Nodame Cantabile

[size=] [/size]Nodame Cantabile (のだめカンタービレ, Nodame Kantābire?) is a manga by Tomoko Ninomiya. It received the 2004 Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo and has been licenced in North America by Del Rey Manga. In Japan it already received two adaptations to TV, a live-action drama which aired in 2006 and an anime series which started airing on January 11, 2007. A game based on the manga was announced for the Nintendo DS, for release in Spring 2007.
Shinichi Chiaki is the top piano student at the Momogaoka College of Music 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 by others he believes less worthy of musical scholarship and fame.
Recently dumped by his girlfriend for a "ham" looking fellow, passed over for a chance to go overseas, and 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 — and filthy — spirit who reminds Chiaki that music can be fun and what drew him to be a conductor in the first place. In learning how to deal with Nodame, Chiaki learns how to deal with others. Chiaki begins to realize what is possible for him, even within the country 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 always denies her affections.
Drawn together in a turbulent relationship, Chiaki's perfectionism and Nodame's untamed nature ends up complementing each other. As the story progresses, they mature as individuals, as musicians and as a couple.
Characters
Shinichi Chiaki (千秋 真一)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki
Japanese Live action actor: Hiroshi Tamaki
The protagonist of the story, Chiaki is twenty-two years old and a 3rd-year piano student at Momogaoka Music Academy. He is an accomplished pianist and violinist, but is also known to be a perfectionist and highly critical of himself and others. While he dreams of studying abroad and becoming a famous conductor like his mentor, Sebastino Viera, he must overcome his traumatic fear of flying and the sea to do so. He quickly develops a sort of empathy with Nodame when he discovers her hidden potential to be a great pianist.
Megumi Noda 野田 恵


Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi
Japanese Live action actor: Juri Ueno
Also known as Nodame (のだめ, Nodame?) which is an abbreviation of her name. Twenty-one year old Noda is a free-spirited 2nd-year music student and a complete slob. Although she cannot cook or clean to the point of having mushrooms grow on her clothes. She is an incredibly talented pianist who primarily plays by ear, in a Cantabile style. In love with Chiaki, she follows him around constantly and leans on him to help her get through sticky situations. She sometimes compulsively needs to play the piano and has been known to neglect everything in order to do it.
Nodame is based on her real-life counterpart with same name.
Ryutaro Mine 峰 龍太郎
Voiced by: Shinji Kawada
Japanese Live action actor: Eita
Masumi Okuyama (奥山 真澄)
Voiced by: Yoshinori Fujita
Japanese Live action actor: Keisuke Koide
Maestro Franz von Stresemann (フランツ・フォン・シュトレーゼマン)
Voiced by: Shinji Ogawa
Japanese Live action actor: Naoto Takenaka
Saiko Tagaya (多賀谷 彩子)
Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame
Japanese Live action actor: Misa Uehara
Sakura Saku (佐久 桜)
Voiced by: Mamiko Noto
Japanese Live action actor: Saeko
Music
Live action
Opening Theme: 1st movement from Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, played by the Nodame Orchestra, conducted by Toshiaki Umeda
Ending Theme: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, played by the Nodame Orchestra, conducted by Toshiaki Umeda
* The Nodame Orchestra consists of members specially selected for the live action drama, and receives professional support from the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.
Anime
Opening Theme: "Allegro Cantabile Sound" by SUEMITSU & THE SUEMITH
Ending Theme 1: "Konna ni Chikaku de..." by Crystal Kay (from Ep. (Lesson) 1 until Ep. (Lesson) 12)
Ending Theme 2: "Sagittarius" by SUEMITSU & THE NODAME ORCHESTRA (from Ep. (Lesson) 13)