Othello (manga)
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| Othello | |
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| オセロ (Othello) |
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| Genre | shoujo, romance |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Satomi Ikezawa |
| Publisher |  Kodansha Del Rey |
| Serialized in | Bessatsu Friend |
| Original run | 08/08/2001 – 09/13/2004 |
| No. of volumes | 7 |
Othello (オセロ) is a seven tankobon manga series by Satomi Ikezawa. It is distributed by Del Rey Manga in North America and was originally serialized in Bessatsu Friend.
The story is about a shy, naïve Japanese teenager with a split personality, living in the early 2000s.
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[edit] Plot
Yaya is a shy, quiet teen with a passion for singing, J-rock, gothic lolita cosplay and music in general. But she has a secret: When she looks in a mirror, or hits her head, Yaya's second personality, aptly named Nana, takes over her body and puts the wrong-doers in their places, shouting her catchphrase "Justice is done!"
The series chronicles Yaya and Nana's somewhat episodic adventures against bullies, perverts and generally mean people. The manga also has a lot to do with music, as several of the characters have connections to the music industry or play(ed) in a band.
[edit] Characters
Yaya Higuchi/Nana
- Yaya is an innocent and timid teenager who, because of her personality, is constantly attacked and ridiculed by people who claim to be her friends. As a result, she develops an alter-ego named Nana, who is not afraid of being physically and vocally confrontational, and quickly becomes known her for incredible singing voice. Meanwhile, Yaya becomes fearful that she may be going insane, because she is not aware of Nana personality. Until later in the series, Nana can only come out if Yaya looks in a mirror, hits her head or falls asleep.
Moriyama
- Yaya's handsome classmate and talented guitarist who begins a tentative romantic relationship with her. At the beginning of the series, Yaya feels that he is somewhat unkind, but in time she realizes that he is a caring person. He is one of the few people who are genuinely kind to Yaya, and helps her when Nana's existence becomes more than she can handle.
Seri & Moe
- Yaya's classmates and alleged friends who actually take pleasure in tormenting her. They call her names and treat her like their servant. They are the first ones to discover Yaya is into goth-loli cosplay but fail to actually reveal it to anyone, as Nana stops them.
Shōhei
- Moriyama's adult friend who has taken an interest in Nana's voice and may also be trying to pursue a more intimate relationship with her. Yaya idolizes him because he is the former singer of the band 'Juliet', a visual kei group created by the music industry. Shōhei says that he is done with Juliet.
Megumi Hano (Hano-chan)
- A bright and optimistic transfer student who turns out to be a sadistic, jealous, and selfish manipulator and fangirl of Moriyama's. She sets her sights on Yaya when she discovers how close she is to Moriyama. Hano pressures Yaya into signing a contract that would supposedly get her into the music industry and meet Shōhei. But, in actuality, Hano nearly forces Yaya into prostitution to profit off of her. Nana "defeats" her during a sky diving challenge Hano instigates.
Shūko
- Moriyama's strong-willed ex-girlfriend, who suddenly appears and tries to take Moriyama back, just as he is getting closer with Yaya. Shūko reveals to Yaya her alter-ego when she records her becoming Nana on her phone's camera. When Shūko realizes how much Moriyama cares for Yaya, she backs off and leaves them to develop their relationship.
Black Dog
- Moriyama's band, of which he is the lead singer and lead guitarist. The other three members, Furuta, Ukon and Awane, are all college age. Their name comes from the Led Zeppelin song Black Dog.
[edit] Trivia
- The manga is titled after the board game Othello, and not the Shakespearian play. The constant theme of duality, and the black and white scheme found in much of the artwork, refer the look of the game pieces.
[edit] External links
- http://www.suki-da.net/othello/ A Website Dedicated to the Manga.
- http://delreymanga.com DelRey Manga's official site
