Feature: Nana to Kaoru

Over my many years of consuming all sorts of media they have all, in one way or another had an effect on me. Whether that be getting into different types of shows outside my usual comfort zone, reading more, turning me into a fanatic and so much more. I’ve also had many favourite series be it in TV form (Desperate Housewives), film (Watchmen) or books (Harry Potter). But there was one series that had the biggest change on me by far. That is a manga series by a mangaka Ryuta Amazume, someone who would go onto to become my all time favourite author. That series is Nana to Kaoru.

When I was a teenager I first found out about bondage and the like through an early CSI episode ‘Slaves of Las Vegas’ with Lady Heather, it was a fascinating episode and seemingly opened a new world to me as Grissom investigated. I had seen it beforehand in the film Hellraiser but being an 8-10 year old I had no idea what it was. It first gave me a glimpse into something that aroused me, that made me think really differently.

The fact that I only had real access to the internet when my family finally got it in mid 2009 meant I hadn’t had the chance to search upon this to see what else there was. It was a re-run of that episode around that time where I decided to look it up. It was then that I found a treasure trove of goodness never seen before. Initially it was western bondage that I came across and of course it was for the primary reason of titillation.

Back then I also just started getting into anime and a bit of manga. I put 2 and 2 together and started looking. It was then that I came across an image for a nicely figured girl tied up in a swimsuit. And then again, a couple more images with her wearing a collar and the bondage outfit where she was stunning. I looked a bit more and found out it was from a manga series called Nana to Kaoru. I looked for any English translations I could, found some and the rest they say is history.

Nana is a beautiful girl, one of the best looking in her school. She is student council vice president, caring and considerate yet not unwilling to get harsh when needs be. She is aiming high (to be a lawyer) but her grades aren’t quite what she needs. Her teacher / advisor recommends a way to relieve stress, a breather if you will. Not knowing of how or what to do she thinks about it. On her way home she sees Kaorus mother who, being a mother who wants best for her child, she gives Nana a bag of Kaorus things to try and teach him to study more. Nana gets the temptation to look inside and finds a bondage outfit which bemuses her. By sheer curiosity she decides to try it on and it fits her perfectly. Of course the lock brakes and she needs Kaoru to help, what ensues is funny and heartening as the two begin to bond again. After this ordeal her grades pick up and the teacher tells her whatever she did to continue doing it. She enjoyed it herself and thus starts the series.

There were a number of things that hooked me initially, obviously the content but also the characters of Nana and Kaoru. The latter especially as he was not a handsome guy, he was short, scrawny and what you’d generally call ugly. I myself went through something similar on my appearance for a long period and it pushed me to lose weight but I still felt a connection. That he felt Nana was becoming more distant as they aged he naturally felt more alone. Again I get that, not altogether exactly the same way but myself and many others would go through the same.

The development of the characters in the series is excellently written. Nana goes from hesitant to embracing the world of bondage and BDSM. She is the sub in this partnership and Amazume writes her exquisitely, he gets into the mind of a sub, what they want, what they feel and how they really communicate with their dom. Starting off just seeing it as a breather she gradually comes around to it and begins to want them not purely as a stress relief.

Kaoru goes through similar development on the dom side. He takes extra care not to injure Nana when they are doing breathers. He thoroughly researches any scene they are going to play out. He gets angry and upset when he feels he lets his sub down since the dom has the majority of control.

A third main character shows up in the form of Tachi who has a sporty physique, a more tomboyish look and this contrasts nicely with Nana. She adds an extra spice to the story. At first she is worried for Nana after having seen some suspicious items at Kaorus but after experiencing a breather herself wants to the same. Kaoru is reluctant but after persuasion by Nana agrees. She goes through the same trials and tribulations as Nana but, and this is the key difference, she is more outgoing. Anything Nana is hesitant on she will come outright and do it. She also enables Nana to come out of her shell more and realise her own feelings. She fits in the series well and plays this key role to a tee. Romantically though she is not in the picture.

What initially hooked me still remains but further reading only added more and more reasons to appreciate the mastery. There is a wide array of breathers that the two (or three) get up to. From tying Nana up, taking her outside with a collar on, going out without underwear, entering the boys toilets, pet play and so much more. It really shows the extensive acts that can be a part of bondage and BDSM. All of these meticulously drawn and you’ll be on the edge of your seat when some scenes means Nana could be found out in a bad way.

The attention to detail is incredible, this is not just to titillate, there is a genuine love for this world that you can feel and see coming from the page. From the mini-lessons on how to prepare the rope for tying someone up to a lesson on gags and the different types there is and so much more. A particular highlight is an entire arc dedicated to Kaoru making the perfect collar for Nana after it has become worse for wear. The thought process behind it, the craftsmanship and the dedication draw you in. The Black Label series (which I will get onto later) expands on this even further with a truer sense of BDSM and how it can draw two people together.

The art is something which grabbed me and never let go. It is sublime; I have yet to see it bettered. The only artists that come close are Hakaba, Katsurai Yoshiaki, Kagami Hirotaki or Shindo L who draw ero work. Amazume knows how to draw the female form, from the legs, arms, neck, breasts, buttocks, feet and more it is a picture of perfection. He proves he can draw different styles as well since there is a variety of girls in the series such as with Tachi who comes in at a later point.

Amazume expanded the series later on with Black Label, effectively a time skip that occurs later on in their summer break of their final year when the both go on vacation and end up together with Mitsuko and Shuutarou where they explore what it truly means to be a sub and a dom, what bondage and BDSM can really achieve with a couple. It is an incredible rollercoaster ride emotionally and finished in a heart-warming sweet way that felt as natural as can be.

Black Label is more explicit that the regular series, both in its bondage depictions and of Nana and most certainly Mitsuko, the latter probably because she is of adult age whereas Nana is not which probably explains why for all the scenes at play we don't actually see Nana's genitalia or nipples. It’s a nice change and suitable given the events that transpire and the progress Nana and Kaoru make.

It has changed the way I look at media and what I go for. This series, while explicit in content was a gateway for me into the world of hentai, ero-manga or whatever you want to call it. That particular part of anime and manga is now something that I adore and am heavily into. Sure I likely would have got to it at some point but Nana to Kaoru bridged that gap. I always feel you cannot jump in at the deep end and expect to be fine, you have to start off in the shallow end and get used to it. This is the case here.

There were even 2 live action films. While these drift slightly away from the story in parts and it doesn’t match the style of the manga (how could it with those body proportions!) they are still worth a watch especially if a long series, or manga is not for you.

Being a relatively successful manga series it means it has also spawned an anime adaptation. Sadly not a series adaptation (I still hold out hope) but a single OAD. This was bundled with the Limited Edition of volume 6. It adapted the first few chapters and an odd one or two after. Not in sequence but more of a selection of best of material. Understandable considering the manga length at the time and any anime is a risk due to cost.

They nailed the art style perfectly for the OAD and Nana and Kaorus voice actors worked so well. It was a tantalizing glimpse of what could be. The scenes adapted (when Nana first tries on the outfit, where she gets tied up and the walk) are all great choices to demonstrate what this series is about and give a little something back to the readers. You never know what will happen in the future but that we got any anime material is somewhat of a blessing.

I now have the full collection, all 17 volumes (and counting), the LE of volume 6 with DVD, the LE of the Black Label series, the Pink Pure spin-off and I’m still searching for any more merchandise. I am also still eagerly looking for the figures of Nana which are top of my priority list. Not only that but I have checked out other works by Ryuta Amazume, from his ero works to his standard works. I love them all, he truly is an author that has hit a chord with me. His works now sit proudly on my shelves.

I wholeheartedly recommend this series. Since 50 Shades of Grey came out (and however derided that was) there was a surge of interest in this world. If you want an in depth look at this world with insight from someone who genuinely cares then this series is for you. Please go read it then go buy the Japanese volumes, get others to read it and pester English publishers to pick it up. You will not regret it.