Nodame Cantabile ep.21

June 20, 2007 | 6 Comments

Wow, two more episodes and that will be it for this series. I can't believe that two series that I cover will end almost simultaneously. I think Death Note will conclude next week while this series will end the week after that. I've been hoping that there'll be a second season but at this point, it doesn't seem likely. Maybe if the DVD sales is good and the manga is concluded soon, we'll see a sequel in the not-too-distant future, just like Honey and Clover. I do hope that we'll at least get a glimpse of the second season towards the end of this season because that's one thing that the live action didn't show. They don't even have to have a voice track. I just want to see the arc animated while music plays in the background.

The episode begins with Segawa Yuuto performing in front of the audience and impressed the Hell out of them. Meanwhile, Chiaki and the other Rising Star orchestra are in the middle of seeing Takahashi showing off his violin skill. Kiyora thinks that Takahashi is dynamic and passionate, a different kind of player from herself. Maybe even better. Once Takahashi completes his performance, he asks Chiaki which one is better as Concert Master: him or Kiyora. Masumi is unhappy to hear this and points out that Takahashi has come here to audition and not to become Concert Master. In retaliation, Takahashi tells Masumi that unless he gets the Concert Master position, he won't join the orchestra. He claims that he actually got an offer to work in the entertainment industry but will turn it down to be in this Orchestra. Because of this, he thinks he should get a Concert Master position. Upon hearing this, Chiaki wonders why Takahashi wants to join his Orchestra.

Takahashi explains because this Orchestra is great. Everyone is skillful, young, confident, and look as if they're enjoying themselves. And then there is the fact that the good-looking conductor looks as if he's giving himself to ecstasy. Plus, there are young guys in tuxedo. He then declares how he loves classic, this Orchestra, and Chiaki. Masumi is angry to hear this and starts throwing salt at him, claiming that they already have a wonderful Concert Master. Much to everyone's surprise, Mine steps out and asks Takahashi to join them because he's impressed by Takahashi's enthusiasm. He tells everyone that although Takahashi's performance is not as powerful as Kiyora's, Takahashi has a detailed technique and beautiful echo. His level is higher than Kiyora. Mine also thinks that instead No.2 in National Violin Competition, No.3 in Buffon Violin competition would sound better for their advertisement. Everyone including Kiyora is shocked to hear this.

Mine then moves to Kiyora and tells her that because of this, she doesn't have to hesitate anymore. She can go back to Vienna like she wants to. And then when she wants to become this Orchestra's Concert Master again, she can show 2 or 3 better awards than Takahashi. He believes that Kiyora can achieve this. Kiyora suddenly cries and agrees with Mine's assessment. Mine also assures her not to worry about him because he'll practice his violin hard that he won't have time to cheat on her. This statement shocks Chiaki since he didn't know Mine is in relationship with Kiyora. Mine then tells everyone that he'll certainly keep this Orchestra going regardless how many of its members leaving. As the group takes their promotional photo, Chiaki agrees with Mine's intention to make sure that this Orchestra won't be stagnant. That night, Chiaki receives confirmation from Nodame that she going to the final so Chiaki promises to do better himself.

The next day, Nodame has a hard time practicing her Schumann. This worries Kaori because Nodame hasn't had anything to eat for a while. To make things worse, Nodame seems capable of producing electricity by connecting her two fingers together. Much to Etou surprise, Nodame has mastered her Schumann piece when he returns home that evening. Kaori tries to tell her husband that Nodame has been behaving in strange way. When Etou checks back on her, Nodame suddenly falls over in the middle of her practice. Upon checking on the girl, Etou realises that Nodame has a fever. Despite resting on the bed, Nodame's mind is restless. She sees a dream where she wears the mongoose outfit and has to take on a challange. The Puri-Gorota characters think she can't do it. Segawa Yuuto reminds her what would happen if she makes mistakes. He then gestures at a room where her old teacher stands behind the window eerily while holding a spiked club.

Nodame eventually wakes up but her mind dwells on what Yuuto said in her dream. On the day of the competition, Etou decides to have Nodame listening to the Petrouchka's performance on CD since she doesn't have the time to learn the score. Nodame wants to hear the song one more time but unfortunately Kaori points out that they don't have more time. Inside the train, Nodame refuses to give up and continues to learn the score just by reading it and pretending to play it. She becomes very annoyed, however, when someone's ring tone starts to play and messed up her concentration. Later on, Nodame appears on stage wearing the same dress as Scarlett O'Hara. She then impresses the audiences with her two performance, Mozart's Piano Sonata No.8 in A minor and Schumann's Piano Sonata No.2 in G minor. Unfortunately, Nodame's third performance, Stravinsky's 3 Movements of Petrouchka, is not very good. Although she started well, she stops halfway through because she can only remember the ringtone of the cellphone that she heard earlier.

Impression:

I was surprised to see how long Nodame's performance turns out to be. This is because the live action version cuts so much of the performance that I think there are only a total of 3 major performances. In this one, even one performance contains 2-3 songs. I think this is the part of the series where things start to become interesting. Nodame's past finally catches up with her and judging from her nightmare, it's a rather creepy one. Her old teacher seems to have abused her in the past and that explains why she was so volatile towards Etou when he tried to swat her with his Harisen. On a less serious issue, I'm surprised to see Takahashi being accepted so quickly to the Rising Star orchestra. I also think that the speed in which Kiyora accepts Mine's decision is too fast. I was hoping that she'll be mad a little bit that he made the decision for her instead of letting her making her own decision. I guess she really wants to go back to Vienna and therefore her only problem was finding someone to replace her.

Preview:

On next week's episode: Nodame makes her decision.

© memento 2003