Hikaru No Go

Simple Plot
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It's a common question coming from a person who has yet to see this series: "How can you possibly make pairings from a series centered on a board game?" With pretty-boy rivals and a fair amount of angst, it's very easy.

To anyone who knows the least bit about Go, Hikaru no Go has a very simple plot. Fujimaru Sai is a regretful, go-playing, spirit who takes over part of young Shindou Hikaru's mind. He possesses Hikaru's body in order to continue playing the game of Go. While still accepting Sai's presence, Hikaru comes to meet Touya Akira, a child Go-prodigy. From Touya's point of view, Hikaru is a beginner without any knowledge of the game. However, since Hikaru is getting help from Sai, Hikaru beats Akira in a match. Now, Akira is determined to defeat Hikaru and prove his superiority.

Hikaru, over time, begins to realize that he really likes to play Go. As he watches Sai play more and more matches through him, Hikaru becomes more and more intrigued. Throughout the rest of the series, Hikaru focuses on becoming a professional Go-player. Touya Akira also focuses on becoming a professional, as well as defeating Hikaru in a match. Sai's goal is to obtain the "Hand of God," a Go move never played before that is said to be the ultimate move.

Don't worry, if you don't know anything about Go, you'll learn quickly. The terminology used in the series is pretty basic and easy to figure out. Plus, at the end of every episode, there is a quick guide about how to play.

I barely have anything negative to report from this series. I loved almost everything. The animation was done by one of my favorite studios, Pierrot, so it was superb. The plot was extraordinary also. It's not just about playing Go; there are many interesting sub-plots that arise during the series. The characters were pretty unique, and the voices fit well. Did I mention the music? Yes, the music is excellent too; so excellent that I went and purchased the soundtracks.

It's a surprise as to how many pairings can come from this show. One of the most popular is Akira X Hikaru. The main reason for this is the fact that they are rivals. Also, that Akira spends most of the series "pursuing" Hikaru. Of course, Hikaru X Sai is also a very believable pairing. They're very close to each other all the time and their fondness of each other becomes even more evident towards the end. Another pairing I see often is Waya X Isumi, two Go-students. The boyish Waya and straight-faced Isumi look like a good couple. A pairing between either Hikaru or Akira and Ogata tends to be prevalent too. The only justification I can come up with as to how this pairing came to be is this: Ogata is an older man, probably in the prime of his life, but we never see him with any woman. Hikaru and Akira are probably just thrown in as young, vulnerable characters. As in most slashable anime, much more pairings have been created through the fans' minds. These pairings seem to be the most popular ones.

Hikaru no Go spans a whopping seventy-five episodes. Though after watching all the episodes and movies, I was still left demanding more. The only negative thing about Hikaru no Go is that the ending was never finished completely. I suppose that the viewer is supposed to imagine their own ending, but the story definitely could have been continued. That drawback is microscopic compared to all the good elements to this series. One thing I can promise is that Hikaru no Go will let your imagination run wild.

Shindou Hikaru is a lazy, under-achieving 6th grader until the day he finds an old goban in his grandfather's storage shed. The goban is haunted by the ghost of the greatest Go player of the Heian era, Fujiwara no Sai, who has spent a thousand years seeking the Hand of God; the Divine Move. Sai's soul attaches to Shindou's, so only Shindou can see or hear him, and Sai wants only one thing: to play Go.

Shindou has no interest in Go, but he takes Sai to a go salon to allow him to play. There Shindou and Sai meet Touya Akira, the same age as Shindou and a gifted Go player. Shindou is fascinated by both Touya's intensity and Sai's love of the game. Soon he develops his own desire to walk the path of Go and become a great player... and Touya's rival.