by Can Tran

Created on: November 10, 2009

Yasushi "Yasu" Takagi is one of the important characters in the manga created by Ai Yazawa known as "Nana." For those that have been keeping track of the manga and the anime series, one would have realized the significance that Yasu had brought forth to Nana's storyline and plot. So far, the manga itself has focused on two groups of characters that are part of two of the biggest rival bands. One band is known as "Black Stones" and the other one is known as "Trapnest."

The members of both bands have pasts with one another. However, there are always one or two characters that end up linking people together. In respect to Nana, Yasu is the one person that brings the protagonists and all the major characters together. Without Yasu, Blask Stones or "BLAST" would not have existed and at the same time Trapnest would not have been as successful. While being the most important support character, Yasu is perhaps the most conflicted character in the series.

Of all of the major characters in Nana, Yasu could possibly represent the moral alignment of "lawful good" while most are either classified as "neutral good" or "chaotic good" with one being "lawful evil."

Currently, Yasu is considered to be the leader of "BLAST." In the past, he was in another band back in high school with Trapnest members "Ren Honjo" and "Takumi Ichinose." Through Yasu, the past of many of the major characters were revealed.

Yasu and Ren grew up in the same orphanage. In high school, he dated his childhood friend Layla "Reira" Serizawa. However, the relationship broke up because Yasu blamed Takumi's influence on Reira. Eventually, Takumi would create Trapnest with Reira. At the same time, Yasu would join with Ren, Nana Osaki (one of the two main protagonists), and Nobuo "Nobu" Terashima to create Trapnest. However, this was something to do for fun.

While Yasu dated Reira, he had feelings for Nana. However, he acted as a big brother figure to Nana. There were many times where Yasu could have expressed his affections for Nana; but, he never did once. It is revealed that the only reason Yasu stepped back was is sense of honor, duty, and friendship to his childhood friend Ren.

The most rather interesting thing about Yasu is that despite the past and the emotions, he is rather cool, calm, composed, and rather charismatic. The way he walks, talks, and dresses, Yasu is a person that could command power at any given time he wanted. However, he does not. He continues acting as the cool and collected leader of BLAST. On top of that, Yasu is a former lawyer in training. More importantly, Yasu plays the role of the "veteran" who bestows his wisdom and insight. While being a very important support character, Yasu is the one character that links all of the major characters together.

Notable physical features would be Yasu's cleanly shaved head and dark shades. In a sense, he is dressed like a member of the Yakuza. But on the contrary, he worked as a lawyer in training and was very good at what he did. Asides from being the leader of BLAST, he is the percussionist. While he does not express his feelings for Nana, he is in a relationship with an actress named Miu Shinoda who does have plenty of issues such as self-mutilation.

Currently, it is unknown on what is going to happen to Yasu in the future. This is due to Ai Yazawa having fallen ill around 2009. As a result, creation of Nana is currently on hiatus. Overall, Yasu happens to be one of the most interesting and most developed characters in Nana. This is a person that has plenty of substance.

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