Nodame Cantabile Finale

Shinichi Chiaki is quickly making a name for himself as the principal conductor of the revitalized Roux-Marlet Orchestra, and Megumi "Nodame" Noda has made leaps and bounds as a pianist at the Conservatoire de Paris. However, tensions mount between the two as Nodame feels left behind by Chiaki's growing success and his close friendship with legendary piano prodigy Rui Son. Disregarding her teacher Professor Charles Auclair's advice, Nodame enters another piano competition in an attempt to jumpstart her own performance career.

Meanwhile, those around Chiaki and Nodame are at their own crossroads. Rui begins to doubt herself after hearing Nodame's playing and being denied tutelage from Auclair; Maestro Franz von Stresemann faces the reality of his mortality; pianists Yunlong Li and Tatiana Vishneva feverishly prepare for a competition, while the latter also struggles with her growing feelings for oboist and fellow student Yasunori Kuroki.

As Chiaki, Nodame, and their friends continue on their respective journeys, they must not only strive to stay true to themselves, but also remember where it all started.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Noda, Megumi Main

Kawasumi, Ayako Japanese

Chiaki, Shinichi Main

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

von Stresemann, Franz Supporting

Ogawa, Shinji Japanese

Kuroki, Yasunori Supporting

Matsukaze, Masaya Japanese

Mine, Ryuutarou Supporting

Kawada, Shinji Japanese

Okuyama, Masumi Supporting

Fujita, Yoshinori Japanese

Miki, Kiyora Supporting

Kobayashi, Sanae Japanese

Vishneva, Tatiana Supporting

Itou, Shizuka Japanese

Auclair, Charles Supporting

Kiyokawa, Motomu Japanese

Son, Rui Supporting

Ohara, Sayaka Japanese

Yamamoto, Kouji Producer

Matsukura, Yuuji Producer

Jouno, Masato Producer

Oosawa, Nobuhiro Producer

Reviews

Apr 7, 2010

Archaeon

Recommended

We've often heard the adage that the book is always better than the film/TV series, but how true is that statement? There are many cases where the written work is superior to the adaptation, and the reasons for the sometimes massive differences range from the limits of one's imagination and ability to visualise, to important chunks of plot being left on the cutting room floor.

Sometimes though, the difference between the two is very small....

So, Nodame Cantabile is finally over, and with it we say our collective goodbyes, gyabos and mukyas to the odd couple of the classical world. The aptly named "Finale" follows directly on ... from Paris Chapter, and not much has changed since the end of the second series. Chiaki is still conducting the Marlet orchestra, and they are progressively getting better thanks to him and the concert master. Nodame is also improving thanks to her lessons with Professor Auclair, however she feels that Chiaki is drifting further away from her.

The one thing that has always surprised me about the entirety of Nodame Cantabile is how closely the anime tries to follow the manga, however while the majority of the tale is transposed extremely well, there are occasions where the adaptation only touches on the manga storyline. For the most part the plot in Finale flows rather well and, as with the rest of the series, the music allows one to appreciate the story in a manner that simply isn't possible in the manga. However, if one has read the manga then there may be some confusing occurences in the story, one example of this being the absence/alteration of a huge chunk of storyline from the final two episodes.

For many people the changes in the anime won't be an issue, regardless of whether they've read the manga or not. The story in either form is enjoyable, and while the manga may contain more plot,there are elements of the anime adaptation that more than maks up for the changes.

In terms of design and animation, Finale is very much in the mould of the first two series, something which should come as no surprise since J.C. Staff are responsible for the trilogy (and OVAs of course). Character designs are just as eclectic as they were before, and the European settings are just as good as they were in Paris Chapter. Animation is pretty much on par with the previous series as well, including the dreaded 3D fingers playing the instruments (something which has long divided opinion since it's not the best CG in anime, but is reasonably accurate in its usage). I didn't mind them personally, however they do interrupt the flow of the story a little (while you pause to chuckle at how robotic they are that is).

The star of the show though, as any fan of the series will know, is the music. While Finale may not be as heavy with the classical pieces on display as previous outings, there is enough here to enhance the story and add vibrancy to the series. One thing that I was pleased to hear was the more subtle thematic music used in the series, and many scenes were made without any accompaniment, something which is laudable given the series is top-filled already.

In addition to the quality of music, the acting is also very good throughout the show, but given that the cast is pretty much that of Paris Chapter, this should be no surprise. Seki Tomokazu is in fine form as Chiaki, while Kawasumi Ayako continues to bring out Nodame's oddness and eccentricity.

As far as the characters go, this is probably the weakest of the three series for Nodame and Chiaki. While the cast generally receive a decent amount of development, the overall quality seems a little rushed, especially in the last two episodes. It would have been better if Finale was a 12 or 13 episode series as the bits that have been left out of the manga shed a new light on Chiaki's feelings for Nodame, something that has been hurried in the anime version.

That said, those who have only watched the anime will probably find the characters to be pretty good overall.

Finale is a nice way to end the series as it continues to use the tried and tested formula of the first two seasons - mixing slapstick comedy with classical music. While the show does have some niggling issues that could have been resolved, these shouldn't really cause any major problems with one's enjoyment of the series, even if one has read the manga.

On the whole Nodame Cantabile: Finale is a good addition to the franchise, but not a great one. The somewhat rushed development of the characters during the latter half of the series may annoy some people (those who've read the manga for example), however those who love the show in its entirety will probably be happy enough with the results.

As it is, this is an enjoyable show that rounds off the franchise in a fairly pleasing manner, and if anyone is sad about the series ending, well, the encore has already started.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Mar 28, 2010

Poeticas

Recommended

Nodame Cantabile is truly a master piece because it got you hooked up from the 1st season till the 3rd season ending with beautiful music and awesome storyline it makes a really great anime.

Story: Nodame Cantabile Finale story follows up 2nd season as Nodame and Chiaki struggles between work and their relationship. Meeting people and playing wonderful music with well known musicians from all over the world. As Nodame is becoming better and more popular its time for chiaki to struggle the same way as Nodame struggled in the past.

Art: Calming and beautiful.

Sound: Beautiful classical music... which isn't so popular nowadays but still captures ... you into the story of the song.

Characters: All kinds of characters from 1st season till 3rd season developing really nicely , changing characters and everything else.

Enjoyment:Really Really enjoyable anime especially for music lovers ... because you can hear all kinds of classical music. Without music there is an awesome storyline which starts funny in 1st season and gets more serious over next 2 seasons in 3rd season it concludes and ends without any regrets.

Overall: A perfect anime , calming , funny and romantic without leaving u any regrets.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Dec 14, 2015

MAND4

Mixed Feelings

*SPOILER FREE*

If there's one thing I've learned throughout the viewing of Nodame, it's that everyone would hate me within the orchestra. But then again, most people hate me as I am, so it isn't really a surprise.

Contrary to my score, I loved the series. I binge watched it within 2 days, and didn't regret it one bit. Yet, unfortunately, I felt a massive drop in quality during the 3rd season that relates to three major problems: story, character(s) and ending. I gave first season 9 without flinching, and will probably re-watch it again soon, but when I compare the finale to the 1st season, ... it all kind of falls apart. Why? Let's dive in.

Story continues right where Paris Hen ended and we're, once again, thrown into the ensemble of beautiful music and diverging paths our characters take. What drew me into this anime, personally, were the orchestral pieces, and occasional solo pieces by Nodame. Third season, however, shifts this about and focuses almost exclusively on personal competitions of side characters and the progress of Nodame, both as person and as a musician. I would be fine with that, but it was poorly executed. Unlike previous two seasons, pacing is all over the place; first 2-3 episodes seem to setting up the whole thing nicely, then suddenly it slows down and picks up in last two episodes where it ends abruptly, without major cause. It kind of felt spread thin and a lot of time was spent covering same subjects multiple times.

Cantabile's story was never its strong suite - far from it. It didn't really have that much depth or complexity, but that's where its charm lay. Due to its simplicity and ease of following, it allowed its other aspects to shine brightly. It was used as somewhat of a background supporting character, and it fit perfectly into the whole thing. The entire structure of the first season, and majority of second, felt natural and it had its flow. Yet, Finale brings forth a set of unnecessary plot pieces and overused tropes, and it soon turns into somewhat of a convoluted mess, and even ends in such. Several characters are used as plot devices, some are given way too much screen time, some way too little. As an example, we have Shinichi's original sensei, who was introduced to us as pivotal point in Shinichi's life, because he's the reason Shinichi wanted to conduct. Yet, he has about 2 minutes of screen time throughout the entire thing, and for the most part is in the background/used as a cheap plot device. That's just an example of bad storytelling at its finest. I have absolutely no idea who this guy is or his importance within the world of classical music or how he helps Shinichi once they reunite.

Overall though, there are still some parts of the story that worked well. and as a finale it did its job ... kind of. Before the end, there were some parts that really did bring out emotion, and did show the progress of story and I liked that. However, I absolutely need to rant about the ending for a moment: it's bad. It's really, really, bad. What's worse is that the events leading up to it are also bad. All in all, ending leaves a bad aftertaste in your mouth, and it really forces you to look back at the series and think 'Wait, wait. That's ... it?' - ending is not only abrupt but it makes no sense. A lot of things are left hanging in the air, bunch of questions still unanswered, and it seemingly ends in the middle of telling the actual ending. Unfortunately, it's definitely the low-point of the entire series, and that's not the way you wish to end your series. Not in a long shot.

All in all, story is definitely above average, but you wouldn't go wrong in rating it anywhere from 4-6, depending on your personal taste. It fits into each part for a number of reasons, and that's quite unfortunate.

Next up with have production: animation is definitely the best its ever been, and there are far less stiff shots accompanied by awesome music from first season. It's still not that great though, and the "age" kind of shows, but it does what it's set out to do well enough. Art is still crisp and colorful, comedic expressions are done well, and there are some vibrant scenes (mostly involving reflections on water) here and there that I still remember. Easy on the eyes, but nothing spectacular.

As for the sound, I really have no need to touch on this: music is still here, in all its glory. Absolute 10 without a doubt. Could give even more if I could - definitely the high point of the entire show, the way it was meant to be.

The reason I wanted to skip through production is because it's the thing that works in this anime - and I want to discuss things that don't, because I'm anal like that. Characters. Ugh. Looking back at season 1, I really should have expected this, but it still hurts.

I have this love-hate relationship with airheads if I'm being honest - I always end up being their fan at the beginning, but end up hating them by the end. Why? Because, most of the time, that's who they stay as. At first it's cute and funny, but if you drag it over 40 episodes, than it's annoying and distracting and, honestly, plain insulting. Nodame starts out as a great character - your typical, talented, overly-cheerful airhead. And through the first season she mostly remains the same, with a few changes here and there, but that was fine because the focus wasn't really on her. However, they drag out her natural klutz personality to hell and back, and drive it through and through for forever. Another trait of hers was a lack of motivation and indecisiveness - which comes into play this season, and holy hell does it overstay its welcome. It's used as nothing but a plot device, and it's as obvious as well. It's used to create drama. At one point, here actions just stop making sense, and, just the same, you stop caring. She becomes a walking bore and annoyance, and I really didn't want it to end up this way - but I should have figured out it would. You can make your audience laugh because your character is an unaware airhead only so many times, after all ...

The set of supporting characters from Paris Hen returns this time around as well, and are given ... way too much space, if you ask me. I understand the need to flesh out your side-characters, but we already knew that they were never supposed to be the focus because writer literally abandoned everyone from season 1 aside from Oldy-Pervy. Yet, their problems and struggles come into focus here and take way too much time to resolve, sidelining main story and the progress of main characters. Yes, there are some nice moments here and there, it felt nice knowing more about who these people are, but ultimately they're still just a fodder. They barely interact with the main story - I'd go so far as to say that they have no actual impact on it. And this was supposed to be a finale - thing that wraps up the entire series - not a season that sets up your side-characters. This also ties in to the pacing problems I talked about before, and overall leaves a bitter taste. A few more pairings bear fruition, and there's an introduction of a random Japanese girl midway through that had even less point that the original sensei. I have absolutely no idea what was that girl doing there, and I'm happy she stayed only for about 10 minutes.

Overall, Shinichi is still the best character in my opinion. Unfortunately, he's given less and less focus as the series progresses. He's often thrown into random journeys across Europe just to get him out of the picture for a while, so that we can focus on Nodame. For me, it backfired, as he was always the one leading the show, and Nodame was the one following. They reversed the roles and it didn't work. Too bad.

It'd be a lie if I said I didn't enjoy Nodame Cantabile as whole, because I did. I love this series, and will probably re-watch it more than once. However, if I compare my enjoyment from 1st season to Finale, they're worlds apart. Here, instead of enjoying things, I spent far more time questioning motives, actions, characters and story, and trying to understand what the hell was with that ending.

I still wholeheartedly recommend Nodame Cantabile - it's definitely the best anime about music that I've seen to date, and whether you're a fan of classical music or not, it has some outstanding pieces. From the familiar Bach and Mozart tunes, to some that your average Joe would have never heard of. First season was definitely its high point, but the entire 3 are worth watching without a doubt.

*If you wish to discuss the review, feel free to leave me a comment. Thanks for reading.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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