NANA Manga: Why Ai Yazawa's Unfinished Classic Still Captivates

Last updated: June 29, 2026

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“No matter how much we hang out together, we all live our lives in our own way… and I know it’s absolutely impossible for me to make someone my own.”

Have you ever heard of “NANA”? The NANA manga is a shojo (girls’) series by Ai Yazawa, published from 2000 to 2009. Although the manga has not been completed due to the author’s recuperation, it has sold more than 50 million copies in 21 volumes. In addition to being adapted into an anime, it was also released as a video game for the PlayStation and Nintendo DS in the 2000s.

When it was first released, I was not yet born. But the fact that more than 20 years have passed and I, as a teenager, am still hooked on this manga, should be enough to tell you how great this manga is. Of course, the women who were teenagers at the time of its release have grown up with the story of this manga, and are still fascinated by it.

The story entails a story of Nana Osaki, who pursues her dream of becoming successful in a punk band and is devoted to a single man, and Nana Komatsu, who has no particular dream and is cheerful but is a romantic at heart. The two NANAs, who are complete opposites in every way, end up sharing a room in Tokyo. Nana Komatsu becomes involved with the band members through Nana Osaki, and the story progresses, but what is different from a traditional “shoujo manga” is that the mood does not remain happy from beginning to end. Nana Komatsu is easily influenced by other people and situations, hurts others and cheats on her boyfriend, and Nana Osaki’s boyfriend dies in an accident after being addicted to drugs. I think it is this kind of development, which is not a simple happy ending but is driven by fate, that attracts readers, including me.

I also think that many readers may identify themselves with the weakness and clumsiness that Nana Osaki, a good-looking and independent woman who is admired by her peers, sometimes shows.

Nana Osaki also loves the British fashion brand Vivienne Westwood. She looks so cool on stage wearing Vivienne, and she embodies the image of a woman that other women aspire to be like. I am considering buying a pair of logo earrings to be like her, which seems to be highly compatible with the current global trend of Y2K fashion.

Some videos are currently available on YouTube. With the heat wave continuing in both the U.S. and Japan this summer, why not enjoy watching “NANA” and other Japanese animes in a cool room with a cold drink in your hand?

More than 20 years on, NANA is having a major revival. Viz Media is releasing deluxe 2-in-1 omnibus editions for the series’ 25th anniversary, including a limited Vivienne Westwood cover drawn by Ai Yazawa herself. For a story so tied to Y2K fashion, the timing could not feel more right.

NANA Manga FAQ

Is the NANA manga finished?
No. The NANA manga is unfinished. Ai Yazawa put the series on indefinite hiatus in 2009 due to illness, ending after 84 chapters and 21 volumes. The story has not continued since.

Will NANA ever come back?
There is no confirmed return date. Ai Yazawa has said in interviews that she still hopes to finish the story one day, but no new main chapters have been published since the 2009 hiatus. Recent activity has focused on anniversary editions and art projects rather than new serialization.

How many volumes of NANA are there?
There are 21 tankobon volumes. They were published in Japan by Shueisha between 2000 and 2009, with Viz Media handling the English-language release in North America.

What is the NANA manga about?
NANA follows two women, both named Nana, who meet on a train to Tokyo and become roommates. Nana Osaki chases fame as a punk band vocalist, while Nana Komatsu searches for love, and the series explores their friendship, heartbreak, and ambition.

Why is NANA so popular again?
NANA is seeing a revival tied to its 25th anniversary and the Y2K fashion trend. Viz Media is releasing deluxe omnibus editions, including a limited Vivienne Westwood cover, which has brought the series to a new generation of readers.