Why Is Ai Yazawa’s NANA Experiencing a Major Revival in Japan?
Japanese pop culture news edited by Patrick Macias
Manga and anime series NANA returns with 20th anniversary revival screenings and new merchandise
Younger fans born after its debut are drawn to its fashion, music, and emotional realism
A young woman explains how the story continues to resonate today
NANA Revival Screenings Mark 20th Anniversary
Ai Yazawa’s manga NANA began serialization in the women’s magazine Cookie in 2000, eventually selling more than 50 million copies. The series inspired an anime, video games, and two live action films released in 2005 and 2006. In July 2025, the first NANA film returned to Japanese theaters for a special 20th anniversary screening.
The plot begins when two young women with the same name meet on a train bound for Tokyo. Nana Komatsu moves to the city to follow her boyfriend, while Nana Osaki arrives to pursue a career as a punk singer. Their chance encounter leads them to share an apartment and build a friendship that becomes the center of a story about love, ambition, and identity.
Young Fans Discover NANA for the First Time
While many expected the anniversary screenings to appeal mainly to women in their 30s to 50s who read the manga during its original run, younger fans also turned out. A 20s Anime Anime editorial staffer explained, “I was born in 2001, long after the manga began. But when I first saw the Nana character Shin Okazaki online, I immediately looked up NANA. By middle school I was already hooked.”
The same fan described how the series stands apart from other romance manga. “The women are not flawless. They get jealous, they make mistakes, they depend too much on others. You get frustrated, but you also empathize. You think, maybe I would act that way too. That’s what makes it feel so real.” NANA’s depiction of codependency, heartbreak, and painful choices keeps it relevant to new readers.
Fashion and Music Keep the Fandom Alive
NANA’s influence on fashion and music has also helped it stay alive for new generations. Fans often attend events in plaid skirts or Vivienne Westwood jewelry, echoing the style of the characters. “My first business card holder was Vivienne Westwood because of NANA,” said the staffer. At karaoke, the theme song “GLAMOROUS SKY,” performed by Mika Nakashima in the 2005 film, remains a popular anthem among young fans.
Watching the live action adaptation in theaters once again gave new perspectives. “The band’s music shook the theater. The shared apartment 707 was recreated so vividly it felt like a place you could visit. And seeing actors like Mika Nakashima, Aoi Miyazaki, and Kenichi Matsuyama at the start of their careers was exciting,” the fan said. Special merchandise such as cups inspired by items in the manga proved especially popular.
A Legacy That Bridges Eras
With revival screenings, new merchandise, and upcoming events, NANA continues to bridge eras. For older fans, it recalls the formative years of 2000s shoujo manga. For younger audiences, it is a fresh discovery that still speaks to real struggles and aspirations. Ai Yazawa’s unfinished manga remains on hiatus, but its world of music, love, and friendship lives on as a cultural touchstone across generations.
