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Title:  Nana #5

Author: Ai Yazawa

Publisher:  VIZ

ISBN:  1421510197

Contains Spoilers

Things don’t seem to go the way Nana Komatsu had hoped at the Trapnest concert.  Ren doesn’t jump off the stage and swoop Nana Osaki into his arms; in fact, he doesn’t even seem to notice that they’re in the front row!  Are Hachi’s dreams for Nana’s happily ever after going up in smoke?  And what will she do when one of her own dreams comes true?

I love this series!  I wish it had a faster release schedule!  I hate waiting 5 months between releases!

Nana and Ren are finally re-united, but it takes a little push from Yasu to get them back together.  When Yasu tells her that he’s given Ren Hachi’s cell number, she declares that she has nothing to discuss with him.  Yasu points out that she still has the key to Ren’s lock and the key to his place, and that if she doesn’t want them, she should throw them away and put an end to it.  Instead, Nana calls Ren herself, her ego not allowing her to wait on his call.  Their reunion was every bit as emotional as I had hoped. They make a great couple, but Nana needs to set aside some of her pride and trust him a little more. 

With Ren back in Nana’s life, Hachi is dazzled by the glamour suddenly surrounding her. (Rock stars in your kitchen - what girl doesn’t want that?)  When Nana sets up a little surprise for her to thank her for helping her with Ren, Nana K is so awestruck that she can’t even speak.  She wants to bathe in Nana’s spotlight, just a little bit, and allows herself to be swept along on a tide of emotions, knowing that it’s probably wrong and she may be hurt.  Is Hachi finally starting to grow up a little?   Nah, what am I saying - she lost another job in this volume because she’s irresponsible and a total slacker.

The dialog is always a high point of Ai Yazawa’s work.  The characters’ interactions and their diverse personalities make Nana a lot fun to read. Even the minor characters, like Junko and Ms Sakagami, add depth to the story.  The artist is also able to convey a wealth of emotions with just the deft strokes her pen; sometimes her characters reveal more about themselves from the curve of their lips, or the slant of their eyebrows.  This book really reels the reader in  and allows them to get caught up in all the drama.

Grade: A-

Rated for Older Teen