With the cancelation of Animerica magazine, I've been subscribed to Shojo Beat for over a year now. I love almost all of the magazine's monthly manga, but my favorite is Nana. With exam week recently completed, I was finally able to get around to reading my December 2006 issue. Let's just say that something happened that hasn't happened to me before in a long time.
I doubt anyone else here reads Nana, but just in case anyone does, I'll put my story under spoiler tag.
! Nana Komatsu (Hachi) was told by Nana Osaki about one of the members of Trapnest, Takumi Ichinose, being a playboy. Nana had a fangirl crush on this guy, but she had built standards for herself relationship-wise after being cheated on by her previous boyfriend.
! One night, Takumi (or I prefer to call him, Long-Haired Bastard), spotted Nana on the street and invited her into his car. This was Nana's first chance to leave. She knew Long-Haired Bastard was a man-whore, but because of her fangirl crush, she got into the car with him. The entire drive, Nana was questioning herself about the decision she was making by going with this guy.
! They come a red traffic light. This is Nana's second chance to escape. She wonders if she should. Out loud, I'm saying "Get out Nana. This guy is a man-whore!". But she remains in the car. Also, Long-Haired Bastard kisses her on the lips before the light turns green. :
! They arrive at a 5-star hotel. Long-Haired Bastard tells Nana to wait in the lobby while he checks in. Again, Nana has a chance to escape and ponders doing so. I'm saying to her, "Get out of there now, Nana! Don't let yourself be hurt again! You're above this." But she stays, and they go up to the suite.
! Last and oh so very least, Nana gets one final chance to turn back as she is laying on the bed, waiting for Long-Haired Bastard to finish his shower. At this point, Nana Osaki calls Nana Komatsu on her cell, trying to find where she is. But Nana lies and says that she is somewheres else, knowing that her best friend would not approve of what she is doing. I am now whispering, "Go Nana. Please go. Please Nana! This is your last chance to escape! Please get the hell out of there!"
! I turn the page, and Nana is making out with Long-Haired Bastard.
! I throw the magazine down and yell, "NOOOOOOOO!! HOW COULD YOU NANA?! YOU SET YOUR STANDARDS SO WELL! WHY DID YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET HURT AGAIN! I'M SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, NANA!"
! But then it hit me…..I was yelling at a fictional manga character. o_o
Please tell me that this has happened to other people.
! BTW, in the following January 2007 volume, Long-Haired Bastard tells his bandmates what he did, and they go off on him and totally chew him out. Nobu Terashima, a great guy who has a thing for Nana, even grabs Long-Haired Bastard's shirt collar and prepares to kick his ass. But the band manager pleas for him to stop. Nobu leaves the party, along with everyone else. Leaving Long-Haired Bastard all by his whoreish lonesome. ^_^