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ヒカルの碁 [Hikaru no Go] #3
Hikaru no Go Vol. 3 : Avant le Duel
De par sa force exceptionnelle, Akira Toya fait une entrée fracassante dans le club de go du collège Kaïo. De son coté, Hikaru cherche désespérément un 3ème membre pour participer au tournoi en équipe. Finalement, il trouve un élève qui joue au go, mais... !?
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 9, 1999
18 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Yumi Hotta
100 books99 followersYumi Hotta (堀田 由美 Hotta Yumi, most often written as ほった ゆみ) is a Japanese mangaka, best known as the author of the best-selling manga and anime series Hikaru no Go, about the game of go that is widely credited for the recent boom of the game in Japan. The idea behind Hikaru no Go began when Yumi Hotta played a pick-up game of go with her father-in-law. She thought that it might be fun to create a manga based on this traditional board game, and began the work under the title of Nine Stars (九つの星 Kokonotsu no Hoshi), named for the nine "star points" on a go board. She later worked with Takeshi Obata (the illustrator) and Yukari Umezawa (5-Dan, the supervisor) in the creation of Hikaru no Go. She won the 2000 Shogakukan Manga Award and the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize for Hikaru no Go.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 11, 2025
Re-reading this series again reminded me how fun the middle school go team tournament arc was. A bunch of scrappy misfits versus the top school of the tournament. You will always cheer for the underdog. Then there's Akira. His encounter with Hikaru has lit a fire under him, and he'll do anything for another match.
June 15, 2021
In order to play Shindo (Sai via Shindo), Akira Toya joins his Middle School's Go Club, despite his pro-like strength in order to orchestrate a game between the two. He puts up with the bullying and even demands that he plays as third board, when he learned that Shindo is playing that position.
Meanwhile, Shindo is desperately trying to find a third male member to join his club so they could play in a team and time is running out. He finds this prospective member in Yuki Mitani, however he has little interest in the club and would prefer playing Go for money and cheating at it.
The plot is moving forward really quickly and I'm surprisingly finding myself being captivated by and adoring a story about an ancient board game. Obata's art is, as always, beautiful as ever, and is a great companion to the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next tankobon.
Meanwhile, Shindo is desperately trying to find a third male member to join his club so they could play in a team and time is running out. He finds this prospective member in Yuki Mitani, however he has little interest in the club and would prefer playing Go for money and cheating at it.
The plot is moving forward really quickly and I'm surprisingly finding myself being captivated by and adoring a story about an ancient board game. Obata's art is, as always, beautiful as ever, and is a great companion to the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next tankobon.
May 18, 2025
This is my first manga series and I'm hooked!
November 21, 2021
Hikaru Shindo has a problem because his Go club still lacks a third member. He gets to know Yuki Mitani who's also from his school at a go salon where only old guys play the Go-Game. Well, is the "cardsharp" Yuki a suitable candidate for his Go club? At least now they can join the Go middle school tournament. Meanwhile Akira, pro Go player, from Kaio middle school wants to beat Hikaru at the tournament, whom he lost against twice. (Technically Akira lost against the spirit of Sai and not Hikaru)
April 14, 2018
A Go tournament was started and Hikaru’s Go club could get a new member from a Go salon. However, that boy has a big problem....so Sai and Hikaru tried resolving the problem. On the other hand, Akira thought only to beat Hikaru. I think Akira’s attitude is childish a little because he doesn’t care about his members of Go club. It was not good.
March 9, 2021
Akira stalking Hikaru! Also Akira's blind match!
October 22, 2019
In this volume, Hikaru meets another teammate of Go club. It made me feel good that Hikaru wins against a man who gets money from Mitani.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2021
I'm obsessed lol.
December 19, 2011
This oddly addicting series manages to put the drama of a Shaolin showdown in a middle school go tournament. It's starting to turn into more of a bildungsroman, as the theme of Hikaru and Akira's growing maturity begins to be repeated, always referenced through the lens of their go-playing. Akira is still obsessively pursuing Hikaru for a rematch, so much of the drama remains Haze middle school trying to put together a line-up for the tournament while Kaoi has to deal with its star player who's only there to beat Hikaru Shindo.
Sai, the ancient ghostly go master, is still kind of a silly character who exists only as a plot device. There is only one mention of his meta-arc, when the cheating behavior of another child prodigy reminds him of his old rival.
The cheater is the new character introduced in this volume, Yuki Mitani, a little go shark.
Overall, a very amusing series, though I wonder how long it's going to drag out the whole Akira-vs-Hikaru contest without an actual decisive game. Also, Hikaru's little girlfriend who obviously has a crush on him is getting on my nerves: all she does is watch games with wide-eyed incomprehension and bake the boys cookies.
Sai, the ancient ghostly go master, is still kind of a silly character who exists only as a plot device. There is only one mention of his meta-arc, when the cheating behavior of another child prodigy reminds him of his old rival.
The cheater is the new character introduced in this volume, Yuki Mitani, a little go shark.
Overall, a very amusing series, though I wonder how long it's going to drag out the whole Akira-vs-Hikaru contest without an actual decisive game. Also, Hikaru's little girlfriend who obviously has a crush on him is getting on my nerves: all she does is watch games with wide-eyed incomprehension and bake the boys cookies.
August 2, 2025
I love the focus on Akira this volume. Showing his weaknesses, his determination to press on, and how he approaches go as a career. I love that his time in high school gives him a chance to not be some legendary future pro, but a young kid who has to struggle with upperclassmen being jerks and teachers being in control. Hikaru also meets a new friend, Yuki Mitani! A talented player his age who... cheats. Yeah, it's that sort of story arc I guess. Will this character cheat and get everyone disqualified, or will he play by the rules??? Not a surprising turn, but I like how they use him as a way to explain more of how go works. He cheats the points, so Yumi Hotta explains how point-counting works. He cheats the stones, so Yumi Hotta explains how the rules work. Actual cheating is a flimsy character trait I don't enjoy reading but I like everything else.
December 16, 2023
Hikaru will participate to the next year's go middle-schools tournament, but Akira is chasing to play him. Hikaru's club, however, lacks a third guy-member, and they finally find a kid, Yuki Mitani, who cheats in Go salons. After he is taught an expensive lesson, the cheater joins Haze's go club, and they finally make it to the tournament.
Hikaru is maturing, and while he still acts like a mindless kid sometimes, he definitely grows. Sai becomes less involved, although he also plays a game against the Go salon hustler that teaches Yuki a lesson.
The story becomes more and more consistent. I think that not only Hikaru grows, but the writer as well. :)
Hikaru is maturing, and while he still acts like a mindless kid sometimes, he definitely grows. Sai becomes less involved, although he also plays a game against the Go salon hustler that teaches Yuki a lesson.
The story becomes more and more consistent. I think that not only Hikaru grows, but the writer as well. :)
September 4, 2025
So, I found where the library had the other copies of this series—in "Juvenile Fiction" for some reason! Okay, sure, it's about middle schoolers (for now), but it's fairly advanced for English-speaking juveniles, in a country where Go is practically unheard of!
Or maybe I'm just baffled by that since our library in specific has rules about older readers being in the younger reader section if they aren't looking for "materials not available in other parts of the library."
...yes, that's not weird or anything, or a rule that would make me self-conscious about looking for "juvenile" (non-?)fiction.
Anyway, this volume is still early in the series, when Hikaru and Akira are both still fairly young but not *quite* the more childish size they were when they first met. Hikaru is also struggling to find his own "Go"—his play style—and has started to resent it when Sai bugs him to let him play when Hikaru wants to play just as much.
It also features several games that, to a seasoned pro, look AMAZING just from the board layout, though to a complete newbie (a very lot of readers, I would imagine) it's like watching "the most beautiful move in chess history" and having no appreciation of the significance, because they're all just pieces on the board if you don't understand how to play.
Which is a lot of the series, though thankfully Hotta consulted actual Go professionals so the games made sense, unlike the chess game in Classroom of the Elite (which I attribute to laziness on the part of the animators, since it wasn't described in the slightest in light novel—laziness on the part of the author).
Most of this volume is dedicated to getting Mitani on the Haze* Middle School Go Club team, and the (cheating) shenanigans involved there, though there is also some hazing* on the part of Akira's classmates when he signs up for the Kaio Middle School Go Club in order to pursue Hikaru after Hikaru refuses to play against Akira ever again (lest Akira figure out the secret of Sai).
It's a surprisingly good series for a game I (still!) don't understand, since it has lots of drama not directly related to the game that's keeping the narrative afloat. There are slow points, of course, which is why I don't still have the books and am relying on the library to re-read most of them, but it's fun to read once. You might have to do it soon, though, since—probably only PARTLY because it's a library book—this book hasn't really aged well and is already yellowed and tearing apart easily.
*no pun intended: Haze is pronounced "hah-zay"
Or maybe I'm just baffled by that since our library in specific has rules about older readers being in the younger reader section if they aren't looking for "materials not available in other parts of the library."
...yes, that's not weird or anything, or a rule that would make me self-conscious about looking for "juvenile" (non-?)fiction.
Anyway, this volume is still early in the series, when Hikaru and Akira are both still fairly young but not *quite* the more childish size they were when they first met. Hikaru is also struggling to find his own "Go"—his play style—and has started to resent it when Sai bugs him to let him play when Hikaru wants to play just as much.
It also features several games that, to a seasoned pro, look AMAZING just from the board layout, though to a complete newbie (a very lot of readers, I would imagine) it's like watching "the most beautiful move in chess history" and having no appreciation of the significance, because they're all just pieces on the board if you don't understand how to play.
Which is a lot of the series, though thankfully Hotta consulted actual Go professionals so the games made sense, unlike the chess game in Classroom of the Elite (which I attribute to laziness on the part of the animators, since it wasn't described in the slightest in light novel—laziness on the part of the author).
Most of this volume is dedicated to getting Mitani on the Haze* Middle School Go Club team, and the (cheating) shenanigans involved there, though there is also some hazing* on the part of Akira's classmates when he signs up for the Kaio Middle School Go Club in order to pursue Hikaru after Hikaru refuses to play against Akira ever again (lest Akira figure out the secret of Sai).
It's a surprisingly good series for a game I (still!) don't understand, since it has lots of drama not directly related to the game that's keeping the narrative afloat. There are slow points, of course, which is why I don't still have the books and am relying on the library to re-read most of them, but it's fun to read once. You might have to do it soon, though, since—probably only PARTLY because it's a library book—this book hasn't really aged well and is already yellowed and tearing apart easily.
*no pun intended: Haze is pronounced "hah-zay"
January 19, 2024
C’est désormais en allant à la rencontre d’un autre joueur de Go atypique que la série se poursuit toujours aussi passionnante et parfaitement écrite.
Hotta et Obata développent vraiment ici une très belle fable sur cette adolescence qui se cherche, se révolte, se trompe et se relève, trouve des rivalités qui l’aide à grandir, à s’affirmer et se trouver. Le Go et les rencontres qu’il permet sont un très joli foyer à maturation.
Avec la découverte de Mitani, c’est un nouveau pan du Go qui s’ouvre à nous. D’abord, on découvre le côté des parieurs et ce que risque ceux qui s’amusent à tricher. Mais ensuite, on découvre également le côté des tournois entre jeunesses avec ce tricheur repenti et comme plus tard dans Chihayafuru, c’est l’esprit d’équipe qui prévaut et nous fait trembler en plus de l’édification individuelle. Ce fut ainsi un tome riche et passionnant.
On assiste en plus à une vraie évolution des personnages. En prenant Mitani sous leur aile, Hikaru et son compagnon Tsutsui, gagnent à leur tour en maturité et font évoluer leur jeu sous l’impulsion de ce dernier qui joue quand même très bien. Akira, lui, sans le savoir est pris également dans cette spirale avec un Hikaru qui souhaite de plus en plus montrer sa propre force au contact des autres. Voir les autres se passionner, jouer de beaux coups, l’encourage lui aussi. Et on le voit avec tendresse tomber dans la passion du Go, admirant cela comme Sai qui est juste derrière lui. C’est adorable.
Du côté du Go, j’ai aimé, dans ce tome, comprendre enfin la notion de territoire et la façon dont on le compte pour déterminer qui gagne. Ça n’a l’air de rien mais suivre une série parlant d’un sport auquel on ne comprend rien, c’est quand même un peu frustrant, là en plus de suivre avec passion la fougue de nos héros et leur évolution, j’ai eu le sentiment de comprendre un peu (pas toujours) ce qui se passait sur le goban.
Tome de construction, on assiste avec plaisir au lent réveil de notre héros qui attire tout le monde dans son sillon et se fait lui-même aspirer par la passion des autres, ce qui donne une belle synergie commune vers cette passion pour le Go. Mitani est un nouveau personnage atypique sympathique qui offre une nouvelle dynamique intéressante et fait grandir Hikaru et son intermédiaire, Akira. C’est beau la jeunesse !
Avis complet : https://lesblablasdetachan.wordpress....
Hotta et Obata développent vraiment ici une très belle fable sur cette adolescence qui se cherche, se révolte, se trompe et se relève, trouve des rivalités qui l’aide à grandir, à s’affirmer et se trouver. Le Go et les rencontres qu’il permet sont un très joli foyer à maturation.
Avec la découverte de Mitani, c’est un nouveau pan du Go qui s’ouvre à nous. D’abord, on découvre le côté des parieurs et ce que risque ceux qui s’amusent à tricher. Mais ensuite, on découvre également le côté des tournois entre jeunesses avec ce tricheur repenti et comme plus tard dans Chihayafuru, c’est l’esprit d’équipe qui prévaut et nous fait trembler en plus de l’édification individuelle. Ce fut ainsi un tome riche et passionnant.
On assiste en plus à une vraie évolution des personnages. En prenant Mitani sous leur aile, Hikaru et son compagnon Tsutsui, gagnent à leur tour en maturité et font évoluer leur jeu sous l’impulsion de ce dernier qui joue quand même très bien. Akira, lui, sans le savoir est pris également dans cette spirale avec un Hikaru qui souhaite de plus en plus montrer sa propre force au contact des autres. Voir les autres se passionner, jouer de beaux coups, l’encourage lui aussi. Et on le voit avec tendresse tomber dans la passion du Go, admirant cela comme Sai qui est juste derrière lui. C’est adorable.
Du côté du Go, j’ai aimé, dans ce tome, comprendre enfin la notion de territoire et la façon dont on le compte pour déterminer qui gagne. Ça n’a l’air de rien mais suivre une série parlant d’un sport auquel on ne comprend rien, c’est quand même un peu frustrant, là en plus de suivre avec passion la fougue de nos héros et leur évolution, j’ai eu le sentiment de comprendre un peu (pas toujours) ce qui se passait sur le goban.
Tome de construction, on assiste avec plaisir au lent réveil de notre héros qui attire tout le monde dans son sillon et se fait lui-même aspirer par la passion des autres, ce qui donne une belle synergie commune vers cette passion pour le Go. Mitani est un nouveau personnage atypique sympathique qui offre une nouvelle dynamique intéressante et fait grandir Hikaru et son intermédiaire, Akira. C’est beau la jeunesse !
Avis complet : https://lesblablasdetachan.wordpress....
September 10, 2025
4.5/5 (Review is for the series as a whole and does not contain spoilers)
12-year-old Hikaru finds an old Go board in his grandfather’s attic and accidentally frees the ghost spirit of a young Go teacher from medieval Japan, named Fujiwara-no-Sai. Sai has a strong passion for Go and wants to achieve the “Divine Move,” but unfortunately for him, Hikaru knows nothing about Go and has little interest in learning the game. When Sai finally convinces Hikaru to play, they defeat fellow middle school student, Akira, who has been training relentlessly with his father, Go master Toya Meijin. Akira, who is good enough to go pro, is shocked at his defeat and declares that Hikaru is his rival. This rivalry sparks a passion in Hikaru, who decides to learn the game and soon becomes a good enough player in his own right.
This series is appropriate for the middle grade age group, and may inspire readers to want to learn how to play the game of Go. The author consulted with actual Go players to make the manga moves more authentic, and throughout the series there are tidbits and instructions on how to play and resources for learning more about the game. In addition, this series teaches valuable lessons about friendship and explores some of the challenges in coming-of-age, especially as we grow up and move away from some people. This series is also likely to appeal to fans of sports manga, as it features similar story telling devices, and works to build tension in the Go games that the players play. Overall, this series is a fun, low stakes story that makes me want to learn a bit more about the game of Go.
12-year-old Hikaru finds an old Go board in his grandfather’s attic and accidentally frees the ghost spirit of a young Go teacher from medieval Japan, named Fujiwara-no-Sai. Sai has a strong passion for Go and wants to achieve the “Divine Move,” but unfortunately for him, Hikaru knows nothing about Go and has little interest in learning the game. When Sai finally convinces Hikaru to play, they defeat fellow middle school student, Akira, who has been training relentlessly with his father, Go master Toya Meijin. Akira, who is good enough to go pro, is shocked at his defeat and declares that Hikaru is his rival. This rivalry sparks a passion in Hikaru, who decides to learn the game and soon becomes a good enough player in his own right.
This series is appropriate for the middle grade age group, and may inspire readers to want to learn how to play the game of Go. The author consulted with actual Go players to make the manga moves more authentic, and throughout the series there are tidbits and instructions on how to play and resources for learning more about the game. In addition, this series teaches valuable lessons about friendship and explores some of the challenges in coming-of-age, especially as we grow up and move away from some people. This series is also likely to appeal to fans of sports manga, as it features similar story telling devices, and works to build tension in the Go games that the players play. Overall, this series is a fun, low stakes story that makes me want to learn a bit more about the game of Go.
October 23, 2023
Hikaru no Go enters its third volume as Hikaru and Kimihiro struggle to find a third person to complete their go club at Haze school. Meanwhile Akira joins the rival Kaio school's go club to challenge Hikaru at the upcoming tournament between them. We see Hikaru become a better go player as Akira endures bullying at his school. It is interesting seeing them being drawn towards their inevitable rematch. The new characters are solid; more so Yuki who joins Haze's go club. He cheats; and Sai is intent on turning him away from these habits while there is still time.
The volume isn't afraid to take time to explore characters but the pacing does lag a bit up to the start of the tournament. Obata's art is as always a delight. Hikaru no Go cements itself as a sports manga worth reading; making the board game go exciting through its characters journeys.
The volume isn't afraid to take time to explore characters but the pacing does lag a bit up to the start of the tournament. Obata's art is as always a delight. Hikaru no Go cements itself as a sports manga worth reading; making the board game go exciting through its characters journeys.
December 4, 2024
I enjoyed the first chapter of this book (Chapter 17) because the art style, man! The background, the room, the unorganized books in the background, the trophies—IT’S SO NICE TO LOOK AT. Also, it helps with the immersion and builds the tension. I like the lesson in the next chapter about how accepting a challenge isn’t always wise because sometimes people just want to spur you on. Sometimes it’s better to disengage. And YO THE RAMEN DRAWING IN CHAPTER 19 UGHHHHHHH. The way things wrap up felt really satisfying, and kind of badass. "I guess it can’t be helped—some people don’t learn until they’ve been taught a painful lesson."
April 2, 2025
The gang of Go players continues to grow and we see some of the shadier side of any type of game with cheating as well as gambling involved in it. I will say that the story is progressing surprisingly quickly, or at least it feels that way. There were a lot of cool pages that caught my eye and emotions, but page 138-139 was the most satisfying two pages in the book for me. There is a lot to enjoy from this book and even with the topic being a board game, it is exciting and emotional. Don’t let the subject matter fool you, this is an intense world you are being introduced to.
July 18, 2025
School club/tournament arc continues. Some darker undertones of bullying at school and cheating at Go are explored in parallel. Also, we get one of the most realistically frustrating characters in Mitani. Yes, that’s what bratty teenagers are like, but I wish they weren’t.
All in all, the development is thinner on the ground in this instalment.
I continue to love the drawings though, they always add another layer to the story. The virtual goban in Akira’s head was great, also I really see family likeness in the Toyas.
All in all, the development is thinner on the ground in this instalment.
I continue to love the drawings though, they always add another layer to the story. The virtual goban in Akira’s head was great, also I really see family likeness in the Toyas.
September 27, 2019
This graphic novel was different from the other ones I have read. It was not because you had to read it from right-to-left, but how they took something so strategic and not that entertaining into an entertaining story. Go is a strategic game, and really has no dramatic action or anything in it. The people behind this book decided "Hey, let's turn this game into a manga!" I liked the book, to be honest.
October 10, 2023
Sono sincero, non mi ha fatto impazzire l’ingresso di Mitani: dal punto di vista del semplice design è troppo banale, uno tsundere qualunque, ma gli darò comunque una chance.
Quando Touya si scontrerà con Hikaru finirà sempre nello stesso modo? Se giocherà Sai, sì, ma se Hikaru dovesse, in un moto di follia, giocare da solo allora sarà distrutto nel giro di due mosse.
Quando Touya si scontrerà con Hikaru finirà sempre nello stesso modo? Se giocherà Sai, sì, ma se Hikaru dovesse, in un moto di follia, giocare da solo allora sarà distrutto nel giro di due mosse.
February 28, 2020
I liked that they addressed cheating and I like this new main character they've introduced, Yuki. Even so, I'm starting to feel a little indifferent about this manga. I don't feel any emotional connection to the characters.
October 6, 2020
A great read. It teaches you how important a board game is to other cultures. This shonen jump manga is focused around the game of Go, and it has inspired me to figure out how to play!
Itching for the next novel!
Itching for the next novel!
November 21, 2021
Adegan kocak pada jilid ini
"Kamu seberapa kuat?"
"Seberapa ... eh ... Mungkin sekuat Honinbo Shusaku?" ^ o ^
Sebenarnya, saya tidak menantikan pertandingan berikutnya. Pertarungan antara Hikaru dan Toya LOL.
"Kamu seberapa kuat?"
"Seberapa ... eh ... Mungkin sekuat Honinbo Shusaku?" ^ o ^
Sebenarnya, saya tidak menantikan pertandingan berikutnya. Pertarungan antara Hikaru dan Toya LOL.
May 13, 2017
Still a great series. They are on the lookout for a third player to join their team but they must decide if they can accept who they find. Recommend to anyone who loves manga with games.
November 5, 2017
ヒカルの碁のアニメはも十年前見た。そのせいであまり話が覚えない。でも、なんか漫画のキャラの性格はもっと強いな感じ。特にあきらの性格は思ったより強い。
一番残念なことはアニメのあとがきはいつも碁の説明とか碁の問題あったけど単行本にはそなことがない。ちょっと期待外れ。私はアニメから碁のやり方が習ったのでちょっと本を読めばもっと強いと思うって楽しみしたんだ。でもここまで全然なかった。（－＿－）
一番残念なことはアニメのあとがきはいつも碁の説明とか碁の問題あったけど単行本にはそなことがない。ちょっと期待外れ。私はアニメから碁のやり方が習ったのでちょっと本を読めばもっと強いと思うって楽しみしたんだ。でもここまで全然なかった。（－＿－）
April 4, 2019
Pretty great board game manga! Really good story and sweet art, Another awesome Shōnen so far😻♟😁❤️❤️📖
February 15, 2021
Mitani ❤️
July 6, 2021
Since I ended up liking this series I knew I needed to read the parts I missed. I’m glad I was able to get these from the library. The little plots in here were pretty great.
January 3, 2022
I hate to say this, but I feel so sorry for Akira. I want to tell him that it is actally Sai he chaces, but not Hikaru.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2022
this was def more of a filler but this series is still so good
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews