Nana, I'm sorry

Why didn't I remember that Nana had a dub?  Why did I keep putting off watching it because I thought I had to watch it subtitled (meaning I have to sit there and give it my full attention)?  Why?!

Nana has an excellent English dub!  I had a few moments of trepidation when I first heard the dub because the last VIZ-dubbed josei foray I encountered was Honey and Clover.  I do not recommend watching HandC's English dub.  Just . . . don't.

Do watch Nana dubbed.  That's some good work.  Then watch it again in Japanese because it's good to watch it again.

I really love this series.  I've been reading the manga as it has been released here in the US, and we're caught up to where the author collapsed, so this stroll back through the material as seen through the lens of a new creative staff has been somewhat nostalgic.

What I like about Nana

Adult friendships.  Young adult friendships, at times, but still.  There are a lot of different adult choices being made here, and I like that, especially when those choices are unwise.  I respect a work that dares to let its characters face tough choices, choose, and deal with messy, sloppy, awkward consequences as best they can with a little help from their friends.

Connection.  The director said that he thinks Nana is all about people seeking connection with each other.  And how.  There are many kinds of friendship relationships, personalities, and love on display in this show, and they're subtle and well-done.

POV.  I like the way Nana uses point of view.  I like the internal monologues and comments from the future. I like the reflection on who we were before we changed and how we look on those older/younger selves.  Sigh.

Endings. Knowing how it "ends" makes everything even more bittersweet, adding significant rewatch/reread value.  The anime is less heavy with the foreshadowing use of narrators speaking from the "future" until the second collection.  It still sucks to know and like the characters even more after what you learned about them later.  You see nuances you couldn't properly decode before, and that makes what will come harder to bear.

Music.  Well done.  Not annoying yet, which is commendable.  This is a story that often uses music to connect and break apart, to confuse and explain, to depict passion and choice.  Rock on.


I don't actually know where the anime series ended (compared to the manga), but I know I look forward to finding out.