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Go for It, Nakamura!

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Go for It, Nakamura!
Cover of the Japanese bound volume
ガンバレ! 中村くん!!
(Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!)
GenreComedy, boys' love[1]
Manga
Written bySyundei
Published byAkane Shinsha
English publisher
ImprintEdge Comix
MagazineOpera
DemographicJosei
Original runDecember 27, 2014 (2014-12-27) – August 27, 2016 (2016-08-27)[2]
Volumes1
Manga
Go For It Again, Nakamura!
Written bySyundei
Published byAkane Shinsha
English publisher
ImprintEdge Comix
MagazineOpera
DemographicJosei
Original runJune 28, 2017 (2017-06-28) – June 30, 2021 (2021-06-30)
Volumes2
Audio drama
Written byEri Hinako
Music byOdiakeS
ReleasedSeptember 8, 2021
Anime television series
Directed by
  • Aoi Umeki
  • Naoki Yoshibe (assistant)
Written by
  • Aoi Umeki
  • Yasuko Aoki
Music byAyana Tsujita
StudioDrive
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original run 2025 – scheduled

Go for It, Nakamura! (Japanese: ガンバレ! 中村くん!!, Hepburn: Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Syundei. The series follows the titular Nakamura, a closeted high school student who has a secret crush on his classmate. Go for It, Nakamura! was serialized in the manga magazine Opera from 2014 to 2016, collected into a bound volume by Akane Shinsha in 2017, and licensed for an English-language release by Seven Seas Entertainment in 2018. A sequel, Go For It Again, Nakamura! (もっとガンバレ！中村くん!!, Motto Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!), was serialized from June 2017 to June 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by Drive is set to premiere in 2025.

Synopsis

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Closeted sixteen-year-old high school student Okuto Nakamura harbors a crush on his classmate Aiki Hirose, despite having never actually spoken to him. The strongly introverted Nakamura fantasizes about speaking to Hirose and often attempts to integrate himself into scenarios that would allow the two to interact, though the majority end in comedic failure. Nakamura is eventually able to build his confidence and grow closer to Hirose. The series concludes with the two boys developing a reciprocal friendship.

Characters

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Okuto Nakamura (中村 男久斗, Nakamura Okuto)
Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (audio drama),[3] Chiaki Kobayashi (anime)[4]
A closeted high school student. He has a crush on his classmate Aiki Hirose, but is acutely introverted and has never spoken to him.
Aiki Hirose (広瀬 愛貴, Hirose Aiki)
Voiced by: Junko Takeuchi (audio drama),[3] Yuki Sakakihara (anime)[4]
Nakamura's classmate, and his unrequited love interest.
Sou Otogiri (乙切想, Otogiri Sou)
Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (audio drama)[3]
Nakamura's homeroom teacher.
Hifumi Kawamura (川村ひふみ, Kawamura Hifumi)
Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori (audio drama)[3]
Nakamura's classmate. A talented artist.
Oomori (大森)
Voiced by: Kōki Miyata (audio drama)[3]
Hirose's childhood friend.
Arandou Tamura (用村亜乱堂, Tamura Arandou)
Voiced by: Ai Orikasa (audio drama)[3]
A member of the drama club.
Reiko Aokiyama (青木山麗子, Aokiyama Reiko)
Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (audio drama)[3]
The leader of the occult research club.

Media

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Manga

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The character Nakamura first appeared in illustrations and short web comics posted by Syundei online.[5] In 2014, Syundei was approached by the managing editor of the manga magazine Opera to draw a comic to fill empty pages in an issue of the magazine.[6] That comic, a one shot that was published in the December 2014 issue of Opera, would become the first chapter of Go for It, Nakamura!.[6] Beginning in the June 2015 issue of Opera, Go for It, Nakamura! began serialization as a regular series, running concurrently in Opera with Syundei's horror manga series Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart.[6][7]

Upon its conclusion, the eleven-chapter series was collected into a bound volume by Akane Shinsha and published on May 27, 2017.[8] On September 15, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it would license an English-language translation of the series.[7] The single-volume manga was published on July 3, 2018,[1] making Go for It, Nakamura! the first boys' love manga series to be published by Seven Seas.[9][5]

A sequel series, Go For It Again, Nakamura! (もっとガンバレ！中村くん!!, Motto Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!), began serialization in Opera in June 2017.[7] An English-language translation was published by Seven Seas Entertainment in July 2022.[10]

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 May 27, 2017[8]978-4863496330July 3, 2018[11]978-1626928879
  • 01. "Introducing Nakamura-kun!" (中村くん登場!!)
  • 02. "The Cultural Festival Surprise!" (文化祭でドッキリ☆)
  • 03. "His Dating Guide is a Boys' Love Manga?!" (恋の教科書はBL漫画!?)
  • 04. "Art Can Be This Intense?!" (芸術はバクハツだ!?)
  • 05. "The Boys Are Being Watched" (男子たちは見られてる)
  • 06. "Miracle on the Night of Falling Stars!" (星ふる夜のキセキ!)
  • 07. "Protect the One You Love!" (愛する人を守れ!)
  • 08. "Heart-Pounding ☆ Audio" (トキメキ☆オーディオ)
  • 09. "The Tragedy of G" (Gの悲劇)
  • 10. "Observe Proper School Conduct!!" (学園の風紀を守れ!!)
  • 11. "Twilight in Yokohama" (たそがれの横浜)
2 August 27, 2021[12]978-4863498792July 5, 2022[10]978-1638585732
  • 01. "Summer is a Spicy Season" (夏はスバイシーな季節☆)
  • 02. "School's Ghost Mystery?" (学校の怪談?)
  • 03. "Spartan Teacher, Appears!" (スパルタ教師, 登場!)
  • 04. "A Very Jealous Man" (オ人コイ嫉妬)
  • 05. "I'll Die For You" (君のためなら死ねる)
  • 06. "Let's Go to the Beauty Salon!" (美容室へ行こう!)
  • 07. "A Rival Appears!?" (ライバル登場!?)
  • 08. "Aim For It! Macho-Man" (目指せ! マッチョメン☆)
  • EX. "Newly Drawn" (描きおろし)

Anime

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An anime television series adaptation of Go for It, Nakamura! was announced on August 16, 2024.[13][14] The series is produced by Drive and directed by Aoi Umeki, with Naoki Yoshibe serving as assistant director, Umeki and Yasuko Aoki writing series scripts, Umeki designing the characters, and Ayana Tsujita composing the music. It is set to premiere in 2025. Crunchyroll will stream the series.[15]

Other media

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An audio drama adaptation of Go for It, Nakamura! was published on September 8, 2021. The adaptation features Kappei Yamaguchi as the voice of Nakamura, Junko Takeuchi as the voice of Hirose, and Tomoyuki Morikawa as the narrator, with original music by OdiakeS. A 12-page exclusive special chapter of the manga series was released with it.[3]

Characters from Go for It, Nakamura! were included in a pop-up cafe run by Opera in Harajuku, Tokyo from March 16 to April 8, 2018. The cafe featured original merchandise and menu items inspired by the series.[16]

Reception

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Go for It, Nakamura! was positively received by critics. The series was praised for its 1980s-reminiscent artwork,[17][18] with Sean Gaffney of Manga Bookshelf favorably comparing it to Ranma ½ and Kimagure Orange Road.[19] Anthony Gramuglia noted in his review of the series for Anime Feminist that Go for It, Nakamura! is "part of a new wave of [boys' love] manga that are more about identity than sex."[18] Reviewing the series for Otaku USA, Brittany Vincent praised the series' romantic comedy elements, calling Go for It, Nakamura! a "special treat for LGBT audiences eager for a sweet, retro-flavored romantic comedy."[20]

At the 2018 BL Awards presented by Chill Chill, Go for It, Nakamura! ranked 16th in the rankings of the best boys' love bound volumes released in 2017.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Series: Go for It, Nakamura!". Seven Seas Entertainment. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  2. ^ "Works". Enigma Surao (Syundei official website) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 6, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "オーディオドラマ「ガンバレ！中村くん！！」". Connect Hearts (in Japanese). Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 9, 2024). "'Go For It, Nakamura!' Anime Reveals Main Cast in 1st Promo Video". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Go for It, Nakamura! Review". AnimeUK. July 20, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Syundei (July 3, 2018). "Afterword". Go for It, Nakamura!. Seven Seas Entertainment. pp. 192–193.
  7. ^ a b c Ressler, Karen (September 15, 2017). "Seven Seas Licenses Go for It, Nakamura! Boys-Love Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Edge Comix". Akane Shinsha (in Japanese). Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  9. ^ @gomanga (June 29, 2018). "GO FOR IT, NAKAMURA! by Syundei, our first official Boys' Love, is out Tues! #mangapreorders #7seasbooks" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ a b "Seven Seas Licenses GO FOR IT AGAIN, NAKAMURA! Boys' Love Sequel Manga". Seven Seas Entertainment. November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  11. ^ "Seven Seas Licenses Go for It, Nakamura! Manga". Anime News Network. September 20, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  12. ^ もっとガンバレ! 中村くん!. ASIN 4863498799.
  13. ^ BLラブコメ「ガンバレ！中村くん!!」TVアニメ化、春泥の記念ビジュアルを公開. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  14. ^ Mateo, Alex (August 15, 2024). "Go for It, Nakamura! BL Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 18, 2024). "'Go For It, Nakamura!' Anime Reveals New Video, Staff, 2025 Debut, Crunchyroll Streaming". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  16. ^ "中村明日美子、春泥、ZAKKが目玉のコラボカフェが3/16オープン！". Commercial BL Portal Chill Chill (in Japanese). March 8, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  17. ^ Richardson, Trevor (August 14, 2018). "The Queering of an Octopus: Cephalopod Symbolism in Go for It, Nakamura!". Adventures in Poor Taste. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  18. ^ a b Gramuglia, Anthony (February 27, 2019). "Go for It, Nakamura! is the throwback gay rom-com we always needed". Anime Feminist. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  19. ^ Gaffney, Sean (July 18, 2018). "Go for It, Nakamura!". Manga Bookshelf. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  20. ^ Vincent, Brittany (October 19, 2018). "Go for It, Nakamura! [Review]". Otaku USA. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  21. ^ "BL Award 2018". Chil Chil (in Japanese). Retrieved October 6, 2019.
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