Go For It, Nakamura!

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 More, Nakamura! (もっとガンバレ！中村くん!!, Motto Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!), began serialization in 2017.

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

Synopsis

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 comedically in failure. Eventually, Nakamura is able to build his confidence and grow closer to Hirose, with the series concluding with the two boys developing a reciprocal friendship.

Media

Manga

The character Nakamura first appeared in illustrations and short web comics posted by Syundei online.[3] 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.[4] 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!.[4] 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.[4][5]

Upon its conclusion, the eleven-chapter series was collected into a bound volume by Akane Shinsha and published on May 27, 2017.[6] On September 15, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it would license an English-language translation of the series.[5] 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.[7][3]

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 May 27, 2017[6]978-4863496330July 3, 2018[8]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)

Sequel

A sequel series, Go For It More, Nakamura! (もっとガンバレ！中村くん!!, Motto Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!), began serialization in Opera in June 2017.[5]

Other media

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.[9]

Reception

Go For It, Nakamura! was positively received by critics. The series was praised for its 1980s-reminiscent artwork,[10][11] with Sean Gaffney of Manga Bookshelf favorably comparing it to Ranma ½ and Kimagure Orange Road.[12] 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."[11] 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."[13]

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.[14]

References
  1. "Series: Go For It, Nakamura!". Seven Seas Entertainment. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  2. "Works". Enigma Surao (Syundei official website) (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  3. "Go For It, Nakamura! Review". AnimeUK. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  4. Syundei (3 July 2018). "Afterword". Go For It, Nakamura!. Seven Seas Entertainment. pp. 192–193.
  5. Ressler, Karen (15 September 2017). "Seven Seas Licenses Go For It, Nakamura! Boys-Love Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  6. "Edge Comix". Akane Shinsha (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  7. @gomanga (29 June 2018). "GO FOR IT, NAKAMURA! by Syundei, our first official Boys' Love, is out Tues! #mangapreorders #7seasbooks" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. "Seven Seas Licenses Go For It, Nakamura! Manga". Anime News Network. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  9. "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). 8 March 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  10. Richardson, Trevor (14 August 2018). "The Queering of an Octopus: Cephalopod Symbolism in Go For It, Nakamura!". Adventures in Poor Taste. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  11. Gramuglia, Anthony (27 February 2019). "Go For It, Nakamura! is the throwback gay rom-com we always needed". Anime Feminist. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  12. Gaffney, Sean (18 July 2018). "Go for It, Nakamura!". Manga Bookshelf. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  13. Vincent, Brittany (19 October 2018). "Go For It, Nakamura! [Review]". Otaku USA. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  14. "BL Award 2018". Chil Chil (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 October 2019.
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