Hikaru no Go (ヒカルの碁, lit. "Hikaru's Go") is a coming of age story manga, based on the board game Go, written by Yumi Hotta and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The series was published Shueisha in its Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from 1998 to 2003 and the 189 serialized chapters were collected in 23 tankōbon volumes.
The series has been adapted by Studio Pierrot as a 75-episode anime television series, with a broadcast between 2001 and 2003 on TV Tokyo.
Contents |
| No. | Title | Japanese release | English release | |
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| 01 | Descent of the Go Master | April 30, 1999[1] ISBN 978-4-08-872717-2 |
June 16, 2004[2][3] ISBN 978-1-59116-222-3 |
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| Hikaru Shindo is like any sixth-grader in Japan: a pretty normal boy with a two-tone head of hair and a penchant for antics. One day, he finds an old bloodstained Go board in his grandfather's attic -- and that's when things get really interesting. Trapped inside the Go board is Fujiwara-no-Sai, the ghost of an ancient Go master who taught the strategically complex board game to the Emperor of Japan many centuries ago. In one fateful moment, Sai becomes a part of Hikaru's consciousness and together, through thick and thin, they make an unstoppable Go-playing team. Will they be able to defeat Go players who have dedicated their lives to the game? Will Sai achieve the "Divine Move" so he'll finally be able to rest in peace? Begin your journey with Hikaru and Sai in this first volume of Hikaru no Go. | ||||
| 02 | First Battle | August 4, 1999[4] ISBN 978-4-08-872751-6 |
October 12, 2004[5] ISBN 978-1-59116-496-8 |
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| With sure and steady moves, Sai and Hikaru are making a name for Hikaru Shindo as the one who might possibly beat the venerable Akira Toya. Wait. Who are we kidding? Hikaru: sure and steady...? Yeah, right! In between all the shenanigans Hikaru gets himself into during school and after, and dealing with Sai's unhappy sobs when Hikaru tries to run away from playing Go, his fame is growing. Principals, teachers and Go tournament kids alike are all wondering who this unruly bronco of a Go player is. Tetsuo, a Shogi punk who has a beef of his own with Akira, harasses poor Hikaru at first - then later puts him on his own Go team! Meanwhile, Akira, looking for a rematch with Hikaru, is surprised to find Hikaru playing with a third-rate Go club. You won't be disappointed with the further adventures of this dynamic Go duo! | ||||
| 03 | Preliminary Scrimmage | October 4, 1999[6] ISBN 978-4-08-872777-6 |
February 1, 2005[7] ISBN 978-1-59116-687-0 |
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| Akira is beginning a new school year at Kaio Middle School. With his daunting reputation as the Toya Meijin's son, Akira finds he must prove himself to more than a few mean and jealous classmates. And with the help of upperclassman Yuri Hidaka, Akira finds the confidence to persevere in his hunt to beat Hikaru. Meanwhile, Hikaru is having a hard enough time just trying to find a third teammate to play in the Haze Middle School Go Club. A possible teammate arrives in the form of Yuki Mitani - but will he join their club or continue to swindle old timers for their pocket change? | ||||
| 04 | Divine Illusions | December 2, 1999[8] ISBN 978-4-08-872800-1 |
May 31, 2005[9] ISBN 978-1-59116-688-7 |
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| Another tournament is underway. Three members of the cutthroat Kaio Go Club face three members of the budding Haze Go Club. As tensions rise, the antagonism between both teams culminates in a telling match between Akira and Hikaru. Who will win? Which team will win? Even if the answer surprises you, the ensuing drama won't. After the excitement of the tournament, there's nothing left for Hikaru and Kimihiro to do... except learn how to play more Go! In the process, Hikaru finds a way to let Sai play all the Go his fluttering heart desires without everybody and their mother pointing and staring at Hikaru. Find out what Hikaru discovers in this volume of Hikaru no Go! | ||||
| 05 | Start | February 2, 2000[10] ISBN 978-4-08-872826-1 |
October 10, 2005[11] ISBN 978-1-59116-689-4 |
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| Sai's games on the Internet have Go players around the world guessing his true identity. Among them is Hikaru's rival, Akira, who suspects that Hikaru is hiding behind the screen name "sai." So intense is Akira's interest, in fact, that he ships the first day of his pro exam for a re-match. And on a rainy Sunday, the battle of wills begins anew... | ||||
| 06 | The Insei Exam | April 4, 2000[12] ISBN 978-4-08-872849-0 |
February 7, 2006[13] ISBN 978-1-4215-0275-5 |
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| From the beginning, Go has been just fun and games for Hikaru. But now that Akira has turned pro, it's going to take everything in Hikaru's power to catch up to his old rival. Before Hikaru can even take the pro test, however, he must get into the insei school and defeat all the students. And by that time Akira may truly be out of reach! | ||||
| 07 | The Young Lions Tournament | June 2, 2000[14] ISBN 978-4-08-872873-5 |
July 5, 2006[15] ISBN 978-1-4215-0641-8 |
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| Hikaru is horrified to find that he's losing all of his games at the insei school! The Young Lions Tournament is just three months away, and the insei who qualify will play against rookie pros, including Akira. Hikaru sees his chance to impress his rival, but can he turn his losing streak around in time? | ||||
| 08 | The Pro Test Preliminaries: Day Four | August 4, 2000[16] ISBN 978-4-08-872894-0 |
November 7, 2006[17] ISBN 978-1-4215-0642-5 |
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| Hikaru faces the preliminary rounds of the pro test, during which he must eliminate not only his classmates at the insei school but also any outsiders who want to take the test. One of them in particular appears to know how to exploit Hikaru's weaknesses, and poor Hikaru seems powerless to stop him. | ||||
| 09 | The Pro Test Begins | October 4, 2000[18] ISBN 978-4-08-873022-6 |
April 3, 2007[19] ISBN 978-1-4215-1066-8 |
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| Practicing at Go salons is turning out to be more fun than Hikaru thought. But at one salon he meets his match in Suyong Hong, a sullen 12-year-old who is studying for the pro test in his native Korea. By mistake, Hikaru insults Suyong, and now the only way they can settle their differences is by playing a grudge match! | ||||
| 10 | Lifeline | December 4, 2000[20] ISBN 978-4-08-873047-9 |
August 7, 2007[21] ISBN 978-1-4215-1067-5 |
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| The main round of the pro test has begun. Everyone's feeling the pressure, no one more so than Hikaru's friend Isumi, who has failed the test twice before. Fighting off his feelings of self-doubt, Isumi faces his next opponent, who turns out to be Hikaru. But a careless mistake lands the pair in an awkward position! | ||||
| 11 | Fierce Battle | March 2, 2001[22] ISBN 978-4-08-873086-8 |
January 1, 2008[23] ISBN 978-1-4215-1068-2 |
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| Hikaru's classmate Ochi has won enough games to guarantee his place among the top three players who will pass the pro test. Hikaru, on the other hand, still needs to win more games, and he'll soon face his friend Waya and Ochi himself, who has been preparing for their match with Akira's help! When the dust clears, who will be left standing? | ||||
| 12 | Sai's Day Out | May 1, 2001[24] ISBN 978-4-08-873110-0 |
May 6, 2008[25] ISBN 978-1-4215-1508-3 |
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| Hikaru's career as a professional Go player begins! In his first game, he must face veteran player Toya Meijin, none other than Akira's father. But to Sai, this round is personal. Then Sai attempts to teach a cheating Go player a lesson he'll never forget... Will Hikaru's ghostly master do him proud or make him look like an amateur? | ||||
| 13 | First Professional Match | August 3, 2001[26] ISBN 978-4-08-873144-5 |
October 7, 2008[27] ISBN 978-1-4215-1509-0 |
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| Hikaru and Sai are both scheduled for matches with their greatest rivals -- Akira and his father, Toya Meijin. How will Sai play without revealing his secret identity? And will Akira's father stand in the way of Hikaru's long anticipated rematch with his son...? The suspense is getting unbearable! | ||||
| 14 | Sai vs. Toya Koyo | October 4, 2001[28] ISBN 978-4-08-873169-8 |
February 3, 2009[29] ISBN 978-1-4215-1510-6 |
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| When Hikaru convinces Go master Toya Meijin to play Sai online, the Meijin raises the stakes: if he wins, "sai" must reveal his true identity; if he loses, he will quit the game forever! Then, Hikaru challenges himself by playing Kurata 6-dan. How do you win a game in which both players use the same color stones?! | ||||
| 15 | Sayonara | December 24, 2001[30] ISBN 978-4-08-873215-2 |
May 5, 2009[31] ISBN 978-1-4215-2192-3 |
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| Hikaru ignores Sai's pleas to let him play Go, and then one day Sai vanishes! Is he mad at Hikaru? Where has he gone? Will he ever come back? And will Hikaru be able to play without Sai's coaching...? | ||||
| 16 | Chinese Go Association | March 4, 2002[32] ISBN 978-4-08-873232-9 |
August 4, 2009[33] ISBN 978-1-4215-2584-6 |
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| Since Sai's disappearance, Hikaru has given up Go! Meanwhile, undefeated by his failure to pass the Pro Test, Isumi plays his heart out in China. His foreign training teaches him unique ways to handle the stress of mental challenges and competition. Upon his return, he asks Hikaru for a rematch! But how good will Hikaru's game be after such a long break -- and without Sai...? | ||||
| 17 | A Familiar Face | June 4, 2002[34] ISBN 978-4-08-873268-8 |
November 3, 2009[35] ISBN 978-1-4215-2585-3 |
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| From the moment he began playing Go, Hikaru relied on Sai's supernatural support. Now that his mentor has vanished into thin air, will he be able to handle the demands of life as a pro? Meanwhile, Hikaru's archrival Akira is playing so well even veteran players tremble at the mention of his name. And now, at long last, the two boys will compete against each other... | ||||
| 18 | Six Characters, Six Stories | August 2, 2002[36] ISBN 978-4-08-873289-3 |
February 2, 2010[37] ISBN 978-1-4215-2823-6 |
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| The main storyline takes a holiday, making way for six tales that offer fresh insight into the characters and lives of Akira Toya, Tetsuo Kaga, Asumi Nase, Yuki Mitani, Atsushi Kurata, and Fujiwara-no-Sai. Hikaru Shindo figures in some of these and takes center stage in the final tale when he challenges a crooked antique shop owner to a game of Go in an attempt to restore an heirloom vase to its rightful owner. | ||||
| 19 | One Step Forward! | October 4, 2002[38] ISBN 978-4-08-873332-6 |
May 4, 2010[39] ISBN 978-1-4215-2824-3 |
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| Hikaru is determined to move carefully, step by step, up the ladder of professional Go. He pours his energy into it, striving to get closer to his ultimate goal -- playing the Divine Move. After many games he finally gets to play a 7-dan, who turns out to be someone he's confronted before, though not in competition. Their mutual animosity fires their competitiveness, pushing them to play with maximum intensity! | ||||
| 20 | The Young Lions! | January 6, 2003[40] ISBN 978-4-08-873365-4 |
August 3, 2010[41] ISBN 978-1-4215-2825-0 |
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| Go players under the age of 18 in Japan, Korea and China are getting ready to qualify for the Hokuto Cup. Hikaru and Akira are both in contention for the Japanese team, but the preliminaries prove to be tough going. Stung by a reality check, Hikaru focuses like never before. But will it be enough to meet the challenge of the unconventional yet formidable Go of Kiyoharu Yashiro of the Kansai Go Association? | ||||
| 21 | Great Expectations | April 4, 2003[42] ISBN 978-4-08-873408-8 |
November 2, 2010[43] ISBN 978-1-4215-2826-7 |
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| The Hokuto Cup, a new tournament for young players from Japan, China and Korea, is looming, and Hikaru's rival Akira has already secured one of the coveted three places on Japan's team. While Hikaru battles his way to one of the two remaining spots, Akira's father baffles the go world with his unexpected retirement! | ||||
| 22 | China vs. Japan | June 4, 2003[44] ISBN 978-4-08-873432-3 |
January 4, 2011[45] ISBN 978-1-4215-2827-4 |
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| The Hokuto Cup games are about to begin, and Hikaru gets caught up in some misunderstandings that make it difficult for him to concentrate on go. In the first match between Japan and China he starts out poorly and seems well on the way to a resounding defeat. Only by getting a tight grip on himself can he possibly make a showing, but that's far easier said than done! | ||||
| 23 | Endgame | September 4, 2003[46] ISBN 978-4-08-873504-7 |
May 3, 2011[47] ISBN 978-1-4215-2828-1 |
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| Hikaru is in the toughest battle of his life when he faces Ko Yong Ha, Korea's top player in the Hokuto Cup tournament. The stakes, however, aren't for personal glory but for something far deeper, something that differentiates a mere game from a way of life. Hikaru knows what this means to him, but will he understand what it means to the new wave of go players and, indeed, the game of go itself? | ||||