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Ai Yazawa left no stone unturned in giving us one of the finest series in the shojo genre. Often, the manga is praised for its aesthetic and eye-catching fashion along with its stellar visuals. But what isn’t lauded enough is a key aspect that would put Kishimoto’s series to shame.
The series is a breakaway from the cliche tropes of the shojo genre. Through its riveting premise and elements, it redefines the genre in more ways than one. As an avant-garde manga, punk rock isn’t the only rebellious thing about Yazawa’s storytelling.
That being said, Kishimoto could take a page or two to add finesse and more refinement in his writing of female characters, including Sakura. In that aspect, the mangaka failed miserably most times.
Ai Yazawa redefined female friendships inNANA
Nanastands as a stellar masterpiece in terms of its storytelling and visuals. Written by Ai Yazawa, the series highlights the endearing dynamic between the leads of the same name. While the series has been on anindefinite hiatus, it made its mark as a compelling manga in the genre.
This holds especially true with Yazawa’s portrayal of female friendships in the series. Throughout the series, circumstances and fate tie Hachi and Nana to each other. Despite their contrasting personalities, both share a beautiful relationship.
Madhouse left no stone unturned in breathing life into the manga’s visuals. The studio is renowned for its notable projects such as Paprika and Death Note. With Nana, it highlighted Yazawa’s artistic brilliance and finesse in most aspects.
Often, the mangaka doesn’t get enough credit for writingstrong female characters. While shojo is looked down on, the genre deserves its due recognition for well-written characters. Hachi and Nana are the perfect examples of complex yet well-written leads.
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Yazawa’s outstanding aspect is her outlining of punk-rock references with her enmeshing of conflicts. Amidst the romance aspect, both female leads act as a pillar for each other. The backdrop of complexities offers a compelling landscape for bothcharacters’ friendshipto flourish.
Of late, fans have misinterpreted it as an allegory to the possibility of a queer relationship between the characters. And while it may seem that way, there’s no certainty to that. One thing is for sure, Kishimoto could take a page or two with his writing of Sakura and other female side characters.
Masashi Kishimoto failed Sakura as a female character
WhileSakurais a pivotal character inNaruto, her character is reduced to a love-struck female mostly. Despite her feats and achievements, her skills were left uncharted. Be it her genjutsu or her wit, the series failed her miserably.
Pierrot and Kishimoto’s collective effortsbotched the character immensely. This led to the character receiving massive hate from the fandom. From useless to trash, the toxic fans left no stone unturned in reflecting their unprecedented hate toward the character. But that’s not the end.
With theShippudenseries,Masashi Kishimotofailed to explore her strengths and brilliance. While she excelled in medical ninjutsu, she rarely gets credited for her feats and victories. The incessant hate toward her has seeped into the fandom.
Of late, several fans have questioned her representation and Pierrot’s role in mistranslation. While the mangaka botched her character immensely,Borutoacts as a saving grace mostly.
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By and by, Yazawa’s portrayal of women serves as a reminder to most mangaka in the shonen genre.
NanaandNarutoare available for streaming on Netflix.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
