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ヒカルの碁 [Hikaru no Go] #6
Hikaru no Go Vol. 6 : L'examen d'Inseï
L'examen d'inseï commence. C'est un passage obligé pour Hikaru s'il veut poursuivre Akira. Hikaru stresse et s'impatiente. Va-t-il réussir ?!
Akira, de son côté, fait ses premières armes en tant que professionnel en jouant une partie contre l'ôza !!
Akira, de son côté, fait ses premières armes en tant que professionnel en jouant une partie contre l'ôza !!
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2000
17 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Yumi Hotta
100 books100 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 45 reviews
April 3, 2023
The main character got a brand new cast to interact with, but the old middle school go club got relegated to guest appearances, including Akari.
Akari was there from the beginning with Hikaru since it was the two of them who discovered the go board haunted by Sai. She deserved better character development. This would be a recurring theme for the other supporting characters in this story as it progressed.
Akari was there from the beginning with Hikaru since it was the two of them who discovered the go board haunted by Sai. She deserved better character development. This would be a recurring theme for the other supporting characters in this story as it progressed.
December 29, 2021
Already studied quite a bit about the Go game but I don't know enough to follow a game or understand the intention of a move. Makes me want to study about it even more. Hikaru is progressing and is in the 18th rank of the Insei B League. Akira's game against the Oza took about three chapters and was quite intense.
February 3, 2024
Quite a few new characters are introduced and I learned more about the pro ranking system.
December 6, 2019
In this volume, Hikaru could join to Insei. And he grows through playing Go against members of Insei. But on the another hand, Toya passes the examen of professionnal and plays against Oza.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2021
This tankobon opens with Hikaru Shindo barley passing the Insei Exam seemingly by the skin of his teeth. After passing the examination, he goes to meet some of the insei and let it slip that Akira Toya considered him a rival. So on his very first day as an insei, everyone was expecting a monster on the goban, but instead found Shindo struggling on the bottom of the lower class.
Meanwhile, Toya passes his Professional Examination with one loss, because he skipped his match to play sai online and prepares to play Zama Oza in his Shinshodan Game – basically it's an exhibition game between a new pro and a seasoned title holder. Shindo sees this game and is inspired by it and to do better, because his rival is getting further and further away from him.
The tankobon closes with Shindo barely making any progress in his game, but was invited by Yoshitaka Waya to go to his study group. As the group separated, Shindo feeling nostalgic returns to the Go club at his school, but was eventually told not to come back unless invited, just in case Yuki Mitani returns again.
All in all, this tankobon ends without a cliff-hanger, so I don't know what to expect in the next tankobon. The plot is moving at a good pace and the rivalry is further deepened, but it was the introduction to the other insei that made this tankobon worthwhile. The art as always is amazing and I'm anxiously awaiting the next tankobon in the series.
Meanwhile, Toya passes his Professional Examination with one loss, because he skipped his match to play sai online and prepares to play Zama Oza in his Shinshodan Game – basically it's an exhibition game between a new pro and a seasoned title holder. Shindo sees this game and is inspired by it and to do better, because his rival is getting further and further away from him.
The tankobon closes with Shindo barely making any progress in his game, but was invited by Yoshitaka Waya to go to his study group. As the group separated, Shindo feeling nostalgic returns to the Go club at his school, but was eventually told not to come back unless invited, just in case Yuki Mitani returns again.
All in all, this tankobon ends without a cliff-hanger, so I don't know what to expect in the next tankobon. The plot is moving at a good pace and the rivalry is further deepened, but it was the introduction to the other insei that made this tankobon worthwhile. The art as always is amazing and I'm anxiously awaiting the next tankobon in the series.
December 19, 2023
Hikaru takes the Insei exam and he passes - although with the recommendation of a player that saw him play with Akira's father. He understands that this will help him develop, and recognizes the promise he has. Reluctantly, the Insei school accepts him, and he joins them, only to lose every single game.
In the mean time, Akira prepares for the life as a pro - and he starts on the wrong foot, picking a battle with a title holder. His aggressive moves are meant actually as a message to Hikaru.
I don't understand some clichés that the manga uses when it comes to the Japanese school, but I guess I can still appreciate the volume without that. All in all, a good step forward for the story, with an unexplained sidelining of the girls in the old go club.
Second reading: I'm even more shocked by the interactions with the school environment. But also, I love that Hikaru is not a miracle worker at the Insei school; he's the 18th in the second group, one of the weakest players, as things should be. But after 10 consecutive losses, things are turning around for him, and it feels good.
The intensity of Akira is... interesting to say the least. I love the rivalry, even if it's unwarranted. I love the challenge that Akira offers to Hikaru, and the way Hikaru is also pushed onwards by this rivalry that in reality makes no sense, as many characters insist on telling us.
In the mean time, Akira prepares for the life as a pro - and he starts on the wrong foot, picking a battle with a title holder. His aggressive moves are meant actually as a message to Hikaru.
I don't understand some clichés that the manga uses when it comes to the Japanese school, but I guess I can still appreciate the volume without that. All in all, a good step forward for the story, with an unexplained sidelining of the girls in the old go club.
Second reading: I'm even more shocked by the interactions with the school environment. But also, I love that Hikaru is not a miracle worker at the Insei school; he's the 18th in the second group, one of the weakest players, as things should be. But after 10 consecutive losses, things are turning around for him, and it feels good.
The intensity of Akira is... interesting to say the least. I love the rivalry, even if it's unwarranted. I love the challenge that Akira offers to Hikaru, and the way Hikaru is also pushed onwards by this rivalry that in reality makes no sense, as many characters insist on telling us.
May 23, 2022
I mentioned in my review of vol. 5 that I sense this series is going in a direction I don't like and that I'm not going to enjoy the next few volumes or maybe even the rest of this series. So far I'm right about not enjoying it but it's too early to tell how the rest of this series will be like. The chapters with this the other insei were boring and kind of stressful. I was waiting for when Hikaru and his school's go club would play together again. By the last chapter when he does play go with his old club, it seems like him and his childhood friend Akari have drifted apart because in the beginning of this series they were always together and now she doesn't even know what he's doing and seems kind of cold with him.
Like I said in my vol. 5 review. The reasons I enjoy sports anime and manga so much is because of the friendships between each other and because of the teamwork and how much they care about each other (even though I hate working withother people since I'm not good with social situations). I was hoping that this series would continue with Hikaru on a team and we would follow their journey, but instead it looks like we will follow his individual journey of becoming a pro and team's journey of getting better without him on the team. I understand that this is so that Hikaru can continue his rivalry with Akira but I don't like this direction. Sure I liked Yuri on Ice so much but I already expected him to compete as a individual because it's figure skating. In Kuroko's Basketball and Haikyu we see the main characters get better and better on their own and along with their teams and participate in school tournaments and then years later some of the Haikyu characters become pros, that's what I was hoping and expecting from this series and I'm not going to get that😞
Unfortunately I have to read at least until vol. 10 because I have the first 10 volumes. If I end up enjoying the next few volumes, then I'll buy the rest of the series and if I don't, then I'll skip to the last arc and read it on the shonen jump app. I hope I enjoy it because I really enjoyed the first 4 volumes and because I really like the cover of vol. 22, the way Hikaru looks kind of reminds me of Light from Death Note (although I'm not a fan of Death Note), which makes sense since Obata Illustrated both manga series.
I had no idea that go was so popular in modern times. Then again these chapters were originally published in 1999 so a lot could have changed in those 23 years.
Blog: nazishreads.net/TravelandBookBlog
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01
Like I said in my vol. 5 review. The reasons I enjoy sports anime and manga so much is because of the friendships between each other and because of the teamwork and how much they care about each other (even though I hate working withother people since I'm not good with social situations). I was hoping that this series would continue with Hikaru on a team and we would follow their journey, but instead it looks like we will follow his individual journey of becoming a pro and team's journey of getting better without him on the team. I understand that this is so that Hikaru can continue his rivalry with Akira but I don't like this direction. Sure I liked Yuri on Ice so much but I already expected him to compete as a individual because it's figure skating. In Kuroko's Basketball and Haikyu we see the main characters get better and better on their own and along with their teams and participate in school tournaments and then years later some of the Haikyu characters become pros, that's what I was hoping and expecting from this series and I'm not going to get that😞
Unfortunately I have to read at least until vol. 10 because I have the first 10 volumes. If I end up enjoying the next few volumes, then I'll buy the rest of the series and if I don't, then I'll skip to the last arc and read it on the shonen jump app. I hope I enjoy it because I really enjoyed the first 4 volumes and because I really like the cover of vol. 22, the way Hikaru looks kind of reminds me of Light from Death Note (although I'm not a fan of Death Note), which makes sense since Obata Illustrated both manga series.
I had no idea that go was so popular in modern times. Then again these chapters were originally published in 1999 so a lot could have changed in those 23 years.
Blog: nazishreads.net/TravelandBookBlog
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01
October 27, 2025
Annoyingly, the library appears to have only SOME volumes of Hikaru no Go for me to cheaply re-read in order to leave reviews. I could track down the missing ones and donate them, but it feels like a lot of effort considering ALL of the books I otherwise want to special order.
This volume is, on the whole, not as interesting as others, since a lot of it is worrying about becoming pro and who is higher level than who. Also, lots of jabs at Hikaru for thoughtlessly blurting out that Akira views him (incorrectly) as his rival, after having played against Sai through Hikaru.
There's also an annoying error I noted this time around since I was paying more attention: When Hikaru is proud of reaching 18th place, his (translated) name is in the 17th place column, switched with Ozawa (大沢). The kanji for Shindo (進藤) is in the correct column, though, so this is definitely a matter where the translators weren't careful.
This volume also has a weird side story where the "Haze Middle School Actors" (the characters who go to Haze) act out "Assassination at Honnoji Temple." It's a little weird, partly because the characters acting also have their thoughts shown ("What?! Why does Tetsuo get the spotlight?!"). I'm also a little skeptical about the game allowing the "triple ko" that happens, but I probably don't know enough about Go to know why such a thing would happen. Heck, I don't know enough about Go to understand how it's good for learning military strategy.
Recommended for existing fans of the series only, too difficult for ABSOLUTE NEWCOMERS to follow, unless they're also extremely good at Go, but even then I would recommend starting at the beginning, since... Sai.
This volume is, on the whole, not as interesting as others, since a lot of it is worrying about becoming pro and who is higher level than who. Also, lots of jabs at Hikaru for thoughtlessly blurting out that Akira views him (incorrectly) as his rival, after having played against Sai through Hikaru.
There's also an annoying error I noted this time around since I was paying more attention: When Hikaru is proud of reaching 18th place, his (translated) name is in the 17th place column, switched with Ozawa (大沢). The kanji for Shindo (進藤) is in the correct column, though, so this is definitely a matter where the translators weren't careful.
This volume also has a weird side story where the "Haze Middle School Actors" (the characters who go to Haze) act out "Assassination at Honnoji Temple." It's a little weird, partly because the characters acting also have their thoughts shown ("What?! Why does Tetsuo get the spotlight?!"). I'm also a little skeptical about the game allowing the "triple ko" that happens, but I probably don't know enough about Go to know why such a thing would happen. Heck, I don't know enough about Go to understand how it's good for learning military strategy.
Recommended for existing fans of the series only, too difficult for ABSOLUTE NEWCOMERS to follow, unless they're also extremely good at Go, but even then I would recommend starting at the beginning, since... Sai.
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.
March 19, 2017
While I continue to enjoy this series over all, and I do realize who the actual audience for this series is, I can't help but continue to be bothered about the treatment of women in this volume in particular. I have said it before and I will say it again, this series would be better served by having no female characters rather then using them as a signal to the reader when Hikaru is up against a weak player. The fact that Hikaru loses to a girl Insei is only to show us just how he really is starting from ROCK BOTTOM.
That said, at least he (and the people around him) do not fall into the same braggadocios crowd as the characters in Bakuman. This seems to be because the author herself is a somewhat overly (IMHO) self-deprecating woman. This could be very well why the female characters are so sub par. Although I'm only the most armchair of psychologists. This strikes me as more tragic then infuriating, which is probably another reason why I continue to read rather then throwing the whole thing down in disgust. IDK we all read and enjoy things we don't 100% agree with or find totally edifying.
That said, at least he (and the people around him) do not fall into the same braggadocios crowd as the characters in Bakuman. This seems to be because the author herself is a somewhat overly (IMHO) self-deprecating woman. This could be very well why the female characters are so sub par. Although I'm only the most armchair of psychologists. This strikes me as more tragic then infuriating, which is probably another reason why I continue to read rather then throwing the whole thing down in disgust. IDK we all read and enjoy things we don't 100% agree with or find totally edifying.
February 2, 2020
Hikaru passes the insei exam and surprises the testing sensei by his natural talent and swift growth by playing Go for only a year. Hikaru also surprises his fellow insei by telling them that his goal was to beat Akira Toya, little did they know that previously it had been Akira's goal to beat Hikaru. At first his peers were scared and curious as to how strong he was considering his relationship with Akira but after they played a game with him they found out that he actually wasn't all that strong. Hikaru built his way up the ranks to B 18 all the way from B 25. Akira passes the pro exam with one loss though he only had that loss so he could play a game online against Sai (Hikaru). Akira's first game as a pro was going very well considering his opponent was a veteran to the game. For a long while Akira was in the lead but toward the end-game Zama-sensei beat him. After watching all of Akira's game, Hikaru went back to his old Go club at the middle school, this engaged a game between probably their best player and Hikaru, though who won the game is unknown till the next volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2025
A new chapter opens for Hikaru as he becomes an insei at the Go Institute. Waya takes care of him, makes sure he feels at home there and even invites him to the study group with pros.
Waya is the best! He actually articulates his feelings, is kind to everyone, and fills every interaction with sunshine.
Meanwhile Ogata notices that Akira has calmed down and decides to put him back into highly-strung mode by baiting him with Hikaru’s progress. Akira rises to it—of course!—and spends his first match as a pro proving that “I won’t let him near me!”
Akari keeps developing the go club and gives Hikaru a good talking-to when he attempts to join them for at least some games, because that offends Mitani. I personally think everyone should just chill, but they can’t.
At the end we get a kind of special, unrelated to the main plot. In it, Hikaru and his friends from school put on a theatrical sketch about the death of Oda Nobunaga and a Go-related ill omen that occurred that night. Weird but in a good way, and we get to see Tsutsui, Hikaru, and Mitani in traditional dress. (Kaga had already worn it to a festival where they first met.)
Waya is the best! He actually articulates his feelings, is kind to everyone, and fills every interaction with sunshine.
Meanwhile Ogata notices that Akira has calmed down and decides to put him back into highly-strung mode by baiting him with Hikaru’s progress. Akira rises to it—of course!—and spends his first match as a pro proving that “I won’t let him near me!”
Akari keeps developing the go club and gives Hikaru a good talking-to when he attempts to join them for at least some games, because that offends Mitani. I personally think everyone should just chill, but they can’t.
At the end we get a kind of special, unrelated to the main plot. In it, Hikaru and his friends from school put on a theatrical sketch about the death of Oda Nobunaga and a Go-related ill omen that occurred that night. Weird but in a good way, and we get to see Tsutsui, Hikaru, and Mitani in traditional dress. (Kaga had already worn it to a festival where they first met.)
October 10, 2023
This is the one that started it all for me.
I was reading Shonen Jump back in 2006 and saw one of the chapters from this volume. Characters played this complicated, odd-looking game on the pages - and even though I had no idea how to play at the time - I was mesmerized. I had to know more.
Fast forward to 2023 and I've been playing Go for over a decade, and revisiting this same chapter all these years later is a dose of nostalgia. This series is so wholesome, but so firey at the same time. Quaint Japanese streets and calm conversations turn to intense battles on the game board. Each move tells part of the story that's written every time two players sit down together.
Also, Obata's artwork is incredible to look at. What a master of his craft.
I was reading Shonen Jump back in 2006 and saw one of the chapters from this volume. Characters played this complicated, odd-looking game on the pages - and even though I had no idea how to play at the time - I was mesmerized. I had to know more.
Fast forward to 2023 and I've been playing Go for over a decade, and revisiting this same chapter all these years later is a dose of nostalgia. This series is so wholesome, but so firey at the same time. Quaint Japanese streets and calm conversations turn to intense battles on the game board. Each move tells part of the story that's written every time two players sit down together.
Also, Obata's artwork is incredible to look at. What a master of his craft.
October 28, 2023
Vol. 6 opens up with Hikaru passing his insei exam... barely. Then we are introduced to a new cast of characters at the insei school while Akira has his first pro match against a title holder. Sai takes a backseat in this volume, while Hikaru comes into his own as a go player. The new cast is an adjustment, and we do see the middle school go club in one chapter. Akira's match is easily the highlight of this volume; as we see go playing at a pro level. Obata's art style continues to be a great fit for this series. While Vol. 6 needed a bit more time to cement the new supporting cast; it remains an enjoyable collection in this series.
April 16, 2022
Yet Another Great Volume!
by Barbara Kelley
This episode of Hikaru no Go is yet another great volume! Hikaru has started the Insei test and has become an Insei. Akira is already a pro and plays Oza Zama, the level of a 9 Dan or above, who is a professional Go player in a tournament game. Be sure to read the Haze Middle School rendition of the Assassination of Nobanaga! This skit was not in the anime series. I gave this episode 5 stars.
by Barbara Kelley
This episode of Hikaru no Go is yet another great volume! Hikaru has started the Insei test and has become an Insei. Akira is already a pro and plays Oza Zama, the level of a 9 Dan or above, who is a professional Go player in a tournament game. Be sure to read the Haze Middle School rendition of the Assassination of Nobanaga! This skit was not in the anime series. I gave this episode 5 stars.
November 22, 2021
Akhirnya Hikaru menjadi murid Insei! Sementara Toya mencapai game tahap pertama sebagai pemula melawan Zama Ouza. Meski begitu volume ini terkesan sederhana (tentunya tetap menarik^^)
Chapter di lab sains, keberadaan Mitani, memberi nuansa sendu sendiri hhe. Salut utk Akari yg tetap bertahan bersama dua org lainnya di klub.
Dan chapter spesial sungguh menarik hhe
Chapter di lab sains, keberadaan Mitani, memberi nuansa sendu sendiri hhe. Salut utk Akari yg tetap bertahan bersama dua org lainnya di klub.
Dan chapter spesial sungguh menarik hhe
April 7, 2025
Hikaru is now surrounded by a new crew and his old crew is still around but takes a backseat. This is a volume of growth, which is the theme for the entire series. The pages flew by and the Go games were very interesting. Just seeing the new and old interactions really complimented each other. Yumi Hotta (story) and Takeshi Obata (art) continue to make this a super engaging series.
January 6, 2022
story did not make much progress here.
it was all about Akira having a match with an old pro, but giving him a hard time.
I really wish Akira would know, it´s not Hikaru he is up against.
But there are 17 books to go. I hope Akira Sai will meet one day.
it was all about Akira having a match with an old pro, but giving him a hard time.
I really wish Akira would know, it´s not Hikaru he is up against.
But there are 17 books to go. I hope Akira Sai will meet one day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2023
Hikaru è stato promosso ed è a tutti gli effetti un insei.
Ma la strada verso Touya è più difficile che mai.
Anche Touya, però, avrà il suo bel da fare ora che è un professionista: la sua partita d’esordio contro l’Ouza (il Re) è stata brillante, ma ne è uscito sconfitto.
Ma la strada verso Touya è più difficile che mai.
Anche Touya, però, avrà il suo bel da fare ora che è un professionista: la sua partita d’esordio contro l’Ouza (il Re) è stata brillante, ma ne è uscito sconfitto.
November 7, 2017
あきらとヒカルが全然お互い理解していない。あきらは「ヒカルはここまでくるわけがない！このゲームでその事実はっきりさせていただきます！」。ヒカルは「このゲーム見て！あきらは俺ね『上がて来い』と言っている！」
メッセージが全然通じてない。
メッセージが全然通じてない。
April 4, 2019
Pretty great board game manga! Really good story and sweet art, Another awesome Shōnen so far😻♟😁❤️❤️📖
Read
February 11, 2020I’m really liking Hikaru’s progress and his growing passion for the game
March 11, 2021
The Go Pro arc
April 30, 2022
Picking this series up again! I still know nothing about Go, but I'm having a blast regardless.
I really enjoyed the bonus chapter about Nobunaga!
I really enjoyed the bonus chapter about Nobunaga!
November 12, 2023
4 stars
June 17, 2024
Love this part of the story where it gets really intense and interesting and really appreciated the extra short story that never made it into the anime!
July 23, 2024
Want to get strong on my own 💪🏼⚪️⚫️
July 27, 2024
This was a quieter volume but the progression of Hikaru felt more natural than the prior volumes.
April 25, 2025
This shelving and rating is for Volumes 6-10 collectively
January 8, 2012
Three of the chapters in this volume cover a single go game. If that sounds boring, it really isn't, and one of the things I like about Hikaru no Go is that you don't have to be a go expert (as I certainly am not) to follow the dialog about go moves. Obviously it helps to know something about basic moves so you kind of know what you're looking at, but the characters describe everything in terms of "strong" and "weak" moves and invading, a dominating presence, a risky strategy, etc. You could be a total go novice and still follow along.
In volume 6, Hikaru Shindo tests to become an Insei, and despite being relatively weaker than other candidates, he passes because the sensei is impressed at how quickly he has improved with so little formal instruction. (Of course, they don't know about the thousand-year-old ghost who's been tutoring him.) Hikaru walks into his first day of lessons at the Insei school and boasts that Akira Toya is his arch-rival. Since child prodigy Akira has just gone pro, everyone assumes this must mean that Hikaru is a scary-good child prodigy himself. When Hikaru gets trounced in pretty much every game, he receives a much-needed dose of humility.
Meanwhile, Akira is still obsessed over Hikaru despite being convinced (correctly) that the other child is nowhere near his level. Thus his first game against another professional as a pro himself. He gets to play the reigning Oza, or top title-holder. The Oza is a patronizing old curmudgeon who decides to crush Akira when he thinks the boy lacks humility. Instead, Akira plays an all-out game, hoping that Hikaru is watching, and it actually makes for a pretty dramatic three chapters, as the story is about the psychology of the players, not the game itself.
I like the way the series demonstrates that there really is no ceiling in go ability; no matter how good you are in whatever circles you play in, you'll always find a bigger pond in which even the mediocre players can trounce you. And when you become the biggest fish in that pond, there are always bigger ponds yet. Hikaru started out barely able to beat his classmates in a middle school go club. Now he's playing against Inseis, who could probably walk into most go clubs in Japan or anywhere else in the world and beat the pants off everyone in the club, but against professional go players they may as well be beginners themselves. And Akira Toya, who is now a professional, someone who terrifies Inseis, is finding that there are entire ponds-within-ponds here that he has yet to conquer.
The bonus chapter at the end was a cute extra: the cast of Hikaru no Go putting on a play, "Assassination at Honnoji Temple," about the death of medieval warlord Oda Nobunaga, which, it turns out, had a game of go in it.
In volume 6, Hikaru Shindo tests to become an Insei, and despite being relatively weaker than other candidates, he passes because the sensei is impressed at how quickly he has improved with so little formal instruction. (Of course, they don't know about the thousand-year-old ghost who's been tutoring him.) Hikaru walks into his first day of lessons at the Insei school and boasts that Akira Toya is his arch-rival. Since child prodigy Akira has just gone pro, everyone assumes this must mean that Hikaru is a scary-good child prodigy himself. When Hikaru gets trounced in pretty much every game, he receives a much-needed dose of humility.
Meanwhile, Akira is still obsessed over Hikaru despite being convinced (correctly) that the other child is nowhere near his level. Thus his first game against another professional as a pro himself. He gets to play the reigning Oza, or top title-holder. The Oza is a patronizing old curmudgeon who decides to crush Akira when he thinks the boy lacks humility. Instead, Akira plays an all-out game, hoping that Hikaru is watching, and it actually makes for a pretty dramatic three chapters, as the story is about the psychology of the players, not the game itself.
I like the way the series demonstrates that there really is no ceiling in go ability; no matter how good you are in whatever circles you play in, you'll always find a bigger pond in which even the mediocre players can trounce you. And when you become the biggest fish in that pond, there are always bigger ponds yet. Hikaru started out barely able to beat his classmates in a middle school go club. Now he's playing against Inseis, who could probably walk into most go clubs in Japan or anywhere else in the world and beat the pants off everyone in the club, but against professional go players they may as well be beginners themselves. And Akira Toya, who is now a professional, someone who terrifies Inseis, is finding that there are entire ponds-within-ponds here that he has yet to conquer.
The bonus chapter at the end was a cute extra: the cast of Hikaru no Go putting on a play, "Assassination at Honnoji Temple," about the death of medieval warlord Oda Nobunaga, which, it turns out, had a game of go in it.
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