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It's an anime about bread-making. It's utterly ridiculous sounding. And, to be honest, in practice, it's utterly ridiculous. But I really really enjoyed it. It puts a goofy smile on my face because it is SO over the top, SO campy, SO cheesy... I just have to laugh. It's an innocent, sweet and silly sort of anime. It's not realistic, it isn't serious or dark or sarcastic... it's just simply entertaining. Which, you know, is kind of refreshing.

The story's your basis shounen plotline: rise to the challenge, succeed, face the next challenge.. but all in the confines of ... competitive bread making. It's a little silly and repetitive (like a lot of stories in the genre), but if you enjoy the first couple "bread battles," you'll probably like the rest (like a lot of stories in the genre). ;) (It's Pokemon, set in a bakery!)

The art is clean cut and pretty simple. So is the music. It's not nuanced or original, but it doesn't really have to be. The style suits the atmosphere of the show. The taste-reactions are elaborate and amusing, but other than that I wouldn't say there's much about the way it looks or sounds that stands out in any way.

The main characters are pretty basic once again. Again, you're probably going to be disappointed if you're looking for nuance or detail. The good guys, the bad guys... they're all kind of cardboard cut-outs of cliche shounen roles. And basically, the audience is just expected to accept them as they are without any explanation or even speculation as to why the character is the way he/she is.

Despite the lack of originality, detail or depth to the story, art, sound or characters... you should still watch this show. I gave the show a 9 overall because (1) I really do think the simplicity of the story, art, etc suits the nature of the show and (2) because my enjoyment completely outweighed whatever the series lacked in the other departments. I would have given it a 12 for enjoyment if I could.

The simplicity of it was like a breath of fresh air. It felt like a throwback out of the era of "Leave it to Beaver" or something innocent and uncomplicated like that. There are "darker" story lines later in the show, but they really weren't that dark. Meanwhile, the characters are all so over-exaggerated and silly that I found it charming, especially in the context of the world of competitive bread making. Kuroyanagi's crazy reactions were funny, but I really found the way he talked down to inferior bakers hilarious. To take something like bread-making and make it that abusive and have him take it that seriously... it just tickled me. Azuma's earnest, bleeding-heart sincerity and natural baking genius; the manager's bad-ass, macho wisdom... it was just so funny to see all these archetypes in a story about baking bread. =) (Kind of like a G-rated BeerFest.)

All in all, I think the show strikes me as child-like. Some of the characters are mean in the way that, frankly, kids are mean. It's pretty upfront, straightforward and kind of superficial. They show competition, optimism, determination and energy in the same way. It just feels like there's not very many layers to what's going on. Maybe that's what I mean by innocent?

Just to warn you though, I do feel that there was a definite decline in show quality towards the end -- most noticeable by the time they get to the third large scale competitive arena. It started feeling less sincere and more mass-manufactured, which was unfortunate. I try not to hold that sort of thing against the show too much, but... it was kind of disappointing.

On the upside, you get all this trivia about bread, bread-making and the regions of Japan from the show, which throws in a little educational frosting on top of an already entertaining show. ;)

I've only seen 10 episodes so far as I'm writing this (edit: originally), but I couldn't hold back. I love this show.

Basically, it's a baseball anime that focuses on the battery between Abe (the jaded catcher) and Mihashi (the pitcher with absolutely NO self-confidence) and their new and inexperienced team. It seems like we're going to see the team grow over the course of the show... as well as, hopefully, Mihashi's confidence and social skills.

The art has it's ups and downs. The ups: Mihashi's exaggerated expressions and boneless postures really amuse me -- he's more of an anime muppet than an actual ... human being. And the color palette of the show is gorgeous and perfectly captures the spirit of the show and the sharp brightness of spring. The downs: I'm having some trouble telling some people apart. If they were background crowd characters it would be fine, but some of the people are on Mihashi's team, which can be confusing.

I normally don't spend a lot of time paying attention to the songs during the credits: here, I have to say that I actively hate the song at the end credits. Hearing the first line makes me cringe and I always skip to the next chapter immediately. That's probably just my own taste though.

On the other hand, I can't say enough good things about the character of Mihashi and the actor who voices him. Despite the fact that Mihashi cries and stutters and collapses more often than anyone should or could, he's somehow still sweet enough and endearing enough to make me really root for him. To be honest, I have no idea why I don't find him too irritating to watch -- it's just the magic of the show's chemistry or something! ;)

[Edit after episode 16: Mihashi is just funny and entertaining and endearing; he's a tremendous balance of pitiful, funny, pathetic and heroic. And, on another level, the character of Mihashi is a beautifully crafted look into one kind of angst/alienation. He exemplifies how perception and experience influence new relationships in life and how context can change everything: he's the same pitcher when it comes to technique and skill in high school that he was in middle school but the difference lies in the team, in the leadership and their attitudes.]

Abe grew on me more slowly, but as his character grows so did my affection for him. He's the rigid, straight man to the pliable Mihashi. And the cast is nicely rounded out by a few colorful teammates (almost everything Tajima does makes me laugh) and the slightly frightening manager.

If you can't tell by the fact that I couldn't hold back my gushing for longer than 10 episodes, I really do enjoy this show a lot. Some people might find it slow, especially if you need an action beat every 10 minutes or so, but I think the tension and the excitement of the games more than makes up for the relaxed pace of the story. And it's so interesting to see such a cerebral perspective on baseball -- the level of strategy and awareness comes closer to the level you see in a show like Akagi (mah jong) than what you normally see in a stereotypical sports anime.

[Edit after episode 16: I am so ridiculously charmed and delighted by and enamored with this show that it completely amazes me that more people here aren't watching it. The manga won the 2007 Kodansha Manga Award, grand prize, general category. It also won the Tezuka Cultural Awards New Hope Award for for showing new possibilities of expression in baseball manga. According to Yahoo Japan, Oofuri came in #4 in a favorite anime of 2007 poll by Vsist (over 2 million people in Japan participated in the poll). And while I'm not telling you to watch it just because it's getting some acclaim in Japan, I figure those opinions might carry more weight than mine (after all, who the heck am I? ;) ) But I am saying: watch Ookiku Furikabutte because it is a damn good show. XD]

It's the polar opposite of Major (another anime about baseball) in a way -- or rather Mihashi is the polar opposite of Honda/Shigeno in personality. I think one big plus for Oofuri is that it spends more time on the fact that baseball is really a TEAM sport -- unlike Major -- and how crucial it is that everyone plays their role and supports each other and balances out each other's strengths and weaknesses.

[Edit: P.S. Interesting note? According to a manga review here on MAL, the mangaka studied sports psychology -- which totally shows in the anime.]

[Edit after episode 25: Just fyi, my opinion hasn't changed. ^.^]

Peach Girl is a high school love triangle (square?) story that probably wouldn't surprise most people. It's enjoyable enough if you like the genre anyway, so I'd suggest it to people who like this sort of thing but I wouldn't say you'd have to rush out to get your hands on it.

I kept on being reminded of Bokura Ga Ita as I watched this. They're similar type stories in a way; especially in the main conflict of the heroine and the two men in her life (and also some plot points, frankly). I think the overall quality of Bokura Ga ... Ita was better than Peach Girl, but I thought that the heroine in Peach Girl, Momo-chan, was a lot more likeable than Nana (she *reallly* annoyed me in the second half of BGI).

Story:
The first thing that comes to mind is that the pacing of the story is a little odd in my opinion. Sometimes it feels like all this time passes by in a blink of an eye and sometimes it's just plain slow. Aside from that, you've got a pretty sweet -- if convoluted -- story about love, indecision, strength and trust. And what it means to be in a relationship with someone else and how and why we choose the people we do. Sometimes things get over the top, but that's more of a character issue (see below).

Art:
The art is generally nice. The two men in Momo's life, Touji and Kairi, made me think of Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge -- I think because of the heavily-lashed eyes. It's also slightly reminiscent of YNSH in the frequent use of SD versions of the characters.

Sound:
Kairi's voiced by Kenichi Suzumura. I LOVE him. All the actors of the main four characters do a good job, but... Suzumura is tops. =) Saeko Chiba also deserves props for doing a good job of making a character who could have been overly mewling and annoying into a likeable person, despite all the tears.

Characters:
I thought they did a nice job of making the conflict here. You can see where Momo comes from and you can see why Touji and Kairi are both so compelling and appealling to her. I was definitely rooting for one over the other, but that's probably more about my own taste. ;) The character I probably had the most problem with was Sae -- I mean, we're not supposed to like her anyway, but it might have been nice to have a better idea why she was the way she was... especially since she was SO over the top and extreme as a character. I didn't like her AT ALL, which made her hard to watch -- if there was something -- anything -- that made me at least sympathize with her, it would have been more interesting, I think. At the same time, a critical viewer could say that all of the characters are somewhat... shallow and under-developed compared to the very best of the romance/slice-of-life type dramas like Honey & Clover. They just are... and there's not much explanation why outside of Momo.

Overall:
I liked it, it was okay. I think the parts I liked made up for the parts that I thought were a little lacking overall. I liked Kairi's character and it kept me interested for the most part. If you're looking for a sweet romance and you've worked your way through the great ones already, this is nice. If you're looking for something really fantastic and haven't seen much, I'd go through Honey & Clover, Nodame Cantabile, Nana, Ouran High School Host Club, and Lovely Complex first, at the very least.

I never thought a story about street car racing would be this entertaining. And if I had known what I would be watching when my friend made me watch the first few episodes, I would have said thanks, but no thanks. ...Boy, am I glad I didn't know.

Story: On the surface, it's about a pretty bland high school guy who's got a bunch of car-crazy friends... and turns out to be the 2nd fastest driver in Akina. (Who's first? Ooooh, don't you wanna know?) Below the surface...? Okay, pretty much the same thing. ;) Most of the ... "story" is just a bunch of kids in cars racing through dark mountain passes ...or talking about racing through dark mountain passes. I know it doesn't sound interesting if you're not into car races, but it was. There's something about the speed and the pressure and the tension that sucks you into the show. And of course, there's also your normal sports anime type general plot of competition and desire, rising to the challenge, overcoming obstacles, etc.

Art: I have to say, this is the biggest downside of the show. Especially in the first season. Thankfully, by the fourth season, there's a remarkable improvement overall in animation quality. One of the most jarring things is the awkward usage of computer graphics for the racing scenes in the first season. There's kind of an old-school feel to the way the people look and the brightness of the show... and then all of sudden out of no where, there's a cgi car that looks like it's from a different decade than the guy driving it. I don't think I ever got used to that.

Sound: Personally, I always prefer subs to dubs. Here, I would really suggest the subs... the voices for English dub didn't feel anywhere near as "right" as the Japanese actors. Whenever I heard the dub, I felt like the voices made me like the characters less. The downside of watching the sub, however, is the Japanese soundtrack. Maybe it's my close-minded American taste, but I would have preferred hearing the hip-hop on the dub to whatever that was used originally.

Character: The main character, Takumi, was somewhat atypical for this genre, I think, and I liked it. Unlike the normal archetypes like the loser who tries really hard or the cocky natural-born genius, Takumi is sort of actually unique: he doesn't know anything about cars and doesn't even really like driving. It was a nice way for the series to start because I didn't care about street racing when I started the show either. So, even though they toss around a little bit of racing lingo, I was never more behind than the main character was... and, as a viewer, I got a chance to become interested in street racing while Takumi got interested in it. I really liked that his development on the show kind of went down the same road that mine did as a viewer. So I thought they did a great job on his character design and development because his attitude and experience is what hooks you and reels you in to what I assume would be an otherwise complicated and technical world of street racing.

Enjoyment: I think you can tell I enjoyed it, right? I had to make mental notes to slow down while driving for a bit after watching the show. Thankfully, I'm too cowardly to try drifting for real! ...And let me tell you, my Corolla never drove like the 86. ;) I think it was also really appealling because Takumi starts off the show as what seems like a normal, typical driver -- it made me feel like there was an inner Takumi just waiting to be woken up buried somewhere in me. (There's not, unfortunately, but I like to delude myself sometimes.)

I ended up rewatching this series recently to kill some spare time, and -- I don't know why -- I found that I liked the whole series a lot more the second time around. I mean, I liked it the first time... but the second time, I really liked it.

It's about this middle school kid named Koyuki, who finally connects with the world around him through music and what eventually becomes a band called Beck... blah, blah, blah.

Story-wise... it's a little kooky. I don't know how other people viewed it, but being from the U.S., well, I had to remind myself a few ... times to take it with a grain of salt. I really enjoyed the slow development of Koyuki and the band and the relationships between everyone... I thought that part of the story was really well done. It's just that (especially in the second half), you have to be prepared to suspend your disbelief a little and accept the oddness of the whole Lucille subplot.

The art? I really liked looking at it. There was something very appealing about it. I think I especially liked how the everything was kind of gritty and muted looking to match the mood of the underground music scene. Also, the color palette they chose fit really well with the tone and vibe of the main characters and the story line, I thought.

Okay, the music really, really grew on me. I thought I was going to hate it and I have to admit that the grammar kind of bugged me at first... but I totally hum/sing a bunch of the songs to myself without thinking about it now. Even the opening song is catchy and fun. And even though you do hear bits of a few songs over and over again, it's nice, because I felt like I was getting more and more familiar with their sound... and it gave me a chance to become a "fan" of the band. ;) Also I thought that the people who were singing Koyuki and Maho's parts did a *great* job.

Character-wise... I don't think you get to know anyone as well as you get to know Koyuki. In fact, I think you only get to know everyone else as well as Koyuki himself does. But that's one of the nice things about the show, actually. They don't always like each other. They're bandmates and they aren't each others' whole lives. ...So, it felt okay to be irritated with or irked by some of the characters. And personally, I really prefer characters who are flawed and honest and real, so I really didn't mind not always liking the people on the show because it felt so much more... authentic, in a way.

And I don't know if this is character or story, but I also liked the way the series kind of kept us updated on Beck's rival band and used their story as a contrast to the main story.

I would say though, that if you're not used to the way heavily accented English sounds, listening to some of the conversations and the songs might be a little jarring at first. It didn't bother me since I was watching it w/ subs anyway and I'm used to thick accents, but I know some people who found it distracting... they couldn't concentrate on what was going on because they were too busy listening and trying to figure out what they were saying.

Overall, great show. It's different from your typical perky, funny, energetic sort of high school shows... it's sort of more of a "My So-Called Life" type show, without all the drama and with a band. ;) So, this probably isn't what you're looking for if you want sort of a funny, light-hearted high school slice of life show; it's ...quieter than that. But if you're looking for a break from all the sugar, this is a really nice change of pace.

I really, really, really loved LoveCom.

It was cute, insightful, hilarious and endearing. It was my most anticipated episode every week. I always wanted more. I want more now even though I know it's over!

The story is about the tallest girl and the shortest boy in class and their search for love in high school. It turns out they're both kooky, funny and energetic. They're also perfect for each other... too bad they don't see that. The story isn't complicated or new, but it was told so well that it crawled into right into that soft spot in my heart.

The ... romance is built slowly over time and by the end, you're head over heels for them because the creators did such a great job of laying down the foundation and actually showing you how their feelings grow over time. It's not like a lot of shows where all of a sudden in a haze of fuzzy lighting and rose petals, love magically sprouts out of nowhere. Instead, you see a friendship begin, a moment happens, interest blossoms, awareness grows... the whole nine yards. You really get to know Koizumi and Otani over the course of the show and I was rooting like crazy for them.

The characters are so over the top and out of control that it's hard not to laugh. They exaggerate, make ridiculous faces and they over-react to everything. It's really kind of hammy, but that's part of the fun. And it's refreshing to see a female lead who isn't some stereotype of a dominatrix-in-training or a weak, helpless nitwit. She seems like a real human being with strong points and weak points. She isn't afraid to get ugly and imperfect sometimes and I think it's really great that they made her (and, really, him too) full of all these flaws and not-so-attractive traits... and yet so completely charming and loveable. It makes them really... human. I would say that if you like the relationship (without the music and with a lot more actual focus on romance) of Nodame and Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile, you might like this too because there's a similarity in the way that the relationships go both ways and the strength that each of them brings to the relationship.

The art is great too. First of all, they took the time and effort to change the characters appearances day to day and give them all a sense of their own style, which I really appreciate. It's just really thorough and well-executed. I completely agree with YoshikoHatake, there is something about the style that brings Bokura Ga Ita to mind, even though the tone of the story is completely different (BGI felt a lot more serious and the colors and style reflect that somewhat, I think). Music-wise, it's also nice. I don't normally notice the openings and endings that much (I've always hated credits), but LoveCom's are really good in a perky, energetic kind of way, which suits the show perfectly, and I find myself singing along w/ the karaoke. ;)

Enjoy! =)

P.S. I really haven't seen very many romances that do this good of a job at being funny and sweet and tender and honest. If you have, I'd love suggestions!

This is probably the best sports anime I've seen (and I've seen a bunch of them). It isn't gorgeous visually and it isn't original and it isn't unpredictable... and I don't even like boxing. But it's still really really entertaining to watch anyway. And doesn't that say something?

Yeah, yeah, it's got the standard "work hard, have confidence/courage and you'll overcome each seemingly-impossible hurdle one by one" type feel that a lot of anime does (see everything from DBZ, Naruto, Bleach, and to practically every sports anime out there...). And I'm sure there's people out there who are going to find the ... repetitive struggle-struggle-comeback pattern annoying...

But if you like that sort of thing anyway (and don't we all sometimes?), this is definitely worth checking out. Hajime's your prototypical earnest, hardworking, blue collar good guy who's trying to make himself better and, despite a serious lack of confidence, he's pretty likeable.

What I really liked though was the chemistry and the interaction between the characters: the gruff, old cutman; the cocky champion; the teasing senpais; the thugs turned sidekicks... they all just made me laugh. They were over the top, leaned towards the ribald sometimes and semi-abusive, but it comes off as really charming... especially since you really got the feeling that Hajime really needed/wanted those sort of familiar, no-holds-barred friendships. They tease each other and torment each other and it creates this really nice sense of playfulness that's underscored by a strong sense of loyalty and affection.

So, if you'd be interested in a good underdog story with a side dish of male bonding... look no further, Hajime no Ippo's just what you need. =)

I heard about this anime a while ago, but the synopsis didn't seem that appealing to me. So I basically forgot about it until recently and decided to watch a few episodes to see why it was so well regarded...

It's beautiful. It's like meditating.

Story: It's an episodic show that feels like a collection of fables or myths to me... almost as though these stories were from a world before science when people made up spirits or gods to explain life's mysteries. That's not really the premise of the show, but that's how it felt to me.

It's laid-back and meditative. But ... I was riveted ...maybe because it is such a quiet sort of show, I'm not sure. Absolutely riveted. I didn't want to blink. I wanted to see everything and soak it all in. I think it's astonishing that something that lacking in tension is still that incredibly compelling. It's kind of like when you see the Grand Canyon or sequoias for the first time, I guess. ;)

Art: The world is beautiful. The people are all the same, except Ginko. ;) They only bothered to draw, like, 4 different faces (or it just felt that way)... so just keep in mind that even though that woman in one episode looks just like the woman from that other episode... it's most likely not the same person -- just let it go. ;)

I thought the gorgeousness of the scenery more than made up for the lack of distinction in the humans. And I also thought that there was a subtle message about the universality of experience and the concept of the "every man/woman" in the uniformity of the way the people looked (which is also, I think, related to the lack of time in the show -- it doesn't matter if this is a century ago or today, and the story doesn't tell you). And the landscapes are amazing. I thought they did an incredible job of giving the environment the right feel and mood for the episodes. There's so much personality in the environment that you could make an argument about how the landscape and the mushishi are the characters and the people are the background.

Sound: I thought the voice actors did a great job of expressing a wide range of emotions without going to extremes. There's a mellowness and evenness to the show that's recreated even in the tone and pitch of their voices, which I really liked. (I really love it when everything comes together like that.)

Character: Like I mentioned before, you end up feeling as though the main character the world/nature and the people are just what trees and buildings are normally in other stories, which brings art and character closer than I've ever seen before. Ginko is practically the only character you see in more than one episode and serves as a main character/guide/wise man/shaman during your exploration of this new world. The experience of the show is the experience of his relationship with the world around him. He is poised, calm and interested without being over-eager or overbearing. There is such a strong sense of serenity and acceptance in Ginko and his attitude towards the world around him. He makes you think of a time long lost where man co-existed with nature instead of destroying it. And because of that he’s soothing and comforting to watch.

Enjoyment: There is this wonderful, reverent serenity that permeates everything about the series: the lingering look at the landscapes; the semi-monotonous speech of the characters; the slow, deliberate pacing of each show; and, most especially, Ginko's quiet, unflappable calm. All those elements help create this atmosphere of profound stillness and ease. I feel like I walked away from each episode somehow refreshed and rejuvenated. And I loved how everything in the series was fell in line with the theme. It's not uncommon for the story and the characters to carry a show, but here the sound and the art are just as essential to conveying ideas and emotions to the viewer. Like I mentioned before, I love it when everything points in the same direction and there's nothing superfluous tacked on to interfere with or dilute the message. Brilliant.

This isn't for people with a short attention span, probably. I'm sure there's a big chunk of the population will find it boring as watching grass grow and that's fine; it isn't for everyone. But if you'd like to take a deep breath once in a while... this is definitely worth checking out.

(Edited/Re-formatted: April 9, 2008)

In a word? HILARIOUS.

Each episode is only, like, 12 minutes long... and the whole series is incredibly worth it... if you've ever seen anything that has a "delinquent" in it (i.e. anyone with a hairstyle like John Travolta in Grease ;) ) or even if you haven't... this was just so surprisingly funny that it became almost an instant favorite.

...Am I hyping it up too much?

The first episode, I kind of chuckled/smiled a few times... and then as the series goes on, I found myself just dying of laughter. It's incredibly clever and witty...

The show follows a bunch of hoodlums in their ... and their ...non-traditional concerns. One badass boss has severe problems with motion sickness, another is a comedy snob, and well... one's a robot. It's wacky in the best way -- a little light on plot but heavy on the funny. It kind of reminds me of The Tick (the animated series, not the live action) in the way that it's kind of campy and over the top and oh-so-original.

The show does such a good job of turning the typical delinquent devices on their heads. It starts off like something that seems familiar... something that feels normal for the genre... and all of a sudden it's like you're in bizarro-land and this hilarious joke comes out of nowhere. And it's even more surprising and even funnier because you know they knew you were expecting the generic follow-through and they gave you a spoonful of crazy instead. (Does that make sense?) ...It's like watching a pitcher in baseball go through a windup, but at the very last second, instead of pitching the ball to you, his feet turn into ducks.

It's like that... only funny. ;) Really, really funny.

Personally, I think Nodame Cantabile is in a league by itself when it comes to chemistry between characters.

You can compare it to tons of anime that has that general theme of "practice hard and keep trying and reach for your goals"... but that wouldn't give you the whole picture. Each person of the central core of characters is so unique and distinct and finely tuned that it brings the idea of knowing a character to a whole new level. By the end of the series, you know their goals, their motivations, their attitude, their style, their history... and at the center of all ... these rich, amazing characters are Nodame and Chiaki: the child-like, natural savant without an iota of discipline and the despairing, rigid genius of music royalty who has lost the forest for the trees. Once you buy into the premise that they're both incredibly talented, you find out that they've both been pushed to opposing extremes -- somewhat by choice, somewhat by circumstance -- and over the course of 23 episodes, you can see how they slowly influence each other's lives and music in a way that's realistic and beautiful and charming and heartwarming... how they bring out the best in each other.

It's also really refreshing to have main characters in a romance who aren't your typical strong-assertive-type meets meek-pushover-type. Nodame and Chiaki each have their individual strengths and weaknesses. He's incredibly arrogant and impatient and rigid and controlling. And she's so hapless and quirky and irresponsible and oblivious and... dirty. They both are very attached to their own way of doing things and they both kind of just... bulldoze over each other. When you put them in a room together, sparks just fly. ...And it's really, really fun to watch.

I'm kind of a sucker for guys like Chiaki anyway, but I don't think I'd be the only one to find his relationships with everyone funny and endearing... for some reason, the way he takes care of Nodame is just really funny.

The other thing I really liked about the show was the music. Just amazing music; amazing understanding of music and amazing use of music. I really enjoyed getting to see the development of certain pieces of music from the first run-through to the final performance. I'm not a musician myself and I know next to nothing about classical music or orchestras, so I thought it was a fascinating look at the work and the dedication and everything that goes into the performances. And to my layman's eyes, the imagery that they use to illustrate the feel and the flavor of the individual pieces was incredibly lovely and insightful (see: the ripples at the beginning of the Rachmaninoff piece and the pink flower petals during the oboe concerto). It made me feel like I had been missing out on something amazing all my life -- that's how good of a job they do in expressing the passion and devotion to music in these characters.

I have to say, visually, I got a little tired of the pans across the stunned audience member shots... but most of those scenes was about listening to the piece more than anything anyway. They also tend to do a lot of panning over stills in general, but the pros far, far, far outweigh any cons, so it's pretty easy to not care about that sort of thing.

I could probably nitpick a little about the plot and such if those things bothered me at all while watching the show... but they really didn't, mainly because... well, did the show even have a plot? The "action" of the story is so... inconsequential, that complaining about how something happens is like... missing the whole point of the show. So it's probably enough to say that if you're looking for something that's about what happened or what to do next, Nodame Cantabile might not interest you so much. Frankly, almost nothing actually "happens" except for the mundane or the completely to-be-expected. If you're looking for a show that really seems to enjoy getting to know this group of people and the passion they have in common... this is something you absolutely cannot miss.

I really can't say enough good things about this show; just watch it!! =) =) =)