Souma Saito and Junichi Suwabe take the stage for the "Piano Forest" press conference.

Soma Saito, who plays the main character Umi Ichinose, and Junichi Suwabe, who plays Sousuke Ajino, took the stage at a press conference for "Piano no Mori," which will begin airing its anime on April 8 (Sun.). Additional staff and cast members were unveiled.

Piano no Mori" (written by Makoto Isshiki), which was serialized in "Morning" (Kodansha) until 2015, tells the story of the main character, Ichinose Umi (Ichinose Kai), who grew up using a piano abandoned in the forest as a toy, and how his piano talent develops through encounters with Sosuke Ajino, once called a genius pianist, and Shuhei Amamiya, whose father is a great pianist. The masterpiece classical music manga depicts how Ichinosekai's piano talent blossoms through his encounters with Sousuke Ajino, once called a genius pianist, and Shuhei Amamiya, the father of a great pianist, until he eventually challenges the Chopin Competition.
It was announced that it will be aired on NHK General from April 2018.
⇒ "Piano no Mori" serialized in " Morning" will be adapted into a TV anime on NHK Sogo from April 2018!

The TV anime "Piano Forest" press conference was held today, Monday, March 5, with Soma Saito playing the main character, Umi Ichinose, and Junichi Suwabe playing Sousuke Ajino on stage, and additional staff and cast members were revealed.
In addition, Kyohei Tanda (Sousuke Ajino's main pianist), one of the hottest young pianists in Japan's next generation of classical music, made a surprise appearance on stage and performed on the piano.
The following are the comments from the speakers at the press conference and information about the release of the film.

Official comments】 ※Titles omitted

─ How did you feel when you were chosen to appear and participate in this film?

Souma Saito:
I had read this work when I was a child, but I had to read it again when I decided to play the role this time.
I am a big fan of manga and books, and this work was so interesting that I stayed up all night reading it for two days. I have always loved this work, and I am thrilled to be able to participate as a voice actor.

I am thrilled to be able to participate as a voice actor:
I have always thought it was a very wonderful work. I am very honored to have been chosen to voice the character of Sousuke Ajino. I am very honored to be chosen to voice Sousuke Ajino. I put my heart and soul into each line of every performance.

■Kyohei Antida:
When I was in junior high school and high school, I liked this work so much that I brought a copy of the manga to school with me! I said, "Yes! I was so happy to be involved in this work that I immediately said yes.
I love Sousuke Ajino, and when I was chosen to play this role, I wanted to tell everyone around me, but that didn't happen, so I am very happy to finally be able to say so today.
I would like to perform with dignity and not be ashamed of the name Sousuke Ajino.

─ What is your impression of your own character and what do you have in common with him?

Saito:
When I approach a role, I don't really consider whether it resembles me or not to be important, but I don't think I have much of a similar personality to the highly sensitive and pure Ichinose Umi. However, I think I can dive into the role flatly because it is not close to me.

■ Suwabe:
Ajino for voice, Ajino for piano, and Ajino for painting. I am really looking forward to seeing what kind of Sousuke Ajino will be created by this three-way team!

■Antida:
Pianists basically cut out the background of the work in the score and play it, but this time, for the first time, I imagined other people's performances and studied how Ajino played it, and I learned a lot.
Ajino is a tragic prince who lost the ability to play the piano due to an accident, and he played as if his left arm had stopped moving, or he had a tempo that he couldn't play as he wanted, so he played a little slower in Allegro (fast) than in Presto (very fast), which was the best he could do.

──Message for those who are going to see the performance

Suwabe:
The staff and cast have been working very hard to deliver "Piano Forest" in a way that makes it worthwhile to animate. Please take a look at this work, which is filled with a lot of care and attention. Please take the time to see it!

■Antida:
When I go to Europe, classical music is played in cabs, on street corners, and in other familiar places. I hope this animation will help spread classical music in Japan.

Saito:
I am very happy to have encountered this work, both as a reader and as an actor.
It is a work that will shake your heart in many ways, and many people who have not been exposed to manga or anime before will enjoy it. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

Full-length PV video:.

■Pianist introduction VTR:

Additional Staff & Cast Information】
＜Additional Staff
Series Director : Ryutaro Suzuki ("Snack World" (storyboard))
Art Director：Hirotsugu Koki ("Tales from 'Geniuses Without Glory'", "Raquen Logic")
Color Designer: Chie Yoshimura ("After School Pleiades")
Director of Photography: Mutsumi Usuda ("Sword Art Online")
Editing: Akinori Mishima ("April is Your Lie")
Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki ("The Land of Jewels", "St. John's Island")
Music: Harumi Tomiki ("Saigo-don" (historical drama), "Sekigahara" (movie))

＜Additional Cast
Pang Wei: Yuichi Nakamura
Lev Szymanowski: KENN
Honoriko Maruyama: Yuuki Aoi
Sophie Olmesson: Mariya Ise
Karol Adamski:Katsuyuki Konishi
Hirata Mitsuo:Toshiyuki Toyonaga
Takeshi Saga:Koji Yusa
Kotaro Shiba:Hiroshi Ienaka
Namie Amamiya:Marie Miyake
Arisa:Hirohashi Ryo
KIMPIRA University:Kumamotoko Kumamoto
Reiko Ichinose:Maaya Sakamoto
Yoichiro Amamiya:Hideyuki Tanaka
J=J Theroux: Satoshi Shimada

Campaign Information
Second "Piano Forest" TV animation support group Twitter campaign
The second Twitter campaign in commemoration of the TV animation of "Piano Forest" will be held!
Please post the piano piece that appears in the "Piano Forest" manga that you would like to hear and why with two hashtags (#Piano Forest #Ouen-dan). We will present a TV anime "Piano Forest" Cheering Squad certified sticker (not for sale) by drawing from among those who post. For details, check the official website!

(C) Makoto Isshiki, Kodansha / Piano Forest Anime Partners