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Makoto Isshiki Launches Forest of Piano Spinoff Manga on December 26
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
The combined second and third 2025 issue of Kodansha's Morning magazine revealed on Thursday that Makoto Isshiki will launch a new spinoff series of their Forest of Piano manga titled Totonou Oto: Mō Hitotsu no Piano no Mori (Refined Sound: Another Forest of Piano), in the magazine's next issue on December 26.
The spinoff manga centers on Satoshi Mukai, who once competed with Kai Ichinose in the Chopin Competition. Satoshi was so moved by Kai's performance, that he decides to pursue a career in the world of musical tuning. Satoshi needs to survive in an ordinary society while possessing a rare talent.
Isshiki launched the Forest of Piano manga in 1998 in Kodansha's Young Magazine Uppers, and it ran in the magazine until the magazine ceased publication in 2004. The series resumed in Morning in 2006 and ended in 2015. Kodansha published the 26th and final compiled book volume of the series in December 2015.
Kodansha USA Publishing began releasing the manga digitally in October 2018.
The 12-episode first season of the Forest of Piano anime premiered on NHK in April 2018. Netflix is exclusively streaming the series. Netflix debuted new episodes inside Japan immediately after they aired on NHK, and debuted the season outside of Japan in September 2018. The anime's second season premiered in Japan in January 2019. Netflix debuted the season outside of Japan in June 2019.
Isshiki launched the 13-nichi ni wa Hana wo Kazatte (Hang a Flower on the 13th Day of the Month) manga in Shogakukan's Big Comic Original Zokan magazine in April 2023. The manga is a serialized version of Isshiki's previous one-shot manga of the same title. Shogakukan published the manga's first volume on October 30.
Source: Morning combined issue 2/3 and website
