I went into this story not knowing a thing about Go, it's origins, or how popular it was in Asia, even though I'd spent three years in South Korea and China. I am now kicking myself in the rump for not learning a little about this game or the series in general until a year after leaving that side of the globe. Never in my life did I think I'd get such enjoyment out of a coming-of-age story, about a game I knew nothing of beforehand. I am glad I was wrong.

Hikaru no Go V1 happened to be misplaced while I went into the library and I picked it up and started reading while taking it to the front desk. By the time I got to the front desk I was asking where the other volumes were. After two weeks I'd read the entire series and wished that it hadn't ended while at the same time was glad I could see the conclusion.

I won't go into details, but I have to say, had I not read the last two chapters I'd have been left wanting. While I'd still like to see what happened between Hiakru and Akira, as well as their companions, the series ended on a positive note while maintaining a realistic view. Hikaru and Akira are both phenoms, but they don't go out and smash the competition all the time. They have realistic games that grow. In other words, they are far from perfect, and have a ways to go to achieve their dreams.

The story, most likely, isn't original in the fact that there are countless stories about individuals who work toward success in whatever their field. What caught my eye is the relationship between Hikaru and Akira. It's a friendly rivalry that keeps them focused on their dreams.

Sai just made me smile. Who doesn't want a ghost from the past to befriend them and help them with their homework? The fact that he was able to teach Hikaru Go was a bonus. I think he'd be a fun cosplay character.

The supporting characters in the series are just as entertaining and at times I felt that they didn't get enough page time. It'd have been nice to see more of them as they grew, which could have made the series last another ten volumes or so. Even though the story revolved around Hikaru, his supporting characters were necessary to help him get to the end. In my opinion they didn't get the showing they deserved.

Closer to the end of the series the focus seemed to change quite a bit. While Hikaru, Akira, and a few others were still the main characters, there were quite a few side stories that popped up, cutting down the time the reader could see the main characters. In a sense this made me think it was a completely different manga since the whole idea started off with Hikaru's journey. I do believe the side stories were necessary in a way, it just made the manga feel a little different.

As I am confused as to whether this will show up for the anime or manga since I chose manga, yet it's asking me to rate the anime, I did want to point out one thing I've found deters from the anime. My friends have all told me that they dislike when a woman plays a male character. In many cases it doesn't bother me all that much, provided the voice actor can keep up with a changing character. The seiyuu for Hikaru didn't quite do that. She was perfect for him when he was twelve, but by lowering her register a notch as he aged would have made the character seem real. His appearance changes as he ages, so should his voice.

All in all, I'd recommend this manga to just about anyone. It's a simple read, parents could easily read it to their children for fun, and a good way to learn about an extremely difficult game through the eyes of a beginner who grows throughout the story.