(L) Hikaru no go

[chamelean75]

I had a question. I know that Hikaru No Go ends at chapter 189 but I've heard stuff about a short story special at the end about 2 teens who idolize hikaru and akira and who play them at the Young Lion's Tournament. Am I just hearing things wrong?

[Baba]

No not at all, I got hold of raws of these chapters where you see two insei going to the Young Lions Tournament and talking about Hikaru and Touya.

[chamelean75]

Do you know where I can buy these 2 continuations? It seems like stores only sell up to chapter 189.

[xxziggybitsxx]

Now i dont know about the manga... BUT THE ANIME WAS PRETTY GOOD.. But i have a qestion about the anime... Is there like a season 2, and if so is SAI in it???

[Baba]

xxziggybitsxxThere is the 2004 special episode that last for nearly 1 and a half hour and cover a part of what happens after the anime.
As for your question :

Spoiler:

Sorry to disapoint you, Sai is gone for good, he doesn't come back in the manga

chamelean75 I have no idea as to where these chpater can be bought nor do I know where they where published in the first place.

[Ookla The Mok]

Originally Posted by chamelean75

Do you know where I can buy these 2 continuations? It seems like stores only sell up to chapter 189.

um, eh?? Those 2 epilogues are in volume 23 along with chapter 189. Just buy volume 23.

[jedi2543]

I don't like it. Is it possible that writers will create more HiKaru No Go after death note? I keep reading the end of this manga and I think that it should have more story and different ending.

Does anyone here know why this sory has the ening like this?

[Ja-Y-Ce]

Hmmm... as a fan of HNG, I dun reali like the ending too. But to tink abt it, partly is oso "shikatanai" (can't be helped).

Firstly, if the story continues, perhaps it will go into the way tt Hikaru n Touya joining more tournament within Japan and also overseas, striving their best to reach to Sai's level. Howeva, in this way...the manga will become much more draggy...and it will go into the path, maybe a bit like Prince of Tennis... tournament after tournament...wch is neva ending...

Secondly, I tink... Takeshi Obata got to do DN after this. Even the lady author oso move on to a new series.

Thirdly, HNG was there in the first place to introduce the board game GO in Japan and apparently it was reali a big hit then.

All these r my personal opinions, so I dono whether does it ans ur qns?


anyway i edit my words... it shld be board game to be exact... thanks for reminding me =)

[sophismata]

Um... go (いご) is nothing like chess, they are completely different games.

There is a chess game mentioned in Hikaru no Go, but it's not western chess, it's shogi (しょぎ). And I'm sure there are kanji for both igo and shogi, but I don't know them.

Now, ultimately, it's better if the series ends conclusively... once things get drawn out past their creator's desire to continue, they inevitably go downhill. Espeically with sports/tournament styled stories, there can come a point where someone reaches their goal and there's not much left to do (that makes good fiction).

That said, where I live Hikaru no Go is only up to volume 6, and I've been really looking forward to the rest of the series. It's a great manga, and I don't want it to end...

Interestingly, if you're a fan of igo:

The game board is asymetrical, slightly longer on one side than the other. Also, to date, there has been no computer AI that can play igo well; the sheer possibilities and nature of the game make it much more difficult to program for then, say, chess, which has many varieties of AI, some of them very good.

Igo is a superior game to chess, it's just a shame that it's so rare in the western world.

[ShikaShika]

Originally Posted by jedi2543

I don't like it. Is it possible that writers will create more HiKaru No Go after death note? I keep reading the end of this manga and I think that it should have more story and different ending.

Does anyone here know why this sory has the ening like this?

Firstly to clarify, the writer of Hikaru no Go, Hotta Yumi, is not involved in Death Note. The mangaka Obata Takeshi, is though, together with another writer. For HnG to continue, they must both want to work on it again, and be available at the same time (as well as igo consultant Umezawa Yukari, though perhaps not quite as important).

It's a shame Hotta's last manga (Yuuto) was cancelled, I really liked it, and it showed many qualities similar to those of HnG. I don't know what she is working on now though... I'd love it for them to get together again and continue working on HnG, but only on the condition that Hotta really wants to (as opposed to doing it simply because it would be a hit). The ending of the manga would suggest that Hotta felt she didn't really have much more to give, because it's an akward place to end it at (the anime chose a better spot). But if she does muster up the inspiration to go on, and Obata is free to do the amazing art work, then count me in. I have all 23 volumes and I'll get them all even if I have to go to Japan to buy them.

[ShadowClone]

I wished the anime did ALL of the "gaiden chapters" featuring one HnG character (i.e. the entire 18th volume of the manga). They were pretty interesting. In the anime they only did Hikaru and Akira's stories. If I remember correctly, there were Mitani, Kaga, Waya(?) and Nase (there's this one drawing of her that looks really HOT!) chapters as well.

[neoko]

So can someone tell me how the story of hikura and akira's story ends?

I was fine with the anime ending.

[ShikaShika]

This is a manga thread, but I suppose I'll tag it just in case.

Spoiler for beyond the anime:

Hikaru, Akira and Yashiro, from the Kansai Go Institute, are selected to represent Japan in a U-18 tournament with China and South Korea. (This was shown in a 2004 new years special, though slighly cut down for time concerns. There is for example a bit more focus on Akira's attempts in the Honinbou tournament in the manga.)

After that, they basically just go to the tournament and play. There is some emotional build-up though, when the Japanese team (and press) mistakingly believes the Korean star player (can't remeber the name) said some insulting things about Honinbou Shuusaku's (and in effect Sai's) go skills. The Chinese and Korean teams sport some familiar faces, Su-yon for Korea and a few of the guys from Isumi's China trip for China.

Spoiler for results:

Eventually Yashiro and Hikaru both lose their games and Akira wins both of his. Though Hikaru takes some of the spot light after an intense and very close game against the Korean star player (mentioned above), considered to be one of the best rising talents in the world.

After the tournament, the manga comes to a quite abrupt ending. The manga then finishes up with a short look at the results of the tournament through the eyes of two young insei (new to our eyes). They're not impressed by Hikaru's two losses, but are quite intimidated (and subsequently crushed) as they both end up playing Hikaru and Akira respectivelly in the Wakijashisen tournament. Hikaru and Akira end up playing the final game, and that's the last thing we see of them.

[jedi2543]

Its ending is that Hikaru lost to a korean player whom he really wanted to win because this guy said some bad thing to Susaku. He cried after he lost. Moreover, Sai tried to say "do u hear my voice?", but no one heard him.

This is its ending, that's why I think it is the one of the worst manga ending.

Hikaru no go isn't only about Go tournament, but it is about relationship between characters and desire to play better. However, its ending isn't fulfil reader's willing to see Hikaru win something, because he lost (again).

I heard some rumor that creators had to finish this story because of Korean and Chinese Go 's players forced them to finish in this way. In Korea and China, Go is much more popular than in Japan, and these countries won't be happy if Hikaru won. This story becomes a part of politics.

Does anybody hear this rumor? Is it true?

I'm disappointed in its ending, but I am more disappointed if it has to end because of this reason.

[Nightengale]

The bad thing about the manga ending of HnG isn't really Hikaru's fault, but how they left it with a major cliffhanger. Mangas like HnG are really more suited for an epiloque type of ending, considering Sai mentioned that Hikaru will one day live for someone else the same way he did.

The faults were really how they left it with major cliffhangers in the end with a sort of a bad taste to the mouth. Let's make a count.

1. Koyo's mention of a aspiring young pro in Taiwan.
2. "Can you hear my voice?"
3. The Super Computer that can achieve the Hand of God.
4. Koyo's wait for Sai, with the stone on the board.
5. Hikaru vs Suyon rematch at the hotel.
6. Reappearance of old characters just for cameo's sake.

Last but not least.....

The truth about Sai. The reality behind his existence.

They leave out so many unanswered questions, and they expect us to be satisfied? Buu.

Let's hope DN finishes soon. I'm not spoiling, but the latest chapters will be the deciding moment on whether or not DN will continue further or end.

HnG Season 2!!!!

[neoko]

Has someone who has lefet a manga ever come back to it at a later point?

Haven't heard anything like it...HnG 2 would be awesome.

[NoSanninWa]

Originally Posted by neoko

Has someone who has lefet a manga ever come back to it at a later point?

Haven't heard anything like it...HnG 2 would be awesome.

Sure. DeathNote took a hiatus and then resumed. Of course that was planned to resume, so perhaps someone else will have a better example.

[ShikaShika]

Originally Posted by jedi2543

I heard some rumor that creators had to finish this story because of Korean and Chinese Go 's players forced them to finish in this way. In Korea and China, Go is much more popular than in Japan, and these countries won't be happy if Hikaru won. This story becomes a part of politics.

Does anybody hear this rumor? Is it true?

I'm disappointed in its ending, but I am more disappointed if it has to end because of this reason.

I really don't think there's anything to this rumor. Fact of the matter is that China and Korea simply are a lot better than Japan at go, and I suppose Hotta wanted a little taste of realism. The important thing to me isn't really if Hikaru wins or loses, it's about the strength he shows. It would have been quite over the top for Hikaru to beat the best young Korean player, considering the strength gap between the nations. I'm perfectly fine with him simply getting as close as he did.

Originally Posted by Nightengale

The faults were really how they left it with major cliffhangers in the end with a sort of a bad taste to the mouth. Let's make a count.

1. Koyo's mention of a aspiring young pro in Taiwan.
2. "Can you hear my voice?"
3. The Super Computer that can achieve the Hand of God.
4. Koyo's wait for Sai, with the stone on the board.
5. Hikaru vs Suyon rematch at the hotel.
6. Reappearance of old characters just for cameo's sake.

Last but not least.....

The truth about Sai. The reality behind his existence.

I don't really agree with your list. 1 & 3 I see as quite unimportant mentionings. An aspiring pro? They're everywhere. A super computor? He was just talking about his dreams, it's not reasonable to assume that he could ever program such A.I. or at the very least that it would be good enough to ever have a huge impact on the go world.

I interpret 2 simply as a lead-in to the chapter that follows, which is a brief overview of how Sai entered Hikaru's mind and then played Touya. In no way do I think that Sai returns at the end. Sai is gone.

4 isn't a cliffhanger, but a character moment. Sai and Kouyo have already played, there wasn't really any need for them to play again. The scene just shows the game's impact on Kouyo and how he truelly appreciated the game.

While 5 isn't really a cliffhanger either nor very important, I agree it would have been fun to see. It's quite hard to handle for the writer as well, do you let Hikaru win again, and potentially make Su-yon look like a fool, or do you let Su-yon win which would take away a bit of the impact of Hikaru's improvements as of late. Maybe it's just one of those games that are better off left off the page, for the reader to decide how it went. I agree it certainly could have been shown though.

I don't really understand what you mean by 6? If you wanted older characters to come back and make a quick appearance before the end of the manga then I kind of agree with you. My problem with the ending isn't that it leaves you hanging, because I don't really think it does. You've got a good idea of what all the characters are up to. I just thought it ended awfully suddenly, and i would have appreciated a few more chapters of rounding it off a bit, to give all of the amazing characters of HnG a bit of screen time before the end.

And I don't really know what you mean by the truth of Sai's existance? I think it's quite clearly explained in the very first chapter, and I see no reason why that shouldn't be true. (The only reason would be what Hikaru's teacher told him, but that's it. For all we know anything could have happened to those records over the last 1000 years.) I think Sai's in depth knowledge of Japanese history is proof in itself that he is telling the truth about his own history, and if so I don't really think there is anything left to explain.

I'm glad you didn't write "but we never got to see Hikaru achieve the hand of god!!" at least. I always want to smack someone when I see that.

[Nightengale]

I can pretty much agree with some of your points, but those are just my personal opinions, so it doesn't really matter that much.

Personally, aside from dream matches, I feel that HnG left out a lot of aspects that could've progressed the manga even further. And while it's true no.1 doesn't hold much value, again it's meaningless to tease something and leave it out of the manga. Like Suyon never appearing again after he lost to Shindo, even with the rematch promise.

And I actually think the Super Computer thing holds a strong value in the manga if it gets a S2, considering he actually mentioned stuff like sponsors, data input, etc. It'd be an interesting storyline to see, considering in reality, chess grandmasters are being ousted by computer. Think about the possibility. Hikaru denying the fact that a machine of all things will be the one to rob away the dreams of many. Among others, of course.

And while Sai's history is a debatable topic, it's good enough imo as a character frontier for Shindo to mature. Shindo going to further his education in Japanese Literature/History and in his final moments, writes a thesis on the existence of Fujiwarano Sai in real history. It'd make a defining moment.

And Hikaru should NEVER achieve the Hand of God.

[ShikaShika]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

And I actually think the Super Computer thing holds a strong value in the manga if it gets a S2, considering he actually mentioned stuff like sponsors, data input, etc. It'd be an interesting storyline to see, considering in reality, chess grandmasters are being ousted by computer. Think about the possibility. Hikaru denying the fact that a machine of all things will be the one to rob away the dreams of many. Among others, of course.

The super computer achieving the hand of god isn't really realistic (realism after all, is one of the things that make HnG so good). Someone already mentioned it, but the game of go is simply too complex for a machine to grasp, it cannot be compared with chess. Consider for example the number of possible opening moves in chess (8*2 + 2*2 = 20) with the number of opening moves in go (19*19 = 361). The number of different combinations then grows exponentially. Even a decent beginner can beat the best go AI out there today.

I think it's quite ok that one of the characters aim to produce a groundbreaking AI, but it just wouldn't be realistic if it was good enough to have any impact on the storyline.

Lets see what I'd like to see in a potential sequel... hmm... of course more go! It would be really cool to see Hikaru advance through the ranks a little, and enter one or two of the title leagues. I found the Honinbou league very interesting when Akira was in it, would be fun to see Hikaru in that position. I'd also like to see a bit more focus on the lives outside of the go world. Perhaps some more Hikaru/Akari development (not that there was much to start with, but there are certainly hints). One of the things I really did miss in the manga was the lack of interaction with Hikaru's parents. Hikaru's father is never even seen in the manga I believe. (I know he's in the anime special, but I believe that was filler.) And of course I'd love to see my favourite character Kaga again. The only disconcerning thing is the lack of Sai. Sai created a large part of the drama, and I think the manga would probably need something new to fill the gap with... Ah... how I would love to see the manga continue, I think I better stop my rambling before my sense of realism gets me too depressed.