Shinichi Chiaki is a first-class musician who dreams of performing among the elites in Europe. Hailing from a distinguished family, he is a notorious perfectionist; he is not only highly critical of himself but also of others. The only thing preventing Shinichi from departing for Europe is his fear of flying. Consequently, he remains grounded in Japan. In his fourth year at Japan's top music university, Shinichi happens to meet Megumi Noda, or, as she calls herself, Nodame. On the surface, she appears to be an unkempt girl with no direction in life. However, when Shinichi hears Nodame play the piano for the first time, he is awed by the kind of music she creates. Nevertheless, Shinichi is dismayed to discover that Nodame is his neighbor, and worse, she ends up falling head over heels in love with him.