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Nodame Cantabile Paris Review

Gah, it's done! At the start, I was apprehensive because of the high blogging attrition rate for this series. IIRC common complaints were that the original material was butchered, the pacing was rushed/spotty and that the plot development was aimless. Having been amply forewarned, I somehow managed to overcome the first obstacle by not reading the manga, skipped lightly over the second by marathoning the show in a whole day sitting (rewatching it a second time at leisure to make the episodic blogging) and then reading the manga all the way to its most current scanlated chapter to drill through the heavens of the last big barrier.

Characters

I was initially worried about Shinichi and Nodame's relationship seemed to have been reset but it became clear to me that they were clearer closer though not as close as either would like; Nodame not getting any named confirmation of their romantic status and the latter still frustrated with not being able to understand why she plays so haphazardly despite her monstrous talent. They did have their tender moments but as this phase was still very much a transitional one, we couldn't get enough satisfaction and settlement which comes only very late in the manga. While I'm glad Frank faded out, I grew to like Tanya much more than I had ever hoped, especially given the terrible impression she left from the first episode.

Story

In retrospect, the anime did cut out quite a bit of manga material though butchering is a tad too strong a condemnation. Though watching it week by week could have produced a very different view. Likewise a close comparison with the manga which I latterly used to 'fill in the blanks' rather than see as a standard that the anime had to adhere to (difficult given the constraints of that medium). It meandered somewhat but it was working towards an aim, building on the first season and building up for the next. The episode structure conveyed the trials, tribulations and eventual triumphs of Nodame and Shinichi as indivudals (golden couple is still way off):

Ep 1 - Arrival in Paris, culture shock and new friends.
Ep 2 - The conducting competition and Jean as a rival for Shinichi
Ep 3 - The return of Stresemann and NxS separation
Ep 4 - Nodame gets over her funk, exerts some independence from Shinichi
Ep 5 - Hints of Shinichi's troubled relationship with his father, NxS first big fight and makeup
Ep 6 - Rui arrives as a rival and Other for Nodame, Shinichi learns that the Marlet is in bad shape
Ep 7 - The Marlet is in really bad shape and the mid-tier professional classic world too
Ep 8 - Rui departs, Shinichi excavates history, Auclair's Eureka moment on how to Nodame
Ep 9 - Nodame's rapprochement with Mozart, the beginning of Yasunori x Tanya
Ep 10 - Success of Nodame's recital
Ep 11 - Success of Shinichi's Marlet revival step one

Look and Feel

Much complaining (e.g. by Garten) about the lack of animation of the orchestra playing in the first season. But apparently the new tech was found wanting too - be careful what you wish for is apparently the morale of the story; I am always LOL at how those cried for more Mashiro in the Mai HiME sequel were aghast at the version of Mashiro that was duly lavished plenty of screentime in Otome. LOLOLOLOL *wipes away tears of LOL* Personally I was fine with season one's style of close-ups and stills - my imagination still works after all.

Kawasumi Ayako continues to shine as Nodame, happily it was less via Nodame vocabulary and more via a wider emotional and professional range. I'm always partial to Shizuka Itou so it was probably my fandom that allowed me to pass over Tanya's many faults as a character and hold on until the backstory and motivational engine was conveyed to engage me via sympathy and empathy gears.

Judgment:

Not a strong sequel but the great first season was a tough act to follow. It might have worked better if the series could have been made in a single shot (e.g. the masterfully planned and executed 75 episodes of Hikaru no Go). Still it managed to get the job and even stood up alright to rewatching (though sometimes fandom can fortify one to re-endure even the most unspeakable horrors).

Zyl's Rating: 3/5

Related posts:

1. Nodame Cantabile Paris 01
2. Nodame Cantabile Paris 05
3. Nodame Cantabile Paris 08