Because I'm totally trying to crystalize this.

[dagas_isa]

In honor of the new icon, and because I need to find someway, for myself at least, to crystallize why my adoration for Nao is so strong, when the 'type' she appears as should be the kind of character who bores me.

1. She's not fanservicey. I personally, think she's adorable, but there is very little to no 'male gaze' at all in this manga applied to her, even after her 'upgrade' in the chest area.
2. She's not a token. One of the only female characters, but completely pivotal to how all of this is playing out.
3. She's not 'Akiyama's girlfriend.' Yes, I ship it like burning, but as an independent person, she holds her ground to him.
4. She actually influences (and is influenced) by Akiyama in a meaningful way. They're both getting character development because of the other.
5. She's not only about her purity. This is why Manga!Nao outshines Drama!Nao anyway. Her intentions are pure, but that's not why she kicks ass.
6. She's naive, not stupid. Not a genius by any means, but not at all stupid, and the distinction is much appreciated.
7. She's knows who she is, and follows through on it. Her introduction page is basically, "Yeah, people think I'm dumb for being like this, but I don't mind."
8. She's not spineless. She didn't just suddenly 'grow a spine' in later, awesome chapters, she had it from the moment she decided that asking a con-artist to help her was better than staying at home crying over her loss.
9. She's not passive. By and large she does not just sit back and let Akiyama solve all her problems for her, she's always has to have something to do, or she gets nervous. And this is good, because sitting back and letting things happen is probably the worst course of action.
10. She actually tries to solve things on her own, and doesn't always screw up. The thing at the bowling alley, not so good. The thing with the teddy bear, surprisingly effective. The thing with the blinking, so effective Akiyama gets angry because he only found out after he asked her about it.
11. Speaking of that last example: she's actively looking to become more independent/useful.
12. She learns what Akiyama teaches her, but then applies it in ways that he's probably not 100% comfortable with her doing.
13. Oh, and in same incidence, she understands why he's angry, but doesn't apologize for it. Just explains her reasons for a) doing it, and b) why she knew it would work.
14. Her relationships with the other characters matter as much as, or more than, Akiyama's relationships to the same characters. Nao and Fukunaga, tons of screen time alone together. If one counts Fukunaga as a woman (which I do), Liar Game could pass the rest of the Bedchel test without a problem (although, still lacking female characters). Nao ends up being as important a 'rival' to Yokoya as Akiyama.
15. She's also the most effective person in actually getting people to cooperate through means other than self-interest/coercion.
16. She argues her ideals not just from the standpoint of them being kind and just and right, but from the fact that they work. This page still sends me grinning.
17. She's the one breaking out of the framework imposed on all the players.
18. All of this, and she's not really trying to become like anyone else. She doesn't need to be the lightweight Akiyama, Yokoya, or Fukunaga, she's got her own abilities.
19. And all within the type of feminine set of looks, personality, and behavior that typically gets dismissed as stereotyped and weak.
20. She appears in this active, interesting role, despite being overwhelmingly surrounded by male players.

And all of this, combined with her demeanor, is enough to well, get me smiling when I think about her. So, while Akiyama is a character dear to my heart, she's the one I adore, and the one I basically obsess over this manga for.

Yeah...I did watch some of the drama season 2. It still irritates me that Drama!Nao replaces cleverness with purity.

Comments

[vigor-di-vita.livejournal.com]

I need to catch up on Liar Game- the last chapter I read was something in the 70s (I seem to recall they were in the middle of a game of roulette). I enjoyed it, I just couldn't follow it.

[dagas-isa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the scanlations are up to 99 right now.

[mi-tsu-ki.livejournal.com]

(I was finishing a long and elaborated comment of my opinion on Nao when the power went. Yay! I'll try to write what I remember >_<;)

As always, you have though much further than I could. (>_<)

At first, Akiyama was my favourite character, but after some time had passed I started to like Nao more than him. I simply love the way she fights to help the others even if that means she is in danger (Akiyama said he would keep her safe, but I doubt she doesn't realise that she can lose Liar Game anyways).

Nao's drama self is passive, and I am under the impression that she just wants to save people because everyone will love her more if she does so (o) (I doubt she is conscious of that, but I am almost sure that that's the result she is after; just look at her face when everyone is dancing around her because they have won! It is completely different of original Nao thinking she should put and end to Liar Game with a serious face.)

Something that annoys me a lot is how Japanese fans usually draw drama Nao more mature and original Nao more innocent and cute (As in this picture: http://willful.bambina.jp/illust-017.html). It's supposed to be the other way around! (At least for me...)

In my opinion, Nao is often undervalued and misunderstood. It makes me happy that someone else knows to appreciate her.

[dagas-isa.livejournal.com]

The way Nao's depicted in the drama is so ugh...it's like they took away everything that made her so awesome in the first place and just left her with her smiling good intentions.

I think her intention to save people is genuine, just that she's never had that tested in the same way manga!Nao has. Or had to rely on any other part of her but that good intention.

I'd give the fanartists a little bit of slack, if only because the actress who plays Nao is in her 20s, so they're really drawing fanart of an 18 year old played by a 21 year old. If that makes sense. Whereas, I think manga Nao is really drawn as a very young-looking 18 year old.

[magi-sammy.livejournal.com]

All excellent points. Nao was particularly amazing in the latest scanlated chapters I thought. I love how Yokoya really views her as a serious rival, perhaps even more so than Akiyama. Well, I think he's more intimidated by Akiyama, but I think he hates Nao more.

BTW - you're kinda awesome and I was wondering if I could friend you for realsies instead of just blathering about Liar Game together over the com. :X

[dagas-isa.livejournal.com]

I think Yokoya knows how to control Akiyama, wheras he still hasn't quite figured out how to handle Nao yet. But the ending so made the rest of the arc worth it.

... that just sounds weird.

=D Of course.

Finally!

[hellsing-ikari.livejournal.com]

I am so happy some that thought the same over that j-drama! I didn't like Nao's portrait too. Also, the j-drama fails in deepness too; well, for me, that is.
However, I disagree with you in the matter of Nao's relationship with the other characters. The relationship between her and others is more important than Akiyama's interaction with others because she is one of the best in matters of relating to others and convince them!
Hehehe,I am looking forward to the next manga chapters more than before!