NANA - Ending Explained

The central tragedy of "NANA" unfolds through a series of devastating choices and circumstances. Nana Komatsu (Hachi), after being cheated on by Shoji, finds herself in a love triangle. She begins a physical relationship with the manipulative Takumi, but then falls deeply and genuinely in love with the kind Nobu. Just as Hachi and Nobu commit to each other, Hachi discovers she is pregnant. A paternity test is never shown, but the timing strongly implies the child is Takumi's. Choosing stability for her child over love, Hachi agrees to marry Takumi, devastating Nobu and causing a major rift with Nana Osaki, who is disgusted by Takumi and heartbroken for Nobu.

Meanwhile, Nana Osaki's dream of fronting the Black Stones comes true as they get a record deal, but her success is intertwined with pain. Her rekindled relationship with Ren is intense and passionate but also deeply troubled by jealousy, media scrutiny, and Ren's escalating drug addiction. The anime ends here, covering events up to manga chapter 42.

The manga continues into much darker territory. Shin, BLAST's young bassist, is arrested for possession of marijuana, halting the band's first major tour. Reira, feeling emotionally abandoned by Takumi, enters a secret relationship with Shin. Ren's drug use worsens, and haunted by visions and paranoia, he dies in a tragic car accident while driving to pick up Reira on a snowy night. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt, Nana Osaki suffers a panic attack that renders her unable to sing and eventually disappears, fleeing to England where she is later spotted singing in a small pub under a different name. The manga's final chapters take place years in the future, where the remaining friends, including Hachi and her two children with Takumi (a daughter, Satsuki, and a son she named Ren), gather annually in apartment 707, holding onto the hope that Nana Osaki will one day return to them.

One of the most debated aspects of "NANA" is the nature of the relationship between the two protagonists. While ostensibly a deep friendship, many fans and critics interpret their bond as having romantic and queer undertones. Nana Osaki's intense possessiveness and jealousy over Hachi, combined with Hachi's deep emotional reliance on Nana, suggest a connection that transcends platonic friendship. Osaki's internal monologue where she compares her feelings for Hachi to "a teenage boy falling in love for the first time" is often cited as evidence for this interpretation.

Another area of debate is the character of Takumi Ichinose. While largely portrayed as a villain—manipulative, cold, and misogynistic—some interpretations view him through a more complex lens. His decision to marry Hachi can be seen not just as an act of control, but as a fulfillment of a twisted sense of duty, providing the stability that he himself never had. His actions are still toxic, but this perspective suggests his character is a product of his own trauma rather than pure malice, making him a more tragic, rather than simply evil, figure.