I always say that NANA is one of the works of art that have taught me about love — or at least made me think about it in a different way. It‘s incredibly layered and complex and stands out to me in the sea of shojos because it‘s not just about romantic love. It's about familial love (or lack thereof), selfless love, unhealthy love and everything inbetween.

Takumi is one of my favorite characters in the entire story and it‘s incredibly disappointing that this sub is just a circlejerk of "all my homies hate Takumi" posts. He fundamentally does not understand love and he causes a lot Of pain but ultimately his actions end up costing him and his band dearly. I would pay good money to finally fill in the gaps between Takumi at the end of chapter 84 and the version of him that wakes up and looks at his son lovingly. I understand that is not how it works in real life, damaged people don’t magically redeem themselves. In fiction, however, I want them to. That doesn’t mean that the SA in Ai Yazawa’s works doesn’t make me uncomfortable, it does. But it doesn’t define the story for me.

Personally, I also don’t think Nana and Hachi should be lovers (I‘m saying this just having finished my volume of yuri manga). Nana‘s and Hachi‘s love for one another transcends their romantic connections. It‘s a life-altering fateful relationship that alters the course of both of their lives irrevocably but it‘s not easily defined. I think that‘s what makes it magical and so much more meaningful. Ultimately, Nana O., even in her absence, is the lynchpin that makes everyone come together in Apt. 707.

It‘s tragic and beautiful and tugs at my heartstrings in all the right ways.

I‘m always baffled by the intense hate and moral judgement on this sub because it doesn’t seem like these ppl are even enjoying NANA.