Shinichi Chiaki

Shinichi Chiaki (千秋 真一 Chiaki Shinichi) is a twenty-one year old pianist and a conductor at the Momogaoka Music Academy.

Appearance
He has a black hair as well as his eyes. He has a pale skin tone and usually wears his uniform when going to school. When he is on occasional events like conducting an orchestra, he wears a black tuxedo layered with a white shirt.

Personality
As he opens up to others (with much prodding from Nodame), he becomes more caring of his friends and readily lends a hand to his friends should they need help. In university, he was extremely popular among the female students due to his good looks and musical ability. He comes from a distinguished and well-off family, and is an excellent cook (although he mostly cooks Western-style food, possibly because he spent much of his childhood in Europe). He seems to think that most "poor" people (such as Sakura Saku) are like the little match girl. While he dreams of studying abroad and becoming a famous conductor like his mentor, Sebastiano Viera, he must overcome his fear of flying and the sea to do so (he finally did with help of Nodame's hypnosis). His fears come from traumatic incidents in the past, one when he survived an airplane crash landing, the other because he was almost drowned. His family once attempted to drug him and bring him on board a plane, but the plane had to turn back due to difficulties. He is dismayed to discover that this freakish but talented girl, Nodame, lives in the apartment next door to him,. However, he develops a sort of empathy with Nodame as he discovers her hidden potential to be a great pianist, and he begins to transcend his perfectionism and begins to enjoy his music and the music of others. Despite his constant irritation towards Nodame, he eventually develops romantic feelings toward her and he chooses to find work as a conductor in Paris, where she is going to study. As Chiaki realizes his life's ambition to become a conductor, he also finds that he needs Nodame's support and he cannot move on without her. He also appears to have fear of being abandoned and surpassed, the former comes from being abandoned by his father as a young boy. Afraid of being abandoned, he often abandons other people instead, especially Nodame. In various instances, he's also shown to have reservation over being "too friendly" with others, (mentioned in a rehearsal with RS orchestra). He's constantly afraid of being surpassed by Nodame, trying to go ever ahead, which leaves her miserable as she is trying to catch up to him. He's not really insensitive, but doesn't show himself.

History
When he was still a child, his mother and he is shown to go in a trip somewhere and rode in an airplane. He was sitted left from his mother. On his right side is some people holding a flyer of Maestro Vierra's concert with the orchestra. He was eagerly listening to them until they we're said to be in critical condition. The pilot ordered them to lay down their heads and fasten their seat belts. Chiaki saw a man dying because of a heart attack and the companion of the man stated that the only thing that can cure him is the pills. When the man's companion was looking for the pills and shows no sign of luck in finding it, Chiaki saw it fall and rolling in the floor causing it to open. He is trying to grab his hand onto the pills but was stopped by his mother. After the traumatic incident,he still feel guilty and carries the burden on fearing airplanes. But, this was cured by Nodame when she put him in hypnotism, particularly "Fixed Gaze Induction".

Aside from the airplane incident, he also almost experience drowning that also causes him to fear the sea.