Nodame Cantabile (2006)

This was the first Japanese drama I've ever watched and I still find it difficult to find another that compares. Whether you are a musical person or not, this drama will definitely find some way to lure you into the musical world.
First things first. The music: Absolutely amazing. I love the way they make the music the epicenter of everything in this drama. Sure, it has a cast of wacky characters, but when it comes to the music, everything else just goes to the background. You forget the silliness and instead get lost in the musical atmosphere.
Secondly, character-wise I think Nodame is by far the cutest most silly and lovable female leads of all time. Chiaki, is just an absolute stud in this and I fell for this guy instantly. Some might complain about the romance between the two characters, calling them childish and what not. But I found it to be so entertaining and enjoyed ever minute! The rest of the characters are hard not to love and I found myself wishing a happy ending for each and every one of them.:))) (Especially disco guy! Hahaha.)

It was because of this drama, that I started playing the piano again. I had given up on it in high school, but this drama brought me back to it and helped me appreciate the world of classical music once again. :)

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I've given it the highest score in everything, because it's my most favorite story ever. Being a big lover of classical music and always charmed by world of musicians I really couldn't ask for anything better. The acting is outstanding, not only the leads, but also the supporting characters are all very lively and unique. Some of them may feel a little bit overdone, especially foreigners played by Japanese actors, but they will make roll with laughter. Takenaka Naoto as Franz Strezemann was just epic. Apart from all the enjoyable silliness, the drama, at least in my opinion, was very touching at times, especially the follow-up story in specials and movies. That's why I highly recommend to watch it all.Even my husband, who usually don't care about that "asian stuff" that I'm crazy about, loved it and watched it 3 times with me. If you like classical music, but you think of it rather emotionally than seriously and you enjoy anime-like gags, you will have a blast watching this. I did!

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