Common Sense Media Review
Music drama tackles friendship, rivalry; has sex references.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Forest of Piano
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
FOREST OF PIANO follows musical prodigy Kai Ichinose (voiced in English dub by Johnny Yong Bosch) as he discovers his love for playing piano. He is befriended by transfer student Shuhei Amamiya (voiced by Griffin Burns), who's first to discover that Kai, despite having no formal training, is able to perfectly replicate any song he hears. With Shuhei's encouragement, Kai starts taking lessons and participating in formal competitions. The two build a close friendship with a deep rivalry as they both strive to become globally renowned pianists.
Is It Any Good?
This well-developed drama falls toward the mature side, giving it a satisfying depth and nuance. Forest of Piano has a cast of fully realized characters each with complex motivations, fears, and desires. Kai and Shuhei have their own challenges, and so do their parents, teachers, and musical peers. The themes are rooted in real-world issues, without any gratuitously dark portrayals of sensitive topics. While the rivalry between characters is sincere, the conflicts are mostly internal -- with characters focused on overcoming their own issues rather than simply outdoing others.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about self-doubt and comparing yourself to others. Shuhei often compares himself to Kai -- especially their abilities to play piano. How is this comparison both helpful and harmful to Shuhei's personal growth and his progress toward achieving his dream?
Families can talk about sex, harassment, and consent. What role does consent (or lack thereof) play in how sex is portrayed in the show? What can you do if you find yourself in an unsafe situation?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 8, 2018
- Cast : Johnny Yong Bosch , Griffin Burns , Kyle McCarley
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Friendship , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate