Anime of the Month (08/2010) - Hikaru no Go

[JShaggy]

In a landslide victory this month, the title of AotM goes to Hikaru no Go. The complete series is available now on DVD and online from Viz Media.

Here is a brief synopsis, brought to this month by VizAnime.com:

http://www.vizanime.com/hikaru-no-go

Hikaru Shindo is like any sixth-grader in Japan: a pretty normal kid with a two-tone head of hair and a penchant for antics. His life completely changes when he finds an old bloodstained go board in his grandfather's attic. The ghost of an ancient go master named Fujiwara-no-Sai was trapped in the board and soon becomes a part of Hikaru's consciousness. Together Hikaru and Sai make an unstoppable go-playing team!

You may now discuss the series, keeping in mind that any and all potential spoilers should be placed in spoiler tags like this:

Spoiler:

This is a spoiler.

Also, don't forget to rate the series when you're finished.

[bleachj0j]

Great show. This is one of the best shows I've seen. With real characters and exciting games. I can still be engaged in the matches even if I don't know what's going on lol. Even if you don't like sports anime, it's very character driven.

[Gold Guy]

I haven't seen the whole anime yet, but I really like the manga, and that is why I decided to watch some of the anime on Jetstream awhile back. I prefer the manga, but the anime is fine too. I kinda found myself losing interest at the end, though.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The complete series is available now on DVD

Not.

Anyway, I loved when the Hikaru no Go manga ran in Shonen Jump, and I bought all the DVDs that were actually released, but in its time off, I lost interest enough that I haven't bought any of the graphic novels or watched any of the streaming episodes yet. Maybe one of these days.

The anime is only any good because it's source material is brilliantly written and beautifully drawn. (It's Takeshi Obata, what do you expect?) The anime is pretty much just panels from the manga digitally traced, color-filled, and animated, although not very much. Definitely not the Death Note treatment. Still, it's worth checking out, and it's definitely one of the most entertaining shows about a board game you'll find.

[Urusei Yatsura]

I played the game Go long before I even heard of this (it is an extremely complex game)

I read a few chapters of the manga, but I never got into the anime. I'll probably check it out when the opportunity comes.

[trunkschan90]

I really love this series, I have most of the DVDs, I'm still looking for vol 2, 3, 6, and 8 at inexpensive prices. I'm watching the subbed version on Viz's streaming site. I really wish they would stream the dub version, I was five episodes away from finishing before Toonami Jestream shut down. What I really want is a boxset with the series (although don't know the chances of that happening). This anime did get me interested in go enough that I'd want to learn it. Shame that the Hokuto Cup arc never got animated, I would have liked seeing it in anime form.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I've got a preview disc that SJ gave out a couple of years back, so in honor, I'll have to watch that episode.

[zoid9000]

Yay.

Of the few shows I call "masterpiece" this is one of them. The characters, the story, the emotion...it's all here and wonderfully done. It seems deceiving at first because people who know nothing of Go might not enjoy it, but the truth is you don't have to understand what's going on to be drawn in. That's the best part about it. I've seen the series about twice now and I'm trying to collect the manga (since I'm losing hope about ever getting a DVD collection). Definitely a series that deserves a spot in the list of anime of the month.

[ensatsu-ken]

To be honest, I never finished the anime, but I read all of the manga and loved it from start to finish. Incidentally, it got me interested in playing Go, and a friend actually tought me how to play it. The rules are actually very simple to learn, but the game itself can get so insanely complex on a full board, but its still tons of fun to play against an opponent of and equal level (admittedly, though, both my friend and I were absolutely terrible at it).

Anyways, sure, the series is highly formulaic, but it uses its formula in a way that makes the series fun and addicting, and I do personally think it deserves to have gotten a win for AotM.

[manatarms2032]

I remember watching on Toonami Jetstream and falling in love with the story and characters. I had heard that the sub was up for streaming but hadn't checked it out. I'll have to do so now.

[Light Lucario]

I remember watching this show on Toonami Jetstream. It was really fun and enjoyable. The characters were interesting and likable for the most part, the story was pretty engaging and the music could be really emotional too. It's a shame that they didn't finish uploading the rest of the series before closing down Jetstream. It also would have been nice to have the whole series out on DVD, but at least it is available on Viz's website. I'll have to check that out later to see if they have it.

[RockmanDash]

I remember finishing the anime but..how exactly does the manga end if anybody here mind telling me?

[zoid9000]

I remember finishing the anime but..how exactly does the manga end if anybody here mind telling me?

Well the anime doesn't cover the entire manga story, there's probably a large part of it you didn't get to see. The anime series ends with Hikaru overcoming his issues with Sai's disappearance and going on to play pro matches. The anime OVA after the series covers the qualifying matches for the final tournament of the series.

Spoiler:

The part of the manga that was never animated involves Hikaru participating in the Hokuto cup on a team of 3 with Akira and a new character who is introduced in the OVA. Together they challenge other teams from China and Korea (which include some returning characters from earlier in the series). In the end Japan comes in last, behind China and first place Korea. Hikaru loses his match against the captain of the Korean team (who he had a rivalry with, of sorts) by half a point. At the very end of the manga, there is a brief scene between two young insei talking about Hikaru and Akira, they later face both pros in the young lion's tournament. It ends up with Hikaru facing off against Akira in the final round of the tournament but the outcome is never shown. I think there were some vague lines spoken by an unknown character (presumably Sai) saying something like "can you hear me?"

Just going from memory, I'm probably off on a few things but that's the gist of the final arc of the manga.

[RockmanDash]

^ Oh I see! At least it ends with those two having a another rematch but it's a shame we don't get some *20 years into the future* type of thing to know how Hikaru is doing then. Ah Hikaru no Go, the show that made me realize that GO isn't as boring as it seems.

[bigddan11]

Well the anime doesn't cover the entire manga story, there's probably a large part of it you didn't get to see. The anime series ends with Hikaru overcoming his issues with Sai's disappearance and going on to play pro matches. The anime OVA after the series covers the qualifying matches for the final tournament of the series.

Spoiler:

The part of the manga that was never animated involves Hikaru participating in the Hokuto cup on a team of 3 with Akira and a new character who is introduced in the OVA. Together they challenge other teams from China and Korea (which include some returning characters from earlier in the series). In the end Japan comes in last, behind China and first place Korea. Hikaru loses his match against the captain of the Korean team (who he had a rivalry with, of sorts) by half a point. At the very end of the manga, there is a brief scene between two young insei talking about Hikaru and Akira, they later face both pros in the young lion's tournament. It ends up with Hikaru facing off against Akira in the final round of the tournament but the outcome is never shown. I think there were some vague lines spoken by an unknown character (presumably Sai) saying something like "can you hear me?"

Just going from memory, I'm probably off on a few things but that's the gist of the final arc of the manga.

You're close, but Hikaru and Akira meet in the second round of the Young Lions Tournament, not the championship, after defeating the two young Insei. Also, China and Korea both actually acknowledge Japan as being the stronger country despite Akira being the only one to win.. They both acknowledge that Hikaru will probably pass them. It's a shame the manga really didn't get an appropriate ending either. They really should do another OVA though to finish off the manga as anime.

[zoid9000]

To be honest the manga ending disappointed me, I sort of wanted an epilogue or at least a final scene with Sai somewhere. The way it ended wasn't bad but it didn't sit right with me, which is a shame since everything before that was just incredible. As for the anime, I'm surprised it never got the full story from the manga...the series was fairly popular in Japan especially considering the # of kids it got involved in Go. I know in Japan OVAs are not very profitable, but it would be nice if someday they could wrap it up properly. And maybe someday Viz will be nice enough to finish their DVD releases too. >_<