Nana Creator Revives Hit Series With Special Manga Collab

Over the decades, the manga industry has put forward a lot of solid series. Shonen seems to reign supreme with the global fandom, but when it comes to legendary titles, genre is hardly an issue. For series like Nana, drama was key in hooking readers. Now, the creator of Nana is revisiting their iconic series for a special collaboration, and we have Gokinjo Monogatari to thank.

As you can see below, artist Ai Yazawa left fans stunned over their recent revival of Nana. The artist inked a stunning poster combining Nana Osaki with Mikako from Gokinjo Monogatari. The cute collab proves both of these heroines are fashion icons, and Yazawa’s use of color is nothing short of perfection. Of course, Nana‘s comeback has put some long-needed focus on Gokinjo Monogatari, and manga lovers should know this series is headed up by Yazawa as well.

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While Nana may be the artist’s most popular work, Yazawa has a slew of work under their belt. Back in 1985, Yazawa got their start in manga with the story And Natsu, and they’ve released more than a dozen projects to date. In 1995, Gokinjo Monogatari (also known as Neighborhood Story) was released. The project was wrapped in 1998, well before Nana began publication in 2000. So if you have never explored Yazawa’s catalog, we recommend you check out all their manga ASAP.

And if you are not familiar with Nana, well – the manga has a reputation that speaks for itself. The drama combines the best of romance and musical thanks to its star Nana Osaka. After all, Yazawa’s manga tells the story of Nana Osaki, an aspiring rock star, after she meets a quiet woman named Nana Komatsu. The pair become quick friends at the tender age of 20, and Nana follows their interpersonal lives as they struggle to keep their friendship alive. Praised for its gorgeous artwork and emotional highs, Nana has been considered a must-read by manga lovers for years. So if you want to know more about Yazawa’s series, you can read its official synopsis below:

“Nana “Hachi” Komatsu hopes that moving to Tokyo will help her make a clean start and leave her capricious love life behind her. Nana Osaki, who arrives in the city at the same time, has plans to score big in the world of rock’n’roll. Although these two young women come from different backgrounds, they quickly become best friends in a whirlwind world of sex, music, fashion, gossip and all-night parties!”

What do you think about this special look at Nana? Have you checked out Gokinjo Monogatari? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!