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Nodame Cantabile


Cantabile: a musical term in Italian that translates to "singable, or songlike". This 23-episode masterpiece follows the lives of two main characters. These two are the childish, clumsy, and somewhat dim-witted Noda Megumi (but you can call her Nodame!), who is blessed with an incredible talent as a pianist but little knowledge in how to apply that talent, and the more regimented, business-like violinist-turned-pianist-aspiring-to-be-a-conductor, Chiaki Shinichi. Starting off at the Momogaoka College of Music, these strangers experience different emotions and desires, though they share the similarity of being haunted and restricted by memories of the distant past. Throughout the series, these secrets are unraveled with both characters attempting to follow their dreams. Along the way, they encounter a delightful cast of unique and interesting characters, young and old. From world-renowned Maestros to adorable siblings, each character fits into the story naturally without feeling "typecast". Even the handful of characters who are only seen once are memorable. There are no characters who are simply along for the ride; each one has a personality that is both memorable and unique, and each one will grow on you over time in the same natural way that friends grow on you as you get to know them.

That is not to say that Nodame Cantabile is an overly serious drama that drudges along slowly. It is packed full of comedy that compliments the storyline wonderfully. And refreshingly, much of it strays from your typical anime humor with some truly hilarious dialogue, although there is still a fair share of physical humor. Humor is one of my favorite components in an anime, and this series does not disappoint in that regard.

As if it needed any help, the already great storyline is enhanced and given an incredible backdrop by some of the most brilliant pieces of music ever imagined. From Rachmaninoff to Debussy to Beethoven, from piano solos to concertos, the music grips you like none other. The opening and ending songs are some of my favorites in the moderate collection of anime that I have watched, and throughout the 23 episodes, I don't recall ever wanting to skip them the way I do with so many others.

The art and animation is consistent, and does not fall prey to the temptation of trying to be too realistic. While it is obvious that the top priority of the animators was making sure that the musical performances looked as splendid as they sounded, even the most commonplace of scenes is acceptable, sometimes simple, sometimes more expressive.

To wrap this up, I will say that Nodame Cantabile is probably my favorite anime. On top of being entertaining, funny, having a good storyline, and brilliant musical arrangements, it is also incredibly inspiring. Since watching this for the first time, I have started to teach myself the proper technique of playing the piano, and have gotten pretty decent in the past few months, already having known musical theory. It makes you want to get your hands on some instrument, any instrument, and just play, but at the same time, makes you want to keep watching and listening. When you get to that last episode, you'll have gotten to know and love the characters and embrace their stories.



Noda Megumi (aka Nodame)



Chiaki Shinichi



I give Nodame Cantabile a rating of 9.5, with a minus .5 for not having a second season!