There are not so many romance shows with adult characters, and Nodame Cantabile barely falls into this category. It follows two students at the music academy — Chiaki Shinichi, who aspires to be a conductor, and Noda Megumi, who has no idea what to do with her life, but plays the piano as she breathes. They both are musically gifted, with Chiaki being a perfectionist and Noda opting for an emotional and chaotic style. So these two opposites meet — and get attracted to each other.
The way their relationship develops over the course of three seasons feels realistic in terms of pace, even if the very beginning may appear a bit rushed. It's mature, and not in a sexy way but more in the "I need to deal with the problems adults usually face" kind of way. The chemistry is palpable and creates a lot of deep and wholesome moments along with more comedic ones. They play off of each other, their ideals clash, they argue and find ways to make up without sacrificing their true natures, but ultimately they accept each other's ways of learning how to navigate this world — and that's the beauty of the show.
Well, the true beauty of Nodame Cantabile, of course, is not only its plot but the music. The show is centered on classical music, and the performances are spectacular. You can hear when pieces are played badly and when they're bustling with Noda's emotions or Chiaki's perfection. This show can be a great entry point into the world of classical music for those who were either afraid to explore it or just not interested at all because the love the characters feel for these pieces is palpable and contagious, their performance is alive and energetic. In a way, this show is first about music and finding your place in a very competitive world, and romance is a side plot for that — one that is deeply entwined with this self-discovery journey for both main characters.
The animation may feel dated, especially some of the CGI parts, but overall it feels cohesive and fitting. The art style is simple yet quite realistic, in the comedic moments the characters are funny and lively. Then again, it's the show that started in 2007, cut it some slack.
But throughout the three seasons, Nodame Cantabile shows a very consistent character and relationship development that culminates in one of the most compelling final story arcs in romance shows. And the beautiful orchestral soundtrack only helps the immersion.
Love is born out of respect for music.
There are not so many romance shows with adult characters, and Nodame Cantabile barely falls into this category. It follows two students at the music academy — Chiaki Shinichi, who aspires to be a conductor, and Noda Megumi, who has no idea what to do with her life, but plays the piano as she breathes. They both are musically gifted, with Chiaki being a perfectionist and Noda opting for an emotional and chaotic style. So these two opposites meet — and get attracted to each other.
The way their relationship develops over the course of three seasons feels realistic in terms of pace, even if the very beginning may appear a bit rushed. It's mature, and not in a sexy way but more in the "I need to deal with the problems adults usually face" kind of way. The chemistry is palpable and creates a lot of deep and wholesome moments along with more comedic ones. They play off of each other, their ideals clash, they argue and find ways to make up without sacrificing their true natures, but ultimately they accept each other's ways of learning how to navigate this world — and that's the beauty of the show.
Well, the true beauty of Nodame Cantabile, of course, is not only its plot but the music. The show is centered on classical music, and the performances are spectacular. You can hear when pieces are played badly and when they're bustling with Noda's emotions or Chiaki's perfection. This show can be a great entry point into the world of classical music for those who were either afraid to explore it or just not interested at all because the love the characters feel for these pieces is palpable and contagious, their performance is alive and energetic. In a way, this show is first about music and finding your place in a very competitive world, and romance is a side plot for that — one that is deeply entwined with this self-discovery journey for both main characters.
The animation may feel dated, especially some of the CGI parts, but overall it feels cohesive and fitting. The art style is simple yet quite realistic, in the comedic moments the characters are funny and lively. Then again, it's the show that started in 2007, cut it some slack.
But throughout the three seasons, Nodame Cantabile shows a very consistent character and relationship development that culminates in one of the most compelling final story arcs in romance shows. And the beautiful orchestral soundtrack only helps the immersion.
