Piano, Movement 1: Secret Love

Miu Nomura, now in her second year of middle school, has been taking piano lessons since she was young. Most people think that Miu plays well, but her piano teacher Mr. Shirakawa seems grumpy and dissatisfied with her work until one day he takes notice when she unexpectedly improvises a piece. Miu is shy and kind, while her best friend Yuuki, a runner on the track team, is brash and outgoing. Both have crushes on older runners, and when Yuuki introduces Miu to the object of her affection, Takahashi, Miu can barely speak. With a tagline of "the melody of a young girl's heart," Piano features gentle, low-key storytelling--the dramatic pinnacle finds Miu's father, a busy reporter, working late on his wedding anniversary, and Miu's cat (amusingly named Mew) running away (both father and feline eventually turn up). The character designs by Kosuke Fujishima (Oh My Goddess) are attractive, the English dub is good, and the music, featuring a Chopin waltz, is excellent. In fact, the only thing anyone could possibly find objectionable in this largely all-ages series is that Miu's parents drink (gasp) alcohol. Cute, sweet, and quietly charming, this first of three dual-language discs will have wide appeal. Recommended. [Note: Piano, Movement 2 is also available, with Movement 3 slated for release on Oct. 25.] Aud: P. (S. Raiteri)