Piano no Mori: A thorough review of moving melodies and a story of growth

"Forest of Piano": A story of music and friendship

■Overview of the work

"Forest of Piano" is a Japanese animated film released on July 21, 2007. It is based on the manga of the same name by Isshiki Makoto, which was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Morning. This work is a moving story about the encounter and growth of a boy who is loved by the piano and a boy who can no longer love the piano. It was directed by Kojima Masayuki, animated by Madhouse, and distributed by Shochiku. It is a one-episode, 101-minute film that was released in theaters.

■ Story

A boy who fell in love with the piano and a boy who could no longer love the piano encounter a sound in the forest that changes their destinies...

Amemiya Shuhei is a fifth-grader who transfers to a rural town and aspires to be a pianist. He is immediately noticed by the school bully "Kinpira" and is told to play the "broken piano" in the forest near the school as a test of courage. Shuhei is saved by a comment from his classmate Ichinose Kai, who says, "That piano can make a sound." Kai and Kinpira get into a big fight and are scolded by the music teacher, Auno Sousuke.

After school, Umi invites Shuhei to the "Forest of Pianos." In the depths of the large, dimly lit forest, Shuhei sees a grand piano illuminated by the beautiful sunlight filtering through the trees.

■Explanation

Works deeply related to classical music, such as "Shindou" and "Nodame Cantabile," are creating a boom. Adding to this boom, the animated film "Forest of Piano" was released this summer (July 2007) and has been well-received. It is based on the manga of the same name, serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Morning magazine, by Isshiki Makoto, who is also known for "Hanada Shonen Shi." Kai Ichinose, a free-spirited man with a genius musical talent, and Shuhei Amemiya, a brilliant pianist who makes an effort every day to become a pianist, meet through Mori's piano, and as rivals aim to become pianists themselves... The passionate friendship between the two and the dramatic story revolving around the piano have been highly praised as a "masterpiece."

The voice cast for the two main characters are Aya Ueto and Ryunosuke Kamiki, both of whom have worked on films and TV dramas. Other interesting faces include Chizuru Ikewaki, Mayuko Fukuda, Hiroyuki Miyasako (Ameagari Kesshitai), Hiroyuki Amano and Udo Suzuki (Kyaeen), Kazuko Kurosawa (Mori Sanchu), and Junji Takada. Animation is handled by Madhouse, who has worked on the TV anime "Hanada Shonen Shi" and the theatrical anime "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," and is highly regarded by media and anime fans around the world. The director is Masayuki Kojima, who worked on the TV version of "Hanada Shonen Shi" and "MONSTER." Another noteworthy point is the participation (piano performance and music advisor) of Vladimir Ashkenazy, a world-renowned pianist and master who has served as the music director of the NHK Symphony Orchestra since 2004, who has paid particular attention to creating authentic sound. The fantastic and magnificent images of the piano lit by the moonlight in the deep forest, and Ashkenazy's exquisite piano performance are filled with heart-shaking beauty. The DVD will be released in two types: the "Premium Edition" with a bonus disc full of bonus footage, and the regular "Standard Edition". A world of emotion spun by the piano - a healing masterpiece.

■Cast

• Kai Ichinose/Aya Ueto
• Shuhei Amemiya/Ryunosuke Kamiki
• Reiko Ichinose/Chizuru Ikewaki
• Takako Maruyama/Mayuko Fukuda
• Sousuke Ajino/Hiroyuki Miyasako (Ameagari Keshitai)
• Namie Amemiya/Atsuko Tanaka
• Kanpei University/Rika Matsumoto
• Shiraishi/Mayumi Tanaka
• Thug/Hiroyuki Amano
• Old Man/Udo Suzuki (Kyaeen)
• Hostess/Kazuko Kurosawa (Mori Sanchu)
• Judge: Junji Takada (special appearance)

■ Main staff

• Original story by Makoto Isshiki (serialized in Morning)
• Director: Masayuki Kojima
• Produced by: Seiji Okuda, Hideyuki Nagai, Teruki Matsumoto, Takayuki Sumiyoshi, Jungo Maruta, Shinichiro Nishigaki, Taizo Ito, Akira Otsuki
• Planning: Yoko Matsushita, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Masao Maruyama
• Executive producers: Masaru Kanzo, Koji Okumura, Junichi Kitagawa
• Screenplay by Ryuta Horai
• Storyboard: Nobuo Tomizawa, Yuichiro Yano, Toshihiko Masuda, Yuzo Sato, Masayuki Kojima
• Directed by Keiko Oyamada, Kojiro Tsuruoka, Ryosuke Nakamura, Tomomi Yoshino, Atsuko Ishizuka
• Assistant Director: Toru Takahashi, Tomohiko Ito
• Character design and chief animation director: Shigeru Fujita
• Animation Director: Yoshikazu Takiguchi, Hiroyuki Aoyama, Hiroaki Noguchi, Kunihiko Hamada, Sawako Miyamoto
• Assistant animation directors: Nobumasa Shinkawa, Ken Baba, Jun Sekiguchi, Hiroshi Shimizu, Satoshi Tazaki
• Layout supervision: Yoshinori Kanemori
• Art director: Toshiharu Mizutani, Kazuo Toji
• Color design: Tomoko Yamamoto
• Director of photography: Rumi Ishiguro
• Line Coordinator: Masayuki Narai (DR TOKYO)
• CG Production: Shirogumi
• 3DCGI Producer/Awaihara Kimie
• Edited by Yoshihiro Kasahara
• Music by Keisuke Shinohara
• Piano performance, music advisor: Vladimir Ashkenazy
• Music producer: Kozue Okada (AMO)
• Music Production: Takeshi Yakushiji, Yoko Katsura
• Sound Director: Fusanobu Fujiyama
• Sound Designer: Takamatsu Ogawa
• Sound Director: Yuji Mitsuya
• Sound Production: Jinnan Studio
• Casting cooperation: Nelke Planning
• Animation producers: Koji Takeuchi, Osamu Taniguchi (Telecom Animation Film)
• Associate Producers: Yoshihiro Iwasaki, Yasuteru Iwase, Tomoyuki Saito
• Producers: Naoto Fujimura, Ryuji Yamazaki, Rika Tsurusaki, Miho Ichii, Yuichiro Saito
• Animation production cooperation: Telecom Animation Films
• Animation Production: Madhouse
• Distribution: Shochiku
• Produced by: "Forest of Piano" Production Committee (Nippon Television Network, Asatsu-DK, Shochiku, VAP, Madhouse, Yomiuri Telecasting, Sony Music Entertainment, The Yomiuri Shimbun)
• Production: NAS

■ Main Characters

• The main character is Kai Ichinose. He is known by his nickname Kai. He is a boy with a genius talent for piano. He grew up playing a special piano in the forest from a young age, which honed his skills. In the fifth grade of elementary school, he met Amemiya, a classmate who aspired to become a pianist.
• Shuhei Amemiya is Kai's best friend and rival. He grew up in a family of pianists and received special education from an early age.
• Sosuke Ajino was once a genius pianist. After losing his fiancee and the use of his left hand in a traffic accident, he became a music teacher at Moriwaki Elementary School, where Kai attends, in despair and resignation. After learning of Kai's talent and that the piano he had once abandoned had nurtured it, he becomes Kai's teacher through many twists and turns.
• Takako Maruyama A girl who aspires to be a pianist. Whether it's due to the pressures of her family environment or whether it's something she was born with, she suffers from severe stage fright, which has led her to be more aggressive than necessary towards those around her. However, she overcomes this through conversations with Kai.
• Reiko Ichinose is Kai's mother. She has lived in the forest's edge since birth and makes a living in the nightlife industry. She gave birth to Kai at the age of 15. As the father is unknown, people around her (the general public outside the forest's edge) ridicule her as being irresponsible or immoral, but there is a deep love and trust between her and Kai.
• Namie Amemiya Shuhei's mother is very enthusiastic about education.

■ Theme songs and music

• TM1
• Moonshine
• Lyrics by Matsuo "KC" Kiyoshi
• Produced by Matsuo "KC" Kiyoshi
• Composer: Toshiaki Matsumoto
• Arrangement: Jun Abe
• Vocals: Nao Matsushita
• Piano performance: Nao Matsushita

■ Review

"Forest of Piano" is a moving story about music and friendship, and its profound story and beautiful images have captivated many audiences. In particular, the scene with the piano standing in the forest has a fantastical and heart-stirring beauty. Director Masayuki Kojima has maximized the emotional impact of the original work, creating a work that is visually and aurally satisfying. Vladimir Ashkenazy's piano performance is also an important element that further deepens the emotional impact of the story.

The story of the growth and friendship between the main characters Kai Ichinose and Shuhei Amemiya has resonated with many viewers. The friendship and rivalry between the two is depicted as Kai's free-spirited talent and Shuhei's hard work and passion intersect. In particular, the scene where Kai's pure love for the piano intersects with Shuhei's hard work strikes a strong chord with the audience. Ajino Sousuke's conflict between his past and present also adds depth to the story. His feelings about the piano and the process of discovering Kai's talent create a moving drama.

The cast is also superb, with Aya Ueto and Ryunosuke Kamiki's acting bringing realism to the characters of Umi and Shuhei. In particular, Aya Ueto's voice for Umi gives the impression of both freedom and innocence, while Ryunosuke Kamiki's voice for Shuhei gives the impression of effort and passion. Hiroyuki Miyasako's voice for Sosuke Ajino also conveys the pain of the past and the hope of the present, adding depth to the story.

Music is also an important element, and Keisuke Shinohara's music and Vladimir Ashkenazy's piano performance further deepen the emotion of the story. In particular, the piano performance in the forest scene has a heart-stirring beauty. In addition, the theme song "Moonshine" with Nao Matsushita's beautiful voice and piano performance further deepens the emotion of the story.

■Recommendation

"Forest of Piano" is a touching story about music and friendship that will resonate with many viewers. It is especially recommended for those who love piano and music. It is also recommended for those who love stories of friendship and growth. The piano scene in the deep forest has a fantastical and heart-stirring beauty, making it a work that is visually and aurally satisfying. Please be sure to watch it in the theater or on DVD.