Nodame Cantabile – finale (series review)

Nodame's hands dance across the keyboard as she plays Scarlatti.

The third anime season of Nodame Cantabile picks up where Nodame Cantabile – Paris left off. For those new to the franchise, I highly recommend starting with the first season, which introduces the various characters, and is a beautiful work of art, in terms of the story-telling, and the visual presentation, but also in terms of the musical performances. The review that follows, although avoiding major season three spoilers, makes no effort to cater to those who are unfamiliar with the franchise.

Nodame Cantabile – Finale 10

I didn't expect to see her in Egypt either! In fact, why is she in Egypt?

Now that she has debuted, Nodame must contend with the reactions of those around her. Amusingly, while word spreads quickly through Paris, Japan, and even to Egypt, her own family is at first oblivious to Nodame’s overnight rise to stardom. Nodame doesn’t seem to be taking her success as well as some expected, and ends up drinking alone in a bar in Cairo. Chiaki regrets the distance that has sprung up between them, but it is left until next week to discover if he can close the gap.