Nodame Cantabile: Finale

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Grifis

Their priorities are different. The way I see it is before Chiaki, Nodame was about music.

Wrong. Chiaki's the one who made her consider music as a real career. She wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and play music for small children, not perform for adult music enthusiasts.

[Grifis]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Chiaki prioritising his music over Nodame has nothing to do with the different between male and female. This is all about Chiaki's father.

I really didn't have the impression that Chiaki put Nodame on the top of his list (after seeing the way he decided things.)
When I'm talking about male and female, I was thinking of real life situations (the most likely cases.)

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Wrong. Chiaki's the one who made her consider music as a real career. She wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and play music for small children, not perform for adult music enthusiasts.

Before Chiaki, Nodame was all about music = before meeting Chiaki and without his influence, her gravitation toward music was purely the love for music.

After Chiaki, Nodame was all about Chiaki = after meeting Chiaki and fell in love with him, influenced by him her decisions of going further into music was mostly because of him.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Grifis

Before Chiaki, Nodame was all about music = before meeting Chiaki and without his influence, her gravitation toward music was purely the love for music.

After Chiaki, Nodame was all about Chiaki = after meeting Chiaki and fell in love with him, influenced by him her decisions of going further into music was mostly because of him.

Her love for music's never been pure. It's only recently she's started turning that way.

Before, music was just part of her dream to be surrounded by kids and have fun with them. The only reason she attended a music college is that she was pressured into it because of her talent. To her, it was a detour. Meeting Chiaki added "being Chiaki's wife" to her dream, but it didn't really change her rapport to music. It was shallow before, it was shallow after.

[Kirarakim]

I also was not too happy with Chiaki going off with his teacher in episode 3. Partially I understand because we all know how much seeing his teacher meant to Chiaki but he promised Nodame and obviously this performance was very important to her. Not to mention now that he connected with his teacher I am sure Chiaki could have explained where he was going and they could have arranged to connect again. And yes I do agree Chiaki (without meaning to) is becoming more like his father.

But then I don't think Nodame is perfect either. For example getting upset at Chiaki because he improved so much without her. I understand her feelings but it's not Chiaki's fault.

Overall as much as I love both Nodame & Chiaki they both have issues. Although frustrating as these issues are at times I can't really complain because I find them very realistic and not just dramatic for dramatic sake. But then at other times as much as I love Nodame/Chiaki I do sometimes wonder are they really right for each other?

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Overall as much as I love both Nodame & Chiaki they both have issues. Although frustrating as these issues are at times I can't really complain because I find them very realistic and not just dramatic for dramatic sake. But then at other times as much as I love Nodame/Chiaki I do sometimes wonder are they really right for each other?

I've never been convinced they were right for each other. I'm thinking ahead a decade to when Chiaki might in fact become a world-renowned conductor. What will Nodame be? If she were to become a noted pianist, that would mean traveling the world, often apart from Chiaki, and often apart from her kids. I could see Nodame being very torn between her love for and devotion to her family and the demands of a professional career. I worry that in a future such as that, Chiaki would lose interest in her and have affairs with women who combine beauty and passion for music like Rui. Is the relationship between Chiaki's parents (divorced, I'll remind you) the one Megumi and Shinichi would have as a married couple?

Don't you think he treated Rui especially rudely on the walk home from the restaurant? He continued to walk quickly and left her following behind (in a parody of traditional Japanese gender roles?), then sent her on her way. He could have walked her home. (Rui observes that they don't live that far apart.) Was this just Chiaki's natural haughtiness in action, or did he sense Rui's potential romantic attraction to him and try to nip it in the bud? Was this some loyalty to whatever he has with Nodame, or just his inability to tell Rui honestly that he wasn't likely to see her in that way? (Or, worse, does he potentially see her that way and fears what the consequences of pursuing those feelings would be for Nodame?)

I agree with Ascaloth; this was one of the best of Kon's episodes so far. There's a lot going on just below the surface even though there's the usual profusion of over-the-top scenes like Rui's sudden infatuation and later abandonment. Nodame Cantabile never has the subtlety of animation found in a show like Cross Game, but there was still a lot left unsaid by Kon and the mangaka for us to chew on here. (And, please, manga readers, don't give us any hints about the future. I really don't want to know anything about where this is going. It's too much fun to watch and speculate on these events as they happen.)

I don't recall feeling this way about the Paris episodes.

Oh, one more thing. I felt very proud for Nodame in this episode. She really maintained her professionalism in the face of horrible disappointment. I don't entirely fault Chiaki, though. Having the chance to spend time with his idol after thirteen years of separation was just too compelling. It does underscore that self-absorption we've seen so many times before, though. He could have made an appointment to see Viera the next day, for instance. Yet when faced with having to choose between his own needs and those of Nodame, he put himself first as he always does.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I've never been convinced they were right for each other. I'm thinking ahead a decade to when Chiaki might in fact become a world-renowned conductor. What will Nodame be? If she were to become a noted pianist, that would mean traveling the world, often apart from Chiaki, and often apart from her kids. I could see Nodame being very torn between her love for and devotion to her family and the demands of a professional career. I worry that in a future such as that, Chiaki would lose interest in her and have affairs with women who combine beauty and passion for music like Rui. Is the relationship between Chiaki's parents (divorced, I'll remind you) the one Megumi and Shinichi would have as a married couple?

I don't know if it'd be worse or better. Chiaki's mother isn't a musician herself. She's some kind of patron. Useful at the start of Chiaki's dad's career, not so much once he'd made it to the top.

OTOH, I see Chiaki's love for music as deep and enduring. Which could mean either that he'd stay faithful to a world-renowned pianist Nodame, or that he'd sleep with any talented diva out there.

Don't you think he treated Rui especially rudely on the walk home from the restaurant? He continued to walk quickly and left her following behind (in a parody of traditional Japanese gender roles?), then sent her on her way. He could have walked her home. (Rui observes that they don't live that far apart.) Was this just Chiaki's natural haughtiness in action, or did he sense Rui's potential romantic attraction to him and try to nip it in the bud?

I don't think so. That would require him to be sensitive, perceptive of other people's emotions.

Was this some loyalty to whatever he has with Nodame, or just his inability to tell Rui honestly that he wasn't likely to see her in that way? (Or, worse, does he potentially see her that way and fears what the consequences of pursuing those feelings would be for Nodame?)

None of that keeps him from going out with Yun Long when he's bored. I think Rui just caught him at a bad time.

[Shiroth]

Spoiler for Episode 04:

Another fantastic paced episode. It's been like this for three episodes on the go now, so i'm hoping that the rest of the season will be like this.

First half between Nodame and Chiaki was classic as always, and the second part which focused on Tanya was rather interesting, because i rather liked where her development was going in the second season. Add a little bit of Kuroki, and it was pretty good. Especially that kiss scene at the end.

[Kirarakim]

Spoiler for Episode 4:

Well this episode was much nicer for Chiaki/Nodame. At least he came in and apologized and Nodame did seem to understand & appreciate his reasons. I also love when she chided him for being drunk. His reaction was priceless. lol

And despite Chiaki putting music ahead of Nodame quite often this episode did demonstrate he really does care for her. He wouldn't be getting jealous if he didn't. Although it is funny that you see Chiaki's arrogance come through when he is like of course it's just a kid.

It was also sweet that Chiaki wanted to share his teacher's music with Nodame because it's something special to him. And I think it's important that he specifically wanted to share it with her.

It's a shame how much these two are separated but at least Nodame now works hard on her music even without Chiaki.

And I loved the Tanya/Kuroki moments. Tanya giving a sleeping Kuroki a kiss reminded me of Nodame doing the same to Chiaki in season 1. <3

[Ascaloth]

Watched Episode 4.

So, they skipped out....

Spoiler for manga:

the Vienna trip with Miki Kiyora

, but that's fine, since it doesn't contribute that much to the main storyline anyway. There's a better chance to catch up with

Spoiler for manga:

the Japan bunch

coming up anyway, so no big loss there. I just hope they don't cut that, too....


Anyway, as to the episode itself, the pacing is not bad, once again. It's only not as good as the previous episode because it focuses mainly on the Paris bunch of side characters, which was pretty much the same ground as the manga had anyway. Still, not taking anything away from it, this is also quite a good episode by Kon's standards for the Nodame franchise.

[Kanon]

I'm really enjoying this season so far. The pacing seems fine to me, but I haven't read the manga so I can't comment much on it. But I still miss the japanese characters ... and the domestic violence. I loved those scenes

Seeing Chiaki drunk in episode 4 was very fun, as was seeing him jealous. And Nodame was hilarious as always. I never cared much for Tanya but I'm starting to like her after this episode, she isn't as bad as I thought.

[CWW]

Episode 4 was all kinds of awesome. Jealous Chiaki and Tanya are a sight to behold.

I don't remember her and Kuroki playing a duet though. Did that happen in season 2 or did they just reel a couple of shots of Kuroki and Tanya playing respectively the oboe and the piano? If it's the former, I can more easily understand Tanya's feelings, especially the part where she said she liked him for his oboe, not his looks.

Also, that new girl sounds like Haruka Tomatsu. I could be wrong though.

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by CWW

I don't remember her and Kuroki playing a duet though. Did that happen in season 2 or did they just reel a couple of shots of Kuroki and Tanya playing respectively the oboe and the piano? If it's the former, I can more easily understand Tanya's feelings, especially the part where she said she liked him for his oboe, not his looks.

I think it was during Nodame's Mozart concert. If I remember correctly it was after Nodame's concert. They all dressed up in period clothes and I think Tanya played the piano, Kuroki the oboe and Chiaki the violin. This is also when Tanya started to fall for Kuroki.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by CWW

Also, that new girl sounds like Haruka Tomatsu. I could be wrong though.

Yeah you are, it was Itou Kanae.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

I think it was during Nodame's Mozart concert. If I remember correctly it was after Nodame's concert. They all dressed up in period clothes and I think Tanya played the piano, Kuroki the oboe and Chiaki the violin. This is also when Tanya started to fall for Kuroki.

Just after, for the Roux-Marlet audition. Tanya was his accompanist.

[aliensporebomb]

I'm beginning to be a little puzzled by Auclair Sensei.

Spoiler:

His teaching methods with Nodame seem to be largely about music but his methods
with Rui are largely not.

The reaction from the ladies at the salon party about him: is there something about Auclair we don't know or is he just a little eccentric and/or the "Yoda" of piano instruction in that part of the world?

It seems in the case of Rui he wants her to focus on things that aren't necessarily
musical, in the case of Nodame he wants her to get a wider grasp of many composers.

And, it seems that he doesn't want her to progress too far too quickly. For some
obvious and some not-so-obvious reasons.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by aliensporebomb

I'm beginning to be a little puzzled by Auclair Sensei.


His teaching methods with Nodame seem to be largely about music but his methods
with Rui are largely not.

They're very different people and what they lack as performers is very different.

Rui is technically perfect, but generally boring. Her life's been nothing but music since she was a kid, so all she ends up expressing with her music is music. Nodame's the opposite. Plenty of technical problems, but she's always saying something. (Even if that something can be pretty damn weird.) Too much. She puts so much of herself she ends up blotting out the composer entirely.

(Well, those are exaggerations. Rui's not a robot, and Nodame'd started correcting her problems back in Japan already. But they're both works in progress.)

The reaction from the ladies at the salon party about him: is there something about Auclair we don't know or is he just a little eccentric and/or the "Yoda" of piano instruction in that part of the world?

Maybe he's got a dark secret... or maybe they just trust his judgment far more than their own. He is, after all, a famous piano instructor.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by aliensporebomb

I'm beginning to be a little puzzled by Auclair Sensei.

Spoiler:

His teaching methods with Nodame seem to be largely about music but his methods
with Rui are largely not.

He's not really teaching Rui. He can tell she's just fulling around. She went to Paris because she was escaping from her music.

Originally Posted by aliensporebomb

Spoiler:

The reaction from the ladies at the salon party about him: is there something about Auclair we don't know or is he just a little eccentric and/or the "Yoda" of piano instruction in that part of the world?

He's really Yoda, so the ladies knew not to interfere.

Originally Posted by aliensporebomb

Spoiler:

And, it seems that he doesn't want her to progress too far too quickly.

Spoiler:

The opposite actually. Nodame's training is ultra rushed. He just doesn't want her to compete before she's ready. That would end up being a distraction.

[aliensporebomb]

Looks like the next episode is covering Tanya's progression from a girl with talent who didn't apply herself to someone who seems to be rapidly putting more and more effort into her practice and actually getting somewhere.

I'm digging these.

Yeah, I can't wait for the inevitable spinoff:

Spoiler:

"Sun Rui Cantabile."

Lol.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Episode four rescued this series for me. Or maybe I just finally began to get it. But the subtleties of all the interactions, as well as the hints of some positive romantic development(s), got me back on track. Every moment counted and was interesting. Now I'm really looking forward to ep5.

[aliensporebomb]

The closing credits foreshadow interesting developments:

Spoiler:

Tanya at first sitting looking uncertain, obviously at the piano in front of an audience,
Tanya from behind wearing a fancy gown facing an audience after standing up from the piano,
Tanya looking happy at the audience reaction,
An enraged Kuroki-kun shocking Chiaki and Runlong,
A depressed Nodame,
Chiaki on the phone under the covers as if being awakened from a sound sleep,
An overjoyed Nodame bursting thru the doors at Chiaki's new place,
Chiaki's face being overwhelmed by a golden light and him looking overwhelmed..
and the very end....I'll leave that to you to watch!