This review WILL have SPOILERSSSSS, you have been forewarned!!!!!!!!!
During winter break I finally got a chance to read the critically acclaimed series "Hikaru no Go" and boy as it worth the wait! I can see why this manga spurned a new wave of Go players in Japan with its inspiring storyline and honest display of passion for a game.
"Hikaru no Go" is about a boy named Hikaru who finds a cursed Go board in his grandpa's attic and sees the ghost, Sai, that inhabits the Go board. Sai then proceeds to become Hikaru's friendly and silly companion, and being the Go genius that he is, attempts to teach Hikaru Go. Hikaru is reluctant to learn at first, but after a visit to a go salon where Hikaru meets young prodigy Akira Toya, Hikaru is inspired to play and chase after Akira to become his equal in the future. I love this manga because every character's pure passion for the game is clear, and unlike many manga focused on particular expertise of pursuit, this manga does not sensationalize the experience or add any unnecessary side complications such as love triangles to make the story more "interesting" for readers. Around Vol. 9-10 I was involuntarily rushing through the manga because I literally felt Hikaru's impatience to pass the exam and rise through the rankings! This manga is an honest portrayal of a young boy's passion for the game of go, and the friendships he makes along the way as he strives to gain acknowledgement from Akira Toya. This manga just gets better and better until Vol. 17, when the conclusion of the major climax in the story, [spoiler!] Sai's disappearance, occurs. The event is dealt with very well as Hikaru's emotional turmoil and desperation to find Sai is portrayed beautifully over the course of several volumes, but unfortunately things go downhill after this. I would say part of the reason is Hikaru's shift of focus, after his "coming of age," from playing the game just for fun to playing because he wants to win and be the best. In addition, after the loss of his ghostly mentor Hikaru becomes just like every other Go player, and admittedly a story purely about ppl battling it out over a Go board isn't the most exciting thing. I think what could've made the series more interesting is if the author, after dealing with the loss of Sai, started showing more of Hikaru's relationship with other players, especially Akira Toya, since he finally gained acknowledgement as a worthy rival shortly after losing Sai. From the beginning this manga was driven by Hikaru's relationship with Akira Toya and Sai, but unfortunately after losing Sai Hikaru's relationship with Akira is left largely unportrayed as well. It would've also been interesting to see Hikaru and others becoming cognizant of Hikaru's shift of focus as well, as his desire to win seemed to affect his relationships and game both negatively and positively, but unfortunately his loss of pure love for the game brings about the reader's loss of passion in the manga as well. If the author had brought this up and tried to deal with it in the manga I think it would've made a very interesting plot line, but unfortunately, we'll never know what happens, except in fandom.
With that being said, "Hikaru no Go" is definitely a manga worth reading and will ignite your passion for Go (I, myself, picked up the game after reading the series and can say I am a decently ranked amateur now that still plays every now and then). In addition, this manga inspires you to discover your own passions and/or revitalize past dreams and passions.
So what are you waiting for?! Go read this manga right now!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment