Nana

Ai Yazawa is the creator of many popular manga titles, including Tenshi Nanka Janai (I'm No Angel) and Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story). Another series, Kagen no Tsuki (Last Quarter), was made into a live-action movie and released in late 2004. American readers were introduced to Yazawa's stylish and sexy storytelling in 2002 when her title Paradise Kiss was translated into English. Nana has become the all-time best selling shojo title from Japanese publishing giant, Shueisha. Cumulative sales from the first 12 graphic novels have sold more than 22 million copies and the series even garnered a Shogakukan Manga Award in the Girls' category in 2003. A live-action Nana movie hit Japanese theaters in the fall of 2005.