7.6 /10 1 Votes
7.2/10 IMDb Written by Makoto Isshiki Demographic Seinen Initial release 21 July 2007 (Japan) Music director Keisuke Shinohara | 7.9/10 MyAnimeList Genre Drama Published by Kodansha Original run 1998 – 2015 Director Masayuki Kojima Story by Makoto Isshiki | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Magazine Young Magazine Uppers
Weekly Morning Characters Kai Ichinose, Shuhei Amamiya, Takako Maruyama Cast Aya Ueto, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mayuko Fukuda, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Chizuru Ikewaki Similar I Am a Hero, Summer Wars, Tokyo Godfathers, The Girl Who Leapt Through, Millennium Actress | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wfac 2008 trailer piano no mori the piano
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.
Contents
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.
The series was adapted as a 2007 Japanese animated feature film by director Masayuki Kojima and production company Madhouse. The film featured performances by the renowned pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Plot
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.
Development
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.
Media
The series is licensed by Sharp Point Press in Taiwan.
Reception
Piano no Mori received the Grand Prize for best manga at the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2008.
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. 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. In South Korea, the film played for 50 weeks and grossed the equivalent of $182,884. The film was nominated for the 2008 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year.