a random dive into Hikaru no Go

[marycrawford]

So I fell down a Hikaru no Go rabbithole. The plan was to watch the new Chinese live action, which I haven't done yet except for an episode or two, because I read the manga and watched the anime instead.

Did I learn to play Go? No. What's so fun about HnG is that it's still appealing even when you don't know the game.

I'm also fascinated that the mangaka, Takeshi Obata, went on to work on Death Note. I know he was the artist and not the writer, but I love the idea of Ryuk in Death Note (nightmarish demonic shinigami accompanying our protagonist, invisible to everyone else) as an alternate version of Sai in HnG (charming, brilliant, puckish, only occasionally ruthless ghost accompanying our protagonist, invisible to everyone else). Or the frenemy/rivalry of Touya and Shindo at a Go board turning into a similar relationship between a serial killer and a detective.

Mostly, having just finished the anime, I want to sit with Sai and make him ghost tea and listen to his stories about Heian court life. It's mentioned in canon that he played with Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon, but what did they talk about? Did Sei Shonagon try to flirt her way out of defeat? Did Murasaki base any of her Tale of Genji characters on him?

Comments

[umadoshi]

I really need to actually read Hikaru no Go properly! I bought and read some of it manymany years ago, and saw a handful of anime episodes, but the drama was the first version I ever watched/read in its entirety (and loved it). So then I bought all the manga volumes I'd been missing, but still haven't cracked them open. ^^;

What's so fun about HnG is that it's still appealing even when you don't know the game.

It is ridiculous how true this is. It has no right to be so charming!

[marycrawford]

I hope that you enjoy HnG whenever you feel like diving into the manga. I love the artwork and how much motion and energy gets put into every go game. Really looking forward to the drama, and it's good to hear that you loved it!

It has no right to be so charming!

Right?? I was surprised by the huge charm it has, and I also dig the way the story develops. (Though fair warning that the manga goes on too long and doesn't really feel like it reaches a conclusion, possibly because the series was cut too soon or too late.)

[umadoshi]

(Though fair warning that the manga goes on too long and doesn't really feel like it reaches a conclusion, possibly because the series was cut too soon or too late.)

(Good to know!)

[nnozomi]

Did Sei Shonagon try to flirt her way out of defeat? Did Murasaki base any of her Tale of Genji characters on him?
We absolutely need more fanfic about Sei Shonagon, she's such a delight.

[marycrawford]

That is so very true. I don't really feel like I have a hook to hang a story on, but I'd love to read something about Shonagon and Sai, or just Shonagon by herself.