Nodame Cantabile ep.04

February 1, 2007 | 22 Comments

Kotatsu scene: Part 1 (18.5MB, J-Drama version) | Part 2 (26.5MB, J-Drama version)

First thing first, those who expect to see the Kotatsu chapter will be in for a disappointment. J.C Staff completely cuts that story out of the anime for the time being. However, since this is J.C Staff, I suspect we will probably see them in the DVD as one of the extras. If you think about it, the Kotatsu story doesn't really advance the main plot so it makes sense for J.C Staff to excise that story so they can get on with the main plot. Apart from this cut, however, this episode is as good as the previous one. The comedy flows in better, the jokes are spot on, and the story is engaging. The only problem that I still have is getting used to the voice actors for the anime. The only exception to this is Chiaki. I'm a bit disappointed that the new Strezemann doesn't speak Japanese like a foreigner. His Japanese sounds a bit too perfect to me.

A foreign man is seen entering the Momogakoka Music School reading brochures about Tokyo and its nightlife entertainment. While walking inside the school, he hears a violin sound and decides to check it out. As it turns out the player is none other than Mine. Mine notices that someone is secretly watching him from outside so he decides to confront the old man but before he can do so, the old man has disappeared. Soon the same old man end up watching Masumi and many other students, causing them to think that he's either a pervert or a robber. The old man's latest peeping target happens to be Nodame, who's in the middle of practicing her piano. Later on that day, the old man approaches Nodame when she's on her way to go home. The old man asks her where he can find taxi around here so Nodame tries her best to explain it. The old man claims that he can't understand Nodame's direction and asks her to take him there instead.

In return, he promises to take her out for dinner, promising to buy her either Sushi or Sukiyaki. Nodame is excited to hear this but she's also wary because her mother always tells her not to follow strangers. The old man immediately assures her that he's not a bad man and introduces himself as Milch Holstein, a tourist from Germany. He then pulls the pity card by saying that he has a plan to meet his friend tomorrow but he doesn't have plan today and therefore end up being lonely since he's an old man. Feeling sorry for the guy, Nodame decides to go and have dinner with him but instead of taking him to a restaurant, she takes him to Chiaki's house. The two come in time just as Chiaki finished cooking his dinner. Needless to say, he's pissed off to see Nodame taking a stranger into his house and acting as if the place is her own house. When Milch asks Nodame if the place is not restaurant so Nodame claims that it's her boyfriend's apartment.

Nodame tries to explain that the old man is her friend, whom she just met on the street. XD She also tells Chiaki that his name is Milch Holstein. Chiaki who's well-versed in german language realises that it's a fake name which literally means Holstein cow's milk. XD Meanwhile, Nodame introduces Chiaki as her upperclassman at the music school. Milch suddenly becomes interested to hear Chiaki playing the Piano and starts looking around the Piano. While looking at a bookshelf, he notices a photograph featuring Chiaki and Vierra-sensei. Milch immediately asks Chiaki if he knows the man in the photograph. Chiaki becomes angry and grabs the photo frame from Milch, telling him that the person is his master in conducting. Milch, who clearly knows who is Vierra-sensei, asks Chiaki if he's interested to become a conductor. When Chiaki volatiley confirms this, Milch tells Nodame that Chiaki looks impatient with them so he thinks they should go.

In order to persuade Nodame to leave the food on the table, Milch promises to treat her to a Sushi restaurant near his hotel. He also offers to teach her music and other things after dinner. Things that Nodame doesn't know yet. Chiaki becomes alarmed upon hearing this. He believes that Milch is nothing more than an dirty old man. In order to prevent Nodame from going with Milch, Chiaki tells her that it's okay for her to sleep in his bed using his arm as a pillow. Not surprisingly, Nodame immediately goes after Chiaki. Chiaki uses the opportunity to kick Milch out of his apartment and toss out a coupon for nightclub. This, however, doesn't mean that Chiaki wants Nodame to sleep in his room. As soon as Milch left, he kicks her out of his room. The next day, Chiaki is in the middle of contemplating his decision to transfer into conducting course when Mine tells him that he's found out that their new teacher is a famous conductor Strezemann.

Chiaki finds it hard to believe that Strezemann would come to Japan. In response Mine tells Chiaki to go to the teacher's office to see the teacher for himself. Upon doing so, Chiaki is horrified because the dirty old man that he kicked out of his apartment last night is none other than Strezemann. Inside the room, Strezemann informs the teacher than he intends on forming a new orchestra. Although he'd still teach the school's famous A orchestra, he'd like to have fun with an orchestra which consists of students he's personally selected. He tries to show pictures of the students to the teachers but ends up showing them perverted pictures which he bought from Shibuya. Strezemann immediately apologises and goes on to show the photos of the students he want in his orchestra. The teachers, however, are not impressed because these students include the likes of Mine and Masumi. Upon seeing this, Chiaki decides not to transfer to conducting course.

The next day, the students crowd in front of a board announcing the formation of Strezemann's specially formed orchestra. Some students who are not picked wonder who made the decisions to pick some of the students listed on the board, which include Mine and Masumi. Meanwhile, Chiaki is in the middle of listening to Mahler's Symphony No.8, which is conducted by Strezemann. He admits that the first time he heard the song, he couldn't believe that someone could conduct Mahler's song this nicely. This is why he also can't believe that the person turns out to be that kind of person. However, because he can't go overseas, he decides to learn from any great master he can find in Japan. With this in his mind, Chiaki finally decides to transfer. Meanwhile, Nodame's friends tell her that she's been selected to be in Strezemann's orchestra. Much to her surprise, she's been selected as a mascot. Strezemann then appears and apologises for lying to her before.

After realising that Milch was just Strezemann's fake name, Nodame overhears Chiaki telling Tanioka-sensei that he's transferring from Piano course to Conducting course. Much to Chiaki's surprise, his request letter is ripped apart by Strezemann, who refuses to let him into the Conducting course. When Chiaki asks for the reason, Strezemann claims it's because he hates Chiaki. Chiaki wonders if this is due to last night's incident but Strezemann denies this and instead asks Chiaki if he's Vierra-sensei's student. He explains to Chiaki that he met Vierra 15 years ago while he was shopping for a toy. The two happened to lay their hand at the same time on the last toy that is available at the store. Strezemann claims that he wants to give it to his grandchild but Vierra knew that Strezemann is not married so Strezemann clearly lied. On top of this, Strezemann apparently harassed a woman at a party and that woman happens to be Vierra's wife.

In the end, Vierra ended up purchasing the toy while Strezemann was still shock that a beautiful woman like Vierra's wife would marry someone like Vierra. Chiaki is angry upon hearing the explanation since the basis of Strezemann's rejecttion was just a fight over a toy. Strezemann, however, can't care less and tells Chiaki that if he wants to blame someone, he should blame his teacher. After Strezemann left, Nodame uses the opportunity to persuade Chiaki to not transfer into the conducting course. Meanwhile, the students who have been selected to be in Strezemann's orchestra have gathered inside a performing hall looking excited. Strezemann then appears to let them know that he personally chose each of them to be in his orchestra. He claims that they're going to be family from now on but in order to do that takes time. Because he wants to know them quickly, Strezemann asks them to go to Goukon (a drinking party which is more like blind date) now.

He claims that Goukon is popular in Japanese culture and therefore he wants them to talk about music and have fun at today's Goukon. The students immediately think that a foreigner like Strezemann have misunderstood the meaning of 'Goukon'. After Strezemann starts hitting on every single girl at the party, however, they realise that Strezemann knows the purpose of Goukon quite well. Upon seeing this, Mine wonders if this person is really Strezemann. He then changes the conversation and asks Nodame if Chiaki really wants to transfer to conducting course. Nodame confirms this but also informs Mine that 'Milch' torns his request into pieces. Mine thinks this is unfortunate because if Chiaki had transferred, his graduation would be pushed back. Because of this, he wonders if Chiaki is planning to go to Europe after graduation. Nodame panics upon hearing this and asks Strezemann to approve Chiaki's transfer using her handkerchief.

Much to her shock, Strezemann uses the handkerchief to wipe his nose before throwing it away. The next day, Nodame is shocked to see Chiaki writing a resignation letter. Since he can't transfer to conducting course, he plans on quitting the school. Nodame immediately rips out the letter and forces Chiaki to come with her to the headmaster's office so she can approve his request. Much to their surprise, the headmaster is away buying Strezemann's some tobacco. Meanwhile, the members of Strezemann's orchestra are frustrated because he hasn't show up to train them. Back inside the office, Nodame asks him if he's her friend and therefore she asks him to let Chiaki to transfer to his course. Upon seeing Nodame crying, Strezemann tells him that he's lost. However, he follows that by saying he'd let Chiaki transfer if Nodame kiss him. The episode ends with Strezemann puckering up his lips and makes his way towards Nodame.

Impression:

If you haven't read the manga or watch the live-action version and is interested in the Kotatsu scene, you can either download the link provided above or read this entry. Just be sure that you don't read more than the Kotatsu scene since the Drama puts that part a bit later than the manga/anime. Well, technically there is no Kotatsu scene in the anime version yet. But I hope it'll be included on the DVD since that would explain why the episode numbers is quite odd (23 as opposed to 24). Anyway, as I said before, I'm quite happy with this episode. I just think it retains the same level of comedy that was seen in the last episode. I really like that Nodame had no idea that Milch Holstein actually means Cow's Milk until later on in the story. It was also funny to see her act as if she's the owner of the apartment where Chiaki is living. Although Chiaki can be quite cruel sometimes, you have to admit that Nodame can be quite annoying at times.

It's also interesting to know that Nodame is quite naive. She's clearly oblivious to Strezemann's double-entendre conversations. Speaking of Strezemann, I think his pervertness has been toned down quite a bit. I just feel that his VA doesn't sound as sleazy as he could have been. But then again, maybe Kasai Kenichi doesn't want Strezemann to be over-the-top in his pervertness. However, his pervertness is one of the reason why he's so entertaining. As for appearance, I definitely prefers the way Strezemann appears in this version than in the live-action version. He actually looks quite normal until he starts talking to girls. Anyway, I'm interested to see how J.C Staff will animate the orchestra. I know it's going to be a challange, especially if they are short on budget. I just hope that we're not treated to many static stills during one of the concerts. If my estimation is correct, there should be one in the next 2 episodes.

Preview

On next week's episode: Chiaki gets his first chance at conducting.

© memento 2003