Comics / Manga

We Were There: Volume 2

By Leroy Douresseaux
January 1, 2009 - 14:11

We Were There 2 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

At her new high school, Nanami Takahashi falls for the sly carefree Motoharu Yano, who is also the most popular boy in class (if not the entire school).  In spite of her determination to ignore him, Nanami falls in love with the occasionally sarcastic Yano.  When she discovers that Yano is grieving the death of his girlfriend who died in an accident a year earlier, Nanami suddenly finds herself competing with the memory of a first love.

In We Were There, Vol. 2, Nanami (or “Nana”) struggles with inconsistencies in Yano’s behavior and personality.  How does he really fell about her, she wonders?  As the anniversary of his first girlfriend’s (also named Nana) death approaches, Yano becomes more withdrawn.  Nana is determined to be there when he needs a friend.

THE LOWDOWN:  Early in the series, We Were There (known in Japan as Bokura ga Ita) seemed as if it was going to be a story with the death of young woman hanging over it.  By the second volume, with the story more firmly developed, We Were There, at least at this point, became less about death and more about Nana & Yano.  Yano’s grief, which seems to still be in the anger stage, and Nana’s insecurities, which manifest mainly in her desire to be liked, will shape and define this relationship and whether they can be lovers or just codependent friends leeching off one another.

There are two things I like about We Were There.  First, creator Yuki Obata makes it clear that Nana loves Yano, (as we see because she is the character through which the story is told), while Yano’s motivations are not so clear.  Secondly, Obata draws these large, expressive eyes that look so strange.  More than any element in her art, those eyes stand out to be noticed.  The words “eerie” and “haunting” are inadequate to describe them.  Conversely, I do find the narrative too insular in its focus on Nana and Yano, and this story would be better served by bringing in the other characters.  For instance, bringing in Nana and Yano’s parents, as well as the family of the deceased Nana, would really add spice and bite to this drama.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  High school female readers will like We Were There, but adult women are probably better off with Ai Yazawa’s Nana.

B

 

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12