Nodame Cantabile Live Action ep.03

November 8, 2006 | 20 Comments

Prior to watching the live action drama, I always assume that Nodame Cantabile is about Nodame and her struggle at the Music school. So far, however, the story seems to be more focused on Chiaki and how he gets to handle the messy playing style of the S orchestra members. It makes me wonder if Stresemann chose Nodame as a mascot for this orchestra because she represents the very style that the group uses. I'm probably wrong here but I guess the series is called Nodame Cantabile because it tells a story about a group of student whose music style is unique and 'Nodame-like'. Anyway, it's been a while since a live-action drama hooked me like this. The actors are surprisingly talented and capable of pulling off both the serious and comedic scenes. Some actors like Tamaki Hiroshi and Eita occasionaly can't stop themselves from grinning when the scene becomes too funny. Overall, however, they've done a good job in their respective role.

Continuing from the previous episode, the girls, Masumi, and Ryuutarou are happy to know that Chiaki are going to become a temporary conductor. The others, however, are not and demand to know what happened to Strezemann. A flashback reveals that Nodame punched the creepy old pervert in the face before he can give her a kiss. In the present time, Chiaki finds out from Nodame that today's practice music is Beethoven's symphony No.7. Chiaki becomes confident because he's heard a CD featuring Viera-sensei conducting the song. Of course it helps that as soon as he steps onto the podium, girls come up and give him their baton. Outside, Nodame is carrying Strezemann on her back because she wants him to see Chiaki conducting the orchestra. Nodame, however, freezes on the spot when she realises that Strezemann has used the opportunity to grab her breasts. In retaliation, Nodame sends Strezemann flying to a tree with her punch.

Meanwhile, Chiaki finds out that all players in his orchestra are quite bad. Eventually he can't take the stress of having to conduct an awful orchestra and ends up lashing out at every member in the room. Ryuutarou is criticised first when the guy suggests to other players that they should make the song more grandiose. Chiaki tells the Violin player that he shouldn't even consider of playing the song in grandiose manner at his level. Everyone in the orchestra laughs upon hearing this but they soon received similar criticism from Chiaki. The Clarinet and Oboe player become bitter after being criticised by Chiaki. As revenge, they decide to ridicule him by switching the Clarinet and Oboe parts of the music, thinking that Chiaki won't be able to tell. Meanwhile Chiaki tells himself that regardless what he thinks about the players' technique, he needs to conduct this orchestra. Unfortunately for him, the orchestra now sounds even worse than before.

Chiaki loses his composure when he notices that the Clarinet and the Oboe player are switching their music. Upon seeing this, Strezemann claps his hands and tells Chiaki that he's failed. When Chiaki demands Strezemann to give an explanation, the old man simply tells him that he made a girl cry. All of a sudden, another girl burst through the door carrying a Contrabass and quickly joins the orchestra. As Chiaki about to exit the concert hall, Strezemann tells Chiaki that he doesn't realise an important thing in conducting. After getting into the podium, he instructs Ryuutarou not to worry about his bowing technique but to concentrate in making his performance happy. Strezemann then kindly tells the rest of the players of what he expects out of them instead of ordering them around like Chiaki. As a result, all of them responded nicely towards him. Once the orchestra starts playing under Strezemann's lead, everyone suddenly sounds better.

Chiaki knows that these players are not that good, however, when Strezemann conducts them, they become okay. As Chiaki sees Strezemann conducting with a smile on his face, he realises that Strezemann always respects music and people and therefore, they respect him as well. In other words, he's a true Maestro. In the aftermath of the conducting incident, Chiaki submits his request to transfer to conducting course again. Strezemann, however, rips it apart as usual. Chiaki, however, already prepares for this possibility and produces at least 10 similar requests. Upon seeing this, Strezemann tells Chiaki that he doesn't need to transfer because Strezemann is willing to take him as his student. Strezemann admits that he wants to teach Chiaki since he thinks Chiaki's talent is wasted if he stays as Viera's student. However, he wants Chiaki to stay in piano course and during his free time, Chiaki should be staying by his side so he can score with girls.

Outside the building, the girl who has been carrying a large Contrabass into the concert hall is now roaming around the schoolyard. However, because her body is small, people think that there is a phantom carrying the Contrabass. Speaking of phantom, Nodame's friend realises that Nodame is stealing her food again. Nodame manages to escape with the bento box but ends up dropping it into the ground when she bumps into the girl who's carrying the Contrabass. Nodame becomes upset upon seeing her stolen lunch scattered on the ground and covered in dirt. Upon seeing this, the girl asks Nodame if she can eat the food if Nodame doesn't want it. Nodame is shocked since there is dirt all over the foods but the girl claims that hunger is the best spice and proceeds to gulp the food. Halfway through eating the food, however, the girl realises that that she's late for her orchestra. Because of this, she thanks Nodame for the food and runs to her class.

Inside Strezemann's class, Chiaki is surprised to know that the Maestro intends on giving the S orchestra their public performance debut. Despite this, he thinks it's none of his concern until Strezemann nominates him to be the conductor while he's having fun a nightclub. Masumi and Ryuutarou are excited to have him but Chiaki's self-proclaimed rival, Ookouchi Mamoru, is unhappy about this. Before he can protest, however, the girl carrying the Contrabass bumps his head from behind, causing the guy to fall unconscious. Ryuutarou recognises the girl as Sakura and wonders if she had to work overtime today. As it turns out, however, she's late because she can't afford to take a train and has to walk all the way from Nakano. Meanwhile, Saiko finds out from her friend that Chiaki has been made into Steresemann's pupil. Before Saiko can say anything else, however, the girl who gets the role in the theatrical production starts to make fun of her.

In return Saiko congratulates the girl for getting the role instead of her and wishes her the best in dieting (because the girl is fat). The girl immediately runs away in tears, leaving Saiko to ask her friend about this orchestra that Chiaki gets to conduct. She becomes surprised when she finds out that Chiaki doesn't get to conduct A orchestra but rather the S orchestra, whom she refers to as the 'loser orchestra'. Unknown to Saiko, Eto-sensei hears the conversation. Back inside the training room, Chiaki notices that Sakura can't play as well as the others and keeps giving the poor girl the death stare from Hell. Chiaki eventually snaps but after seeing everyone looking scared, he decides to soften his words when giving out advice to those who need it. Later on, because Chiaki told Sakura to practice some more, she asks a boy if she can borrow his bowing notes. Instead of lending the note, however, the boy insults Sakura for coming late to practice.

Later on that day, Nodame meets up with Chiaki, Ryuutarou, and Masumi to congratulate Chiaki on becoming the conductor. As a present, she brings him....lemon in honey and tells him that she loves him. Masumi is pissed off to see this and even more so when Nodame accidentally kicks a small stone onto his large forehead. He then proceeds to 'kill' Nodame by pinching her cheeks while Chiaki and Ryuutarou try their best not to laugh at them. While his 3 friends are goofing off, Chiaki is approached by girls asking him to help them with their playing style. Before long, the entire orchestra wants Chiaki to help them too. Mamoru becomes jealous and tries to make the Clarinet and Oboe players to dislike Chiaki but unfortunately they think Chiaki has become nice lately and want him to help them as well. Nodame is also jealous to see other people getting Chiaki's attention and tries to attract his attention by asking him what he wants for dinner.

Chiaki, however, can't hear Nodame so in the end she goes home on her own. Along the way, she encounters a girl crying in the middle of a street so she calls her "Ochibi-chan". When the girl turns around, however, Nodame realises that she's the 'Spice Girl' that she met earlier in the day: Sakura. Nodame decides to take Sakura to her home and asks her if she had a hard time at the orchestra and if Chiaki yelled at her. Having said that, she's jealous of Sakura since there is no Piano in the orchestra. Sakura admits that this is her first time in an orchestra and the truth is she wants to practice more. However, because she is poor, if she doesn't work part-time, she can't go to school. Sakura then proceeds to cry while her stomach makes a hungry sound. Nodame tries to offer her a food but she only has a rotten carrot in her fridge. Meanwhile, Chiaki is on his way home when he gets phone call by various members in his orchestra asking him trivial questions.

When he returns to his apartment, Chiaki finds Nodame and Sakura standing in front of his door, begging for food. Chiaki laments the situation, wondering if feeding people is a part of a vice conductor's job. Despite this, Chiaki is actually kind enough to give each girl a pasta dish, a salad, and a bowl of soup. He, however, loses his patience when Nodame criticises him for making an instant soup and immediately smacks her forehead with a pan. Like a cartoon character, however, Nodame quickly bounce back when Sakura asks her if Chiaki always cooks her this kind of food. She confirms this, claiming that they are filled with his love. Chiaki denies this and throttles Nodame for saying it. His attempt at homicide, however, comes to a halt when he sees Sakura gulps the entire pasta in one go. Sakura tells the two that it's been years since she last ate a magnificent pasta like this one. Chiaki thinks she exaggerates this since he just put leftover vegies on it.

Sakura claims that at her house, they don't even have leftover rice. The reason is because her father's business is not doing well and as a result, they now have a lot of debts. Her mother is working part-time but they still find it hard to survive. Since her tuition fee is expensive, Sakura has no choice but to work part-time as well. This is the reason why she can't practice her Contrabass. She thinks at this rate, she won't be able to stay in S orchestra. Upon hearing this, Chiaki thinks Sakura should practice more and quit her job. Sakura reminds Chiaki that if she quits her job then she won't be able to attend school. Chiaki, however, mercilessly tells the girl in that case, she should stop going to school. Sakura is devastated upon hearing, prompting Nodame to ask Chiaki why he said this. In defense, Chiaki tells Nodame that if Sakura has to work to go to school to the point she can't practice, then there is no meaning in her going to the university.

He also thinks that if it were him, he would quit uni and practice. However, if Sakura doesn't want to be a good player then she can stay as she is now. When Sakura tells him that she wants to be a good player, Chiaki coldly tells her that if she has the time to cry then surely she has the time to practice. Sakura is upset upon hearing this and runs out of the apartment after apologising to Chiaki for imposing on him. Nodame proceeds to go after her....after grabbing her share of the spaghetti. The next day, Ryuutarou comes with Masumi to watch Miki instructing the A orchestra. From his expression, it's clear that Ryuutarou has a crush on her. Back inside the S orchestra's room, the girls realise that Sakura didn't come to the rehearsal today. The boy who was rude to Sakura tells them she's probably at work and besides she's not good anyway. This statement immediately earns him the ire of the girls who accuses him of bullying Sakura.

Their argument comes to an end when Nodame comes in to the class and blames Chiaki for telling Sakura not to come to school last night. She then proceeds to call him 'Ogree' and 'Devil' before running out of the room. Ryuutarou becomes upset upon hearing this and tells Chiaki that someone who's always at the centre of attention like him can't possibly understand what Sakura feels. At the same time, Eto-sensei confronts Strezemann, demanding to know his plan with S orchestra. Later that night, Nodame wants to buy a bento from a local grocer but finds out that she only has 55 Yen in her pocket. Before she left, however, she spots Sakura eating a bento near the garbage bins. As it turns out, Sakura works in the bento shop since she can get free bento. Nodame decides to ask Sakura why she didn't come to her practice today. Much to her surprise, Sakura doesn't blame Chiaki. She thinks she's a bad player and believes the S orchestra will be better off without her.

When Nodame asks Sakura if it's okay for things to be like this, however, the girl looks upset and runs away without giving Nodame any answer. Meanwhile, Chiaki is unhappy that Strezemann has not appear to give him any instruction. He suddenly remembers a brochure for a Ginza club called One More Kiss and decides to go there and find the old man. True enough, Strezemann is busy playing Yakyuuken while being surrounded by many hostess from the club. Chiaki tries to confront the old man but ends up being surrounded by the club's hostess who all want a piece of him. This irks Strezemann, especially after a hostess tells Chiaki that being around an old man all the time is boring. Before Chiaki can protest, the girls already feeds him fruits and drink, earning him Strezemann's ire. A few hours later, Chiaki manages to return home. Much to his dismay, Nodame rings his doorbell so he asks her what she wants from a 'Ogre' and a 'Devil' like him.

Nodame tells him that she needs to use his bath because her gas has been turned off and she can't pay the bill until tomorrow. Chiaki, who's not feeling charitable, refuses to help her. After he closes the door, however, Nodame continues to whine about how Chopin and Beethoven were born poor and how Chiaki doesn't know what it means to be poor. Chiaki denies this, claiming that he knows about being poor, reciting examples from The Little Match Girl and The Dog of Flanders. A few minutes later, Nodame wins and takes a bath inside Chiaki's apartment. Chiaki is annoyed by this and even more so when he realises that Nodame's pendant contains his picture. While attempting to snap the pendant, Chiaki notices a book about Contrabass belonging to Sakura. After reading the book, Chiaki admits to Nodame that he never has to worry about school fees or living expenses. As a result, he never considers the possibility of not studying music.

The next day, Chiaki and the others head to Sakura's house to encourage her to play again. They, however, are surprised to know that she lives in a mansion. Sakura's father explains that he has an imported goods business but business has not been good lately. He then invites the four to see a secret chamber where he collects many rare Violins. Mine is pissed off upon seeing the collection since the man claims to be poor even though he has this kind of rare collection. Masumi agrees and suggests that the man sells his collection. Sakura's father, however, refuses and claims that these Violins worth more than his own life. Moreover, he wants Sakura to play Violin instead of Contrabass. Sakura suddenly appears and tells him that she likes Contrabass because it's bigger and looks cooler. Because of this, she asks him to allow her to continue her study. Chiaki backs Sakura up by telling her father that if he doesn't have the Violins, he'll have money for this.

A few days later, Sakura thanks Nodame and Chiaki by bringing two large bento box for them. It seems her father has decided to sell the Violins and his business is getting better again. She thinks it's because her father was in possession of a cursed Violin before. Things seem to be going well for everyone until Strezemann appears and tells the S orchestra that he's withdrawing from this orchestra to teach A orchestra. It seems Strezemann is jealous at Chiaki after the club incident. Because of this, he challenges Chiaki's S orchestra to go against his A orchestra. The S Orchestra is devastated after Strezemann left because the "S" in S Orchestra is supposed to be "Strezemann". That means without Strezemann, there is no orchestra anymore. They, however, becomes excited again once someone suggested that they should be okay if Chiaki becomes their conductor. Ryuutarou agrees and tells the group from now on, the "S" refers to "Special" Orchestra. Chiaki tries to protest this decision but his objection is drowned out by everyone's excitement.

Impression:

I'm not sure where I should start so maybe I'll just talk about the funniest scenes first. My favourite scene from this episode has to be the part where Nodame criticises Chiaki's instant soup. The look on Chiaki's face was just pure gold. And the way he hit Nodame and her coming back as quickly as possible as if she's a cartoon character was priceless. I kind of feel sorry for Nodame when I first started watching the series but the more I see her, the more I realise that she could be annoying if you have to put up with her every single day. And despite bitching about it every time, Chiaki is actually nice enough to put up with Nodame's insane request. In a way, he reminds me of Kyon from Suzumiya Haruhi or Watanuki from xxxHOLiC. In fact, the part where he starts strangling Nodame reminds me a lot of Watanuki strangling Doumeki because the later always eats anything and yet always very demanding and critical of the food that Watanuki cooks.

Anyway, this episode is basically about how Chiaki wins over the S orchestra. In the process, he learns how to treat others a bit nicely. In general, he's actually a good person but because he's talented and always gets good marks, he often expect others to reach his level as well, which is quite impossible most of the time. I think this is some kind of prevalent theme in Japanese drama. An odd man gets involved a difficult situation and starts to win the respect of each person that he meets. I've seen this in GTO and other series. In Nodame, it's slightly different because Chiaki is not the only one who tries to gain other people's respect. The S orchestra itself consists of misfits who are considered to be failures by their peers. This battle that they'll have with A orchestra will hopefully prove that they can be good performers in the hands of a good conductor who won't give up on them. It looks like Chiaki gets to be that conductor instead of Strezemann.

Next episode: The gang have Kotatsu fun and the S orchestra gets their debut performance.

© memento 2003