Takeshi Obata

After the drama of the past few volumes, “the main storyline takes a holiday” (to quote the back cover) in volume eighteen and instead we get six short stories of varying quality. A couple of stories, like those focusing on Akira Toya and Yuki Mitani, fill in some background for scenes from earlier in the series, and one revisits what’s left of Hikaru’s old middle school go … [Read more...] about Hikaru no Go 18 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata: B

These five volumes represent the emotional crux of the series and, as such, plot spoilers will be discussed. Proceed at your own risk. I'm always sorry when I fall far behind on a series that I love, but when it results in half a dozen volumes to read at once, the pleasure of catching up makes the wait worthwhile. These five volumes are the most important and emotionally … [Read more...] about Hikaru no Go 13-17 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata: A

From the back cover: 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? Review: Parts of … [Read more...] about Hikaru no Go 12 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata: A-

From the back cover: 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? Review: The … [Read more...] about Hikaru no Go 11 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata: A

From the back cover: 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! Review: This entire volume was full of … [Read more...] about Hikaru no Go 10 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata: A-