Based on the manga, which has been published somewhat sporadically by Kodansha since 1998, Studio Gaina have taken to the stage to produce their own version of Mikato Isshiki's Forest of Piano (Piano no Mori: The Perfect World of Kai).
The series follows Kai Ichinose, a boy who lives in the local red light district with his mother, but escapes at night to a forest containing a piano that seemingly only he can play. Things change for Kai when a piano prodigy named Shuhei Amamiya joins the school and becomes a popular target for bullies. Aided by Kai, the two become friends, and Kai shares with Shuhei his ability to perfectly recall musical arrangements using the mysterious piano.
In this first episode, we discover that the piano was owned by his music teacher, former master pianist Sosuke Ajino, who dumped the instrument after an accident that robbed him of his musical ability.
There's a lot to take in for a first episode. The story itself is tightly layered, and it's clear that pacing has been given a lot of attention. That it still finds time for some beautiful, lingering shots of the forest is particularly impressive. This is a great looking series, with everything from the schoolyard to the red light district looking detailed and interesting. The scenes of the forest are, of course, the most memorable, and it will be interesting to see if it merely forms the catalyst for the hero's journey, or becomes a regular spot for developments to unfold.
Music for the series is provided by Vladamir Ashkenazy, a famous Russian pianist famed for wearing white turtlenecks and running on and off stage. I like this sort of eccentricity in my talented people, and as you would expect, the arrangements are beautiful.
Forest of Piano is far from the first prodigy show in an anime, they are pretty rife for just about everything you can think of, from wine tasting (Drops of God) to breadmaking (Yakitate Japan) but with the combination of excellent musical interludes and haunting visuals, Forest of Piano may just have what it takes to be one of the very best. This is a series to enjoy visually and audibly in equal measure.
Full series details can be found on Netflix's website page for the series.
Trailer:
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