Hikaru no Go

Hikaru no Go is a manga centered around a young boy and Japanese game called Go. When a boy goes up to his grandfather's attic to try and find something to sell for money, he stumbles across an old Go board with blood stains on the top. Citing to his friend Akari that he found something, he shows he the board and than is confused when she says she can't see the blood marks that he is referring to. The voice of Sai, a Japanese noble than echos in the boy Hikaru's mind and tells him to let him join together.
Through this union in consicousness, Hikaru reluctantly begins to learn the game of go and learns of Sai's goals to play the "divine move." I really enjoyed this manga simply for the story, as the artwork is okay, but doesn't have the oomph! that the story does.
This manga was written by Yumi Hotta with the Art by Takeshi Obata and supervised by Yukari Umezawa, who is a 5 Dan in Go.

I personaly think that the story wasnt too original- but it didnt have to be. There are many ways you could go from "a boy finds a board game with a gost trpped inside it and the boy starts enjoying the game". With this story, i think Hotta Yumi did a lot of great things to make this concept more interesting. There was a lot of humor in the story and i think anyone would find that enjoyable. There were also moments wre you could relate to the characters and for people who know how to play go, it is really fun to listen to them reviewing a game(and even if you dont play Go, this manga will teach you many things about Go and will get you interested in atleast learning Go)

A big letdown was the ending. There isnt much i can say about the ending other than it just leaves you hanging. You will probably be left thinking about what couldve become of the main character's life-and even about the small characters that had big goals. I dont know if that was what the author was going for or not, but it does make you think a little. I think that since there is no sequel to the story, this became a bad ending and i dont know about other people, but this made me mad. Regardless of this, i still dont regret reading this manga.

The art, as expected from Obata, was great. He put a lot of detail into the art, and when there was a humorous moment, it was partially cuz of the way the characters were drawn. One thing I loved about the art was that at times you would see the characters seem older than they really are and that showed how they were growing.

The main character was the average boy who would never give up to fufill his goal, so as far as the main character goes, it was pretty average. but the athoer characters helped the main one out by making him more mature. The characters overall though, were nothing special. It is not like deathnote or codegeass, where you absolutely were rooting for a specific character nor did you fall in "love" with a specific character- eventhough you would sometimes get caught up in the moment and "tell" the characters waht to do for their own good.

This manga was very enjoyable and is definitely not a waste of time.

I absolutely loved Hikaru no Go. (A little bit of trivia: For those who didn't know this already, Hikaru no Go was drawn by the same artist who drew Death Note, Obata Takeshi-sensei.)

Actually, I've already heard of Hikago a long time ago. However, I felt no sense of urgency to read it. I knew it was good though since I hadn't come across any bad reviews for it. But being primarily a shoujo fan, I lacked enough interest to actually download/buy the manga. It wasn't until I bought an issue of Shonen Jump which contained some chapters of Hikago that I had a reason to read the manga.

This issue contained only a few chapters but it generated enough interest for me to look for the earlier chapters. It was just that good. The story and art simply hooked me.

One would think that a manga about a game you barely know about would probably be boring and confusing. On the contrary, it was anything but. The manga was more about the characters' development and their interactions with each other. It would help if you knew a little about the game but if you didn't, it was okay too. (I had no idea about the game of Go.) It was truly a coming-of-age type of manga as you would witness the growth of the characters, both literally and metaphorically. The story, in the beginning, especially when they were introducing characters, was very engaging. I literally couldn't bring myself to stop reading it. (Which is why I finished it in 3 days. =_=)

The story becomes a little boring in the second saga though. Which would explain for the 9 points in the Story and Enjoyment area.

Now, the art. I could not simply rave enough about Obata-sensei's art. It is simply wonderful. This isn't surprising as he had mentored the likes of mangaka Kentaro Yabuki (Black Cat), Nobuhiro Watsuki (Rurouni Kenshin) and Yusuke Murata (Eyeshield 21), among many others. Another plus side to reading Hikago is you would witness the evolution of Obata-sensei's art. His style of drawing differs as the chapters go on. Definitely a good reason to read the manga.

Yumi Hotta (the author) did a wonderful work in making the characters. There are a lot of characters and, although it may seem like hard work, she managed to shed light on their personalities, struggles and victories. Character development is (there's no other word for it) sugoi. It is for this reason (and the amazing art) that I have more than my share of character favorites in the series. :3

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and I recommend it to anyone wanting a great, engaging read.

On the ending: I thought the ending was a little disappointing. Nonetheless, I didn't regret reading this great series. :)

Just like everything else in this manga. It's all faithful to the nuance and the soul of this manga, which is full of love for Go and the strong hope and belief that this traditional game will survive, progress, and be passed along to the next generation. With this in mind I really think it has the most perfect ending and turns of events. Many times when something ultimate is reached then it's done, can only decline or disappear instead of progressing. Everyone including Sai had their own roles to play for the sake of Go, for their love for it. Not that I didn't shed sad tears when you-know-what happened, bah. Ooops you don't know? Then nothing happened, really. Just go ahead and read this manga.

I love this manga for its characters' strong passion for Go, especially Sai's and Akira's, and how they both triggered the same passion in Hikaru. Also for its powerful story telling and wonderful, wonderful art. This manga is not overrated just like it was not overdone. It's really a fine manga, so very well done. It's easy to read and understand, it doesn't require much brainpower or knowledge to enjoy, and the fact that it's very very easy to follow shows the complexity and the effort given in its process of creation.

It's a beautiful, entertaining read. If you miss any of the 23 volumes then you're definitely missing something important. Point is, if you want to read then read them all. I assure you that you won't be disappointed and will appreciate this title deeply.

It's the best manga I've ever read. And I've read a LOT of manga, from greats like Dragon Ball to I-only-this-read-for-the-sex-at-the-end like "Idol na kanojo to otaku na boku to". The fact that there hasn't been any good medium about Go since Hikaru no Go tells you all about how good the authors were at turning the boring game of Go (it's not actually boring) into an award-winning manga that brought in a massive influx of new players to the game. Oh man it's just so good. I think I might have an orgasm just thinking about it.

Story: Perfection. Some might say it could go on a bit longer though.
Art: It's the artist for Death Note. He good.
Character: I have to deduct one point here because of the lack of female characters. Even the two main females aren't as developed as the other characters.

Hikaru no Go is about a a boy named Hikaru who gets saddled with a igo-obsessed ghost called Sai. Soon after, Hikaru is sucked through the world of Igo and builds a passion for a game.

I can't recommend this manga series enough, especially when we have a seemingly inexhaustible supply of shounen manga featuring boys born starting the series with paranormal talents. One of the charming aspects of this series is that Hikaru starts with zero igo talents, and zero knowledge about the world of go. The reader discovers along with Hikaru what makes igo such a compelling game.

The games of go become metaphors for people's interactions. Hikaru no Go gently reminds its readers that winning may be sweet, but it's what people build with each other that makes any game of igo unique, remarkable and when we least expect it, life changing.

Art from the famed Takeshi Obata of Death Note & Bakuman [You can check how Obata finds his footing; as the story progress, the art becomes more and more gorgeous and detailed]. The Miyazawa-esque coming of age story from Yumi Hotta. That, I think, is a compliment enough.

There's no need to fake it, neither of us likely know anything about the game of Go. In fact I've read the manga twice and can still only tell you the basics. And odds are if you somehow already knew about Go, you've probably already read this. So the question is: for people who don't know/don't care about Go, is this worth reading? And the answer is abso-friggin-lutely!

The heart of Hikaru no Go is clearly the characters. They all love the game of Go, yet they somehow don't spend lots of time boring the audience with intricate strategy detail talking. While in many sports manga, games will last volumes at a time, most Go games last only a few pages while highlighting the internal monologues of the characters and making them look badass while placing down a Go piece instead. The longest game is maybe 4 chapters and only because it is very pivotal, but even that's not showing the game played step by step, but going into the thoughts and feelings of the characters. As a result, the pacing is just right, lots of things happen and lots of time passes in the series. Also, the audience isn't expected to know about Go in order to enjoy the manga. They're linked to Go through every fiber of their being, yet to the audience, it's not a problem. One problem I have with many sports manga is that I am a nerd, and thus do not care about sports. I don't know the rules of baseball, so when something happens and all the characters react, I'm not sure why they're reacting. Since character reactions are a large part, it's always clear to me. At the same time, it never feels either repetitive or like I'm being talked down to. The result of this is simple perfection on the usage of the games within this series. And there are little end chapter single bonus pages talking about the basics of Go, so even if you come into this as clueless as everyone else, it'll help you pick up on some basic things. And damn if this manga won't make you want to try out Go at least once anyway.

Characters are, as I said before, the most important aspect. The cast is very large. Hikaru meets lots of other players of all skill levels, and every one of them is distinct looking. They might not show up for several volumes at a time, but you'll immediately remember them by their looks. Not only that, but the younger characters will age during the series. Because this is a sports series, there's not exactly a bad guy here either. Thus, having a game of Go against your best friend always stirs up emotions in everyone and makes for fantastic character development. There aren't any one-note single dimensional characters here, there's no pointless business suit bad guys out to screw over people for no reason, there's just a lot of passion. And Hikaru isn't always the focus, lots of characters get spots in the limelight, sometimes for volumes at a time. Yet they're just as interesting so you might not miss Hikaru during that time, and that's not a bad thing. The characters and the setting are also realistic. I know this starts with a kid getting possessed by a Go obsessed ghost, but supernatural is hardly the focus here. The set up also isn't "here's the next bad guy, defeat him", lots of games are played and there's never just one adversary. It's a game between two people, so even when they're cheering for the friend they're currently playing against, it's every man for himself. Fortunately, this does not make everyone a jerk like it could in a lesser series, they play seriously when it's time and hang out together on the weekends. The characters are friends and it's a lot of fun to see them wether they're doing Go related stuff or not.

Anyone who perhaps isn't into traditional shonen or wants a series with strong focus on characters need look no further. People who need lots of action scenes might not find what they're looking for here, but that won't stop it from being the best shonen I've ever read.

So I just binge-read this entire manga on the new shonen jump site, and I am upset. Extremely upset. So upset that I spent the entire day torturing myself with fan fiction and pixiv fan art of this damn series.

How can something so good just flat out end when none of the major climatic points that have been built up to have been reached? This manga is how.

--Spoilers ahead--

Here we are absolutely riveted to the story of Hikaru's growth as a go player, his intense rivalry with Akira, him learning to go on without Sai. Hikaru is doing so well, on an upward trajectory, and then... it just fricking ends.

Now I get that this is not the fault of the creators. I'm sure there were many extraneous reasons that the manga had to be cancelled.

What I take issue with is the people saying this is okay. That they liked how it ended. People let me tell you THIS ENDING FREAKING SUCKS. Heck, it's not even an ending. The story is straight up incomplete. What about Hikaru actually beating Akira through his own his own skill? Honestly the least you can do is bookend the story with a match against Akira so there's some sense of coming full circle.

In other words, I am upset that what I wanted to happen didn't happen. Okay fine. We don't need to see Hikaru beat Akira. But then what about the whole reason for this story in the first place? WHAT ABOUT THE DIVINE MOVE? This was straight up the reason Sai remained as a spirit after he died. What even is a divine move? Who the heck knows because it seemed like something that would be explained or reached later on, but then the manga got axed. Now it just seems like this bs thing that was brought up to make the plot happen. Is it something that Hikaru is destined to accomplish? Is the whole reason Sai disappeared because Hikaru now has the skills to attain what Sai couldn't?? Who the hell knows.

Hikaru reaching a divine move or whatever would actually give real meaning to Sai's disappearance. Sai is gone, but Hikaru accomplishes his goal. He fulfills Sai's desire and becomes at peace with Sai being gone, knowing that Sai's existence is what lead him to do this amazing thing. Knowing that Sai's existence was incredibly important to the world of go, the world Sai loved but was forced out of. Just give us some validation for Sai damn it.

I mean at this point, all we can do is assume that these things happen. Assume that Hikaru becomes this amazing go player who beats his rival and eventually accomplishes a divine move. But see our assumptions don't mean a darn thing. All that fan art we draw, the fan fics we write, the assumptions we make about what happens after the manga ends are just us trying to cope with the fact that the story is incomplete. Which, honestly what else can we do?

--Spoilers end--

Do I regret reading this manga? No. It's amazing. Sai's mentor relationship with Hikaru and Hikaru's rivalry with Akira are so good that it's worth reading the manga just for those two things alone. I wouldn't be so upset right now if I wasn't deeply invested in the story and the characters.

Yes, reading this is worth it. Yes, you will be very upset that it ends mid-story. But there is still a lot of quality content here to obsess over.

Now it's time to watch the anime and torture myself all over again.

Hikaru no Go is written by Yumi Hotta and the art is by Takeshi Obata (the same artist that did Death Note). The story is about a young kid named Hikaru who finds a go board in his father's attic. The board has a spirit attached to it named Sai. Sai (male though looks like a female) attaches himself to Hikaru and together they play the game of Go.

The story is very suspenseful and interesting. It never gets boring and it makes you want to keep reading until you have no more books to read. The storytelling is so greatly done that it makes the stereotype that go is for elderly peole become a game played by youths too. The book is a very young, compelling, and exciting to read.

I would recommend Hikaru no Go to people who like books with a slice of life or competition. You don't even have to know or like Go.

As ancient Oriental board games go (no pun intended) Go, has a reputation for being either extremely boring, extremely difficult, extremely intense, or all of the above. It is not an easy game to play and a game is not easily finished, either. Yet Hikaru no Go, a manga that's all about Go and little else, made it seem exciting and interesting enough to stir some new-found appreciation for one of the oldest games around.

Strange how action-packed manga rarely draw me in, but a manga about a board game (for crying out loud, a BOARD GAME!) can drive me nuts and leave me crying over cliffhangers. Each chapter is more fascinating than the last and if you find yourself saying "I'll stop reading after this chapter...No, after the next one...Damn it's a cliffhanger, I have to read the next volume...When it gets dark, I'll stop...I'll turn on the lights..." You probably won't rest until you've pretty much read all the volumes available to you.

Aside from the engaging story, the art by Obata Takeshi is also something to love. The art is simple, yet the crispness of the images lends a freshness. The inks are bold and striking - no swishy strands, frail noses, and feathers and cherry blossoms here. Everything is pretty much realistic. The details right down to the shoes are awesome. Seriously, I love Hikaru's outfits. He's like a Nike posterboy or something. Also, if you read the manga from volume 1 all the way to 20 in one go (again, no pun intended) you will notice something rather surprising. Hikaru grows up right before your very eyes. Literally. I have seen manga in which the storyline spans at least two years and yet the characters never change. But here, Hikaru grows taller, loses some of the baby fat, and Akari fills out. This attention to detail is really very interesting. About the only thing that remains the same on Shindou-kun is his hair - though it's shorter in the back in the later volumes. The art style also grows cleaner and the inking smoother as the series goes along, which shows that Hikaru isn't the only one whose style is growing and changing. Obata Takeshi's art, by the end of volume 23, is noticeably similar to his incredible work in Death Note and is a far cry from HikaGo's first volume.

However, the manga may not be for everyone. I admit that people who do not like wordy manga or manga with no action, magic or romance will probably not enjoy this very much. Still, if you want substance and realistic inner struggles without the excessive angst and hyperactive SD-ness (although there are still some of those), this is a good manga to read. It can appeal to anybody with even the tiniest bit of ambition, as that is ultimately what the story is about. Those who like comedy can enjoy this, too, as it doesn't take itself too seriously. It would be better if you have some small working knowledge of Go, so you might want to check the game out and play sometimes (though playing is likely to drive you even more nuts). Hopefully, Hikaru no Go will achieve one of its obvious goals - to reach out and make the youth (or anyone, really) interested in this difficult yet highly satisfying strategy game.

This is a 23 volume series that's about people playing a board game. Throughout the course of the series, they play the game, they get better at it, they play against people who are pretty good at it, then they play some more. Why would I give a series that's pretty accurately summarized by that a 9? Because it's amazing.
Really, the plot is not as boring as it sounds. The story isn't really about the game. It's not like sitting and watching a chess match. Really, the actual amount of game playing is brief, and they don't go into too much depth about it that a complete noob to Go wouldn't understand it. The most interesting components about the story comes from the opponents that they play against, the dramatic irony that no one else knows that Hikaru has who is pretty much the freaking God of Go on his side, and how the characters--both the protagonists and "antagonists"--are both trying to improve themselves.
The characters, in this way, are one of the greatest elements in the story. I read this quote from somewhere that the story doesn't go anywhere with just a strong protagonist. You need a strong antagonist, or rival, for there to be any enjoyment in the story. In this case, we have a super strong rival known as Akira Toya. The story isn't about some overpowered protagonists taking down everything in his way to stay overpowered. It's about him moving through these obstacles to achieve something that's greater than him.
BUT by far, the greatest part of the characters was the development. It was done so beautifully. Hikaru develops not only in his gameplay, but in his attitude. All of the characters change and aspire to something. But another part of character development that some manga and anime tend to forget is physical development. In this case, the story starts off pre-puberty, and the artist made sure to make slight changes in the character design to show their physical growth, and it was such a nice touch. The best part was, I didn't even realize it was happening when it was, so it almost gave you a connection to the characters, like how family members you haven't seen in a while will tell you that "you've grown!"
The only reason why my review is a 9 is because not all of the questions I had about the series, and not all of the concepts they brought in were directly answered or explained. There was no gigantic plot hole that destroyed the manga like some of the things I've read. In comparison, there was just a few bumps. But not all of the questions can be answered.
I think my favorite thing about this manga is that I can't quite put my finger on what I loved so much about it. I've talked to some of my friends about it, and some said that they couldn't get into it, but I think if you can, you'll end up loving it. I would completely recommend all manga lovers to read it.
READING ADVICE:
If you do decide to read it, obviously just try out the first one or two volumes before committing. Once you do, though, when you get to about volume 19, get all the ones that come after that. There's a bit of an arch that starts to form around there, and it's also towards the end of the series, and you don't want to find yourself in that position with no more books, but it's not like I'm mentioning that due to personal experience or anything.

Kid can communicate with an old spirit of long gone times who happens do be the best player of a game. The plot reminds one about yugioh. But this series even though very less popular is very much better.We all who enoyed this show should be grateful that shindo didnt tell anyone about sai, otherwise he would be diagnosed with shizophrenia (but maybe that would also make a great manga). I was expecting a lighthearted funny show without much suspense. Because the ghost was already the best player and hikari let him play. But then Hikary gets interested in the game and wants to play for himself. The development he makes that we can watch, his rivalry with a go prodigy and his going through the stages of grief when an important character disappears, its all beautiful and very moving. The latter i had to experience on my own when this series ended, i would have liked it so much to be able to watch shindo even longer on his path.

Hikaru no Go is a story about a boy that meets a spirit and learns to play Go. It's a boring concept and it can make the series pretty dull at times, but Hikaru no Go is, at core, a coming-of-age story of a boy and his slowly discovered passion for a game, the challenges he meets and the lessons he learns from the people he encounters. Just like how Nodame Cantabile is a slice-of-life comedy before it is a music series, Hikaru no Go is a story of personal growth first before it is a series about Go.

--Story--

It's a very slice-of-life setting, with the only apparent supernatural element being the fact that the main character bumps into a thousand year ghost with an undying passion for Go. This is a story that completely revolves around the rivalry between Hikaru and Akira, and Go. There are no romantic subplots nor are there fanservice beach scenes, every character, every location, everything is set up for the purpose of Go. One might almost think the whole world revolves around this children's card gam-.. I mean Go.

Aside from the 24/7 fixation on Go, the story is very enjoyable, you slowly see Hikaru rise up in the world of Go as he faces new opponents while meeting interesting and sometimes eccentric new characters. The story has a steady but sometimes slow flow to it. And the most commendable part of the story is that you can very clearly tell the characters grow, both in terms of personality and appearance. However, my main quirk with the series is that many things in the story were left open, oftentimes making you feel rather unsatisfied with the conclusion leaving a very sour taste in your mouth. The characters all set up promising stories only for them to end abruptly. And it seems the author oftentimes stuffs the series with fillers just for the sake of dragging things on. For a story with just potential, it was a disappointment that the author couldn't carry it through at times. The story felt like it was going at a steady pace and then it is suddenly rushed and ends out of nowhere, I don't know if it was a business decision but clearly the story did not feel like it ended even as I flipped through the last page.

--Art--

It's Mr. Obata's artwork so it's (as it's always been) very aesthetically pleasing. The art work is simplistic but very good. The problem is that some of the characters can get hard to differentiate due to similar appearances and it's pretty amusing when you can tell a character is going to be important just because they don't have small eyes and have a slightly more recognizable hairstyle.

On a random note, I liked how Hikaru no Go had some very sly looking characters that you wouldn't trust but actually are good people (ex. Ogata haha...). This is pretty interesting for a Shounen Jump series where you normally can tell who's a good guy and who's a bad guy just by looking at them.

--Character--

Hikaru is the series focal and he is a pretty fun character, he has some of the usual hotbloodedness and naivety of your standard Jump protagonist but that doesn't make him boring per say. It's that his growth throughout the series is so apparent and how you can see him develop from a school brat to a mature and seasoned Go player that makes him an enjoyable character. His rival Akira has pretty much all the traits of the standard Shounen rival, black hair, seemingly perfect at everything, collective and calm. These two are watched over by the spirit that tails Hikaru around, Sai. Sai is a special character in that he can act like an all-knowledgeable spirit and a three year old amazed by something on the same page, that is what makes him an enjoyable character. The other characters are only fun to read but do not develop that much partially due to them being out of the spotlight too fast but also due to the fact of this series' tendency to abruptly end subplots.

It's also a shame that some of the series most interesting characters only get introduced in the last fifteen to twenty chapters, a pity as they really were very interesting but underdeveloped characters.

--Enjoyment--

Hikaru no Go is an enjoyable series, you don't need to know Go to enjoy the series but having prior knowledge to Go would certainly help when characters break down Go strategies and discuss the games. It's a fun, if not a bit silly, series to read and I would recommend it. I would read it for Hikaru and the interesting character interactions.

--Overall--

An all-round enjoyable series worth reading if you have some spare time.. despite plenty of wasted potential and some slip-ups (or laziness??) in the story. In essence, it is a lovable simple story about personal growth filled with fun characters, approach this series with that in mind and you won't feel disappointed.

I really loved reading Hikaru No Go.
However, the only quibble is that I was disappointed with the ending. Other than that I would recommend this to almost anyone! >w

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.

Finished being published in 2003, created by Takeshi Obata (art), known for his works on Death Note and Bakuman and Yumi Hotta (story); Hikaru no Go (English: “Hikaru’s Go”) is one rollercoaster of a manga.

Go, the main focus of the story is an ancient tactics game that originated from China approximately 3000 years ago. A complex game, much of the equivalent to Chess and is commonly known to be played amongst the elder generations.

This is where Hikaru no Go comes in. Taking the youth by storm and literally turning the Go world around, it takes a presumptively boring game which only ‘oldies’ are thought to play and incorporates it into a teenager’s manga. And it’s no one trick pony as to how it popularizes Go practically overnight.

The story is simple; Hikaru is plummeted into the world of Go after Sai, a spirit from a Go board takes residence in his consciousness. Through Sai Hikaru starts taking an interest in the game. Sai (by dictating moves to Hikaru) beats the child prodigy Akira. Thinking it was really Hikaru who had beaten him, Akira starts chasing down Hikaru - starting an epic battle and rivalry for many years to come.

The story is, in essence, realistic. Not the part about Sai taking place in Hikaru’s mind and whatnot but the part about Hikaru starting off and remaining for a long time, a mere amateur. So he doesn’t start off like everyone else, what with a spirit starting off his passion, but his progress and journey from amateur to pro is. Even with the supernatural element the story still remains realistic, because that element is very minor.

In most shounens the main character has a lot of natural talent and always seem to beat every major opponent that endangers his honour or him becoming the best, however Hikaru has or does neither. He isn‘t the best during the course of the series, loses a LOT of games throughout it and just isn’t annoyingly fabulous like most shounen protagonists.

How it manages to run for 191 chapters on a story that is supposed to be all about Go isn’t a wonder either, because it DOESN’T just focus on Go throughout the whole saga. There are many games shown throughout the series, yes, but also keep in mind that it is also a drama.

And what a drama it is.

Character relationships and character themselves play a big part in the drama aspect. One important character relationship is Sai and Hikaru. Teacher and Student. Friends. They may be forced to be stuck with each other but it becomes apparent that they value each other companionship. Yumi Hotta’s clever manipulation of this pair brings the reader to some level of wrenched heart as you progress through the manga, as you would assume this goofy pair would always remain a comedic goofy pair.
The rivalry between Akira and Hikaru is another splendid character relationship present throughout the manga. It’s an awkward relationship. They don’t like the other but they don’t dislike them either. They’re rivals but to an extent they also become friends. It’s an admirable rivalry, possibly up there with L and Light’s rivalry from Death Note. From the age of 12 to 16 and probably for the rest of their natural lives they are completely obsessed with chasing the other’s shadow, trying to beat them. They’re eternal rivals. The other’s existence becomes so important to them because without the other, Go becomes boring for both.

Art critic or not there’s no doubt that Takeshi’s Obata is extraordinary. The art is so realistic it’s hard to remember that HnG is only a story, as it is as if the whole thing is brought to life. Even the most minute detail is there - from backgrounds to the clothing patterns to the design on the shoes. The most amazing thing again about the art is Hikaru and Akira (and every other character who started out as a 12 year old at the start of the manga). As aforementioned, the story starts from when they’re 12 years old till they’re 16, so when you read the manga you literally see them grow right before you, volume to volume - which adds to the “coming of age” part of the story. They become taller, their baby fat thins, and their jaw and shoulders become more defined. Not only do they grow height wise, but also in maturity. Character development is another excellent part of HnG. Every experience brings forth a lesson for these characters, every volume shows a little difference in their character. Hikaru may have started off as a naïve, ignorant and somewhat insensitive little boy but no way does he end like this.

The fact that the characters develop physically and mentally adds sentimentality to the story. You feel a part of their lives. The reader can’t help but feel things for the characters when they have conflicting inner struggles and resolves or even for the outside battles.

The other characters in the HnG family are fantastic; do not be fooled that this is just about Hikaru and Akira. Every character is important -- all carrying their own personalities, struggles and values. Of course with it being a manga about Go, most characters would be Go players; though this does not necessarily mean that they are only shown before the Go board. Moreover, the fundamental characters aren’t just kids. There’s a wide range of ages in characters -- from as young as 10 years old to as old as 60. Surprisingly, these adults are just as common to see in HnG just as much as the kids -- especially in shounen this is certainly a rare see, since adults either seem to extinct, easily disposable or unimportant in them. There’s even a broad range of nationality: Koreans, Chinese, Germans, Americans etc. showing that Go is an international game enjoyed throughout the world.

What surprises most readers is the exceptional emotional drama, which isn’t as strong in the anime. Although the anime has done an excellent job in sticking with the manga storyline the intensity, feelings, atmosphere and drama is far beyond that of the anime version. It is almost a wonder how a manga about a board game can manipulate a person’s emotions so well - it can have you laughing, annoyed, moved, feel sad and (if you’re a bit of a softy) cry. The only real problem I had with this manga is its unsatisfactory ending, right in the last couple of pages of the final chapter. However, this can be cast aside because of my overall enjoyment of the rest of the series which undoubtedly high.

Knowledge of Go is irrelevant when reading this. Most foreign readers do not know what Go is when they start. However, inevitably the reader will want to know and learn about Go. Filled with inspirational messages along the way, great characters, development and bonds, realistic stories and quite questionably, exciting games it’s no mystery as to how it managed to sell 22 million copies in Japan alone and even stir up the Go world in other countries around the world.