Moé Moé Rabu

• A foreign old man is walking through the school with a guide book on Japan, peering into various practice rooms. However rumour spreads out that there is a creepy old man going around.
• Nodame on her way home is approached by the foreign old man who asks for directions to get a taxi. Nodame tells him how to get there but the man insists that Nodame show him and offers her dinner. Remembering how her mother said not to talk to strangers, the man claims he’s not any one suspicious and that his name is Milch Holstein from Germany.
• So Nodame takes him to a place with good food, which ends up being Chiaki’s apartment. After hitting her with frying pans, Chiaki questions about the old man but Nodame claims that he is her friend, even though she only just met him. When Chiaki hears his name, he realises that Milch Holstein is a fake name (Milch = milk, Holstein = a type of cow).

• Milch notices a picture of Chiaki with Vieira and asks if he knows him personally. Chiaki tells him that Vieira is his teacher and is irritated when Milch confirms that he wants to become a conductor. Milch then decides to leave and invites Nodame to the sushi restaurant at his hotel. Chiaki, knowing that Milch has lecherous intent, gets Nodame to stay by saying she can sleep in his bed. After kicking Milch out, he kicks Nodame out shortly afterwards as he has no intention of sleeping with her.
• The next day, Chiaki has request to transfer departments ready as he wants to go into the conducting major. However he is interrupted by Mine who brings news that the famous Franz von Stresemann is the new conducting teacher. Surprised to hear about this, he is shocked to find out that Stresemann is Milch. He now realises that he can’t transfer.
• Stresemann is discussing with the faculty that he wants to form an orchestra, comprised of students that he hand-picked himself. He even produces a collection of pictures of the students, which include Mine and Masumi.
• Having listened to one of Stresemann’s works, he sees that this is an opportunity he can’t miss and decides to transfer. Elsewhere, Nodame finds out that she is a part of Stresemann’s orchestra but as a mascot. Stresemann apologises to Nodame for lying to her about his identity, though they overhear a conversation between Tanioki and Chiaki discussing his transfer.
• Nodame refuses to let Chiaki transfer, which Stresemann rips up his transfer request and refuses to let him do so. Chiaki thinks that Stresemann hates him after what happened last night, in fact it’s much more than that. Stresemann and Vieira first met 15 years ago and both were after the same rare toy. However Vieira ended up getting it as he pointed out that Stresemann had been sexually harassing female musicians, including Vieira’s wife. So with this grudge, he won’t let Chiaki transfer as he feels that Chiaki is just like Vieira.
• Stresemann gathers his special orchestra and talks about being a family, but he ends up taking them on a goukon. After seeing Stresemann hitting on the females, the students start questioning if he really is Stresemann.
• Mine asks Nodame about Chiaki’s transfer and hears that Stresemann rejected it. Mine however hoped that he would be accepted as Chiaki’s graduation would take longer. He thinks that Chiaki will head to Europe after graduation and this get Nodame worried. So Nodame writes a new request on a handkerchief and gives it to Stresemann, but he ends up blowing his nose with it and throws it away.
• The next day, Nodame finds Chiaki filling out a notice of leave as he wants to transfer to a different university. But Nodame takes it, blows her nose with it and throws it away. So she drags Chiaki to the dean’s office to discuss his transfer. However when they arrive they find Stresemann there alone as the dean went to buy cigarettes.
• Meanwhile, the special orchestra students are practicing, but Stresemann is late, causing the students to start thinking if he’s a fake.
• Nodame begs Stresemann to approve Chiaki’s transfer but he still refuses. Though until Nodame starts crying, Stresemann gives in, but on one condition. She has to kiss Stresemann for him to approve of Chiaki’s transfer. Remembering what Mine said about Chiaki going to Europe, Nodame is faced with a tough decision.

Preview:

Impressions

Throughout this episode I notice a few drops int he animation quality, which is somewhat rare in a J.C Staff production. It’s really noticeable with Chiaki at times but the rest was average. Although I didn’t find this as enjoyable as the previous three episodes so far. Probably due to not too much humour in this episode.

So now with the introduction of Stresemann the storyline is finally moving along. Obviously with the slight rivalry between Chiaki and Stresemann will prove to be quite entertaining in the coming episodes, but it’s a ray of hope for Chiaki to learn more about conducting. Also I am glad that Stresemann’s voice is not like that of the TV drama series and that he actually looks like a non-Japanese person. I found the way that Stresemann talked in the TV drama rather annoying at times.

Chiaki also shows us that he has his righteous side to him where he stops Nodame from going off with Milch. Although he doesn’t harbour any feelings for Nodame he still looks out for her well-being. But I’m still surprised he is still cooking for her. What surprises me is Chiaki’s decision to transfer to conducting now that Stresemann has arrived. Although he can learn a lot from Stresemann, but it contradicts what he said in earlier episodes about Vieira being his only teacher.

Next week we see the special orchestra in action and Chiaki conducting.