3-gatsu no Lion

Having reached professional status in middle school, Rei Kiriyama is one of the few elite in the world of shogi. Due to this, he faces an enormous amount of pressure, both from the shogi community and his adoptive family. Seeking independence from his tense home life, he moves into an apartment in Tokyo. As a 17-year-old living on his own, Rei tends to take poor care of himself, and his reclusive personality ostracizes him from his peers in school and at the shogi hall.

However, not long after his arrival in Tokyo, Rei meets Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, a trio of sisters living with their grandfather who owns a traditional wagashi shop. Akari, the oldest of the three girls, is determined to combat Rei's loneliness and poorly sustained lifestyle with motherly hospitality. The Kawamoto sisters, coping with past tragedies, also share with Rei a unique familial bond that he has lacked for most of his life. As he struggles to maintain himself physically and mentally through his shogi career, Rei must learn how to interact with others and understand his own complex emotions.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kiriyama, Rei Main

Kawanishi, Kengo Japanese

Kawamoto, Hinata Main

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Kawamoto, Akari Main

Kayano, Ai Japanese

Kawamoto, Momo Main

Kuno, Misaki Japanese

Shimada, Kai Supporting

Miki, Shinichiro Japanese

Nikaidou, Harunobu Supporting

Okamoto, Nobuhiko Japanese

Hayashida, Takashi Supporting

Sakurai, Takahiro Japanese

Kouda, Kyouko Supporting

Inoue, Marina Japanese

Souya, Touji Supporting

Ishida, Akira Japanese

Noguchi, Eisaku Supporting

Ueda, Yuuji Japanese

Yodo, Akiko Producer

Fukino, Fuminari Producer

Nojima, Masahiro Producer

Ooshima, Miku Assistant Producer

Reviews

Oct 29, 2025

Lendanis

Recommended

I came across it during a time in my life when I was feeling depressed and it did me so much good... At times it makes you laugh, calms you down, or moves you deeply. Sometimes you just find yourself staring at the screen with a gentle smile. I definitely recommend it. 10/10! The artwork is unique and absolutely beautiful. The music perfectly captures the emotions of each scene. And the characters beyond amazing! From the side characters to the main ones, every single one is so well written that I’m sure you’ll love them all. The story might start off slow, but don’t give ... up! You won’t regret it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Feb 21, 2025

H-Kyouma

Mixed Feelings

Ahaha! Rejoice, for Hououin Kyouma has returned to bestow his wisdom upon the unworthy masses! This time, our target is none other than 3-gatsu no Lion, a tale of shogi, solitude, and the human condition!

At its core, this anime presents a fascinating journey, following a protagonist whose mind is an enigma, much like my own. The way it delves into emotions and relationships is commendable, capturing the essence of struggle with a level of nuance rarely seen in the realm of mere fiction. The animation? Exquisite! Shaft has once again harnessed its reality-warping abilities to craft a visually distinct experience, though at times it dances ... dangerously close to excessive stylization.

But alas! Even a tale of such potential is not without its flaws! The biggest transgression - the betrayal most egregious - lies in the alteration of the protagonist's reason for playing shogi as the story progresses. A shift so unnecessary, so misguided, that it left this mad scientist fuming in his lab! Why tamper with what was already compelling? Why dilute the very essence of his struggle? It is a crime against character consistency!

And then, the ending. Ah, the cruel mistress known as mediocrity! For a series that weaves emotions with such precision, the conclusion felt... uninspired. Predictable. Safe. It was not a catastrophic failure, nor did it tarnish the journey, but it lacked the impact befitting an anime of this caliber.

And so, my verdict is set in stone. Not a masterpiece, but not a disappointment either. A solid experience, yet shackled by its own choices.

7/10!

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Nov 1, 2025

ibernard

Not Recommended

The show feels like it doesn't really go anywhere until the very end. It's not that things aren't happening, but to me at least, they didn't seem all that interesting. At first I got the impression that the main character was a dark and broody character, which he sort of is, but he's also just a lame loser who half heartedly plays shogi and ignores the generosity of his friends. He's not super off putting, just not very entertaining to follow. The animation is very nice, but that pacing just feels off, like it's trying to hard to appear interesting without providing and substance. Like ... the constant water scenes which seem like they're supposed to be philosophical but end up being more whimsical and nothing more than eye candy or word vomit. It's not as bad as something like Vagabond, where there appears to be no real meaning behind these musings, but they're also just not entertaining or interesting. The humor or gags of show are somewhat funny but often go on too long and also take too much away from the story. Finally towards the end of the series, as we switch focal points to a new, older character, does the show actually become interesting. And I find that in season two as well, which is much better, the entertainment seems to stem more from following characters other than the main one, Rei. He's much better as a supporting character.

I can seen why it's popular. I think if I was younger, I would've loved this or liked it a lot more, but being older and having already seen a lot of stuff like this, it just doesn't appeal to me anymore. But that being said, I can't see myself recommending it to anyone seeing as I didn't really enjoy it. It's ok to me, and I don't think long time anime fans will find much entertainment in this first season. The second season is good though, and the manga looks promising.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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