Hikaru No Go: "Welcome to the A League" Talkback (Spoilers)

[bigddan11]

Episode 26
Japanesse title: "The Greatest Wall for Hikaru"
English title: "Welcome to the A-League"

Previously on Hikaru No Go, Hikaru decided he would make it to the Young Lions Tournament so he could face Akira, but he was having a major losing streak in the B-League. Sai realized Hiakru was losing his self-esteem and taught him how to gain some of it back

Today: Hikaru has taken Sai's lesson to heart, and as the title spoils for us, he makes it to the A League, but can Hkaru manage to climb into the top 16 in the A League, and how will he do when he faces his best Insei friends for the first time?

The Go Squad:

Hikaru Shindo: This young boy has the spirit of Sai constantlly travelling with him. At first he hated Go, but eventually he began to grow and respect what it stood for. Now Hikaru is determined to be Akira's rival, and his game has improved enough to where he's an Insei, but can Hikaru make it to the A-League?

Fujiwara-no-Sai: Sai is a spirit from the past, and he desires to play the divine move. At first Hikaru always let him play Go games, and he crushed Akira, but now that Hikaru has developed his own skills Sai is forced to watch on the side, and he's feeling left out since Hikaru is getting all the credit.

Akari Fujisaki: Akari is one of three fermales on the Middle School Go team, and she's on eof Hikaru's best friends. She started playong Go so she could spend more time with Hikaru, but now she wonders if Hikaru is destined for something bigger than she could imagine and if she'll be left behind in the process.

Akira Toya: He's the son of the world champion, and he's one of the newest Professional Go players, but Akira desires to prove that no youth his own age can hope to defeat him as he pulls further and further from the shadow of Hikaru, but little does he realize Hikaru is actually gaining on him.

Touya Mejin: The world champion of Go, or so his name says (Mejin means world champion). He is Akira's father, and his real name is Koyo Toya. Sai looks up to him as the man to beat, but in order to challenge him, Hikaru and Sai will have to endure a lot of challenges ahead.

Seiji Ogata: This man was one of the officials during the children's Go tournament where Hikaru accidentally announced a move a pro would even have to think about. After Touya Mejin asked him to locate Hikaru, he kept a careful eye out for him, but now he's noticed that Hikaru may be more advanced than originally believed and sponsored him for the Insei examination.

Kosuke Ochi: This sixth grader is one of the top ranking Insei's in the A League, and he's determined to defeat Akira at all costs and prove he is the best. He doubts Hikaru's abilities, but he wonders exactly what Hikaru holds with his potential.

Shinichiro Isumi: He's one of the top ranked A League students, but he sees this as one of his last chances to pass the Insei examination. Can he find his best chane to advance here, or will Hikaru prove he's better than anyone expected?

Yoshitaka Waya: Waya played Sai online and wondered if he was a Pro, but he predicted Hikaru would pass when he showed up for the exam. Now he's taking a liking to Hikaru, but he's wondering if Hikaru has a lot of potential or if he is over confident about being Akira's rival.

Yuta Fukui: He's one of Hikaru's A-League teammates at the Insei school, and he has ambitions of one day being the best. He is able to think fast in a Go match, but can he actually close the matches when he faces the best players?

[YoshiAngemon]

I liked Sai's comment, about Hikaru sitting in front. "Clearly right, he wasn't behind me, he was in front!"

[bigddan11]

Now's when Hikaru's true tests begin. He has advanced to the A-League thanks to Sai's coaching, but now's when he truly begins to see how addicting Go can be for everyone involved.