Nodame Cantabile

Nodame Cantabile
File:Nodame Cantabile 1 cover.jpg
Genre	Comedy, Slice of life story, Romance
Manga
Written by	Tomoko Ninomiya
Published by	Kodansha
English publisher	Del Rey Manga
Magazine	Kiss
Demographic	Josei
Original run	July 10, 2001 – ongoing
Volumes	21
Anime
Directed by	Takeuchi Hideki, Kawamura Yasuhiro
Released	October 16 2006 – December 25 2006
Anime
Directed by	Kenichi Kasai
Studio	J.C.Staff
Released	January 11 2007 – June 28 2007
Anime
Nodame Cantabile: Pari-Hen
Directed by	Kenichi Kasai
Studio	J.C.Staff
Released	October 9 2008 – ongoing

Nodame Cantabile (のだめカンタービレ, Nodame Kantābire) is an ongoing manga by Tomoko Ninomiya. It has been published in Japan by Kodansha in the magazine Kiss since 2001 and collected in 21 tankobon volumes as of December 2008. It is licensed in North America by Del Rey Manga. The series received the 2004 Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo. Volume 17 was the third best-selling manga on the Oricon charts for 2007, and when volume 19 was released in Japan, it reached #1 in the Japanese Comic Ranking the week of its debut in November 2007.

The series has been adapted three times on television: as a live-action drama that aired in 2006, as an anime series that aired in 2007, and a two-night live-action drama special that aired in January 2008. A second season of the anime series began airing in October 2008 and is ongoing. In addition, a game based on the manga was announced for the Nintendo DS, for release in Spring 2007. A game called "Nodame Cantabile: Dream Orchestra" was released for the Nintendo Wii console.

Plot

Megumi Noda, or “Nodame,” is a piano student at Momogaoka College of Music. An extremely talented pianist who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, she prefers playing by ear rather than reading the music score. She is messy and disorganized, taking baths several days apart and rarely cleaning her apartment, and loves to eat, sometimes stealing her friend’s lunchbox when it is filled with delicacies.

Shinichi Chiaki is Momogaoka’s top student. Born into a musical family, he is talented in piano and violin but has the ambition to become a conductor. An arrogant multi-lingual perfectionist who lived abroad as a young boy in the music capitals of the world (including Prague), he is trapped in Japan because of his phobia of flying.

They meet by accident as neighbors. Nodame quickly falls in love, but it takes much longer for Chiaki to even begin to appreciate Nodame’s unusual qualities. Their relationship causes them both to develop and grow. Along the way, they meet some crazy people (including fellow students Masumi and Mine, and teachers such as Stresemann) and make lasting friendships. Because of Nodame, Chiaki gets the opportunity to lead a student orchestra and begins to have a broader appreciation of people's musical abilities. Because of Chiaki, Nodame faces her fears and enters a piano competition. Opportunities open up as both begin taking risks, stretching themselves far more than they ever thought possible.

Characters

Main article: List of Nodame Cantabile characters

Nodame Cantabile centres around aspiring conductor Chiaki and Nodame, an extremely talented pianist. As students at the Momogaoka College of Music in Japan, they have many friends with their own musical ambitions, in particular Ryutaro Mine and Masumi Okuyama, and teachers like conductor Franz von Stresemann and piano instructor Kouzou Etoh to guide them. With the formation of the R-S Orchestra, Chiaki's colleagues include violinist Kiyora Miki and oboe player Yasunori Kuroki.

When Chiaki and Nodame move to Paris to fulfill their dreams, they find new friends and rivals, as well as remaining in contact with their friends from Japan.

Media

Manga

The Nodame Cantabile manga is written and illustrated by Tomoko Ninomiya. It has been serialized by Kodansha in Kiss since January 2001 and collected in 21 tankobon volumes as of December 2008. It is licensed in North America by Del Rey Manga, in Thailand by NED Comics, in Indonesia by Elex Media Komputindo, and in China by Tong Li Comics. All volumes covers feature Nodame playing a different musical instrument.

Live action

Opening theme

Andante Cantabile 1st movement from Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, played by the Nodame Orchestra, conducted by Toshiaki Umeda

Ending theme

Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, played by the Nodame Orchestra, conducted by Toshiaki Umeda

* The Nodame Orchestra consists of members specially selected for the live action drama, and receives professional support from the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.

Anime

Main article: List of Nodame Cantabile episodes

Season One

Opening theme

"Allegro Cantabile" by Suemitsu & The Suemith

Ending themes

1. "Konna ni Chikaku de..." by Crystal Kay (episodes 1–12)
2. "Sagittarius" by Suemitsu & the Nodame Orchestra (episodes 13–22)
3. "Allegro Cantabile" by Suemitsu & The Suemith (episode 23)

Season Two

Opening Theme

"Sky High" by The Gospellers (main theme taken from Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 - Movement III. Allegro scherzando)

Ending Theme

"Tokyo et Paris"(東京 et Paris lit. "Tokyo and Paris") by Emiri Miyamoto x solita (with variations on the theme from Boléro - Maurice Ravel)

External links

• Kodansha manga website Template:Jp icon
• Del Rey manga website
• Live-action official website Template:Jp icon
• Anime official website Template:Jp icon
• Official NDS game website Template:Jp icon
• Official Wii game website Template:Jp icon
• Official website of the manga author Template:Jp icon
• AsianDramaReviews - Nodame Cantabile (TV drama)