Munou na Nana

Fifty years ago, horrific creatures dubbed as the "enemies of humanity" suddenly appeared around the world. To combat these threats, teenagers gifted with supernatural abilities called "Talents"—such as pyrokinesis and time travel—hone their powers at an academy on a secluded island.

Nanao Nakajima, however, is quite different from the others on the island: he has no Talent. With many "Talented" teenagers around him, Nanao is often a target for bullying, but even so, he still strives to complete his training. Soon after, two transfer students, the mysterious Kyouya Onodera and the mind-reading Nana Hiiragi, join the class. But just as everyone starts blending as comrades-in-arms, mysterious disappearances begin to threaten the class's entire foundation.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Hiiragi, Nana Main

Ookubo, Rumi Japanese

Onodera, Kyouya Main

Nakamura, Yuuichi Japanese

Inukai, Michiru Main

Nakahara, Mai Japanese

Nakajima, Nanao Supporting

Shimono, Hiro Japanese

Tachibana, Jin Supporting

Yusa, Kouji Japanese

Hatadaira, Tsunekichi Supporting

Tamaru, Atsushi Japanese

Sorano, Fuuko Supporting

Kamakura, Yuna Japanese

Kazama, Shinji Supporting

Ninomiya, Aiko Japanese

Habu, Kirara Supporting

Tsutsumi, Yukina Japanese

Sasaki, Yuuka Supporting

Tomita, Miyu Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Ishihira, Shinji Director

Morishita, Hiroto Sound Director

Suzuki, Yuuji Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation

Reviews

Dec 27, 2020

KANLen09

Recommended

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” ― Albert Einstein / a.k.a I don't quite understand the hate for this show. Why? Because you're plain stupid/dumb to understand, that's mean.

What defines humanity as a whole? It's the age-old argument of stupidity. From psychology to physiology, all humans are ironically wired to have a level of stupidity, whether by a congenital lack of capacity for reasoning or temporary slow-mindedness. Don't attempt to go and defend yourself by remitting the "ignorance is bliss" adage, because while it doesn't equal stupidity, "'tis folly to be wise." Don't get me ... wrong, the paradigm of "We're All Stupid" applies to everyone, regardless of your ability of perceive conceptualized notions. But rather than setting yourself up for failure, taking up irrational, emotional-filled oversimplifications of a mental state will be the moment to overcome stupidity and achieve true rationality. And that's what Talentless Nana aims to achieve here: over-complicated "No shit, Sherlock" acts of playing the "stupidity" game, down to the last culprit call to pursue and claim their reasonings, even to the satirical extremes of logic and twist the game even further down the rabbit hole.

So strap in for the school-themed spatial ride, and prepare to be Crewmates, because: "There are multiple impostors Among Us!"

If there is one quote to sum Talentless Nana as a whole, it'd be this quote by Dorkly: “Blessed are the ignorant fools of the world, for they know not the unspeakable horrors that await us all.” Nevertheless, who would've expected an unknown mangaka like Looseboy to precede a formula, that is now all the rage with Innersloth's Among Us, by 2 years no less? Yes, the show starts off as a generic My HeroAca rip-off of sorts, par with the Hero and Villain factions of the "Enemies of Humanity": siding into both Talented and Talentless (you can put two and two together and make five of who and what they are, it's all filled out for you). And no, in the sense that by the end of the first episode, it takes all that and tugs it all out of the cliff in one fell swoop, just like the Talentless Nanao Nakajima. That's how you make a convincing first impression that this is more than just your generic Shounen superpower-fest show, and yessiree, it's full of SUS. This show doesn't try to sell on its world-building and unrealistic qualities of shock factors, because it really does not need one, as predictable as it can be.

This show only reinforces that pink-haired yanderes full of psychological thriller-esque characters are here to stay, and they certainly aren't dumb, and that's the case of female MC Nana Hiiragi. Being sent from the human side to a Hogwarts-esque concealed island filled with generic typical My HeroAca setting of "Talented" people for assassination purposes, you might think that she is just dumb to plainly follow orders from the higher-ups, but over the course of the show, there is some semblance to that and then some that's not quite so.

First off, her role as the assassin against the egoistic "Talented" kids: she's pretty much given a smartphone that dictates all Talented and their kill-counts, but overtime, it also makes you question if covering all your tracks is worth the hassle of not being found as a psychopathic secret impostor for killing strategies, by hook or by crook. And none better at that to exert her extroverted and convincing personality of persuasion as the class leader to buy people into her segue. Secondly, her backstory covered in the 2nd half of the anime shows us the true picture of Nana as a whole: Talented or Talentless, she's just as victimized as some of the characters, and for that reason, an anthropology of how she's dealt with the knives of death and revenge growing up. And that I believe is what sells on her character aesthetic: being an annoying and hideous girl that's full of sus, but also having an imperfect heart, regardless of reasoning. A Moriarty that's unlike one if I can infer at best.

And that brings me to the next "No shit, Sherlock" MC character: the "Talented" immortal Kyouya Onodera (and I can already hear you say: "BOO, another dumb character!"). Again, I implore you to hold your horses. Yes, a stereotypical introverted and observant Sherlock Holmes character he IS one, and no, his thought processes are really exquisite to follow and figure out in the same-old Holmes' fashion of "How does a deranged assassin's mind work? And how does he/she go around committing the crime with little to no evidence strewn from the start?", so much so that without question you're immediately sunk into the crux of the conflict and figuring out who might be the potential culprit. You tell me: "Kyouya is yet another dumbfounded character to not believe that Nana is behind it all.", but the truth of the matter is: "If Nana is found out as the main culprit, why would this story and setting exist in the first place? There's always gotta be something beneath the surface that no one could ever predict." And you'd be right on saying this, because it only keeps getting better.

But, if there one character I can single out "playing dumb", it's Michiru Inukai. At first, she seems like most other characters that likes to play the similar archetype game at first, but like Nana, where you get to understand her better, lies in her traumatic past of being a loyal dog (er, I mean, friend). The "Talented" girl that was shunned for just about everything in her life, from the ire of normal human beings to largely being oppressed for the fact that she is a Talent. At the very core of Michiru, lies 2 different beings: one of a descent of hidden motives (that gives a headache to Nana), and the other, what you see in the anime: a kind-hearted girl that genuinely cares for the people around her, akin to a puppy licking people's wounds but with the inability to cure illnesses, and what's detrimental is that for the Talent she has, it reduces her life expectancy. So, a divisive character that can be attuned to both sides of the story, that is what makes her character special.

Otherwise, I have no words to defend the "Talented" students, because yes, they're all just plain dumb: infused for B-roll comedy (a.k.a fatso Moguo Iijima and his 3 henchmen) and plot devices to transcend both Nana and Kyouya into deep rabbit hole territory. I know, I know, there's the shapeshifting "Enemy of Humanity" human-feline Jin Tachibana with his love for animals with a psychotic-but-smart mindset, only appearing at critical times for Nana's sake in the 2nd half, but as problematic as he is, his role is better played out in future proceedings of the manga.

Speaking of the manga, it wouldn't be a one-trick pony to go off the rails with filler/original content (well, except the last episode's final moments anyways), this is one of the few manga-to-anime adaptations that has extremely close levels of concise pacing. Small nitpicks aside, not one level of detail is left from the manga, and everything depicted in the anime is an entirely 1-for-1 screenplay of shots. So for manga readers (and any hopefuls wanting to pick up the manga), what you see and read in the manga, the anime does a heck of a plentiful and focused job adapting Looseboy's source material, and props to series composer Fumihiko Shimo for paying attention and re-enacting to the precise T.

ANN's Steve Jones commented this: "Talentless Nana is the Heybot! of Death Note." And I have to say that he is absolutely right, because director Shinji Ishihira directed both shows (save for the old-school "Shr(i)ek" that was Fairy Tail and the radiance of Log Horizon), and his directorial duty shines even brighter now with Talentless Nana at studio Bridge. Capturing the intricate details of the manga for such a low budget studio is no easy task, and combining the easy-going Heybot! setting with the psychological-thriller suspense of a screenplay, it's as the cool kids say: it's (consistently) Poggers.

In addition, the music and voice-acting is the extra layer to top to what is (IMO) already a pretty good show, even further. Miyu Tomita's OP "Broken Sky" is a great opening to get you invested into the nuances of the by-parallels of the various scene-shots (that kinda spoils the entire show in general, but not by much). What's even better is Chiai Fujikawa's ED, having performed for Shield Hero's EDs and the 1st ED of Digimon Adventure (2020), her musical class only keeps going up and higher. That's a few roles to take in for such a young 25-year-old music artist, but another masterful composition of a song that only raises her popularity even more. Not forgetting some notable veteran VAs that excel this show to new heights: Nana's VA Rumi Ookubo (to which Nana is a +1 to her well-played pink-haired repertoire), Kyouya's VA Yuuichi Nakamura (the king of SoL male MC) and Michiru's VA Mai Nakahara (part-total psychopath of Higurashi's Rena, part-sweet mother of Clannad's Nagisa). Honestly, a terrific job well done.

Overall, I'm not here to judge your tastes whether you consider Talentless Nana a boon or bane, it's either that you love the hell or hate the unrealistic ways of the show. Regardless of the insane amounts of "forced" plot twists and cliffhangers that left you wanting for more, I'm here to give an alternate view of why I think this show is "beneficial" to the current times, and only picking up after Among Us got famous overnight. Yeah sure, you can process it as a "marketing ploy", anything goes.

If you like it, then hey, fancy a mystery thriller? If not, I'll foreword with the cliché of "there is better shows out there that'd pique your interest more."

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Jul 5, 2023

QueenDilettante

Mixed Feelings

Talentless Nana is a really enjoyable show from start to finish that's unfortunately kneecapped by overly repetitive episode structures and the story being left on an indefinite cliffhanger.

(This review is spoiler free with only minor allusions to events of the first episode throughout)

Let's start with the good first!

Talentless Nana has an incredibly compelling premise, as revealed in episode 1. I can't speak to the details without spoiling things, but rest assured that the gears get turning very quickly and keep you hooked. The plot is rather breakneck in speed by most single season anime standards, and it's honestly a nice refresher from the all-too-common ... slogs.

The show also quite easily delivers on its promise of suspense. The stakes continually seem to rise and only sometimes read as contrived. Momentum too from episode to episode is preserved really well and it made binging the show in a couple of days a really enjoyable way to consume it.

There is a lot more to praise Talentless Nana for, but I fear I'd be overselling what is ultimately an unfinished and unsatisfying experience.

As I alluded to above, the show only sometimes reads as contrived; the problem is when that begins and how it persists. After a few mini arcs, the audience learns very quickly the kind of formula that's being utilized to make this show tick. It's not that it gets worse at executing that formula; I actually think the show hits its themes and goals better as it goes on. It's just that by the time it hits its stride, the magic is already gone. The structure of an episode will already have become formulaic enough to be predicted by a viewer early - sometimes even as early as during the cold open. By the time the climax of the show is coming to a head, every plot point seems to just happen because the story needs it to, not because the characters are behaving like rational, reacting beings.

Everything just feels too convenient after a while.

The characters themselves are mostly whatever. The two leads are easily the most compelling, with the majority of the others being mostly flat, static background noise with varying amounts of screen time.

Talentless Nana's biggest weakness, and why these problems are ultimately unforgivable, though, is the way it ends:

It doesn't.

Like far too many shows that come each season, Talentless Nana is an incomplete adaptation of a manga that has long since moved on and has no indication of a season 2. Any promise the show made has been left undelivered and the show suffers in posterity for it. I'm so tired of anime that serve as little more than extended previews of a manga or light novel series that will never be adapted in its entirety.

The show is fun and it's really easy to binge, but it amounts to nothing. If I ever want to see the conclusion to this story, I'm going to have to read the manga, and that's just exhausting. This is a series that had the potential to go out with a triumphant bang and is instead an unfinished, sputtering whimper.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Dec 27, 2020

Johan__Liebert_

Not Recommended

[ There are going to be some massive spoilers in this review as it’s impossible to criticize this show without giving away massive plot points]

Talentless Nana is a wasted potential if I ever saw one. It builds up everything in its favour in the first episode, only to discard it in the subsequent ones. Although the concept works, the execution and the characters, especially the characters, don’t.

The show is a murder mystery, but not for us. We already know “whodunnit” in the first episode, but the characters don’t. It’s set in a world where some children manifest superhuman abilities, and are sent to a ... remote island to train their powers to perfection in order to defeat the ‘Enemies of Humanity’; but little they know, they are the very force they’re training to fight against.

Yes, that’s right, the “heroes” are the “enemies”, and an assassin is sent to the island, by some government officials, to kill them off before they become aware of this fact; but little did the officials know that developing superpowers makes you dumb as fuck and all of the children would probably perish via the process of natural selection. The characters are literally dumber than kindergarteners. It’s like they left their brains at home before coming to this island.

Nana, the main character and an assassin, is talentless, i.e has no superpowers and has to convince everyone that she has one using her superb deductive skills. She masquerades as a person who can read minds. The premise is interesting, really interesting, but what drags this show down is undeniably the mentally challenged characters. They just don’t care. They don’t give two shits if someone dies, or if someone goes missing. One bullshit explanation from Nana is all it takes for them to channel their inner simp and believe her instantly.

Think I’m exaggerating? Consider the following scenario.
A transfer student arrives at your high school. She starts hanging around a guy. The next day the guy is absent. And the day after that, and the day after that too. Turns out he’s dead. Also, in the meantime another guy dies and he was also seen hanging around the transfer student. Another one dies, and this time the transfer student is literally caught with the dead body.
Now, using just 1% of your brain, who do you think is the most sus? The transfer student, right? WRONG! She couldn’t do it. Because how could she? She’s so cute and also the class leader.

I just described the first 5 episodes of the show and except one guy no one even suspects her. The only guy who does suspect her, Kyoya, is my favourite character and my hero. He managed to defeat his inner simp and bonk away his horniness for justice.

I kid but I really do feel like Kyoya is the only good character in the series. Nana is simply annoying at times and I’m not going to reiterate what I already said about the majority of the cast.

The mysteries themselves are pretty good. I could see that the author was especially inspired by Detective Conan as the show makes many references to DC. What bothered me most about the series, besides the idiot characters, is the show’s reliance on coincidence. Nana is saved countless times by sheer luck, or should I call it plot?

She accidentally leaves an incriminating picture of hers in a room, but Kyoya doesn’t find that very picture when he searches that room. Kyoya has been portrayed as a methodical and scrupulous person, but turns out when plot calls characterisation can just jump off a cliff.

Michiru, the dumbest bitch to ever exist, literally sees Nana in a picture killing a guy, but does absolutely nothing about it. Some stupid explanation from Nana about “how the picture is not true” is all it takes for her to believe Nana.

Seriously, when I say the characters believe in Nana, it's almost similar to how religious people believe in their God. Countless times in the series she’s not able to read minds, and even though it’s her supposed power, and no one bats an eye. She can pull some random stuff out of her ass about how “her power comes and goes” and no one thinks anything of it. Remember, this is a girl who’s been allegedly involved in 4 murders while having no alibi for any of them.

As I stated above, even though the braindead characters reduce some enjoyability, the actual mystery is really good at times. I especially like the whole arc when Nana kills the necromancer girl and how she would get out the events following that. The whole event was well planned out and didn’t feel forced. I was genuinely intrigued during the resolution of that case. This show could’ve done so much more if it had some better characters and the characters had better judgement.

We get some backstory for Nana, and it felt like the author wanted to make her story really tragic, but it backfired as the whole thing is narrated by Nana which felt more like the author’s attempt at fulfilling his obligation towards us instead of creating a compelling case for his character. Same thing goes for the exposition we get about Michiru’s life before she arrived at the island.

The animation and music are nothing special. The music was tone deaf at times.

Tl;dr
As I said earlier the concept is really good, but bad execution, dumb cast, weak character work really hurt this show in the worst way possible.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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