for me to talk about Nana Osaki without bringing up Brody🖤. And as much as I appreciate the likes, subs, and comments, I really do these videos for fun. Everything else is a bonus!
You’re quickly becoming one of my favorite UA-camrs 🫶 what a wonderful video to end the night!
Ah, thanks! ☺️ I’m glad you liked it.