Hello, fellow otaku! Are you ready for more recommendations? Good/Too bad, let’s get started!
Based off the manga by Ai Yazawa, NANA is one of the series I’d recommend if you want to have some feels. About two girls who coincidentally meet on the same train to the same place (and have the same name- Nana), the story follows the two as their lives intertwine and change. Nana Komatsu (called Hachi to help keep the girls separate) heads to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend and prove that she’s an independent adult. Nana Osaka goes to Tokyo to make her way in the music scene, with the goal of forming the best punk band. Despite their differences, the girls find themselves together in a whirlwind. Friendship, betrayal, love, heartbreak, fame, family- this series has it all. It’s a beautiful and bittersweet story that has experienced a resurgence in popularity over the last few years, so I highly suggest you check it out. (Fair warning: Ai Yazawa hasn’t finished the manga and it has been on hiatus since 2009 due to health issues. She has said that she’d like to continue it if she’s able to, health permitting. The anime, however, wraps things up in a nice way, though it does leave you wanting more!)
Pivoting in a different direction, my next recommendation is relevant to millennials like me. If you like dark humor, strap in!
The premise of Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan (Bluray) follows Uramichi and his coworkers who are the friendly, pleasant, and cheerful cast of a children’s television show. However, viewers quickly see how Uramichi and his castmates struggle with adulthood, disappointment, and depression as they keep their smiles on for the camera. [Some of the deadpan deliveries cracked me up. While in a “peekaboo”-type scene, Uramichi hides his face behind his hands and says, “What happened to my smile and my will to live? Where are they now?” and, revealing his face, he informs the child that they’re “…Gone.”] From failing relationships to mediocre fame, this show covers a lot of topics most shows try to avoid. However, they do it in a way that isn’t depressing on its own by any means. If you’re suffering from burnout, feel jaded, and need to laugh (or cry because you feel called out), this is an amusing take on what it’s like to be an adult.
I hope you find something good to watch (or read!) in our WEPL libraries! We have dedicated anime and manga sections at each of our branches, so feel free to ask your reference librarians to direct you to them so you can browse.
Until next time!
-Bryn
