Go For It, Nakamura! (2024)

Not to be confused with Go For It, Nakamura! (Drama CD) and Go For It, Nakamura! Anime.

Go For It, Nakamura!! (ガンバレ! 中村くん!! Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!) is a Japanese manga series written by Syundei. The manga tells a story revolving the titular Nakamura Okuto, a closeted gay high schooler who has a crush on his classmate, and attempts to get closer to him.

Go For It, Nakamura! was serialized in the boys' love manga magazine Opera from 2014 to 2016, and was eventually turned into a bound volume by Akane Shinsha in 2017. It was also licensed for an English release by Seven Seas Entertainment during 2018.

A sequel called Go For It Again, Nakamura! (もっとガンバレ！中村くん!! Motto Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!) began serialization in 2017.

This series has had an anime announced. It is scheduled to be released in 2025.

History[]

The character Nakamura first appeared in illustrations and short web comics posted by Syundei. By the end of 2014, Syundei was contacted by the managing editor of Opera to draw a comic to fill empty spaces in an issue of a magazine. That one shot comic would eventually become the first chapter of the series.

Beginning in the June 2015 issue of Opera, Go For It, Nakamura! would began serialization as a regular series, celebrated with the main character Nakamura being featured as the cover of the issue. The series also began running at the same time as Syundei's horror manga series Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart.

After the end of the manga, the eleven chapters were collected into a bound volume by Akane Shinsha and published in May 27, 2017. On September 15, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it would release an English translation of the series. The single-volume manga was published on July 3, 2018, making Go For It, Nakamura! the first boys' love manga series to be published by Seven Seas.

On July 5, 2024, Syundei announced that a new edition of Go For It, Nakamura! and its sequel book will be receiving a new edition that contains a special chapter exclusive to the edition. The edition was properly released on August 16th.^[1]

Plot[]

"Nakamura is a shy boy who falls in love at first sight with one of his classmates–his dreamy high school classmate, Hirose. But there’s a problem: they haven’t met yet. And Nakamura is a total klutz who might bungle things before they even begin!"

Nakamura, a shy gay teenage boy harbors a crush on Hirose Aiki when he first entered high school, despite never having any interaction with him. For months, Nakamura spends most of his times observing Hirose, eavesdropping on conversations to figure out his hobbies. After a while, Nakamura attempts to build up the courage to speak to him for the first time, although he ends up running away out of panic. He then proceeds to step on Hirose's napkin afterward in an attempt to pick it up for him.

Each chapter follows this format, where Nakamura attempts to integrate himself into situations that would allow him to interact with Hirose, most ending in comedic failure. New classmates such as Kawamura Hifumi, Oomori, and Tamura Arandou would be introduced as the series goes on, indirectly helping on Nakamura's journey.

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.

List of Chapters[]

Below are the list of chapters in Go For It, Nakamura!

Reception[]

Go For It, Nakamura! was positively received by critics. The series was praised for its 1980s-reminiscent artwork, with Sean Gaffney of Manga Bookshelf favorably comparing it to Ranma ½ and Kimagure Orange Road.^[2] 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."^[3] 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."^[4]

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.^[5]

Trivia[]

• Characters of the manga were featured in a pop-up cafe in Harajuku, Tokyo ran by Opera from March 16 to April 8, 2018. The cafe featured original merchandise and food inspired by the series.
• Around the period of March 2021, many parodies of the cover were created as a trend. Most cover parodies replaced the characters of the series for characters of other franchises.^[6]

References[]