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Ashita no Nadja (-, Ashita no N-ja-, lit. "Tomorrow's Nadja"), is a romance manga by Izumi Todo. It was serialized by Kodansha in the manga magazine Nakayoshi and collected in seven bound volumes.[2]
The series was adapted as an anime series produced by Toei Animation, which premiered in Japan on the anime satellite television network Animax and the terrestrial TV Asahi network, between February 2, 2003, and January 25, 2004. The series is 50 episodes long; each episode is about 25 minutes.[1] The series is available on DVD (in Japanese) containing two to three episodes each.
Setting
Ashita no Nadja follows the adventures of a young 13 year old, blonde girl with blue eyes called Nadja Applefield (her name originates in the same name novel of Andre Breton, which means hope in Russian). She travels across Europe with an entertainment act called the Dandelion Troupe. At first glance it appears to be a light-hearted romantic tale, but there are undertones about class discrimination, poverty, and ill-fortune. It is set predominantly in real-world Europe (like the World Masterpiece Theater anime series).
Summary
Nadja is an orphan who lives at the Applefield Orphanage--run by Miss Appleton--in the early 20th century England. Nadja is called by Miss Appleton to receive a package delivered to her. The gifts sent for her thirteenth birthday are a dress and a diary. She is told in the accompanying letter that her mother is still alive. This sets her on a quest to find her mother. She later joins a traveling street performance act called the Dandelion Troupe after a fire breaks out in her orphanage.
It turns out that the broach she possesses is the proof she needs to meet her mother, however the bandits of the Duke of Preminger want to get it back. Throughout the series there is a struggle over possession of the broach.
There is also a romance element in the story with two male leads, the 'Black Rose' and Francis Harcourt. Nadja initially assumes that these are the same people. Francis is a noble who feels an obligation to help those in need by giving to others. However, the Black Rose feels that the Noble life is a lie, thus chooses to act like Robin Hood. The Black Rose is actually Keith Harcourt, Francis' Older Twin Brother. Nadja often displays feelings for both, but in the 44th episode, she officialy choses Francis over Keith, proving to herself that though she was at first charmed by the good looks of the Black Rose and his bravery, Francis is the one she truly loves.
By the end of the series, Nadja does meet her mother, Collette.
Characters
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References
See also
External links
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