Nodame Cantabile
 

http://content.imagesocket.com/thumbs/1123384a.jpg

Genre: Josei, Comedy

Expected Release Date: January, 2007

Website: http://www.nodame-anime.com/

This show is based on a award winning manga by Tomoko Ninomiya. The production company is J.C.Staff. Neosam has a nice post on this show along with manga covers in his New announced anime thread. Synopsis is taken from anidb:

Shinichi Chiaki is the top piano student at his university and an excellent violinist, but Chiaki doesn`t care about playing these instruments as much as he dreams of someday being a conductor. Chiaki, however, has several deeply rooted fears about traveling, and so finds himself "trapped" in Japan. Because he`s trapped, Chiaki starts to question exactly how far he can possibly go in music, especially when he`s passed over again and again for others he thinks are less worthy of musical scholarship and fame.

Recently dumped by his girlfriend for a "sausage" looking fellow, passed over for a chance to go overseas, removed from his star spot in the piano competition because he walked out on his piano instructor, Chiaki is at his limit. This is when he meets Nodame, or Megumi Noda. Nodame is a free — if filthy — spirit who reminds Chiaki that music can be fun. She reminds him what drew him to be a conductor in the first place and, in learning how to deal with Nodame, Chiaki learns how to deal with others. Chiaki begins to realize what is possible for him, even on the tiny island of Japan.

For Nodame, Chiaki is everything she isn`t. Clean, neat, dedicated, studious and inherently arrogant about his accomplishments and capabilities, Chiaki constantly bullies her into being more serious about life. He sees potential in her and her abilities as a pianist that she doesn`t care about. She loves Chiaki and wants to be with him, but, because she`s not serious about her piano studies nor her personal hygiene, Chiaki denies her affections again and again.

But Chiaki and Nodame complete each other in ways no other can, a musical compliment that neither of them can completely escape entirely. Watching them grow as people and musicians, and even as a couple, is an interesting ride.

I cannot wait. I absolutely adore the manga and cannot wait for the anime version.

Nodame Cantabile anime official site
 

The official website for the Nodame Cantabile anime is up.

I thought the synopsis of this looked familiar, apparantly the first episode of the live action of this has just been released in japan, it seems pretty faithful to what is said in the synopsis. Just watched it and is really interesting, will follow the anime when its released

Volume 16 of the josei manga Nodame Cantabile got out this month (October 2006).

The cover of volume 16 can be viewed in this post with the rest of the covers ^^

From looking at the covers, I'm starting to think that Nodame will play a different musical instrument in every episodes. The number of episodes are listed in AniDB as 23, so that's 23 different instrument!!? Looking forward to it! Thanks NeoSam! ;)

I've added the url in the opening post. Thank you very much!

Despite what the covers show, I believe Nodame only plays one instrument (the piano). At least as of where the US manga is (volume 6) I've never seen her play a different instrument. Part of the show is that her piano playing is more of an instinctive talent than a skill. I think they show her with different instruments on the cover of each volume because she's part of an orchestra, but she's the title character. So they just show her with a different instrument rather than showing different members of the orchestra.

It's funny because when I first started reading, I thought she was going to play a bunch of different instruments too. :)

Is that trailer about anime that Nodame watches in manga?
The show itself should be total riot, think classical music fueled H&C that's kinda less 'emo' and more 'funny', can't wait to see Chiaki-sama freaking out over Nodame's clumsiness in animated form :D.

I saw the first episode of the live drama and I absolutely cannot wait to see this animated! The anime would definitely be awesome if it's anything like that - I'm so in love with the orchestral pieces. Since it's going to replace Hataraki Man on the NOITAMINA slot, my expectations just doubled (this is bad..). :heh:

Nodame Cafe, lol.
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/271/jtfhr0.th.jpg http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/3...6447ny1.th.jpg http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/2...7286ty2.th.jpg http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4...7344bd7.th.jpg

By the way, I seem to get a lot of people thinking hentai thoughts when I mention "Nodame". :D

Whoa! It's Noitamina! I have got to pay better attention to what is going to be airing in that slot. (I usually only bother to find out after the last show ended.) My interest in Nodame Cantabile just skyrocketed.

Gasp! New Noitamina slot show!

I've heard a lot about this and hear it has an amazing story, so I guess I will check it out. I've lazily avoided it until now because the art and heroine didn't appeal to me, but with J.C.Staff behind the wheel it definitely has potential.

And La Corda d'Oro has made my appreciation for music-appreciation shows go way up. :D

I wonder what Nodame Cafe is like...

Nodame Cantabile anime cast announced in Kiss
 

According to this post on the 2ch thread, Nodame Cantabile no Seiyuu ni Tsuite Katarou (Let's Talk About the Voice Actors for Nodame Cantabile)...

Nodame Cantabile Cast

Character : Seiyuu

Nodame [Noda Megumi] : Kawasumi Ayako
Chiaki [Shin'ichi] : Seki Tomokazu
Milch [Franz von Stresemann] : Ogawa Shinji
Mine [Ryuutarou] : Kawada Shinji
[Okuyama] Masumi : Fujita Yoshinobu
[Takaya] Saiko : Nabatame Hitomi

A few hours ago, I added the above names to the Japanese cast on the Anime News Network Encylopedia entry for Nodame Cantabile (TV).

In regard to Nodame Cantabile, the manga and the live action television drama series have performed well, which can only help the anime. For NANA and DEATH NOTE, the popular successes of the manga and the live action movies almost certainly have helped the anime versions of those titles.

Noitamina's REALLY consistent with showing quality stuff. :D

I'm so looking forward to the anime. The live action drama is so addictive and I love it. (It's probably the only drama based on manga that I like.) The timing is also just perfect for the anime to come right after the drama. Surely the drama won't be able to cover everything (and probably won't show some kind of ending). And so the anime probably will be able to fill in and carry on a bit longer (at least enough for me to see Chiaki and Nodame's relationship getting more concrete.)

I don't think it's just a good timing. I believe they intentionally scheduled the drama and anime close to each other. Both drama and anime are on Fuji TV. And both are using the Nodame Orchestra, especially formed for these shows. (http://www.nodame-orche.com/)

As for what the anime will cover, I'm very curious. The drama is slated for 11 episodes. Episode 1 was 1.5 hr special. I wouldn't be surprised they did the same for the final episode too. That's like having 12 1-hr episodes. Compare that to the anime version, which is slated for 23 30-minute episodes IIRC. If anime starts at the beginning, then it's just the right amount to cover just the same materials, just presented differently.

My guess is that the drama will go as far as...

Gak, spoiler tags please - I'm not that far in the manga yet. :(

Well, the Live drama and the manga are very different, not in the sense of plot but the emphases. I know some of you are very impressed by the Live series and scenes like S sym's first performance (so do I -- I think it's great too) but the point the manga trying to make is quite different in a sense -- it doesnt have much love story (though the Chinese translation of the title is VERY MISLEADING) but developments of future professional musicians. I know some of you didnt read the original manga but are following the Live series may now rub your hands for the anime in Jan, but be prepared: the ambiences are VERY different.

The original manga is A LOT more about music, and the interaction b/w nodame and her piano is one of the two major highlights. The TV is a lot more comedy oriented, and just from the choice of cast (cough) alone can tell.

In my opinion, quality of music is the most important aspect to how I will judge this anime. Those who has seen my comment on Garten's Blog "Memento" already knows why I thought the music in the drama was special or a dud. The manga is about developement of professional musicians, thus most of the jokes and poignant moments cannot be conveyed without the 'correct' music. Getting the 'right' music is doable, but it will going to cost the anime producers a lot of money in loyalties to Deutsche Gramaphonn and EMI recordings. I do not see what other elements from the manga would be able to generate broad public attention that is important for commercial success of the anime series. The live drama has raised the barin music, in my opinion, and if the anime fails to hurdle even higher musical bars, many people who watches it because of the music wil be very disappointed: From what I am hearing from Japan and Korea, where there are more fans of the drama who has never read the manga than who has read it, quality of the music was quoted as the biggest draw to the drama.

I have not seen live action since Gokusan 1 and Hana Yori Dango but after seeing how people rave about Nodame Cantabile, I went and watched episode 1 and fell in love with the music in the show.

The live action is definately high budget stuff. Like everyone else said already the music is beautiful.

I hope the anime can match the live action in terms of music. If it can I am definately watching it.

The cast for the show is pretty rad.

It goes without saying that I will be following it religiously.