Customer Reviews

Nodame Cantabile 9

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After a spectacular failure during her competition finals, Nodame retreats home to the other side of the country as Chiaki and the Rising Star orchestra ready and perform one final time. Now that Nodame is far away, Chiaki can finally focus on what he really wants in life, but there is that nagging doubt that lingers on in his mind. Nodame is much the same as she spends her New Years reflecting on what music means to her... and whether its worth giving up.

The art is soft and fluid, which fits well with the various moods, and is typically shojou where the boys are often prettier than the girls, but don't let that discourage you (or singularly entice you). The main draw to NC is it's poignant narrative of the lives of these young musicians as they hone their craft and make ready to step out into the world. While most coming of age shoujou titles tend to focus on the high school years, it's refreshing to see NC (and other college aged titles, like Honey&Clover) present a more realistic journey to adulthood that deals with the key issues of love, direction, and careers without having to rely on the melodrama that is/was high school.

Nodame Cantabile is one of those titles that I regret having passed over when it first started being released. I claim a small budget and an irrational fear of shoujou (what with being a guy and all)... but, luckily, I overcame that (with partial help from the anime version that is now airing in Japan) and am better for it (though lighter in the wallet).

A solid buy is my recommend, but make sure you start at the beginning. Heh.