Manga/Anime Review: Hikaru no Go, by Yumi Hotta

[inverarity]

A children's series about a traditional board game manages to be compelling, if uneven, and drew me into go like it did thousands of other fans.

Comments

[tealterror0]

This manga got me into Go in the first place--along with some of my friends, lol. I never really seriously tried to get better, though. Maybe this summer... (I also need to actually finish Hikaru no Go one of these days)

Incidentally, I've heard good things about this fanfic, which acts as a sequel to the series. It apparently even has a love triangle or something! :o

[inverarity]

Hmm, from reading the first couple of chapters, I can't say the writing impresses me much.

[tealterror0]

I haven't actually read it so I can't comment, but my friend recommended it to me. Maybe give it a few more chapters and if it doesn't get better give up?

[wodcdre]

Instant Classic!!!

[jluna]

So I'm excited to see a review of one of my all time favorite mangas. However, I've got to disagree with your idea of the ending. Yumi Hotta explains what the Divine Move really is in the last chapters. It cannot be categorized as a move or a technique that someone can use (like the physical "Kamehameha" blasts in DBZ). In fact, when I first started reading Hikaru no Go, it was still being scanlated for English audiences online. One translation of the move is "God's Hand," which I believe is a better translation. Before Sai disappears, he understands what the Divine Move is. It's basically passing on the torch. Sai's existence is allowed by God because without Sai, Hikaru would never have an interest in go. If Hikaru never plays go, Akira would never have his rival. All of the other characters also grow when they play/meet Hikaru. Hikaru even encourages his classmates to start/continue playing go. Not only that (and as you've said yourself) the series encourages many people to take up go. This here is the true Divine Move. It's God's

[inverarity]

I think that was hinted at in the manga, but (at least in the English translation) it really wasn't very clear. Sai left at an appropriate time, but I still felt a certain lack of resolution with the ending.

Do you play go?

[jluna]

For a while I was trying to learn how to play, but I became distracted by college. Every few months when I'm feeling a lack of inspiration in...well, anything, I like to reread the books (which in turn makes me what to relearn how to play, but instead I end up reading bad fanfiction).

I've got a board, so I'll make myself play a game sometime with my roommate.

~Jessie Luna