Nana | Manga - Recommendations

Paradise Kiss addpermalink

Both series are about the lives and relationships of young women. Both are created by Ai Yazawa. 

reportRecommended by TVC15

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Beck addpermalink

Both deal with hardships in the music industry and the never ending struggle to be heard through one's originality.  Beck is more about the guys' take on making a successfull rockband while Nana is about making a rock band with a female lead singer.  Both show how imperfection is more beautiful than the mundane. 

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Orange addpermalink

Both feature a melancholic atmosphere and female leads that learn about themselves and try to change, to better themselves while recognizing their own limitations. 

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Kuragehime addpermalink

Nana and Kuragehime has an unique sense of fashion. They both adapt a series where the main female character enter an industry with a passion for what they love. Throughout both series, there is development in both the story, their goals, and even relationships with others. Romance is portrayed as realistic in Nana while Kuragehime has more humorous gags. Both series are also well known for their appealing dialogues with a variety of emotions. 

reportRecommended by Stark700

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They say opposites attract! And that’s certainly true of the friendships in both of these series. In Kuragehime, quiet, jellyfish-otaku Tsukimi befriends cross-dressing fashionista, Kuranosuke; whilst in Nana, cutesy, boy-crazy Komatsu Nana finds an unlikely bond with punk-rocker Osaki Nana. 

The female characters in these series are really easy to relate to, as they each have foibles and quirks which make them seem more real. Both series also have characters with forms of Anxiety. Osaki Nana suffers with panic attacks, and Tsukimi (along with some of the other Amamizukan residents) has some social anxiety. 

The series’ plots also have a somewhat ‘fish out of water’ theme, as the main characters find themselves in situations they would never usually find themselves in, with people very unlike them. Though Kuragehime is more lighthearted than Nana, both have moving moments and characters that you can truly care about!

The art styles of both are very quirky and beautifully drawn. Though Nana doesn't revolve around fashion as much as Kuragehime, the characters wear some amazing clothes. So, if you enjoy series with plenty of interesting fashion to gawp at, I would definitely recommend reading Nana!
 read more 

reportRecommended by SunnyShadows

So both are romance themed stories have a good amount of focus on fashion and style, and both focus characters who are like the opposites of each other, yet they become friends overtime. And both are focused on characters who are involved in a industry they are very deterimined to make it in as well too.  

reportRecommended by Disapeared_Ghost

Princess Jellyfish deals with polar opposite female characters as well, except in princess Jellyfishes's caseit blossoms into sort of a romance. There is however a lot of joy and humour regarding the women's different relationships and how they build on each other strengths and weaknesses. 

reportRecommended by momochi22

Solanin addpermalink

Both center around a group of friends that are all part of a band. They both mainly focus on the relationships between all the characters and how they deal with the struggles of life. There's a bit of humor in each but the main focus is on the drama.
If you liked one you'll most likely enjoy the other as well.  

reportRecommended by Danish

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The One addpermalink

maybe the storyline isn't so similar..although it's about showbiz (music-nana, fashion-the one)..BUT! the art is so similar!!! lele in the first volumes looks like nana o.  but her personality is very similar to nana k.( the hachiko style)!! and eros looks like takumi!! i would have to appreciate more the one for the sexiness of the male protagonists...hehe:))) 

reportRecommended by zibibba

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IDOLiSH7: Re:member addpermalink

In both series the main cast are mostly adults, which makes them have different struggles and obstacles in the story, both stories touches darker topics in a realistic way. Nana and Idolish7 are filled with drama and emotional moments, with a carismatic cast that gonna make you fell in love with them. 

reportRecommended by Hermstormz

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Othello. addpermalink

NANA doesn't really have split personalities like Othello...but regardless, they're alike. I read Othello whenever I was 8, it was one of the first series I read. They're both about music...and let's see...the art is similar, and Yaya's split personality's name is Nana? I thought Yaya was like Nana Komatsu and Nana was like Nana Osaki. 

reportRecommended by moonBlossom

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Cat Street addpermalink

Similar character interaction, and both very well written. Both deal with real life issues and relationships.  

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Mars addpermalink

Both are shoujo series that deal with romance and tragedy equally and have a more serious, adult tone. It's hard to be particular about it, but they both definitely have the same feel to them. 

reportRecommended by lithiumflower

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Given addpermalink

Both manga focus on bands (in fact, Nana has two) and the interpersonal relationships between band members, as well as showing some of the struggles to become successful in the music industry (Given is just starting to touch on this topic, while it is much more important in Nana).

Be prepared with tissues when reading either one, because at times both contain tragedy, grief, hinted-at toxic relationships, and implied depression. 

reportRecommended by complexities

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Bokura ga Ita addpermalink

I can't believe no one has said anything about the similarities of Bokura ga Ita and NANA!!
Like... in the later chapters, when they separate, it is very much like Hachi & her search for Nana.
&& Let's not forget how in each story, 2 girls are named Nana!

The style in the later chapters is so similar...
The inner monologues... "What are you doing now, Yano?" That screams Nana to me! I was thinking, "Hey... was this written by the same mangaka??"

At first, I thought this was going to be a cute love story... but it has the deeper, darker aspects much like in Nana (though not as dark as Nana). read more 

reportRecommended by ktcherry

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Kanojo wa Uso wo Aishisugiteru addpermalink

In both mangas, I can't help but think of the other manga, both Nana & Kanojo wa Uso wo Aishisugiteru are about music, romance with older men, naivety. In spite of Nana being josei & Kanojo wa Uso wo Aishisugiteru being shoujo, both are enjoyable & makes you just want to imagine exactly what kind of music/vocals/lyrics are being used in the stories! If one is liked then the other will being enjoyable! {Sidenote, Kanojo wa Uso wo Aishisugiteru is more light-hearted & easygoing while Nana is more dramatic & emotional} 

reportRecommended by Glammoon

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Piece addpermalink

Both are about young adult characters.

They both contain past/future mechanics as you unveil what happened in the past that led to the future - though NANA takes place more in the past even though the future is technically the present, while Piece more just has plenty of flashbacks.

Nana O and Mizuho have similar haircuts and difficulties getting close with people, though in a different way.  Mizuho's best friend also has more than just a physical resemblance to Hachi too. 

reportRecommended by ladyandgerm

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Kagen no Tsuki addpermalink

Also one of Ai Yazawa's work, Nana holds one or two references to Kagen no Tsuki. Both stories have love and music in them, though Kagen no Tsuki is also paranormal and holds a secret you find out at the end. Nana is more realistic and focuses it's story more on the feelings of the characters. Kagen is much shorter than Nana, but both are very enjoyable. 

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Lovenista addpermalink

Though Lovenista only consists of 2 volumes, both are similar in the fact that they have a (sometimes scatter brained) female lead who has a past full of bad relationship choices.  Instead of pursuing their cute supporting male friend who is deeply in love with them, both Nana (Hatchi) and Yun choose to accept the harder road of love.  

reportRecommended by mommyslttlmnstr

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Kanojo-iro no Kanojo addpermalink

Both manga's depict close friendship between two very different girls who end up living in the same appartment: one who is following her dream and is self-sufficient, and the other who has no dream but is constantly falling in love and moving from relationship to relationship.

Nana is more full of drama and is (in my opinion) better, but kanoko iro no kanojo has at least an end (Nana has currently been on hiatus for two years) and is quite a nice, well thought out story. 

reportRecommended by samka

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Life addpermalink

Plenty of drama, an interesting cast of characters, and a peculiar art style.
The relationship between Ayumu and Miki reminds a lot of Hachi and Nana, and their encounters are both full of emotion: a kind-hearted but troubled girl (Hachi, depressed due to her numerous but unlucky love interests, & Ayumu, hopeless because of her being bullied) suddenly meets a cool, independent, strong and beautiful girl, and the two, who are the opposite of each other, become friends in a new school/city.
Even if in different ways, both are mature series which are about lasting out in life. 

reportRecommended by RenaPsychoKiller

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Skip Beat! addpermalink

When it comes to entertainment, Nana and Skip Beat takes the stage and presents them in a very creative way. Both series deals with characters who gets involved in mainstream entertainment revolving around their professional careers. Throughout their stories, the characters develop both personally and professionally. There is romance in both series as well; do note that Nana has much more mature themes while Skip Beat is more humorous. Nonetheless, there is realism that is evident in both series along with suitable gags fitting for their premises. Definitely recommended for fans who are looking for a shoujo that expands more than just romance. 

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Song of the Cloud addpermalink

Both are slice-of-life depictions of a group of disparate individuals with problematic pasts who come together through the dream of creating a band. Song of the Cloud is a webtoon in full colour. Equally introspective but less tragic than Nana 

reportRecommended by riorbacchi

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso addpermalink

Nana and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Kuso focuses on music and a journey to fulfill a dream. There's a great degree of realism present in both series including their perspective story and characters. Nana has a more mature setting with its characters though when it comes to relationships while Shigatsu deals with interpersonal struggles. Both series has characters dealing with their past as well. As music is a prominent theme in both series, expect the main characters to face obstacles like never before whether it'd be competition, their own personal struggles, or relationship with others. 

reportRecommended by Stark700

Cappuccino addpermalink

Both has josei themes that includes love, trust,  betrayal where both female protagonists experience tearful  break-ups and moving on. 

reportRecommended by Momo-Hime

Awfully Damn Kiss and Hug addpermalink

These two mangas have a more realistic and dark approach of the tropes, with which we are already familiar. The characters are complex and are actually developing throughout the story - not only the mcs but also the secondary characters. They are not perfect porcelain dolls and feel real. They, just like real people are ignorant, make mistakes, have mental scars and each have different problems in their private life.  

reportRecommended by ani147

Uta∽Kata addpermalink

Both series share somber overtones as well as 2 female leads who share a friendship that is often tested as well as many adult themes and the story becomes more tragic as time goes by.

 

reportRecommended by Disapeared_Ghost

Subarashiki Kono Sekai addpermalink

Both share music inspired storylines with stylish characters being where they must face hard decisions and are set in a modern day Japan and has a reserved mc being placed with a outgoing bubbly partner. 

reportRecommended by Disapeared_Ghost

[Oshi no Ko] addpermalink

so both stories focus on a female lead trying to make it in the music industry and both stories can be real af and can get quite touchy too. 

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Sekai no Hajikko to Anzu Jam addpermalink

both are revolved around relationship of a person in band, slowly becoming famous, and mundane person 

reportRecommended by mirrorofenigmas

God Child addpermalink

Both are visually inspired by gothic aesthetics and both also share alot of pain and tragedy in them as well too. 

reportRecommended by Disapeared_Ghost

Hokuhokusei ni Kumo to Ike addpermalink

Both mangas have realistic characters in a realistic world with realistic struggles, even though there is a bit supernaturality in Hokuhokusei ni Kumo to Ike. Both mangas have the gorgeous signature art styles of their mangakas. Alsp, in both works, the mc's are away from the home they grew up in.  

reportRecommended by ani147

Mairunovich addpermalink

If you were to turn back time in NANA, you would probably see something like this. Or if NANA had a kid Mairunovich would be it. What can I say it just gives me that similar feeling with more fluff and less bounce. Its less mature than NANA but surely it still has that 'sucky' feel, that 'give me more or I'll kill you' feel. As the story of this grows I'm feeling "happy Nana's effects" everywhere in this. The two mains from each of these could be sisters in the way they react to situations. And the complications they find in their paths. 

reportRecommended by xSkeviousx

One addpermalink

The music industry can be hard on you... Imagine yourself trying to break through in the music scene in a city far away from home where you don't know anybody. Bith of these langa revolve around those themes, music, new suroundings and ofcourse love... Do all these things fit together? The wrotters of these stories are making it work like magic? If you like romance stories and misoc, you will probably like both of these manga. 

reportRecommended by Darkbow

Tenshi no Kiss addpermalink

Both works have a realistic approach for showing struggles with artists, depicting similar topics and themes,  even thought Tenshi no Kiss is quite shorter. 

reportRecommended by ani147

H20 addpermalink

H20 is so unique its hard to compare it to anything else. There was one manga it kind of reminded me of however, and that was Nana. The settings are completely different...H20 is high school where Nana is more of a after college story. The concept is what connects them and what i loved the most about both. The story isn't told from one side, it rotates between characters. You see how there life develops and how there relationship with one another evolve as time progresses.  

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Futago addpermalink

Both are josei. The characters in both these mangas are working adults and the romance is realistic. They both struggle with living in the life after school. If you liked one, you should try reading the other. 

reportRecommended by marshwillow

Kimi Koi Limit addpermalink

 The main character from kimi koi limit has the same personality as Nana (hatchi) in the context that they are both always dependent on someone, useless, and has a very loveable character where people can't leave them alone. 

reportRecommended by SpazzyMcgee

Three addpermalink

Great series about music, life, and love. Both involve themes such as: being part of the music business, growing up, falling in love, having difficult and complex relationship with the parents, etc. 

reportRecommended by RenaPsychoKiller

Kimi ni Todoke addpermalink

When I was reading Kimi ni Todoke, I got the same feeling I got while reading NANA. The plot lines revolve around different things, but it's about a girl making a new set of friends. In both stories the main character just wants to be be closer to the people around them. They both progress kind of slowly in the romance department though. NANA has a little bit more of a dark tone to it (adults in the real world), while Kimi ni Todoke is a bit more innocent (teens in school). 

You should definitely read both. 

reportRecommended by kallykinsCXIII

Shutter Love addpermalink

Both demonstrate the difficulty of balancing friendship, love, heartache, work, dreams, motivation, admiration, and obligations for young women and the vague and sometimes overlapping divisions between them. They also demonstrate how, when life gets rough, it's good to have a dear friend to come back to cry to. 

reportRecommended by lithiumflower

Gozen 0-ji, Kiss shi ni Kite yo addpermalink

These two mangas aren't too terribly similar but they do feature music and romance. "Nana" takes a band spin and "Gozen 0-ji, Kiss Shi ni Kite yo" takes an idol perspective. I've read a lot of manga related to this theme but when I read "Gozen 0-ji, Kiss Shi ni Kite yo", it made me think of Nana - possibly because the main character's name is Hinana. "Gozen 0-ji, Kiss Shi ni Kite yo" is much more light hearted than "Nana" but I still enjoy it a lot! 

reportRecommended by layhas

Kiss & Never Cry addpermalink

Splendid and passionate josei manga which are the flagship of their respective authors.
Both Nana Osaki & Michiru Kuroki are young but determined women who deal with both a launched career, made of competition, rivalry, and sacrifice, & a private life, with its romance, sex, friendship, drama, and everyday problems.
Even though Nana is about music & Kiss & Never Cry is about figure skating, the similarities are countless, and both manga are equally intriguing, moving, and compelling. 

reportRecommended by RenaPsychoKiller

Gokujou no Koibito addpermalink

They might not seem similar, but they really are... You see a character having to chose between two people, and it hurts to watch it because you like them both and do not want them to chose one, but yet its so addicting that you have to continue on... >.> 

reportRecommended by kristin

Gokinjo Monogatari addpermalink

Even though the story is really different , both manga's are about chasing after a dream .
Also , the characters and their relations are very much alike .
both manga's are from the same mangaka as well . 

reportRecommended by Roxanne

Audition addpermalink

Audition has all the great musical aspects of NANA, the styles, The drama and even more comedy. If you're a lover of music and a good detective story pick up the first manga. The story involves 4 gorgeous(of course) variously tatooed-pierced-barely clothed-sexually ambiguous Musical geniuses who are being scouted by the daughter of a old man each boy met as a child. Using only the old man's diary and a little detective work you soon become lost in the genius of this manga. I love NANA and I love AUDITION even more it's a KOREAN MANGWA and it deserves to be right up there with all the other greats like it.. so check it out! read more 

reportRecommended by lochness

Sakuran addpermalink

While there are no life-affirming friendships made in Sakuran, the to-your-face realism found there is similar to many of Ai Yazawa's works.  Kyoha's contemplation of love (and its weakness) brings Nana K. and her disastrous love affairs to mind.   

reportRecommended by sirenalune

Ohikkoshi addpermalink

Both manga examine the romances and nights out drinking of 20-somethings in a realistic, funny manner.  Ohikkoshi focuses more on the plot narrative and its central theme of unrequited love, while NANA concentrates on the emotions of love and the head space of its main characters.  

reportRecommended by YoungVagabond

Special A addpermalink

they are both about a group
of friends that just want have
some fun. 

reportRecommended by AngelsCryAlone

Rules addpermalink

Rules is extremely similar and as good as Nana is. Set in Tokyo, the story revolves arond four boys and their relationships with each other and the world in general. Both are slice of life- realistic mangas with a lot of drama, angst and complex characters. Consider Rules a gay version of Nana, with even more angst! 

reportRecommended by yuuko

Tomodachi no Hanashi addpermalink

These two stoies have an amazing central element of friendship to the plot, revolving aroung two girl bestfriends that are polar opposites. Despite being so different the girls are closer than ever. While love is  also a good portion of the story, it is mainly focuses on the beauty of friendship and how strong the two girls bond is with one another. Both also provoke warm feelings in the hearts and have extremely unique characters despite it is shoujo. Many say they can relate to both of the mangas too.  

reportRecommended by SpazzyMcgee

River's Edge addpermalink

they both deal with humans relationships while in rivers edge they are more like mature 

reportRecommended by nia3duncan

Koizora: Setsunai Koimonogatari addpermalink

Both Koizora and Nana are dramatic stories. The characters in Nana are older-but they go through similar things. The main character in Nana, Nana Komatsu, acts similarly to Mika, the main character of Koizora. They both involve tragedies such as unplanned pregnancy and saying goodbye to the one you love.

They're also both two of my favourites. ;) 

reportRecommended by paperyu

Gravitation addpermalink

Well,for starters it's about music.Everything is about music.Although the songs,figuring in Grav. are not as pleasing as the ones in NaNa,the story is similar - a band trying to hit the top,trying to achieve their goals.And relationship budges in too.It's about strong main characters and their will to succeed.
My personal + for both and a reccomendation for everyone that haven't seen Gravitation yet. 

reportRecommended by Saiyaku

Suppli addpermalink

In both Suppli and Nana main characters are young women that try to be independent and strong, have complicated relationships with both their lovers and friends  

reportRecommended by helensan

Octave addpermalink

Music, fame, sex, romance, and a strong love between two women. 
Both are wonderful romantic dramas and coming of age stories.
The major difference is that Octave is a lesbian romance while Nana focuses upon the love of friendship.
 

reportRecommended by XanthReborn

Ano Ko to Issho addpermalink

Both series are about two girls who are the opposites of each other, but somehow they become best friends. We then follow them in their ups and downs in love and friendship. While the characters in Nana are in their 20s and Ano Ko to Issho takes place in high school, both manga are coming of age stories with a serious and somewhat tragic feel.   

reportRecommended by Vinyafod

Youth Gone Wild addpermalink

Its about a making a music band and becoming famous 

reportRecommended by Sapphire86

17 addpermalink

Similar relationships that have to do with breaking up, falling in love again, and overcoming hardships. 17 isn't a josei like Nana but it still covers some of the same themes.  

reportRecommended by bluespirit

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