I don’t talk about NANA very much, do I? Kind of an odd thing, since this will likely replace .hack//SIGN as my second favorite anime once its run is up. I think it’s because the story is even more interconnected between episodes than other anime that makes it harder for me to write about it. Even episodes I haven’t seen for ages just sort of flow into the current. I like how well blended they all are.
Episode 40 was kind of curious for me. First, I was very annoyed with Hachi for apologizing to Takumi. She had nothing to apologize for. He was the jerk. Of course, Hachi has no self-esteem and simply cannot realize that fact.
Nana’s willingness to play right into the hands of the “villains” is kind of odd too. I suppose she’s figured it’s the best way to face things, but still.
I like that so many members of Trapnest are worried about the BLAST debut. Clearly someone’s out to get them, putting their single up against Trapnest’s. I wonder what’s going to happen there.
Hachi had possibly her best few scenes ever in this episode. She drops her happy facade for a moment when speaking to Jun, saying that her happiest moment was under a full moon (while seeing her time with Nobu that night.) I was a little worried at the beginning of the episode that she was regressing too much, but I guess she puts up that front even for herself. She’s such a sad little girl (she’s younger than me, I can call her a little girl) that it makes me want to pull her into a tight hug and tell her she isn’t the bad person that she thinks she is. At least Nobu is starting to get fired up about her again. Not to mention Nana wanting to use their debut to get Hachi back in her “backyard.”
The other fantastic Hachi scene was right at the end. She was walking under a train overpass and sees graffiti that says “NANA die.” The look on her face as she starts spraying new paint over it was just AMAZING. My husband happened to glance back at the moment and was incredibly impressed. He said she no longer looked like she was always a victim. It’s screenshot worthy, so here we go:
The voiceover from Nana made it all the more worth it, saying something like she can’t be the hero in Hachi’s story, but the heroine in her story is Hachi. It got me all choked up. I can’t wait to see what Yazawa Ai does with this. I’m going to go insane waiting for Shoujo Beat’s publication of the English NANA to catch up with what was shown in the anime and beyond. By the time that happens, any animated continuation will have likely begun, I’d imagine. I really hope they continue it. I’m pretty sure it was popular–but I could be totally off about that.
For my closing, Hachi’s revenge:
