Rummanah Aasi
 It's Monday and time for Manga Mondays! Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. I'm about half way through Nana, the widely popular manga series, and am a bit sad to see it end.

Description (from back of the book): Being an engaged woman isn't as wonderful as Nana K. had thought it would be. When scandal hits Blast hard, Trapnest flees to Europe and Nana K. is left to watch Blast suffer in the scandal rags and tabloid shows.

Review: Yazawa puts the relationship melodrama on the temporary back burner and plays us the music business in Volume 10 of the Nana series. Thus far the manga has revolved around relationships while the theme of music has been regulated to the background. The stalking paparazzi have shifted their attention from Trapnest's bassist sudden marriage news to Ren and Nana O's relationship. The news, already known to the readers of the manga, has set the media circus on fire. The news breaks on morning television and is all over the scandal rags. The little unknown band, Blast, has now garnered the attention of a wide audience. Was the news of Nana O's relationship sold by the music company to develop interest amongst the masses? It's hard to tell, but it does seem too much of a coincidence. 
  Rival band, Trapnest, is trying to keep the scandal down low, but the band's company is also riding on the coat tails of new news in order to sell Trapnest records. Blast never had a solid contract with their music label but now the company sees how much interest has generated due to the media frenzy and feel compelled to sign the band up. Time can only tell whether or not Blast will sink or swim.  This volume actually shows the reader how much the music industry is really driven by companies and the product rather than music per se. Both Nanas have to fend themselves as their love interests are flown out to London in order to stay from the media's radar. I'm excited to see Nana O's dream of being the number one music band in Japan come true. I'm also curious to see if she will once again reunite with Nana K.

Rating:

Words of Caution: There is strong sexual content, crude humor, and some language. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try:  Nana Vol 11 by Ai Yazawa
2 Responses
  1. Jenny Says:

    I saw this post on my blog roll and I was almost scared to come read your review of this volume for fear things for the Nana's would continue to get even more messed up than they already were. Phew. It's nice you were granted a little bit of a reprieve from all their drama, but that does make me worry that the next volume will make up for it!


  2. Whoo hoo crude humor...I haven't read that in awhile. I never knew Manga was so diversified. It is a good thing you are educating me. I promise when the TBR pile is tamed I will read one!


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