Nana is a 2005 Japanese film adaption of the manga

Nana (manga)

is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa, serialized in Cookie published by Shueisha. The manga derives its title from the name of the two main characters, both of whom are called Nana. Nana Komatsu is a small town girl who goes to Tokyo to follow her boyfriend and...

 by Ai Yazawa

Ai Yazawa

is a Japanese manga author. Her pen name comes from Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.-Biography:Yazawa started her manga publishing life in 1985. She studied in a fashion school but later dropped out. Throughout her 15 years of publishing, she wrote over 10 series in Ribon...

, directed by Kentarō Ōtani. The film was released on September 3, 2005. It stars Mika Nakashima

Mika Nakashima

is a Japanese singer, model, and actress. She has achieved five number-one albums in Japan and also embarked on an acting career, most notably in the live-action movie Nana, based on the manga of the same name.- Early life and debut :...

 as the punk star Nana Osaki, and Aoi Miyazaki

Aoi Miyazaki

is a Japanese actress. She is best known for her pure image and roles such as in Nana and Virgin Snow. Her brother Masaru Miyazaki is an actor, and they starred together in the film Hatsukoi. She married Sosuke Takaoka on June 15, 2007, her partner since she was fifteen.-Career:Miyazaki started...

 as Hachi (Nana Komatsu).
The film was followed by a 2006 sequel

Sequel

A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...

, NANA 2

NANA 2

Nana 2 is the sequel to the Japanese movie Nana, an adaptation of the manga by Ai Yazawa, directed by Kentarô Ôtani. Production for the movie began in mid-September and only one and a half month shootings finished the movie in time for the December 9, 2006 release.-Synopsis:Taking place shortly...

, in which Nakashima reprised her role as the title character. Some of the original cast, including Miyazaki and Ryuhei Matsuda

Ryuhei Matsuda

is a Japanese film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in Japanese films such as Taboo and Nana.-Early life:Matsuda was born on 9 May 1983 in Tokyo to Yusaku Matsuda, a Japanese actor, and Miyuki Matsuda , a Japanese actress. He has two siblings, one of whom is Japanese actor Shota...

, did not reprise their roles in Nana 2.

Synopsis

Based on events in the manga by Ai Yazawa, NANA is about the adventures of two girls, who are both named Nana. Although the name is the same, their lives are completely different. One of them is an ambitious punk who is looking to break into the world of rock and roll

Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

, while the other simply wants to have a new life with her boyfriend. After moving to Tokyo while chasing their hopes and dreams, their lives greatly change after meeting each other.

Cast

• Mika Nakashima
  Mika Nakashima
  is a Japanese singer, model, and actress. She has achieved five number-one albums in Japan and also embarked on an acting career, most notably in the live-action movie Nana, based on the manga of the same name.- Early life and debut :...
  
   - Nana Osaki
• Aoi Miyazaki
  Aoi Miyazaki
  is a Japanese actress. She is best known for her pure image and roles such as in Nana and Virgin Snow. Her brother Masaru Miyazaki is an actor, and they starred together in the film Hatsukoi. She married Sosuke Takaoka on June 15, 2007, her partner since she was fifteen.-Career:Miyazaki started...
  
   - Nana "Hachi" Komatsu
• Hiroki Narimiya
  Hiroki Narimiya
  , better known as , is a Japanese actor.-Early life:He was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. His parents are Okinawan, so he is of Okinawan descent. His parents divorced when he was young, and in his third year of junior high school, his mother died and he and his brother were raised by his...
  
   - Nobuo Terashima
• Kenichi Matsuyama - Shin
• Ryuhei Matsuda
  Ryuhei Matsuda
  is a Japanese film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in Japanese films such as Taboo and Nana.-Early life:Matsuda was born on 9 May 1983 in Tokyo to Yusaku Matsuda, a Japanese actor, and Miyuki Matsuda , a Japanese actress. He has two siblings, one of whom is Japanese actor Shota...
  
   - Ren Honjo
• Yuna Ito
  Yuna Ito
  is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress who is active in Japan.She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Hawaii. Ito made her musical debut in Japan with the single, "Endless Story", which was used as one of the theme songs for the popular 2005 film Nana; she also starred in the film,...
  
   - Reira Serizawa
• Saeko
  Saeko
  Saeko is a media talent who has acted in a number of films and television dramas.Though she has been credited under the stagename Saeko Dōkyū, her real name remains a secret....
  
   - Sachiko
• Momosuke Mizutani - Naoki
• Anna Nose - Junko
• Takehisa Takayama - Kyosuke
• Tomomi Maruyama - Yasu
• Tetsuji Tamayama
  Tetsuji Tamayama
  is a Japanese TV and film actor. He was born to a Korean father. He joined modeling competitions and was active in Checkmate and other fashion magazines. In 2001, Tamayama debuted in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger as GaoSilver...
  
   - Takumi
• Yūta Hiraoka
  Yuta Hiraoka
  is a Japanese actor. He won the 'Best Newcomer' prize at the Japan Academy Prize in 2005 for his film debut in Swing Girls.-Television dramas:*Lion Sensei *Gokusen SP *Medaka *P&G Pantene Drama Special...
  
   - Shoji Endo
• Gou Ayano

Reception

The film did quite well at the Japanese box office, grossing more than 4 billion yen (roughly $50 million USD) and staying in the top 10 for several weeks.

Theme songs

In addition to creating a Nana craze throughout Asia, the film also helped launch Mika Nakashima

Mika Nakashima

is a Japanese singer, model, and actress. She has achieved five number-one albums in Japan and also embarked on an acting career, most notably in the live-action movie Nana, based on the manga of the same name.- Early life and debut :...

 to the peak of her career as she released the single "Glamorous Sky

Glamorous Sky

"Glamorous Sky" is Mika Nakashima's 16th single overall, her 1st under the name Nana starring Mika Nakashima, and the second most successful single in her career after "Stars". It is her first rock song and it was used as one of the image songs for the film Nana . Hyde of L'Arc-en-Ciel composed...

" under the name Nana starring Mika Nakashima. The single created topicality with its special collaboration between Nakashima, Hyde

Hyde (singer)

is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as vocalist for the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel, as well as for Vamps. While in L'Arc-en-Ciel his name is stylized as hyde, whereas in his solo work and Vamps it is stylized as HYDE....

 (who wrote the song), and Nana author Yazawa Ai (who wrote the lyrics). The single became Nakashima's first number one single on the Oricon

Oricon

, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 charts. It was also featured in Osu! Tatakae! Ōendan 2

Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2

is a rhythm video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It is the third game to use its gameplay, and is the sequel to Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan while incorporating many of the improvements in gameplay made in Elite Beat Agents...

and Konami's drum simulation game Drum Mania.

The film also helped promote another artist, Yuna Ito

Yuna Ito

is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress who is active in Japan.She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Hawaii. Ito made her musical debut in Japan with the single, "Endless Story", which was used as one of the theme songs for the popular 2005 film Nana; she also starred in the film,...

, who starred in the film as Trapnest vocal Reira, released her debut single "Endless Story

ENDLESS STORY

"Endless Story" is the first single released by Yuna Ito. This single was released under the name Reira starring Yuna Ito. "Endless Story" was used in the movie Nana in which Yuna played the character Reira Serizawa...

," the insert song of the film, under the name Reira starring Yuna Ito

Yuna Ito

is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress who is active in Japan.She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Hawaii. Ito made her musical debut in Japan with the single, "Endless Story", which was used as one of the theme songs for the popular 2005 film Nana; she also starred in the film,...

. The single ranked second on the Oricon

Oricon

, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

charts, next to Nakashima's "Glamorous Sky," and made Yuna Ito one of the most successful debuting artists of 2005.