Nodame Cantabile is a mature and beautiful romance (with some surprisingly silly and lighthearted moments) that somehow manages to avoid most of the annoying clichés!
LET'S GET INTO IT.
~Art~
The art was probably this show's weakest point. Most of the time, it was just....ADEQUATE. Whenever someone is playing an instrument, the art changes to a 3D/CG style to better show the precise movements. While the piano-playing, for example, WAS impressively accurate and intricate-looking in this style, the change was noticeable and a bit jarring. Also, some angles just didn't work as well as others.
Though, you also have
...
to take the year that this was created into account. Sure, it was only 2007, but anime art has made pretty big strides since then! The "average" was a lot lower back then. Shows like Clannad, Shuffle!, and Lovely Complex were also all 2007, and looked pretty similarly rough by today's standards.
Although, I must say, some of the animation in the show's opening is particularly wonderful, and matches well with theme. Altogether, the art certainly was NOT terrible, so, with all of the other sections of this review being so positive, the art likely won't affect my overall score by much.
Art - 7/10
~Sound~
It's pretty clear that this is a music-based show. If you can't stand Classical music, you may want to stay away from this one. One episode in particular has literally 10 straight minutes of performance and facial expressions, with no dialogue. If you even TOLERATE Classical, though- I guarantee that at least one or two of the songs will captivate you.
The OP and ED (which aren't Classical music) were pretty great in my opinion too!
Sound - 10/10
~Characters~
Our main couple in this show, Nodame and Chiaki, are just wonderful. Nodame's character was very different from what I was expecting, in a good way. She brings a lot of lightness and fun to the atmosphere, without ever being truly annoying or overbearing. Chiaki, on the other hand, is not really a people person. It's pretty obvious that he has a hard time putting his feelings into words. He's almost always either looking gloomy or extremely focused. So, together the two make a very nice, entertaining balance. The whole "OH BOY, these two people are opposites but are somehow falling for each other!" concept is by no means original, but this show pulls it off so well that you barely notice.
There's a pretty large and colorful cast of side characters as well! There are quite a few new names in the second half of the show, so try to stay focused and match names to faces or you may get a little mixed up.
The only thing that hurts this section for me is that, at times, Chiaki can come off as a bit of an asshole. I know he's stressed, and is a very closed-off person, BUT COME ON BE NICE DAMN IT. Don't get me wrong, though. I know he means well. Overall, all the characters were great.
Characters - 9/10
~Plot~
The plot was hugely important in making this show a 10 for me. Many romance shows (particularly 24-episode ones) tend to be extremely predictable, and also pretty darn slow. Here's a graph I made to show how these shows normally work:
http://i.imgur.com/bKu4cXU.png
Usually, you can see that middle arc of despair coming from a mile away, and when you're IN it, you know it's going to take absolutely forever to clear up. That's what happens when you try to fill 24 episodes with nothing but petty ridiculous relationship drama.
In the best anime romances of all time, it's almost impossible to draw a simple graph. There are so many side-stories and captivating situations happening that you don't even notice the time passing. A good example of that style of storytelling is Clannad. This show felt very similar in that respect. I never knew what was coming next, the drama never dragged on, and everything just felt right. When the drama does come, it's beautiful, but clear and realistic. I couldn't ask for more from the plot. The excellent comedy is just icing on the cake.
Plot - 10/10
~Enjoyment~
I've been HUGE on listening to and creating music for as long as I can remember, so the themes and dramatic concepts that revolved around music really resounded with me. I ended up watching this whole show in one sitting, which is very rare for me. If I could give this section an 11, I would.
Enjoyment - 10/10
~Overall~
If you're looking for mature and realistic romance, don't pass this one up. In this case, "mature" certainly doesn't mean dull and colorless. There are countless lighthearted and silly moments thrown into the drama to make this a show you'll never forget. While the art may not be spectacular, the beauty of everything else overshadows that shortcoming twice over. Even if you're a bit skeptical, give this show a try. The first episode alone will likely be enough to reel you in and never let you go.
Overall - 10/10
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Sep 7, 2014
Nodame Cantabile
(Anime)
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Nodame Cantabile is a mature and beautiful romance (with some surprisingly silly and lighthearted moments) that somehow manages to avoid most of the annoying clichés!
LET'S GET INTO IT. ~Art~ The art was probably this show's weakest point. Most of the time, it was just....ADEQUATE. Whenever someone is playing an instrument, the art changes to a 3D/CG style to better show the precise movements. While the piano-playing, for example, WAS impressively accurate and intricate-looking in this style, the change was noticeable and a bit jarring. Also, some angles just didn't work as well as others. Though, you also have ... 
Sep 4, 2014
Kiniro Mosaic
(Anime)
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First review!
Overall, not a bad show, but not a fantastic one either. Let's get into it! ~Art & Sound~ VERY cute/moe/sparkle-y art. Nothing breathtaking, but no real problems. Has some cute moments in alternate art styles. OP and ED were pretty good, but nothing really special. Not much to comment on. However, it is worth noting that sometimes, the ED would randomly play, like, 8 minutes into the episode. Then there'd be ~13 more minutes of content after it, and THEN the episode would end. It was weird. Why did they do this? WHO KNOWS. Both Art and Sound ... |
