Ayako Kawasumi
The series was animated by J.C.Staff and produced by Fuji TV, comprising three seasons to date, with an original video animation (OVA) released 10 August 2009. The first season, called just "Nodame Cantabile", was directed by Kenichi Kasai and the second season, called "Nodame Cantabile: Paris Chapter", by Chiaki Kon. Both seasons starred Ayako Kawasumi as Megumi "Nodame" Noda and Tomokazu Seki as Shinichi Chiaki. Several works of classical music were featured in each episode under the musical direction of Suguru Matsutani. The orchestral music was performed by Nodame Orchestra, which consisted of members specially selected for the live-action drama of "Nodame Cantabile", with professional support from the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. The opening theme of season one was "Allegro Cantabile" by Suemitsu &amp; The Suemith, and the ending themes were "Konna ni Chikaku de..." by Crystal Kay (episodes 1–12), "Sagittarius" by Suemitsu &amp; the Nodame Orchestra (episodes 13–22), and "Allegro Cantabile" by Suemitsu &amp; The Suemith (episode 23). The opening theme for the second season was "Sky High" by The Gospellers (with melody taken from the Third movement (Allegro scherzando) of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2), and the ending theme was by Emiri Miyamoto x solita (with variations on the theme from Ravel's "Boléro"). The opening theme for season three was "Manazashi ☆ Daydream" by Yuu Sakai (with a variation on Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring from the cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 by J.S. Bach), and the ending theme was "Kaze to Oka no Ballad" by Real Paradis with Nodame Orchestra.