Nodame Cantibile – Finale's, er, finale is uncertain, with things left up in the air while also trying to give us some closure for the side characters. The manga's creator, Tomoko Ninomiya, fell victim to some physical ailments, not to mention pregnancy, and you get the feeling that later, sporadic efforts to continue the series … Continue reading Two more finales: Nodame, Hanamaru
Cross Game 49 is indeed excruciating to watch. You may think, well, it's a sports show, so it has to end with victory, but this series has as many letdowns as triumphs. There would be a certain beauty to it if Seishuu loses, and Kou, Aoba and Akaishi don't realize their dream of playing in … Continue reading Cross Game 49, Nodame 10, Letter Bee 23
The last episode of Nodame Cantabile confused the heck out of me, until I learned on this site what the music they used at the end was. Faust! Ah! A Faustian bargain with Stresemann! Now it makes sense! However, I'm not sure what the devil has to do with the events that unfolded in ep9. … Continue reading Nodame 9, Letter Bee 22
Nodame Cantabile 7 pushes little plot pieces around while playing with a theme of challenges, not necessarily overcoming them, but getting prepared for the bigger ones that must follow. For Nodame, newly motivated but still stung by Rui's getting to do the Ravel with Chiaki (that sounds dirty), it's a challenge that the Beethoven piece … Continue reading Nodame Cantabile 7-8
Nodame Cantabile 6 is one of the sweeter and more focused ones, but it starts as a near-disaster for our couple. Chiaki hadn't told Nodame that he'd be performing her beloved Ravel concerto with Rui. And though he keeps meaning to tell her, she finds out from someone else first. The rest of the episode … Continue reading Nodame 6, Baka to Test 8
Nodame Cantabile 5 brings Tanya and Yun to a crisis, and drags Yasunori into it as well. It's all because of those damn concours. Now, I've participated in some artistic contests in the past, and they never made any sense to me. To perform art under the pressure of competition goes contrary to the art … Continue reading Nodame 5, Fairy Tail 16
Nodame Cantabile 4, first thing, takes care of the Chiaki lying to Nodame business. To my surprise, Chiaki is contrite. He explains it all truthfully, begs forgiveness, takes a little abuse from Nodame (who's too surprised at his behavior to get too mad), and all is mostly forgiven. Then the next morning she turns the … Continue reading Nodame 4, Letterbee 17
