Nodame kantābire

By Tomoko Ninomiya

Subjects: Ambition, Conservatories of music, Comic books, strips, Man-woman relationships, Japanese language materials, Music students

Description: Noda Megumi ("Nodame") is a piano prodigy who has no discipline and prefers to play by ear. By chance, she meets Shinichi Chiaki, the top student in the piano program of a prestigious music college in Japan. Nodame is immediately head over heels in love with Chiaki, but he takes much longer to warm up to her unique personality and quirks. The story follows both of their struggles to pursue their musical ambitions and eventual success. This multivolume manga series had been adapted into two television series (a live action and an animated series), as well as two live action movies and three video games. -- summary by Katherine Pastor.