Sōsuke Ajino

Ajino Sousuke is a character from Piano no mori anime based on manga The World of Kai. Nicknamed by pupils as "Funeral Ajino".

Once promising young pianist after an accident becomes music teacher in elementary school.

Ajino Sousuke was a rising star in Japan, expected to make an international career. He owned a custom made grand piano, which had very heavy keyboard. Only Ajino was able to play it properly, but then the piano sound was extraordinary.

After his left arm was injured in a serious car crash, he had to give up his career as a pianist. In the accident died his fiancee, so he lost everyting he loved. Damaged and in despair he sold the piano to a night club in red lattern district, Morinohata.

Not able to give up music entirely he started working as a piano teacher at the music university. He couldn't find anyone whose interpretation whe would find interesting. Ten years later he resigned from work at university and went on a trip to find his piano. He found it in the forest of Morinohata, but the piano was destroyed. He could't get a sound out of it.

He couldn't leave the place where the piano was. So he started working as a teacher in the elementary school. Three years later he discovered Ichinose Kai, young boy who claimed he could play the piano in the forest.

Ajino becames a mentor and surogate father to Kai. He prepares him to play at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.