is a

yaoi ''Yaoi'' (; ja, やおい ), also known by the ''wasei-eigo'' construction and its abbreviation , is a genre of fictional media originating in Japan that features Homoeroticism, homoerotic relationships between male characters. It is typi ...

Japanese novel series that has had a

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

, an

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

Original Video Animation , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...

, and a live-action film based on it. The novels are written by Kō Akizuki, and feature an amateur orchestra, its

concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...

and its conductor. Tounoin Kei, a musical genius who has studied extensively in the area of

conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duti ...

, falls in love with violinist and music teacher, Morimura Yuuki. Morimura also acts as concertmaster for the amateur

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

that meets three times a week at the Fujimi Civic Center. Morimura is in love with Kawashima Natsuko, a female

flutist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with Reed (instrument), reeds, a fl ...

in the orchestra, but Kawashima falls for Tounoin when he joins as the group's new conductor in order to get closer to Morimura. The unfolding relationships serve as the bases of the stories.

Plot

''Fujimi Orchestra'' is primarily about Tounoin and Morimura's romance, but also follows their musical careers. After being berated by Tounoin time and again, Morimura says he wants to quit the orchestra. To prevent this, Tounoin steals his violin and leads him to his house, where he forces himself on the violinist. Upon realizing that the encounter is Morimura's first time with a male lover, he is remorseful and confesses his love, telling him that Kawashima does not love him. With emotions overwhelming him, Morimura flees, but slips down a flight of wet stairs. Tounoin nurses the injured violist back to health, proving his devotion is genuine. In the end, Morimura stays with Fujimi Orchestra despite Tounoin's continued pressure to improve his playing while surreptitiously pursuing the man behind closed doors.

Media

The novels are published by Kadokawa Ruby Bunko, a publishing company which specializes in Boy's Love titles. The first 16 novels and 3 additional character books were illustrated by Nishi Keiko, while all those that have been released since have been illustrated by Sei Goto. The first and fourth stories in the series were made into a manga which was illustrated by Goto. The series also has a number of

audio drama Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine t ...

and musical accompaniment CDs released by Sony Music (Liner Notes Music) and June Collections. The series also had an

made for it entitled ''Cold Front - The Storm After the Rain'', which featured the first story (entitled ''Cold Front Conductor'' in the novel), in which Kei and Yuuki meet and events are set into motion. The OVA is actually from Morimura's perspective (as are the novels and the majority of the drama CDs), and is set after things have begun, so Yuuki explains the situation in retrospect.

Voice actors

*Yuuki Morimura :

Ryōtarō Okiayu is a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. His major roles include Treize Khushrenada in ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing'', Hisashi Mitsui in ''Slam Dunk'', Meisuke Nueno in ''Hell Teacher Nūbē'', Kunimitsu Tezuka in ''Th ...

Ryō Horikawa is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Osaka. He is married to fellow Japanese voice actress Hitomi Oikawa since 1988, whose birth name is also . His former stage name is also , which uses the kanji of his given name, though pronounced "Ryō". ...

and

Sōichirō Hoshi is a Japanese voice actor and singer affiliated with Arts Vision. Some of his major anime roles include Son Goku in ''Saiyuki'', Kira Yamato in ''Gundam Seed'', ''Gundam Seed Destiny'', Kazuki Fuuchouin in ''GetBackers'', Masaru Daimon in ''Di ...

. *Kei Tounoin :

Yasunori Masutani is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. Voice roles Anime *''Armitage III'' (Ross Sylibus) *''Asobi Asobase'' (Sainan-sensei) *'' Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky'' (Reyfer Luckberry) *'' Bakugan Battle Brawler ...

Kunihiko Yasui is a Japanese voice actor who graduated from the Aichi Prefecture. He is employed by the talent agency 81 Produce. He was also asked by SNK to participate as a member of SNK's character image band, ''Band of Fighters'' based on the game series ' ...

Ken Narita is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. His real name is . He is currently a freelancer. He played Sesshomaru in ''Inuyasha'', and after Hirotaka Suzuoki's death, he took over the roles of Bright Noa and Saitō Hajime. Filmography T ...

, and in a doujinshi CD, by

Toshiyuki Morikawa is a Japanese voice actor, narrator and singer who is the head of Axlone, a voice acting company he founded in April 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki Morikawa. In 2003, he and Fumihiko Tachiki formed the band "2Hearts", ...

. *Natsuko Kawashima :

Masako Katsuki is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator formerly affiliated with Theater Echo and now with 81 Produce. Following her debut in ''Shiroi Kiba: White Fang Monotagari'' as the role of Mary Scott, Katsuki has lent her voice to several notabl ...

*Kento Igarashi :

Akira Ishida is a Japanese actor and voice actor. For his portrayal of Saki Abdusha in '' You're Under Arrest'', Makoto Kurumizawa in '' BOYS BE'', Setsuna Aoki in ''Sakura Wars'', and Athrun Zala is a fictional character from the Japanese science fict ...

*Kunimitsu Ishida :

Hideyuki Umezu is a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with 81 Produce. Biography Filmography Television animation ;1980s *''Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ'' (1986) – Nelmarsen *''Bravoman'' (1988) – Bravoman ;1990s *''Holly the Ghost'' (1991) – Kakaras ...

*Takane Ikushima :

Kazuki Yao Kazuki (written: , , , , , , , , or in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese wrestler *, Japanese anime director *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese footballer *, J ...

*Sora Yasokawa : Kappei Yamaguchi

Soundtrack music

The sound track of ''Fujimi Orchestra'' is composed primarily of

european classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

. The soundtracks include music from a number of

composers A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Classical music, Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. E ...

including, among others,

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositi ...

, and

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

. All original music composed for ''Fujimi Orchestra'' is written by and is released on CD by

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

References

External links

Novel series website

''Cold Front Conductor'' website
* * {{Anime International Company 1994 Japanese novels 1994 manga 1998 anime OVAs Drama anime and manga Kadokawa Shoten manga Kadokawa Dwango franchises Music in anime and manga Yaoi anime and manga Japanese romantic drama films Japanese LGBT-related films