[Reprinted!] The much-talked-about mook, “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (published in Bessatsu Taiyo’s “Taiyo no Chizucho”), has received a huge response! This book delves into the world of this legendary shojo manga, a symbol of Japanese culture in the 2000s and a passionate following both at home and abroad!
Heibonsha Press release: September 9, 2025 To Members of the Press [Reprinted!] The popular mook “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Bessatsu Taiyo’s ‘Taiyo no Chizucho’) has received a huge response! Explore the world of this legendary shojo manga, a symbol of Japanese culture in the 2000s and a cult favorite both at home and abroad! With the author’s full cooperation, the magazine also features a lavish project, including original illustrations and “110 Questions to Get to Know Yazawa Ai!” This mook, published to commemorate Yazawa Ai’s 40th anniversary as an artist and the 25th anniversary of the serialization of “NANA,” is creating a buzz in bookstores nationwide.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-a15d666dd6c9a52b8f87b3238e372737-1000×1425.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-6c66c92e40fa68c6a2e4476ac3f6d7cc-3900×2746.jpg The special frontispiece, “NANA Illustration Gallery,” includes a commentary by Ai Yazawa, who discusses her thoughts on the work and the technical background. From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-9fe852eae174ec8a3fc3a5c0b990d2e3-3900×2747.jpg An illustration of Traness featured in the “NANA Illustration Gallery.” From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-ed2e1656ebe7b6d57a54d205d9bb2743-3900×2746.jpg “A Journey Through the Characters of ‘NANA'” is a project that delves into the characters in the series. Ai Yazawa’s character commentary is a must-read. From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-d96a7e6fbf82fc9dac2a2bb78ab81de4-3900×2746.jpg The introduction to the main characters, including the protagonist Hachi, also includes rare, never-before-seen sketches selected by Ai Yazawa herself. From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-38e6269f737ec421d835798df6526b3d-3900×2778.jpg In the commentary on the main character Nana, we also discuss British punk, which is associated with her fashion and character. From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-023192f379ab2b4578e31905a83f54a1-3900×2751.jpg Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols was a legendary fashion icon in British punk. We’ll explore his connection to the character Ren. From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-73cb8723a806607429fc9ead0545a664-3900×2746.jpg Another appealing aspect of this book is its extensive commentary on fashion and culture. From an expert’s perspective, the book explores the unbreakable relationship between the world of her work and Vivienne Westwood. From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/42563/46/42563-46-ec73f6aedd3cbd66a7bdd95f9ae93754-3900×2745.jpg The “NANA Character Encyclopedia” also comes with a comment from Ai Yazawa! From “The World of Yazawa Ai’s ‘NANA'” (Taiyo Special Edition, “Taiyo no Chizucho”) [Table of Contents] ●Special frontispiece “NANA” Illustration Gallery with Yazawa Ai’s illustration commentary ●Foreword “Our Standard” Given by Yazawa Ai’s Works (Text by Tsujimura Mizuki) ●Special Feature ・”110 Questions” to Get to Know Yazawa Ai ・Yazawa Ai Discusses “The Secrets of Art” ●Introduction to “NANA” A legendary shojo manga that symbolizes the 2000s, depicting the dreams and reality of two girls with the same name “NANA” Character Relationship Chart & Character Encyclopedia ●”NANA” Travels with Characters [1] Nana Komatsu Hachi fashion: a sway between trendy and conservative styles [2] Nana Osaki Seeing the vision of Nana in “girl punk,” the driving force behind British punk [3] Ren Honjo Sid Vicious as a Fashion Icon and His Life [4] Nobuo Terashima The culture of “punk” as seen through Johnny Rotten-style fashion [5] Yasushi Takagi “Rude Boys” and “Skins.” A look at the man named Yasu from the perspective of British youth fashion 【6】Shinichi Okazaki Shin’s “Lip Chain” and Body Modification 【7】Takumi Ichinose Takumi and Malcolm McLaren. What do the band’s creators have in common? ●Reviews ・The era of London punk and the Sex Pistols ・Everyone puts on their own battle gear—the eternal Vivienne Westwood ・”NANA,” Ringo Shiina, and “July 1999″ ・”NANA” as part of the “Tokyo-going story” lineage ・Why was the live-action film “NANA” such an epoch-making work? ●Column: Digging Deeper into “NANA” 1. Shoji Endo and Grunge Fashion 2. Room 707 and New York’s Chelsea Hotel 3. Gothic Lolita and Music Saved Misato Uehara (Mai Tsuzuki) 4. “Layla” and Persian Literature 5. Ren’s Car: A 1965 Shelby GT350 ●Me and “NANA” Actor Kurumi Nakata: I learned about fashion and music from “NANA.” It’s the benchmark for my life. ●Maps of Masterpieces Walking through 1970s London, the birthplace of the “punk spirit” ●Visiting the Settings of Masterpieces Nana and Hachi, 20-Year-Olds’ Life in Tokyo ● Yazawa Ai: All Works: First Publications & First Collected Books, Brief Chronology [Bibliographic Information] Title: The World of Ai Yazawa’s “NANA” Series: Special Edition Taiyo: Maps of the Sun Edited by: Taiyo no Chizucho Editorial Department Text: Yumasa Uno, Takeshi Okazaki, Noriko Onohara, Seijiro Sato, Ryoichi Sugiyama, Tetsuya Taguchi (titles omitted) Release Date: August 7, 2025 Binding: B5 / 112 pages / Paperback / Full color Price: 1,650 yen (tax included 10%) ISBN: 978-4-582-94634-5 Publisher: Heibonsha https://www.heibonsha.co.jp/book/b665159.html