Forest of Piano Vol. 17 (Kodansha, 2026)

This is a story about a piano, pitifully abandoned in the woods, and a young boy, Kai, who grew up playing it as his favorite toy. At last, the International Chopin Piano Competition reaches its climax, with Kai's final coda leaving the audience in a state of total trance. As the final notes fade, the contest moves on to its final results, leaving everyone on edge. But between the array of high-level players and politics in the background, does Kai even have a chance at taking the top prize?