Look at that duo. Dancing with the Stars doesn’t have anything on these two.
Spanning twenty-three manga volumes, a two volume sequel, three anime seasons, two live-action series and two live-action films, Nodame Cantabile follows the musical careers of one Shinichi Chikai & Megumi Noda (lovingly referred to as “Nodame”) at the Momogaoka College of Music. Written by Tomoko Ninomiya, Nodame Cantabile is a powerful slice-of-life manga of the Josei genre that has the amazing ability to transpose the beauty of music into print form. It also hosts one of the most dysfunctional and manzai-themed(also known as the Boke-Tsukkomi routine) relationships in any manga I’ve read in my entire life.
If it wasn’t played for giggles, this would be the easiest domestic abuse/assult/stalking case ever.
Being born of a higher class, musically inclined family, Chikai’s early childhood was spent abroad in cities and countries that were also the birthplaces of classical music, such as Prague. As a result, by the time Chikai made it to Momogaoka, he easily had the skills to be top dog on campus. Great skill with the violin and the piano, a culinary force to be reckoned with when serious, handsome and popular with the ladies, and the ego and arrogance of a man who knows no better – he had it all. Or so we would like to believe. He actually harbors the desire to be a famous conductor just like his idol Sebastiano Viera. After enraging and insulting his piano teacher, getting dumped by his girlfriend and drinking himself into a stupor, he groggily finds himself among piles of garbage and who-knows-what. Yet the only thing on his mind is not the questionable substances he has been sleeping in, but the mesmerizing Beethoven’s Piano Sonata he hears and the person playing it.
Thus begins the first of many meetings with the childlike, slightly inane pianist, Nodame. She is a slob, lacking basic cooking and hygiene skills, and her personality would wear any sane person down. She is also a genius in her own right, with the innate ability to play almost any song she has heard to near perfection, even if she heard it only once before. (Reminds you of another female prodigy, right?) While not born into the same standards as Chikai, Nodame had great musical talent at a young age. Due to an incident in her childhood, she strives to become a kindergarten teacher instead of a professional pianist. Her piano style reflects this – haphazard and whimsical to a fault, yet filled with rich, captivating tones. It is Nodame’s music that spurs Chikai to try and grasp at his dream to become a famous conductor. At the same time, the music Chikai creates stirs something in Nodame that she hasn’t felt in a long time: Ambition? Fame? Aspiration? Adoration? If only she knew…
I think we can safely add lust and delirium to that list at this point.
Nodame Cantabile is actually well known in Japan, if my previously mentioned credentials are anything to go by. What makes this manga so strong? Let us tackle the two main points: characters and music, starting with the characters and characterization. This story tends to have a high character count when you take into account the type of story being written. As a result, there is a substantial turnover rate when new plots come up, while other characters rapidly lose their prominence. That being said, the development of the remaining characters is done in such a way that you can’t help but be engrossed by them.
Chikai starts out as an arrogant prick, but we learn that his arrogance belies his desire and passion for conducting, which also adds to his stock when he demands the same high level of skill from his orchestras that he would expect from himself. Nodame’s whimsical nature in piano and in life may be comedic, but it speaks of her own uncertainty about the way she wants to pursue music when enthralled by the sounds that she hears from others. The relationship between the characters themselves also keeps a fresh look on the story as a whole while retaining the entertainment value of the classical music. Having Nodame completely ruin a serious discussion on Chopin would normally be detrimental to a story like this. But take into account her penchant for manzai comedy in everyday situations, and you end up with a chuckle while understanding the musical message. This brings us to the next point - the music.
Nodame Cantabile’s real pull is that it takes such a dry, somewhat heavy-handed subject – classical music – and makes it interesting and engaging for the reader. It speaks of the author’s skill to take such an oratory subject and be able to communicate its beauty, strength and emotion through a soundless medium. The classical music enhances the art, characters and story as a whole, while at the same time the art, characters and comedic story keeps the theme of classical music interesting and engaging to the reader. When I see Chikai and an orchestra perform Beethoven, Nodame playing Chopin on the piano or Stresemann conducting Mozart, I can’t help but get pulled into the feeling of the music being played. Understanding the feelings of the musicians involved; the emotions of the piece being played; the wistful, soulful art style; the awestruck looks of the audience listening on – all of these combine to give you a surreal sense of how powerful the music really is. And all of this is accomplished with just words and pictures! The entire bit can be enhanced just by having said musical pieces playing as you are reading those scenes.
No, that isn’t confetti floating in the air. No, those musicians aren’t under the influence. Those guys are blowing flower petals. OF SOUND.
With the series officially completed, Nodame Cantabile is a must read for those who are musically inclined, or those who enjoy a straight man/idiot routine. And who knows, maybe you’ll learn the fart dance too.
