Hikaru no Go 20

Yumi Hotta / Takeshi Obata – Viz – 2010 – 23 volumes

I was a little disappointed that this volume was mostly exposition towards the Hokuto Cup, but the prelims finally get under way towards the end, and we’re left on a cliffhanger about who the final Japanese contestant will be, after a wonky game of Go between Hikaru and Kiyoharu, a new character from Kansai.

The beginning of the book opens up the scope of the story once again, keeping the players from Korea and China in our thoughts as the international tournament gets under way.

Other than that, there’s a nice sense of time marching on. Hikaru graduates from junior high, as does Akira, but neither has much interest in school any more. Akari doesn’t consider Hikaru a part of the Go club at Haze since he quit in his first year, despite the fact he was a major force in that one year. I also noticed the subtle way that Obata has aged Hikaru over the course of the series. He’s a great artist, and Hikaru has sobered quite a bit after the last Sai story, which is reflected in his facial expressions, his subdued attitude, and almost everything else about him. But it’s the character design that I found to be interesting. Very few artists take the time to tweak that over the run of a series, even when time passes, and to see him slowly age and mature over the course of his three years in junior high is a real treat. Character growth in the truest sense, and it only makes me feel that much closer to the characters.

With all the new people, and the focus shifting away from Hikaru and his rivalry with Akira, I’m liking the story a little less, but it’s hard to dismiss it outright. The preliminary rounds have been interesting so far, but with only national pride and Go strategy to keep the reader coming back, I’m a little worried about future volumes. Again, though, Hikaru no Go and Eyeshield 21 are the best Shounen Jump manga I’m reading right now, so I can’t find it in my heart to dislike it. It’s been so good to me, and the past volumes more than make up for any weaknesses in the final few here.

This was a review copy provided by Viz.

Hikaru no Go 19

Yumi Hotta / Takeshi Obata – Viz – 2010 – 23 volumes

I am a ridiculous fool for this series.  I’ve stated my case so many times that there’s no use doing it again.  But know that, while I do miss Sai and the anxious amateur games, there’s just something about Akira and Hikaru’s go trash talk that endlessly delighted me in this volume.  I mean, they’re playing go, but they can trash talk each other just like other Shounen Jump heroes.  It does my heart good.

There’s an awful lot of Hikaru and Akira playing go together, and a lot of exposition as the chapters jump around to various characters talking up the Japanese Go world, but it’s mostly exposition and an introduction to the next major story arc, the Hokuto Cup. The Hokuto Cup will be a go match between young professionals in Japan, Korea, and China, may the best man win. Of course, we’ve already met characters from both of those countries, so they are re-introduced as others talk about them and which country has the best chance of winning. Japan’s chances don’t look good, but if Hikaru and Akira have anything to say about it, things will start looking up.

Without my usual gushing, and with all the exposition, I don’t have that much to say, other than even the most mundane volumes are somehow made more exciting because the characters are playing go. I’ve got volume 20 to read, too, so hopefully all of this will lead to a very exciting opening for the Hokuto Cup. Or at least the opening of the qualifying rounds of the Hokuto Cup. You know how this stuff works.

This was a review copy provided by Viz.