Alternative TitlesEnglish: Hikaru's Go Japanese: ヒカルの碁
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 75
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Oct 10, 2001 to Mar 26, 2003
Duration:
23 min. per episode Rating:
G - All Ages
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.261 (scored by 15983 users)
Ranked: #2302
Popularity: #376
Members: 29,952
Favorites: 868 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
comedy drama shounen sports |
Synopsis12 year old Shindou Hikaru is just your average 6th grader. One day, while searching through his grandfather's attic, he comes across an old Go board. Upon touching the Go board, Hikaru is possessed by the spirit of Fujiwara no Sai, and continues to be haunted by him soon after. Sai was once a great Go player, who committed suicide and continued to stay in the world as a spirit desiring only to play Go once again. Finally bending to Sai's pleas, Hikaru allows Sai to play Go through himself, unknowingly attempting the first game with the young prodigy Touya Akira. Time has finally started moving, as Sai's quest for the perfect game, "The Hand of God", is set underway. Based on the manga by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Hikaru no Go
Sequel: Hikaru no Go: Journey to the North Star Cup
Summary: Hikaru no Go: New Year Special
Alternative version: Hikaru no Go Special
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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Shinkaron
120 of 158 people found this review helpful
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75 of 75 episodes seen
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
The story revolves around a 6th grader school boy, who at first, isn't interested in playing Go; but then finds himself in deep inside this new world. After touching the old Go board in the attic, he meets with Sai, a magnificient Go player from hundred years ago who possessed by that Go board.
I haven't realized this anime has been rated high on this site and randomly downloaded it. After nothing remained on my pc to watch I decided to give it a try, because 75 episodes of some random anime didn't seem so appealing at that time. But to my surprise, I finished it in 1.5 days (yeah that's true.I actually slept only 3 hours in order to watch the rest) and god, now it's favorite of my favorites.
~Few spoilers ahead~
Story:
Normally this kinda story is not enough for me to enjoy throughly, especially when it's game genre I just tend to "have a look" at it. But Rivalry between Akira and Hikaru was so fierce that it was impossible to stay calm. During matches, my tension was at its top and I didn't consider even one of the episodes as "filler". Honestly, it's the first time I heard about the game "Go" but still, the story dragged me into it easily. Matches were quite exciting, I felt the same stress as the contestants. Sometimes it was like a death match between warlords, striking each others with go stones. Considering it's just a game and there won't be any dead in the end isn't enough to get relaxed.
Art:
I haven't got any problems with the art either. When I think about child Hikaru and the older one, I feel kinda strange because it's like some boy around me grew up and got taller. Same goes for Akira, even the shape of their faces seemed so natural compared to their childhood that I couldn't help checking out the first episodes in order to see the difference. The only thing that annoyed me a little was Hikaru's hair style, which seemed kinda weird and simply -ugly-. I'd like to see him with full blond or dark hair, instead of that funny mixture. Sai appeared to be the hidden bishie of the story, looking cool and beautiful and sometimes cute. (chibi Sai) But in general, the bishieness of him isn't the center of attraction which is more or less expected from a shounen anime.
Sound:
That was probably the best part of Hikaru no Go. Seriously, some songs are so good that I can't help listening to them all the time. "Get Over" is my favorite of all, which still makes me feel like watching it again. The ending theme, "Bokura no Bouken" is a great one either. Oh and "Hitomi no Chikara", how can a song be so sweet? Whenever I listen to them, some scenes from Go matches pass before my eyes, which made me feel like playing Go at that time.
Characters:
Akira Touya is one of the most unique characters I've ever seen so far. He's not an ordinary genius or aristocratic. He is elite but doesn't ignore Hikaru's abilities and always keeps an eye on him. He wants to have "the hand of god" and so calculates every single possibility and simply lives for this ambition. His relationship with Hikaru has always been interesting and like many of others who watched it, I yearned for seeing their matches. At first, Akira is the one who insists on having a match with Hikaru but then he gives up after seeing his inability to win a match. However, Hikaru doesn't give up so easily and does his best in order to catch up him. After passing pro exams he has chance to play against Akira one more time, which brings the big rivalry back. Sai is a complicated character who can react unexpectedly determined sometimes whereas he usually acts like a Go freak. His feelings for Go game is just like a passion for a beloved person. Instead of enjoying it, he seems to be obsessed with this game
Enjoyment:
Guess I don't need to say much about this part because every single sentence of me shows how passionately I like this serie. Hikaru no Go is at the top of my huge anime list now, and there are no other one which I can compare HnG with. After Sai has gone in episode 60, I felt so bad that couldn't help thinking of him during the rest of the episodes. Sai lived with Hikaru for years, and then he suddenly dissappeared from the world leaving no clues.
I'm sure that if you have any taste for anime, it's impossible not to like this serie. Thanks to HnG now I'm crazy for game genre anime but so far it's the best one of all I've seen.
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Stormy_77
128 of 187 people found this review helpful
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75 of 75 episodes seen
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
How on earth could anyone make a 75 episode anime about a school kid playing a 3000 year old board game? Surely there must be a lot of filler episodes. Those were my initial thoughts but Hikaru No Go had a great rating on Animenfo and I decided to start watching it.
The first thing to do is to collect the entire series of 75 episodes, the special and the Journey to Hokuta Cup before you start. One of the most amazing things about Hikaru No Go is it's ability to capture the viewer from the get go, once you start watching, it's like you don't want to stop. Every episode except for Story Arc endings is a mini-cliffhanger motivating you to start the next episode. This perfection of editing and pacing has not been achieved by many other anime.
The story centers around Shindou Hikaru, a 12 year old school boy. He's just had his allowance cut and was in the midst of rummaging through his grandfather's garage looking for something to sell for money when he picks up a "Go" board inhabited by the ghost of Fujiwara No Sai, a genius Go player from the Heian dynasty. Sai has unfinished business in this world, he wants to achive "The Divine Hand or Hand of God" in go. He possesses then haunts Hikaru ~ all he wants to do is play Go.
Initially Hikaru lets Sai play by moving the stones for him but he starts to fall in love with the game and starts playing himself. The series is a coming-of-age, maturing of new talent, exposure to the competitive world of Go and the beauty of the game. There's a nice large cast of supporting characters, all of which are fascinating in their own right.
The soundtrack is wonderful and fits the scenes well. The animation does have some frame reuse but it's done by the same artist who did Death Note and is good. As the series continues you can physically "see" the characters growing up, they get taller and their faces change.
One of the reasons Hikaru No Go is such a good anime is because Sai is the best anime character ever created (in my opinion). He's very loveable, smart, funny, honorable AND he's a Go genius.He shows amazing patience with Hikaru's moods and childishness, not just being his friend but also teaching and mentoring him from nothing to greatness at Go. Sai is just one of those characters you'll never forget. He has a big heart.
Having dated a nationally ranked chess player in my wild and mis-spent youth, I was amazed at how faithfully the series captures the world of competitive board game sports ~ rivalry, one-up manship, jealousy, excessive obsession with the game, psychological warfare, pushy teachers, they're all there and exist in real life. Even a person who doesn't play Go can understand it as it is presented in the anime.
The series has many layers of philosophy behind it that escape most people the first time around.
* How great is a person's desire for something?
* Can one live, obsessed with a game and winning?
* To achieve greatness there is always a price one must pay, in time, or friendships sacrificed by oneself or others. How far should one go?
* How should one deal with or live with regrets from one's past actions?
* Do people care about legacy and what should one try to leave behind?
* If a goal seems "unreachable / unattainable" is it still worth pursuing?
On surface the plot seems simple but in reality it's very profound, that's one of the reasons I consider this series a masterpiece. It could easily go on for another 75 episodes and I would want them all. Even after it ended, I was still thinking about it and craving more. I even started playing Go online. The manga sparked a resurgence of interest in Go in Japan, wih some message boards featuring posts by Go professionals stating that they wish they could play against Sai. For an anime to arouse this level of interest is amazing. Hikaru No Go deserves to rank much higher than it does, it is truly a masterpiece. read more
Recommendations
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Both series centre around a protagonist who becomes aware of and learns to love a classic Japanese game that's faded to 'niche interest' status, aspiring to become the very best and accumulating similarly-minded friends along the way. Although Chihayafuru lacks the mild supernatural element found in Hikaru no Go, Chihaya's motivation of improving to Arata's level of skill function similiarly to Hikaru playing go at Sai's urging and wanting to catch up with Touya.
both feature characters striving to be the best in the world at a fairly niche game
Old Japanese game in the center of the plot.
Introduction to a competitive yet uncommon "sport"
Showcases character growth and development both inside and outside of the "arena"
Both contain intensity and bouts of seriousness but manages to incorporate light humor where appropriate.
Chihayafuru although little success maybe is the best anime of this season (winter 2012). Discover the joys of not only an anime very well done and entertaining, with a game unknown but equally interesting. Don't stop at the first episodes, let yourself be carried away by the wonderful episodes! Unknown game, just like Hikaru no Go I do not know if we can call it a common point, but you will also be carried away by this game if you wear a little interest in the anime. Both want us to enter their world and it is successful.
Both have main characters who slowly become good at a niche game,and have intense matches.
If you like intense game anime then they are really alike... both are really good... when i was watching Chihayafuru... it was still ongoing... so i really wanted to find something alike.... and i found Hikaru no Go..... they are sooo alike.... both 10/10!!
Hikaru no Go and Chihayafuru both feature characters wanting to become the best at a competitive game after encountering someone who is really strong and inspiring them to enjoy and love Go/Kurata.
Both series and mostly about the main characters growing and becoming better at the game and the friendships they develop on the way. They are both enjoyable series and each made me become interested and want to know more about GO and Kurata.
Some people don't watch animes like these because they believe the shows will be boring show about a game they don't even understand but they will really regret missing out on amazing shows like these.
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hikaru no go is about a boy named hikaru who plays a game called go, in saki it is about a girl named saki who plays a game called mahjong, if u liked hikaru no go, this should be interesting also.
divine game playing skills!
Both series are identical in that they revolve around a strategy, board game. The main idea is the same, the main characters will fight to prove him/herself in their own sport, all the while appearing to be gifted by the gods.
Their plots both revolve around table games. The protagonists show a god-like mastery of their games, though they show no interest in the game at first. The protagonists' rivals spur them on to become better at the game in similar ways. The supporting casts, for the minimal amount of screentime they get comparatively, are both very distinctive and memorable.
The characters in Saki are all skilled female players with few skilled males, while it is the opposite case in Hikaru no Go.
Both animes are about table games with characters who are aiming for the very top.
Both table games, they make the games look very intense, trying to go pro
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Opening Theme#1: "Get Over" by dream (eps 1-30)
#2: "I'll Be the One" by HAL (eps 31-60)
#3: "Fantasy" by Nana Katase (eps 61-75)
Ending Theme#1: "Bokura no Bouken" by Kids Alive (eps 1-12)
#2: "Hitomi no Chikara" by Mizuki Arisa (eps 13-30)
#3: "Sincerely ~ever dream~" by dream (eps 31-46)
#4: "Days" by shela (eps 47-63)
#5: "Music is My Thing" by Dream (eps 64-74)
#6: "Get Over ~Special Mix~" by dream (ep 75)
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Related ClubsKnownOfDreams's 'HideOut', Random Anime & Manga Club, hikaru no go fanatics club, Shonen Jump USA Club, ~ Takai's LEAGUE ~, Eleventy Billionth Club, Green Haired Anime Characters, Go game, Anti-Shōnen Jump Association, chiaki's favorites!, Hikaru no Go! Club, HikaAki Lovers, A.S.A (Adiktus sa Anime), Brad Swaile Fans, Androgynous characters, +_aN!mE_L0vErS_+, russian shounen fans!, [☆] Kimono ★ Yukata [☆], ~ Colorful Hair Club ~, Purple and Blue Haired CharactersFan Fiction Guild, Sports Discussion Club (and Anime), hikaru no go, Akira Toya FC, SunLink@AnimeManga, .otakus., Go (igo, weiqi, baduk) Club (aka Hikaru no Go fanclub), OMG, It`s So BIG!!!, Long Black/Dark Haired Guys, We Luv Anime Guys, Everyone is EMO, Hikaru no Go FC, Sports (Anime) Fans, *** My bookmarks, links, winamp skins ***, russian shounenfags!, The Fujiwara no Sai Fanclub, Obata Takeshi FC, ~ C.and.Y Fan.Club ~, FanArtsClub, April Birthdays!!, Animanga Lovers, Youthful Days - Young bl & friendships , Battle Tournament Organization, Young Anime Prodigy Club see all
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