Piano no Mori
Piano no Mori: The Perfect World of Kai (ピアノの森 – The perfect world of KAI, lit. "Piano's Forest") is a manga by Makoto Isshiki. It was serialized by Kodansha from 1998 to 2015, initially in Young Magazine Uppers before transferring to Weekly Morning. Serialization is irregular, and went on hiatus in 2002 before resuming in 2006. The series ended after 26 bound volumes.[1] The series was adapted into a 2007 Japanese animated feature film by director Masayuki Kojima and production company Madhouse. The film featured performances by the renowned pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy. An anime television series adaptation produced by Gainax's Fukushima branch will premiere in April 2018 on NHK.[2][3]
Piano no Mori: The Perfect World of Kai | |
![]() Cover of the first volume of Piano no Mori: The Perfect World of Kai as published by Kodansha | |
ピアノの森 -The perfect world of KAI- | |
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Genre | Drama |
Manga | |
Written by | Makoto Isshiki |
Published by | Kodansha |
Demographic | Seinen |
Magazine |
Young Magazine Uppers Weekly Morning |
Original run | 1998 – 2015 |
Volumes | 26 |
Anime film | |
Directed by | Masayuki Kojima |
Written by | Ryuta Hourai |
Music by | Keisuke Shinohara |
Studio | Madhouse |
Released | July 21, 2007 |
Runtime | 101 minutes |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Gaku Nakatani |
Written by |
Aki Itami Mika Abe |
Music by | Harumi Fūka |
Studio | Fukushima Gainax |
Licensed by | Netflix |
Original network | NHK |
Original run | April 9, 2018 – present |
Episodes | 24 |
Contents
PlotEdit
Piano no Mori is a story that follows Kai Ichinose, a boy who lives in the red light district but escapes at night to play the piano in the forest. Shuhei Amamiya, the grade-school son of a professional pianist, transfers to Moriwaki Elementary, Kai's elementary school. But it doesn't take long before Shuhei is picked on by the class bullies, and gets involved in a dare to play the mysterious piano in the forest, leading to his meeting with Kai, who seems to be the only one capable of getting sound out of the thought-to-be broken piano. Kai's ability earns him the respect of Shuhei and his music teacher, former master pianist Sosuke Ajino. Both Shuhei and Ajino try to get Kai to take proper piano lessons, but Kai is at first resistant to refining his piano-playing technique. However, after hearing Sosuke play a Chopin piece he just can't seem to play himself, he relents.
CharactersEdit
- Kai Ichinose (一ノ瀬 海 Ichinose Kai)
- Voiced by: Aya Ueto (film), Sōma Saitō, Ryoko Shiraishi (young) (TV Series)[3]
- Shūhei Amamiya (雨宮修平 Amamiya Shūhei)
- Voiced by: Ryunosuke Kamiki (film), Natsuki Hanae, Yō Taichi (young) (TV Series)[3]
- Sōsuke Ajino (阿字野壮介 Ajino Sōsuke)
- Voiced by: Hiroyuki Miyasako (film), Junichi Suwabe (TV Series)[3]
DevelopmentEdit
Makoto Isshiki was inspired to write Piano no Mori when she watched a documentary showing Stanislav Bunin winning the International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition in 1985.[4]
MediaEdit
The series is licensed by Sharp Point Press in Taiwan.[5]
MangaEdit
AnimeEdit
An anime television series adaptation produced by Gainax's Fukushima branch premiered on April 9 2018 on NHK.[3] The anime series will air 24 episodes.[34] Netflix have announced that they had acquired exclusive streaming rights for the series worldwide, and will simulcast the series in Japan, and release the series globally in Q3 2018.[35]
No. | Title | Original air date |
---|---|---|
1 | "Eraba reta te" (選ばれた手) | April 9, 2018 |
2 | "Shopan o hajiku tame ni" (ショパンを弾くために) | April 16, 2018 |
3 | "Mōtsaruto no Yuigon" (モーツァルトの遺言) | April 23, 2018 |
ReceptionEdit
Piano no Mori received the Grand Prize for best manga at the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2008.[36]
The movie adaptation debuted in 9th place at the Japanese box office the week it came out, unusually high for a non-franchise animated film.[37] By the end of the year, it had grossed the equivalent of $1,555,297, ranking 119 on the overall yearly box office chart for Japan.[38] In South Korea, the film played for 50 weeks and grossed the equivalent of $182,884.[39] The film was nominated for the 2008 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year.[40]
ReferencesEdit
- ^ "Piano no Mori Manga's Final Arc to Start in August". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
- ^ "The Piano Forest Manga Gets TV Anime in April 2018". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
- ^ a b c d e "The Piano Forest TV Anime Reveals Cast, Staff, Ending Song Artist". Anime News Network. January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
- ^ "2008 Japan Media Arts Festival Manga Division Grand Prize PIANO NO MORI". Japan Media Arts Festival. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ 琴之森(01) (in Chinese). Sharp Point Press. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (2) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (3) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (4) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (5) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (6) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (7) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (8) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (9) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (10) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (11) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (12) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (13) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (14) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 限定版 (14) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (15) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 限定版 (15) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (16) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (17) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (18) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (19) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
- ^ ピアノの森 (20) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ^ ピアノの森 (21) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
- ^ ピアノの森 (22) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
- ^ ピアノの森 (23) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ ピアノの森 (24) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ ピアノの森 (25) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ ピアノの森 (26) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "Forest of Piano Confirms 24 Episode Length, Episode 2 Preview Stills and Synopsis Released". MANGA.TOKYO. April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- ^ "Netflix nite Dokusen Haishin Kettei!" Netflixにて独占配信決定!. Piano no Mori Official Website (in Japanese). April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
- ^ "Award winning works – Piano no Mori". Japan Media Art Plaza. 10 December 2008. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
- ^ "Japanese Box Office, July 21–22: Piano no Mori at #9". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "2007 Japan Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "South Korea Box Office: October 9–11, 2009". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "Japan Academy Prize (2008)" (in Japanese). Japan Academy Prize. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
External linksEdit
- Piano no Mori at Weekly Morning (in Japanese)
- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Piano no Mori (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Piano no Mori on IMDb