As for exactly what the story is, although I'm fuzzy on the details, near as I can figure it's an "innately gifted person seeks recognition and stumbles on love" scheme. I'm not clear if Nodame and Chiaki are actually boyfriend and girlfriend, or if that's what they're trying to figure out. There are a lot of other characters on the scene, and each of them also has their own backstory and reason for interacting with Nodame and Chiaki. Although I was mostly lost as to who everyone was, I was interested enough to continue to forge ahead blindly. In fact, it speaks well of Ninomiya's writing that I wanted to learn what was going on, and was even willing to throw in some of my own guesswork to patch up storytelling seams. I have a feeling that, if started from the beginning, Nodame Cantabile would be an incredibly engaging story, leaving one dangling on edge volume to volume. The one caveat I have is that (at least in these two volumes) the manga is heavily inundated with musical references, analysis, and even actual sheets of music in the backgrounds. This can leave the casual reader's head spinning, and might be a turn-off for those seeking a simpler relationship story. I did find all the musical technicalities rather distracting from Nodame's story, but at the same time I could also identify with her complete confusion with the music analysis classes.

Ninomiya does a great job with Cantabile's artwork as well as it's story. Her backgrounds are rich and well-researched; the reader will feel as though they're in Paris. For some novice manga readers, her character style may come as a surprise. It's a much more realistic interpretation, which meshes well with the meticulous backgrounds. You won't find googly eyes or gravity-defying hair in Cantabile, and the characters' outfits are authentic and contemporary.

For busting in on the middle of a story, I was impressed with Nodame Cantabile enough that I'd want to start from the beginning. The characters are all engaging (if numerous and therefore confusing to a first-time reader), the storyline intriguing (seriously, are they boy/girlfriend or not?!), and the art lovely. If these two volumes are any indication, though, errant readers beware of the heavy musical references. Overall, it looks to be a very promising series. | Elizabeth Schweitzer