Nodame Cantabile the manga @ chapter 136... ~fin~

"This is too sudden.

My brain is still processing what I had just seen.
Could it be?
There must be something wrong here, ne?
The ending??
How... could .. ?
What's with that ending???
Please tell me I was misinformed.. I must had misread the lines between, right!
Do.. please! someone!!
arghhh!!!!!
No!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! "

After many-many days (it's been weeks actually), Rae's back to sane and receive the news well. Or is she? *sigh*

Just like Rhino the hamster from the animation Bolt said, "Is my eyes deceiving me?". I had the same thought when I got to read what's written on the series profile.

Nodame Cantabile
OM Rank 184
Chapter: 136 completed


*****pause*****

&
repeat

completed

I need days to process that one single word.

More days to accept it.

and many-many days to get myself together again and re-click on the series to re-check the status. *pat-pat... brave Rae*

Yes, the draft of this post had been started written out last week but I only get to finish this now. Had I told you that Rae can get overboard with manga too? *tsk tsk tsk*.

The last time I rambled about this favourite Josei manga of mine was at chapter 133 when Chiaki had a concerto with Son Rui for the second time [read here]. Then later Nodame proposed to Chiaki in a most non-romantic way but we all knew she's serious about it because she looked into his eyes! Chiaki was shocked by the proposal, he instead told Nodame to quit playing around, be more serious with her music and requested some time off from Nodame.

Nodame later pulled a successful concerto with Stresseman/"Milch" after the Maestro found her in her poorest emotional state. Later when Elise decided (on her own of course) to make Nodame one of the company's "money maker", Nodame fled for a tour around the world. Feeling unsatisfied for her mission is likely to fail, Elise called Chiaki and report. Of course Chiaki felt that it could be part of his fault as well and rush back "home" to Paris to look after her and just to find that she's not there (Nodame was after all on a trip around the world) *wink*.

When Nodame's back in Paris (she took an extra time however for she over slept on the train and missed her stop), she acted like nothing's happened and encounter with a new friendship with another weird musician girl. She managed to replenish her excitement with music once again and Chiaki still kept his distance (owhh... I hate Chiaki for this!!). Chiaki thought that the reason for her behaviour was because she's pushed to her limit to play decent classical music (which of course she hated so much). As Chiaki stood behind the door listening to Nodame and told himself that it's ok to let her do her own way, the children (whose visiting Nodame) questioned if Nodame really can play piano that well. Of course that blew her up and she showed-off to the children how well she can play.


Thus she played Beethoven Piano Sonata which led to ...

(disclaimer: all photos credits to onemanga)



Chiaki was MOVED (totally love this) and he proposed to her in a unique way.

Yup, it's a love call from Chiaki to do a concerto with him.

But Nodame do what she do best! REJECTING CHIAKI.. (again *sigh*). It's cute how Nodame rejected it though saying she had done it with Milch and there could never be possibility to have a greater one than that.

"If it goes bad and sempai turns out to be a failure, I don't think I can continue loving sempai"
(Good excuse Nodame. Let Chiaki eats his own medicine!!)

Nodame told her sempai that anime nor food can ever bribed her anymore. She's a grown up lady (or is she?? hehehe). Chiaki however just know the right button to motivate Nodame. He brought her to Nina Lutz the pianist's house (remember her from the summer musical camp way back in the series?).

Chiaki said, "We can play Mozart's Piano Sonata for Two Pianos".
(Now, I seriously can hear they play this piece.. had you missed the line again? ehem...)

awww... It's like a call back to their first performance together. After a long time, this is one of my favourite part. Remember how after they performed it way back Nodame confessed that she's falling for Chiaki? Yup, it's back again! *smile*

Not just Chiaki managed to revived Nodame's love to him/ music, Nina had found who was the person playing the piano at the summer music camp years back.

So, what follows after that?

Nodame's decided to be a better pianist and went back to Professor Auclair only to find that she lagged a semester (for being on the concerto with Stresseman and tour around the world). She then was sent again to do a recital at the Bunoa House (the Mozart's fanatic fan who owned a castle) but now with more audience. Chiaki is still struggling with Marlet and even had to preformed on a non-musical event... read ONION FESTIVAL (tsk-tsk, poor Chiaki!!!).

Meanwhile, the side stories are pretty interesting. Tanya went along with Kuroki-kun (cute....) while Frank met his destiny with Son Rui (ahh.. the least expected).

So what drove Rae nuts?

The ending was unsatisfying. I was really.. really... really.. REALLY... looking forward for that concerto of Nodame & Chiaki for the closing.

Will the live-action version fulfills my dream? I wonder. At this moment, all spoilers are welcome. *wink*