Nodame Cantabile Finale

We've often heard the adage that the book is always better than the film/TV series, but how true is that statement? There are many cases where the written work is superior to the adaptation, and the reasons for the sometimes massive differences range from the limits of one's imagination and ability to visualise, to important chunks of plot being left on the cutting room floor.

Sometimes though, the difference between the two is very small....

So, Nodame Cantabile is finally over, and with it we say our collective goodbyes, gyabos and mukyas to the odd couple of the classical world. The aptly named "Finale" follows directly on ... from Paris Chapter, and not much has changed since the end of the second series. Chiaki is still conducting the Marlet orchestra, and they are progressively getting better thanks to him and the concert master. Nodame is also improving thanks to her lessons with Professor Auclair, however she feels that Chiaki is drifting further away from her.

The one thing that has always surprised me about the entirety of Nodame Cantabile is how closely the anime tries to follow the manga, however while the majority of the tale is transposed extremely well, there are occasions where the adaptation only touches on the manga storyline. For the most part the plot in Finale flows rather well and, as with the rest of the series, the music allows one to appreciate the story in a manner that simply isn't possible in the manga. However, if one has read the manga then there may be some confusing occurences in the story, one example of this being the absence/alteration of a huge chunk of storyline from the final two episodes.

For many people the changes in the anime won't be an issue, regardless of whether they've read the manga or not. The story in either form is enjoyable, and while the manga may contain more plot,there are elements of the anime adaptation that more than maks up for the changes.

In terms of design and animation, Finale is very much in the mould of the first two series, something which should come as no surprise since J.C. Staff are responsible for the trilogy (and OVAs of course). Character designs are just as eclectic as they were before, and the European settings are just as good as they were in Paris Chapter. Animation is pretty much on par with the previous series as well, including the dreaded 3D fingers playing the instruments (something which has long divided opinion since it's not the best CG in anime, but is reasonably accurate in its usage). I didn't mind them personally, however they do interrupt the flow of the story a little (while you pause to chuckle at how robotic they are that is).

The star of the show though, as any fan of the series will know, is the music. While Finale may not be as heavy with the classical pieces on display as previous outings, there is enough here to enhance the story and add vibrancy to the series. One thing that I was pleased to hear was the more subtle thematic music used in the series, and many scenes were made without any accompaniment, something which is laudable given the series is top-filled already.

In addition to the quality of music, the acting is also very good throughout the show, but given that the cast is pretty much that of Paris Chapter, this should be no surprise. Seki Tomokazu is in fine form as Chiaki, while Kawasumi Ayako continues to bring out Nodame's oddness and eccentricity.

As far as the characters go, this is probably the weakest of the three series for Nodame and Chiaki. While the cast generally receive a decent amount of development, the overall quality seems a little rushed, especially in the last two episodes. It would have been better if Finale was a 12 or 13 episode series as the bits that have been left out of the manga shed a new light on Chiaki's feelings for Nodame, something that has been hurried in the anime version.

That said, those who have only watched the anime will probably find the characters to be pretty good overall.

Finale is a nice way to end the series as it continues to use the tried and tested formula of the first two seasons - mixing slapstick comedy with classical music. While the show does have some niggling issues that could have been resolved, these shouldn't really cause any major problems with one's enjoyment of the series, even if one has read the manga.

On the whole Nodame Cantabile: Finale is a good addition to the franchise, but not a great one. The somewhat rushed development of the characters during the latter half of the series may annoy some people (those who've read the manga for example), however those who love the show in its entirety will probably be happy enough with the results.

As it is, this is an enjoyable show that rounds off the franchise in a fairly pleasing manner, and if anyone is sad about the series ending, well, the encore has already started.

Nodame Cantabile is truly a master piece because it got you hooked up from the 1st season till the 3rd season ending with beautiful music and awesome storyline it makes a really great anime.

Story: Nodame Cantabile Finale story follows up 2nd season as Nodame and Chiaki struggles between work and their relationship. Meeting people and playing wonderful music with well known musicians from all over the world. As Nodame is becoming better and more popular its time for chiaki to struggle the same way as Nodame struggled in the past.

Art: Calming and beautiful.

Sound: Beautiful classical music... which isn't so popular nowadays but still captures ... you into the story of the song.

Characters: All kinds of characters from 1st season till 3rd season developing really nicely , changing characters and everything else.

Enjoyment:Really Really enjoyable anime especially for music lovers ... because you can hear all kinds of classical music. Without music there is an awesome storyline which starts funny in 1st season and gets more serious over next 2 seasons in 3rd season it concludes and ends without any regrets.

Overall: A perfect anime , calming , funny and romantic without leaving u any regrets.

This may be quite unfair but I really want to rate this show based on all 3 seasons and I am going to do just that.

~~ This is based on my experience after watching S1,S2 + S3 ~~

Where do I begin? Ah. Nodame Cantabile is one of my favourite romance series and that being said, I do watch a lot of romance anime and although I do love the typical 'love at first sight' sort of thing - let's face it. It doesn't always happen in real life and Nodame Cantabile shows love in a realistic setting.

I personally love the "find someone who makes ... you a better you" type of romance because a good partner will always make you a better type of you and in Chiaki x Nodame - it was beautiful. We see the two of them mature as they move along from one stage to another, facing difficulties and learning to accept one another's flaws. It takes a lot of work and that's reality. And I love romance animes when it's real.

Love is a really funny thing. It's really difficult to interpret but I always find that small things really do matter. It's not about the big things that couples have to do - it's the small things that people normally don't really care about.

For example, Chiaki constantly taking care of Nodame - cooking for her, cleaning her room and laundry, etc

That to me, is love at its simplest form.

If you enjoy a series filled with funny characters, amazing classical music and slowly developed romance - then this is definitely the show for you.

It's really a hidden gem.

Nodame Cantabile Finale is the third and final season of the series. This review assumes everyone reading has watched or is at least aware of seasons 1 and 2.

Finale picks up right after season 2, and carries on the plot in the same fast-paced style. The atmosphere changes dramatically, as the series shifts drastically from a music anime with career-focused protagonists to basically a drama anime with occasional short bursts of music.

Honestly, Finale was a massive disappointment for me. The major reason for that was the thrust of Nodame into the sole leading role, to the point of pushing Chiaki to secondary status. ... That means that Nodame gets a lot more screentime, and a lot more time to shine; or not. All seeing even more of Nodame does is accentuate her flaws, which never get resolved throughout the series, and bug the hell out of us with a 'gyabon' or a 'mukya' on every third goddamn word of speech. That was cute character trait when used sparingly, but now that is spammed so much it is just nerve-wracking.

Nodame makes for a terrible protagonist. Her issues with music are not resolved throughout most of the series. Even now, almost 40 episodes later, she still faces the same issue with her playstyle. Mainly, that she is not respecting the score or the people she's playing with, and instead goes off and does her own thing. It's an issue she's known and had highlighted for her since early season 1, but it's still there.

Even her massively successful debut was, in reality, a failure of Nodame's, since she disregarded every rehearsal she'd done with the orchestra so far (in which she kept asking for everyone to move at her own pace) and went off to do her own thing. It was only Stresemann's superb conducting skills that saved the concerto from total disaster, which by rights it should have been. No one will ever hire Nodame. Even assuming they do have someone of Stresemann's caliber on call to save the show after she fucks everything over, why would anyone risk that?

Not to mention, Nodame in season 3 (and 2, to a lesser extent) is a selfish, irresponsible person who's being a dick to everyone around her for no good reason and then cries about her lot in life. Vanishes without a trace for days and weeks, communicates with absolutely no one, making everyone worried sick, gets the best result she could have possibly hoped for, and then is still not satisfied and acts like a dick to Chiaki and even Stresemann.

No, her behavior towards Chiaki in particular has been irritating me during this and even the previous season. In an ironic turn from season 1, it is Nodame that is being thoughtless and ungrateful rather than the other way around. Never answering phones, showing up only when she likes and making it impossible for him to reach her even when he's worried. Hell, making him worried on many occasions when she could have avoided that with a simple message.
That's not the sort of behavior you have towards the man you've been claiming to love for years. That behavior is reserved for people for whose feelings you don't care.
Hell, her friends are asking her direct questions about the same concerns I expressed, and she outright ignores them. Nodame has her head so far down in the sand that only her toes stick out. It's pretty heartbreaking to see this deconstruction of Nodame, especially since season 3 Chiaki is so hopelessly in love with her. Of course, there are no repercussions or even a mention for this, because Nodame is a female anime protagonist and no one holds their dickish behavior against them. This kind of behavior is not okay in real life, especially among significant others.

"I've changed since then," Nodame says. And the hard, painful truth is that no, she hasn't. Never, at any point in either season of the series, has she had a shred of change or character development. Every time she makes progress in any direction, she consciously destroys it not long after. Doubly the shame and the frustration, because Chiaki has come so goddamn far as a character that the comparison is just sad to make.

I liked season 1 Nodame. I tolerated season 2 Nodame because at least half the time we followed Chiaki and he was enjoyable to watch, but season 3 was just terrible in that regard.

With the shift in focus away from music, the sound score itself has gone down, lacking the variety and sheer number of musical pieces from earlier seasons.

Conversely the animation quality keeps getting better, and is certainly a far cry from season 1 when wed only get frames during concerts.

The third season did this weird thing with the secondary cast, where they were prominently featuring in several episodes, but outright absent from the rest of them. It was a bit jarring, and a shame because I liked most of them.

The ending resolved nothing, showed nothing, just a curtain call with typical philosophical poetic with little actual significance.

I can't really say that I enjoyed season 3 of Nodame Cantabile, which a big shame. It was well-made on most of its aspects, but it made me so mad that giving it such a high score annoys me.

So, I just finished watching Nodame Cantabile Finale, the last season of Nodame Cantabile, and so my memory is still fresh about it, not that the anime is short forgotten, not by any given means, because this may well be one of the most memorable anime that I will ever be given the chance to watch.

Watching Nodame Cantabile was just not simply watching but it was about having an experience as well. See I have 0 experience with musical studies, so I can't relate with the situation of the characters, but still after watching Nodame Cantabile I felt like I was experiencing the struggle of ... being an musical student, not just a musical student but also an average student. The show gets very well the feel of the academical experience, this meaning things like the time that you have to manage so you can focus on studies and the sacrifices that you have to make, or other things like love/romance which is another aspect that the show gets really freakin' well.

The show is really calm and kinda episodic in a way, although the story progress every episode, which brings the slice of life feel that suits very well the nature of an anime like this.

The characters is probably one of the many things that makes this show so enjoyable, Noda Megumi is probably one of my favorite characters ever, and in a nut shell all characters are highly likable and really relatable being in their interactions with each others or the choices that they make in life as the story keeps progressing, which helps the show have a realistic feel to it.

The Soundtrack is really amazing as you might aspect from an anime like this. Being when characters are performing on stage with an orchestra or solo, or just having a normal conversation.

Overall I highly recommend Nodame Cantabile (All the three seasons) if you want to watch a really good slice of life show with awesome character development and romance.

*SPOILER FREE*

If there's one thing I've learned throughout the viewing of Nodame, it's that everyone would hate me within the orchestra. But then again, most people hate me as I am, so it isn't really a surprise.

Contrary to my score, I loved the series. I binge watched it within 2 days, and didn't regret it one bit. Yet, unfortunately, I felt a massive drop in quality during the 3rd season that relates to three major problems: story, character(s) and ending. I gave first season 9 without flinching, and will probably re-watch it again soon, but when I compare the finale to the 1st season, ... it all kind of falls apart. Why? Let's dive in.

Story continues right where Paris Hen ended and we're, once again, thrown into the ensemble of beautiful music and diverging paths our characters take. What drew me into this anime, personally, were the orchestral pieces, and occasional solo pieces by Nodame. Third season, however, shifts this about and focuses almost exclusively on personal competitions of side characters and the progress of Nodame, both as person and as a musician. I would be fine with that, but it was poorly executed. Unlike previous two seasons, pacing is all over the place; first 2-3 episodes seem to setting up the whole thing nicely, then suddenly it slows down and picks up in last two episodes where it ends abruptly, without major cause. It kind of felt spread thin and a lot of time was spent covering same subjects multiple times.

Cantabile's story was never its strong suite - far from it. It didn't really have that much depth or complexity, but that's where its charm lay. Due to its simplicity and ease of following, it allowed its other aspects to shine brightly. It was used as somewhat of a background supporting character, and it fit perfectly into the whole thing. The entire structure of the first season, and majority of second, felt natural and it had its flow. Yet, Finale brings forth a set of unnecessary plot pieces and overused tropes, and it soon turns into somewhat of a convoluted mess, and even ends in such. Several characters are used as plot devices, some are given way too much screen time, some way too little. As an example, we have Shinichi's original sensei, who was introduced to us as pivotal point in Shinichi's life, because he's the reason Shinichi wanted to conduct. Yet, he has about 2 minutes of screen time throughout the entire thing, and for the most part is in the background/used as a cheap plot device. That's just an example of bad storytelling at its finest. I have absolutely no idea who this guy is or his importance within the world of classical music or how he helps Shinichi once they reunite.

Overall though, there are still some parts of the story that worked well. and as a finale it did its job ... kind of. Before the end, there were some parts that really did bring out emotion, and did show the progress of story and I liked that. However, I absolutely need to rant about the ending for a moment: it's bad. It's really, really, bad. What's worse is that the events leading up to it are also bad. All in all, ending leaves a bad aftertaste in your mouth, and it really forces you to look back at the series and think 'Wait, wait. That's ... it?' - ending is not only abrupt but it makes no sense. A lot of things are left hanging in the air, bunch of questions still unanswered, and it seemingly ends in the middle of telling the actual ending. Unfortunately, it's definitely the low-point of the entire series, and that's not the way you wish to end your series. Not in a long shot.

All in all, story is definitely above average, but you wouldn't go wrong in rating it anywhere from 4-6, depending on your personal taste. It fits into each part for a number of reasons, and that's quite unfortunate.

Next up with have production: animation is definitely the best its ever been, and there are far less stiff shots accompanied by awesome music from first season. It's still not that great though, and the "age" kind of shows, but it does what it's set out to do well enough. Art is still crisp and colorful, comedic expressions are done well, and there are some vibrant scenes (mostly involving reflections on water) here and there that I still remember. Easy on the eyes, but nothing spectacular.

As for the sound, I really have no need to touch on this: music is still here, in all its glory. Absolute 10 without a doubt. Could give even more if I could - definitely the high point of the entire show, the way it was meant to be.

The reason I wanted to skip through production is because it's the thing that works in this anime - and I want to discuss things that don't, because I'm anal like that. Characters. Ugh. Looking back at season 1, I really should have expected this, but it still hurts.

I have this love-hate relationship with airheads if I'm being honest - I always end up being their fan at the beginning, but end up hating them by the end. Why? Because, most of the time, that's who they stay as. At first it's cute and funny, but if you drag it over 40 episodes, than it's annoying and distracting and, honestly, plain insulting. Nodame starts out as a great character - your typical, talented, overly-cheerful airhead. And through the first season she mostly remains the same, with a few changes here and there, but that was fine because the focus wasn't really on her. However, they drag out her natural klutz personality to hell and back, and drive it through and through for forever. Another trait of hers was a lack of motivation and indecisiveness - which comes into play this season, and holy hell does it overstay its welcome. It's used as nothing but a plot device, and it's as obvious as well. It's used to create drama. At one point, here actions just stop making sense, and, just the same, you stop caring. She becomes a walking bore and annoyance, and I really didn't want it to end up this way - but I should have figured out it would. You can make your audience laugh because your character is an unaware airhead only so many times, after all ...

The set of supporting characters from Paris Hen returns this time around as well, and are given ... way too much space, if you ask me. I understand the need to flesh out your side-characters, but we already knew that they were never supposed to be the focus because writer literally abandoned everyone from season 1 aside from Oldy-Pervy. Yet, their problems and struggles come into focus here and take way too much time to resolve, sidelining main story and the progress of main characters. Yes, there are some nice moments here and there, it felt nice knowing more about who these people are, but ultimately they're still just a fodder. They barely interact with the main story - I'd go so far as to say that they have no actual impact on it. And this was supposed to be a finale - thing that wraps up the entire series - not a season that sets up your side-characters. This also ties in to the pacing problems I talked about before, and overall leaves a bitter taste. A few more pairings bear fruition, and there's an introduction of a random Japanese girl midway through that had even less point that the original sensei. I have absolutely no idea what was that girl doing there, and I'm happy she stayed only for about 10 minutes.

Overall, Shinichi is still the best character in my opinion. Unfortunately, he's given less and less focus as the series progresses. He's often thrown into random journeys across Europe just to get him out of the picture for a while, so that we can focus on Nodame. For me, it backfired, as he was always the one leading the show, and Nodame was the one following. They reversed the roles and it didn't work. Too bad.

It'd be a lie if I said I didn't enjoy Nodame Cantabile as whole, because I did. I love this series, and will probably re-watch it more than once. However, if I compare my enjoyment from 1st season to Finale, they're worlds apart. Here, instead of enjoying things, I spent far more time questioning motives, actions, characters and story, and trying to understand what the hell was with that ending.

I still wholeheartedly recommend Nodame Cantabile - it's definitely the best anime about music that I've seen to date, and whether you're a fan of classical music or not, it has some outstanding pieces. From the familiar Bach and Mozart tunes, to some that your average Joe would have never heard of. First season was definitely its high point, but the entire 3 are worth watching without a doubt.

*If you wish to discuss the review, feel free to leave me a comment. Thanks for reading.

Paris-hen and finale could well have been made into one longer twenty something episode series as Finale directly follows from Paris-hen. If this was done Paris would have been better without affecting Finale.

Finale is the end of Nodame Cantabile and is a excellent ending. Essentially it shows all the characters making decisions about their futures as they are forced to take responsibility for their lives and head out in to the real world. Anyone finishing university will recognise how the characters feel.

For Chiaki it is coming to terms with the feelings for Nodame and for Nodame it is whether she wants a career in music ... meaning stopping hiding in Chiaki's shadow.

For the other characters it means also whether to have a career in music, return to their country and begin another career or study further.

The chalk and cheese relationship from Paris-hen painfully develops yet is never quite resolved and you can only speculate where their heading.

Once again the music is outstanding from the Nodame Orchestra and the series continues to explain the music so you can enjoy it.

The end song by Real Paradis backed by the Nodame Orchestra is simply beautiful. It is about if you have faith in yourself you will always have hope even if you lose everything. It is the best of all the opening and ending of the 3 series.

The last episode isn't really an ending but a beginning as it should be as the characters head out towards their futures.

The first series to take the spot of "personal favourite" in my heart has been none other than the Nodame Cantabile series. This last part of the series proved to be an enjoyable watch like its prequels, however was lacking in the conclusiveness and depth of character development. I feel several plot articles were rushed and the end to not fully satisfy (hence needing me read the Opera-hen).

Regardless the finale of the anime, was very much, adagio cantabile. Song-like, floating and passing through all the twists and turns. The music used throughout the finale proved to be great selection, and the WAY the music ... was used brought out the nostalgic memories of old and worked my emotions into this series.

I strongly recommend watching the prequels prior to enjoying this amazing ending.

For the most part it was an enjoyable season, everything is basically the same as usual however there was some issues with the characterisation that stood out to me.

Character intentions are muddy, they're very unclear. I suppose even Chiaki and Nodame don't know what they want but the constant flipflopping between wanting to have a relationship and not led to very little progress in their relationship the entire season. Chiaki mentions that he wants to heavily commit to them being together but then never professes so or seems to even try, he even actively attempts to distance himself from her on a regular basis. Originally ... I saw this as part of his character development, him having difficulties with his father as a child, however it feels rather unresolved when a much more satisfying ending was hinted towards.

Overall this season had lots of decent plot points and interesting parts, but as a conlcusive part of a 3 season long romance anime it didn't fully hit the mark. Nodame is in a much better place meanwhile Chiaki seems barely coming to terms with his romantic interest of a girl he has had feelings for over 2 years. Very odd.

At last, we can see the closure to the one of much seen series of today’s anime.

In this series Nodame and Chiaki’s relationship is put to a test while pursuing their dreams. While Chiaki is a genius who learns and does music splendidly, Nodame on the other hand relays more in her instincts when it comes to music. Even though both are talented, Nodame is in a really different caliber. Chiaki keeps on moving forward and making so much success in the music world leaving behind Nodame. At this point, Nodame struggles so much and keeps on envying Chiaki so much to the point of ... losing her motivation. She wanted to rush things and ended up feeling more inferior from Chiaki. Again! I really don’t understand why she has to be jealous of Chiaki when she is so much more talented than him. The problem with Chiaki he forces Nodame to be greater and to dream even more considering she is so talented. It becomes a problem because Nodame is the type of a musician who’s really hard to comprehend. She is like those famous artists who have a very complicated set of mind and forcing them can really break them. With her character, it should be done one step at a time. It’s like he’s holding Nodame so tight that he ended up losing her. Now, the problem with Nodame she keeps on trying to follow Chiaki when his already leaving her behind. This is the problem when a couple pursues their dreams in the same industry. They wanted to be together but ended up getting more far away from each other with their differences. And just when he thought she will be alright with the success of her first debut, she decided to stop playing the piano anymore. Anyways, it still ended well when both realized their differences and what they have done wrong.

I was hoping more from it considering it was the finale after all. Though I am expecting too much because this series is one of my favorites it is still satisfying enough. I am going to miss it so much especially Nodame with her unique antics of her Mukya and Gyabo!

I'm not really fond of writing reviews, but I had to make a exception for Nodame Cantabile.
I'll also try my best to not saying spoilers from season 3.

So, you all know that empty feeling you have when you just finished an anime that was >really< good? That's what I'm feeling right now, so much that I just ended the last episode and started writing this.

The way the authors told us the story of development of Nodame and Chiaki was simply superb, I love the choice of songs, and the way we get caught in the mood of the characters, I'm a (really beginner) pianist, seeing ... all the highs and lows in Nodame life being transmitted so well in her play was something expected of course, but so well done that I almost felt as if it was with myself.

Not to disregard Chiaki's dreams and own development, which was also good, but of course it wasn't as exciting to see as Nodame's. But don't get me wrong, actually I think that it was a good choice of the writers, we could see different point of views regarding music and the music industry in general, letting us form our own opinions. Letting the viewer almost interact with the story, not forcing opinions or ideals on us, it's such a thrilling experience I wish I had taken my time carefully enjoying it.

Unfortunately I was in such a hurry to discover "what's next, what's next?" that I got carried away and watched it all very quickly. Basically what I'm trying to say, I'll miss very much all the "Mugyahs!" and little other screams of Nodame.

About the romance aspect of the story, while professionally I preferred Nodame's development, romantically it was Chiaki's moment to shine. The complete and slow change between the Chiaki of the first season and the second/third season is so human to see. Nodame falling in love was like a bomb dropped just like her, but Chiaki was subtle, slowly being more caring, slowly opening up to her. I felt that as a really realistic but not because of it, not beautiful, way of falling in love. Actually him falling in love felt to me as music. Each season, one act. Probably the own writers did it on purpose, I don't really know.

To wrap it up, all the 3 seasons of Nodame Cantabile are a Must See of any anime fan, actually I wish I could talk a lot more about it, but by now I don't think there's anyone left reading this word-vomiting review.

Thank you for your time.

Anime and Quality Films?

Just to let clear my situation as a reviewer, I followed the series timeline until the very end. After having watched the first season, I gave myself the chance to review it. One that I, personally, recognize more as a non-spoiling guide or introduction. Wait. What about season 2? Well, it failed to achieve my expectations, so I'm not giving a chance. It was only useful such as a bridge for third season.
The third season somehow manages to conquer another failure that was pretty clear in the Paris presentation one: the bad calibration between its exposure from show to viewer and the ... characters alongside the story timeline. Going easy on you, this season, as its ancestor, has around 11 episodes, which wasn't the case for the first, which had twice of each. Somewhere during this, it will be mentioned how long it took from the beginning of the main characters' lives in France until the very point they are then. That will be the strangest moment in this streaming experience.
Now, about the title, it is not the perfect studying relationship, such would be books, especially classics, but given it is a totally different art, I decided to express the idea using a closer term which can be still given good use. When I think about Quality Films I don't think about a Martin Scorsese's, a Christopher Nolan's, a Tarantino's. No. I think about a Steve McQueen's or a Lars Von Trier's. Why? Because it is not about building an interesting story, it is building an interesting way to develop a concept, a reflection, your personal opinion using Humanity, people, as tools, to comprehend themselves. Cult Films isn't their main reference, yet, is understandable. You have found the big step into understanding how the story will grow. This is the huge picture this season extends for the whole series. Whatsoever, in anime style, using characteristic clichés of this industry.
And, still, I gave it a 7/10... Yes, it took my time, trust me, but that first argument, although it may not seem much, affects completely the viewing experience. And the whole season falls due to such. The characters are hardly developed and, other thing to mention, the concept studied lays too restricted/ limited in its undergoing. The story keeps changing directions, which is something that can be amazing when fulfilled nicely, and it also could have been in this show, even if 11-episodes short. Here, you don't feel the attention is worth it. Also, it can go indifferent according to the viewer, but the collision between languages, better, the way it is avoid, can be a itch on your back.
One thing is certain, the idea thought regarding season one will change after you see the full series. You will understand things differently (although my initial review keeps solid), possibly giving a re-watch.
The whole "Nodame Cantabile" is about life, desires and concerns. Again, it is not what you achieve, is the walk you walk.

I've watched this anime back when I was in elementary and now I've rewatched all 3 seasons having graduated from college. The experience watching this anime with different perspective of course is in itself different. Back then, all I knew was the comedy and romance genre of this anime. I was fascinated with the idea of music and Paris - that was the initial vibe I got from Nodame Cantabile.

But now, all I've realized is that it's more than that.

It deals with characters with so much depth. The scenarios that I didn't understood back then, I've finally understood.

Chiaki and Nodame's relationship is so beautiful. ... It's a realistic love that I enjoyed so much. It's a love that grows, changes and matures as days pass.

Particularly, I love Nodame's character, and how real her realization and growth transitioned in each season. Her goal is a short term one: to be able to perform with the person she loves. And she knew that person was achieving more than she could, so she had to catch up on her own. The struggle, the feeling of lost and grief on relying on someone was just too real. Little by little, she learned that her goal was so fragile and she felt so lost in it.

I won't spoil any further. It really is an amazing 3 seasons anime.

A music, comedy, romance filled with realizations and emotions that really made me cry.

We saw Chiaki's journey more, but in the end it was Nodame's journey that really hit me hard.

Finally, after putting it off for so long due to school, I was able to complete Nodame Cantabile.

I personally thought that this season was just like the last one, only a little heavier with the drama. But, I'm sorry, I have to rant about the last episode for a sec. The whole thing felt completely botched. It was rushed SO BADLY. I was left staring at my screen while the ending played like "Wait, what? that's it??" This ending, when you really think about it though, is true to life. Though it did not tell you what happened to Nodame and Chiaki, I believe ... the open-ended ending was meant to show you that they will get to it, eventually. Life is chaotic, full of opportunities, and never what you would expect.

This anime is amazing to me, and i recommend to music lovers and romance lovers, for this is a powerhouse romance anime with all its maturity.

Nodame Cantabile: Finale only took me a day to watch through, and part of that is because it's an incredible addition to the NC series as a whole.

Story: The storytelling in this season is outstanding. There's definitely a more of a mature vibe throughout each episode. Moments of tension. Suspense. Internal conflict. It's all there. All of this while keeping the trademark comedy of season 1. Watching Chiaki and Nodame's struggles with their relationship while pushing themselves in their musical careers is such a flavorful thing to watch, and I truly ended each episode wanting more.

Art: Same average NC art. Art doesn't make a show ... though, it only enhances it. This show's art is bland, but we can all look past this.

Sound: The OP and ED are quality. The classical OST is quality.

Character: Since I was given even more time to connect with the side characters from season 2 in this season, I was more invested in their screentime. Still, there were still times where I felt that they just couldn't top season's 1 sides. Nodame and Chiaki's dynamic seems to have improved even more and is even more enjoyable to watch now. The chemistry these two have is and has always been a huge part of what makes this show very solid.

Enjoyment: I was invested in pretty much every episode. I enjoyed it way more than season 2 for sure. The show's new found maturity really gives it a boost into a true slice of life anime.

Overall: This was a impeccable closing to a great series. I enjoyed it very much, and will always have this show in my heart when I'm thinking of music anime.

"Mukyaaa!!!"

"It makes me think it's all here and so I get irritated by the lack of involvement, but the ending with a bang leaves me completely satisfied." (Nodame on a Beethoven piece)
There are no words to better describe this show, which are even said directly by the protagonist; when I started watching it, I was initially afraid of a relapse of style and that the story would be incomplete: in fact, the story was empty, almost as if it had lost the way to follow. The only mirage of salvation was the secondary relationships, which kept the curiosity for history alive, and the hints of ... great changes to come. Despite this, the third season has proved to be up to the previous ones, convincing me to put the series of "Nodame Cantabile" in the list of my favorite anime.

STORY (7.5 / 10):
As previously mentioned, the story starts as we all expect: a group of people trying to achieve their dreams, with their failures and successes; but unfortunately the story ends here: until the end of the first half of the show we don't have an important involvement. To whet our desire to continue, there are some love stories between unlikely characters or some possible hint of betrayal. Then suddenly, the story takes a fast pace and launches us in a mad rush to follow the feelings of our protagonist, ending in the most predictable way possible, breaking abruptly; not that this is a negative point, indeed, perhaps, it is precisely because it makes us feel this roller coaster of emotions that it deserves a vote that classifies it as "Above average".

CHARACTERS (9/10):
"To someone special, something special always happens" (Oliver about Nodame)
There is nothing else to add about the star who gives the name to the whole series: a complex character who hides in her craziness, but always shining when she shines and is fully aware of her personality and abilities; decides to throw away this exaggerated mask, relying on her great determination and making great strides both in her career and in her relationship. His male counterpart Chiaki, on the other hand, is a figure who tries to venerate himself as a superior and mystical being, but who ultimately turns out to be a mere mortal confused by his feelings and worried about the fate that awaits others. Moving on to the secondary characters, Professor Auclair and Maestro Stresemann must certainly be mentioned as father figures, who look after their respective pupils as if they were their children and all the company that is in the condominium, which makes a nice entertainment possible when the main plot is not going on.

ANIMATION AND SOUNDS (7/10):
"Nodame Cantabile" has this gigantic problem, which I absolutely cannot avoid: animation; in every single concert, we move on to graphics that try to emphasize the movements of the artists, but which in reality is only an insult to the 300 years of classical music that precede us, despite the rest of the animation is more than discreet. Fortunately, the presence of great composers and their works helps to digest this error of path, as well as making the whole story much more enjoyable. The importance of the pieces within the story is significant: in fact, most of the pieces have been chosen specifically for the reasons for which they were written, or for the topic they deal with; a true masterpiece of knowledge display.

OVERALL AND TO WHOM I RECOMMEND IT:
Despite the departure of this season, the anime still manages to stay up to the other seasons, thanks to the amazing ending; has managed to perfectly mix the Musical Genre and the Romance Genre, thus creating a true masterpiece. The feature that must strike us the most, however, is the evolution and the realistic realization of the characters, who succeed and fail, in their challenges, making us reflect on our goals and if we are truly able to achieve them. Recommended for anyone passionate about Romance or Musical.