[Anime] / [Live Action] Nodame Cantabile (のだめカンタービレ)

[Anime] / [Live Action] Nodame Cantabile (のだめカンタービレ)

Image sources: http://www.eversky.org/?p=262 & the ost cd

Summary (taken from wiki):

Megumi Noda, or “Nodame” is a piano student at Momogaoka College of Music. An extremely talented pianist who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, she prefers playing by ear rather than reading the music score. She is messy and disorganized, takes baths several days apart and loves to eat, sometimes stealing her friend’s lunchbox when it is filled with delicacies.

Shinichi Chiaki, is Momogaoka’s top student. Born into a musical family, he is talented in piano and violin and has secret ambitions to become a conductor. An arrogant multi-lingual perfectionist who once lived abroad in the music capitals of the world as a young boy (namely Prague), he is trapped in Japan because in his childhood, he was in both boat and airplane accidents, and is now terrified of planes and boats.

They meet by accident. Nodame quickly falls in love, but it takes much longer for Chiaki to even begin to appreciate Nodame’s unusual qualities. Their relationship causes them both to develop and grow. Along the way, they meet some crazy people (like Masumi, Mine, and Stresemann) and make lasting friendships. Because of Nodame, Chiaki got the opportunity to lead a student orchestra and begins to have a broader appreciation of people's musical abilities. Because of Chiaki, Nodame faces her fears and enters a piano competition. Opportunities open up as both begin taking risks, stretching themselves far more than they ever thought possible.

If you're looking for the boy-meets-girl-they-fall-in-love kind of story, then you're watching the wrong show. Nodame Cantabile is very far from being typical. The character whose name is the source of the series' title actually shares the limelight with the male protagonist. Nodame is very different from the cool, always-composed, beautiful girls of other shows (she is actually quite a pervert); while Chiaki, although could be comparable to angsty, cool type of male character found in other shows, feels very human - he has phobias, smokes, and is short-tempered. It is this quality of the series that drew me in, aside from the fact that the OST is good (classical music + wonderful opening and ending songs, in the anime). Nodame Cantabile is very funny, never boring, and not quite predictable. Each character has its own quirks and depth, the storyline is well-thought of, and was directed wonderfully.

Definitely a must-watch!

See the an excerpt of the live action and the anime, respectively: