(Japan) Nodame Cantabile:The Finale is based on the hit manga about a couple who fall in love over classical music. Prior to hitting the big screen, it was also a TV drama, a game and an anime. This film brings all those elements together to a rather novel effect.

For the uninitiated, a quick introduction: She’s Nodame (Juri Ueno), a kooky pianist, and he’s Chiaki (Hiroshi Tamaki), a strait-laced conductor. They hook up when she hypnotises him out of his fear of flying, and he puts up with her penchant for skipping baths, all seems good and quirky. The film begins with the both of them in Paris. In order to focus on work, Chiaki tries to put some distance between them but discovers that they are due to play the same piece of music but with different partners. Will the star-crossed lovers ever play their concerto together?

As predictable as the film is, it’s no less wonderful to see the irreverent mix of live-action and animation—when all the Parisians speak perfect Japanese, a cartoony sign pops up and apologises for the aberration. This sense of whimsy carries over to the classical music lessons. I did not know, for example, that Ravel’s “Piano Concerto in G major” was jazzy, nor would I have given a damn if not for the film’s charm. It also helps that the actors look like they can actually play the instruments.

For a movie about music though, it’s tonally awkward. The first half’s the right balance of idiosyncrasies and the mainstream. Unfortunately the second half gets slow and sappy. But you got to give it up to the Japanese—only they can pull off a combination of cutesy manga and serious music.