Hikaru no Go (2001)
Hikaru Shindō is just a normal 12-year-old boy, but one day he's rummaging through his grandfather's things to see if he can find something to sell and pulls out an old go board. A ghostly apparition appears out of the board and tells Hikaru his sad story. His name is Fujiwara no Sai, a man who was a go instructor to the emperor of Japan a thousand years ago. However, because of the bad sportsmanship of his opponent during a game, Sai was accused of cheating and banished from the city. With no livelihood or any other reason to live, Sai committed suicide by drowning himself. Now, he haunts a go board, and wants to accomplish the perfect go game, called the "Hand of God" which he hopes to do through Hikaru. If Hikaru will be able to do it or not (or even wants to) will have to be seen.
Seasons & Episode
Hikaru discovers that Sai is missing and searches all over him. Unable to locate him, he travels to Inno Island to visit Shusaku's grave in an effort to find him. Is it true? Is Sai really gone?
The #1 Amateur Go Player in Japan, Shuhei, challenges Hikaru to a match while Hikaru is looking for Sai in Hiroshima.
Unable to locate Sai, Hikaru makes a vow to never play Go again without him.
This episode shows us a young Hikaru, back from 7th grade before the Insei exam. When Sai is disturbed by the owner of a pottery shop, with a face like a toad, Hikaru/Sai must beat the owner who turns out to be a 5dan to prove to everyone what a cheat the owner is. But can he turn around his own play, and win a game someone else has already resigned to help a young girl?
In this flashback before Akira Toya met Hikaru Shindo, a young children's Go champion challenges Akira to a game at the Go Salon.
Still in China improving his game, Isumi challenges Le Ping to a rematch. Meanwhile, Asumi encounters Hikaru and demands to know why he has stopped playing Go.
Hikaru is still forfeiting his Go matches, and everyone round his is worried and confused. Can the young player's friends and familyconvince him to get his game back?
Isumi return from China, now a stronger and more focused player. When he hears Hikaru is losing his games by default he vows to investigate the situation.
After much convincing, Hikaru agrees to play Isumi. However, he will play him for Isumi’s sake, not his own. He will not enjoy the game or get into it. He can’t betray Sai. But when the game of Go becomes intense, is there anything that Hikaru can do? Hikaru ties hard not to betray Sai. He promised him that he would never play again. But can it be helped? Will Sai ever return to him?
Hikaru has finally started to play Go again. He has found Sai within his moves, within his Go. But can Hikaru win his first comeback match against 2-dan Murakami? Everyone is watching. Meanwhile, what will become of the Haze Jr. High School Go club? After the year is over, only one boy will be left. Everyone else will graduate and move on.
The Go world is moving. Everything is changing. Hikaru has won his first comeback match and dives into his next one. Isumi is taking the Pro Exam and is on his way to becoming a pro like Waya, Hikaru, and Ochi before him. Akira is beating high level dans. Ogata has taken yet another title. The Go world is shifting; a new wave is coming with Akira in the lead. But Kuwabara will not allow them to surpass him just yet...
The game between Hikaru and Akira wages on. They are both into the game and excited about it. Meanwhile, Amano tells news of a junior Japan, China, and Korea Go Tournament. It’s for experienced Go players under the age of 18. Everyone is worried because they have no one who could stand a chance against Korea, or even China, except for Akira. Amano says that they have Hikaru and the new wave that’s coming…
The match between Hikaru and Akira comes to an end. Hikaru tells Akira that one day, he will tell him everything. At night Hikaru has a dream, with a surprise visitor! At the end, the song “Get Over” is played as we see everyone throughout the series. The Go world is changing and a younger generation has arrived!
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