plus qu’hier moins que demain

One day in Nihon, sister and I were watching the telly where there was a variety show introducing the J-dorama, Nodame Cantabile.

It seemed interesting so we plugged it as a to-watch show once we return.

Nodame Cantabile:

Shinichi Chiaki [Hiroshi Tamaki], is Momogaoka College of Music’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, he feels mired in Japan because of a childhood phobia.

Megumi Noda [Ueno Juri], 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.

They meet by accident. Noda quickly falls in love, but it takes much longer for Chiaki to even begin to appreciate Noda’s unusual qualities. Their relationship causes them both to develop and grow. Because of Noda, Chiaki got the opportunity to lead a student orchestra and begins to have a broader appreciation of people’s musical abilities. Because of Chiaki, Noda 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.

Oh boy, it is such a hilarious drama!

I can count on one hand the number of shows which have made me laugh out loud so much. Nodame tops the list. Seriously. And I am only on episode 4. I think anime lovers will appreciate this drama more than the average viewer as the live adaptation follows very closely to the anime [especially all the funny expressions on the actors' faces]. In fact, the drama triumphs over the anime because of one important factor - the music.

I have to admit it was the music bit that first caught my attention [no, no, not the male lead, though I'll come to that later]. Dramas with music as part of the storyline have always interest me for some reason. Orange Days, Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake, and now Nodame. I wonder why. Perhaps, secretly, I wish I can play like them people??

When I watch Chiaki and Noda play the piano, I kinda wish I can turn back time and get trained the unconventional way [playing by ear like Noda], than having learnt to play by following and memorising the scores [the way Chiaki did]. Then again, if the Gift is not present, it would be difficult to play by ear. * double * Okay, I’m speaking as though Hiroshi Tamaki really did play all those pieces in Nodame Cantabile. Hur hur. I can’t help it, it seemed so real and is very inspiring. He makes me want to tinker on the ivory keys again. And to pick up the violin which is collecting dust in the corner of my room. Argh.

Now about Hiroshi Tamaki [shucks, far be it from me to gush about actors, but]. 

*start gush.

Hiroshi is sooooo cool and charismatic! Must be all the shirts and coats he was wearing in the drama. And those intense smothering looks he gives when concentrating hard on the music [in the drama, duh]. I didn’t think he was all that good-looking when sister and I were watching the variety show in Nihon, but now… *loves loves*

Takashi Sorimachi lookalike.

Too much make-up, but mmmm… [He has Haru's hair! Wait. Haru looks a bit like him!]

Crow’s feet eyes! Yummier and yummier.

/end gush. 

Go watch the series!

s t a r m | s t January 21st, 2008

• the arty-farty babe , the bimbotic reviewer