# Hikaru no Go (2001)

> A goofy sixth-grader discovers a ghost of an ancient go master in an attic board and becomes his playing partner in pursuit of competitive excellence.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/28563

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 75
- Episode runtime: 23 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, drama
- Network: TV Tokyo
- Cast: Tomoko Kawakami, Susumu Chiba, Sanae Kobayashi, Yumi Kakazu, Makoto Tsumura, Kentaro Ito, Yuu Asakawa, Mayumi Asano
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426711/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: warm, lighthearted, tense, earnest, playful

## What critics say

Audiences broadly rate Hikaru no Go as an acclaimed sports-style anime that makes the niche world of competitive go engaging and emotionally resonant.

## Synopsis

Hikaru no Go (2001-2003) is a Japanese animated shonen sports series created for TV Tokyo, produced with Pierrot. Sixth-grader Hikaru Shindo (voiced by Tomoko Kawakami) is an ordinary, mischievous kid until he finds a bloodstained go board in his grandfather's attic. Trapped inside it is the ghost of an ancient go master, Fujiwara no Sai (voiced by Susumu Chiba), who becomes part of Hikaru's consciousness and turns him into a partner in competitive play. The engine of the show is Hikaru's drive to master the game and face rivals, with Akira Toya (voiced by Sanae Kobayashi) a key figure among them, while his friends such as Akari Fujisaki (voiced by Yumi Kakazu) keep him grounded. Each episode centers on matches, tournament pressure and the lessons players take from losing. Spanning three seasons and seventy-five episodes, it plays as a patient, character-driven coming-of-age story. The tone is warm and lighthearted with tense, measured stakes during games, and the theme is friendship, rivalry and personal growth. Set in contemporary Japan, it suits viewers who enjoy the spirit of Chihayafuru and Ping Pong the Animation.

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