After finishing Nodame Cantabile a few days ago, I was in awe. I have never thought that an anime with instrumental music as the main theme could influence(well, sorta) me so much.
I have a sudden urging interest to learn French. Well, the main characters WERE heading to France for their music studies, so yeah. I'll leave that for my elective studies in university where I plan to take up French.
I have a sudden urge(again) to learn to play the piano and the violin. But of course, that won't happen. I enjoy listening to instrumental music especially piano pieces so I'll leave it at that.
Though this may not be the 1st time, I have the sudden urge to know what happened next after the anime version of Nodame Cantabile, which caused me to now follow the story through the still ongoing manga version of Nodame Cantabile. Since the anime version ended at the manga's Volume 9, and there's already a Volume 20 coming up, do I see a Nodame 2?
This is the 1st time in a few years where I have finished a whole batch of completed anime in under 12 hours. Yeah, Nodame Cantabile is THAT good.
This anime also made me wiki up almost all the music compositions and symphonies that were played during the course of the anime. Bach lah, all those Beethoven's Symphonies lah, what Rhapsody in Blue lah, Dvorak lah, Rachmaninoff lah, all those stuff. Heck, I don't even know what overture(opening) or # major or # minor(replace # with alphabet?) meant. No seriously, I still don't know what the major or minor meant. Oh, did I mention that the OP theme is really good?
Okay, enough from me. Overview quoted from anidb.net:
Based on the awarded shoujo manga by Tomoko Ninomiya.
Shinichi Chiaki is the top piano student at his university and an excellent violinist, but Chiaki doesn't care about playing these instruments as much as he dreams of someday being a conductor. Chiaki, however, has several deeply rooted fears about traveling, and so finds himself "trapped" in Japan. Because he's trapped, Chiaki starts to question exactly how far he can possibly go in music, especially when he's passed over again and again for others he thinks are less worthy of musical scholarship and fame.
Recently dumped by his girlfriend for a "sausage" looking fellow, passed over for a chance to go overseas, removed from his star spot in the piano competition because he walked out on his piano instructor, Chiaki is at his limit. This is when he meets Nodame, or Megumi Noda. Nodame is a free — if filthy — spirit who reminds Chiaki that music can be fun. She reminds him what drew him to be a conductor in the first place and, in learning how to deal with Nodame, Chiaki learns how to deal with others. Chiaki begins to realize what is possible for him, even on the tiny island of Japan.
For Nodame, Chiaki is everything she isn't. Clean, neat, dedicated, studious and inherently arrogant about his accomplishments and capabilities, Chiaki constantly bullies her into being more serious about life. He sees potential in her and her abilities as a pianist that she doesn't care about. Nodame loves Chiaki and wants to be with him, but, because she's not serious about her piano studies nor her personal hygiene, Chiaki denies her affections again and again.
But Chiaki and Nodame complete each other in ways no other can, a musical compliment that neither of them can completely escape entirely. Watching them grow as people and musicians, and even as a couple, is an interesting ride.
Chiaki and Nodame are both very opposite characters, Chiaki being the serious one whereas Nodame the happy-go-lucky one. Not to mention the generous humour content, the beautiful intrumental music, and the colourful side characters make this anime worth the watch. Definitely 10/10 from me! Please give me my Nodame 2 soon kay?
Thanks to Shin and Sam for encouraging me to watch this. Haha.
Allegro Cantabile - Suemitsu and the Suemiths
OP theme of Nodame Cantabile
