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theseventhl's review against another edition
4.0
A very Hikaru and Akira heavy volume. Lots of meaty matches and dramatic showdowns, especially Hikaru versus Ko Yong Ha, whose arrogance makes a testy situation a hundred times worse. Is the next volume really the last? Honestly, it doesn't feel like that.
dorinlazar's review against another edition
4.0
Finally, some Go heroics! The Hokuto Cup is starting, and the first player from Korea decides not to apologize for his statement on Shusaku, but instead he wants to annoy the Japanese team and tell them that he would beat Shusaku easily.
This makes Hikaru really struggle to become the first for his team, but he cannot - and Kurata tells him that if he wins his game with the Chinese team, he will let him be the first with the Korean team.
Hikaru loses the game with a very small margin, and Kurata, seeing his passion for this, decides to name him first anyway. Everyone is shocked, even the Korean team.
This makes Hikaru really struggle to become the first for his team, but he cannot - and Kurata tells him that if he wins his game with the Chinese team, he will let him be the first with the Korean team.
Hikaru loses the game with a very small margin, and Kurata, seeing his passion for this, decides to name him first anyway. Everyone is shocked, even the Korean team.
wanderer24's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sonofthe's review against another edition
4.0
This story is comfort food for me. I can't quite put my finger on what keeps me rereading/rewatching this and the anime, but my interest in Go certainly helps. I also like that it's a generally positive story about getting good at something.
mergs_scribbles's review
4.5
Oof the tension over this tournament is giving me a stomach ache! Really can’t wait to see how things turn out
familiar_diversions's review against another edition
4.0
Suyong suspects that Ko Yong Ha did not diss Shusaku and goes to him to confirm this. It turns out to have been a terrible mistranslation, but Yong Ha decides to roll with it and publicly needle Hikaru some more. Hikaru, in response, begs to be first in the match against Korea, even though he knows Akira is the more likely choice. Kurata says he'll do it if Hikaru can impress him against China - he figures this will fire Hikaru up enough to help him win. In Japan's match against China,
Hikaru's mom attended the China game!
After so many less focused volumes, it was nice to have one solely devoted to a single tournament. This volume really ramped up the tension and kept the focus on the series' younger characters. I just wish
Akira was so very close to figuring out the whole Hikaru and Shusaku thing on his own. He even remembered that, in his first game against Hikaru, Hikaru used a few archaic moves. And at the end of the volume, Hikaru came so close to explaining why he got into Go and why Shusaku is important to him. Publicly, even! Akira was visibly disappointed that Hikaru was cut short. Me too, Akira, me too.
Additional Comments:
In this volume, Hotta mentions the existence of something called the Hikaru no Go Gorgeous Characters Guide. The translation made it sound like it was previously only available in Japanese but had since been made available in English. If that was the case, it's out of print and unavailable now. I came very close to buying a copy of the Japanese edition (on Amazon it's $5-8 including shipping!) but reminded myself that I'm currently at negative shelf space and don't have room for something I can't even read.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Spoiler
Yashiro loses, Akira wins, and Hikaru loses (but makes his opponent fight to the very end). Kurata decides to let Hikaru be first against Korea despite his loss, shocking everyone but Akira, who wonders what Hikaru's connection to Shusaku is.Hikaru's mom attended the China game!
Spoiler
Which went disappointingly. Dang it.After so many less focused volumes, it was nice to have one solely devoted to a single tournament. This volume really ramped up the tension and kept the focus on the series' younger characters. I just wish
Spoiler
things had gone better for Hikaru. I know that, story-wise, he was due for some losses, but right near the end of the series wasn't really the best time for it.Akira was so very close to figuring out the whole Hikaru and Shusaku thing on his own. He even remembered that, in his first game against Hikaru, Hikaru used a few archaic moves. And at the end of the volume, Hikaru came so close to explaining why he got into Go and why Shusaku is important to him. Publicly, even! Akira was visibly disappointed that Hikaru was cut short. Me too, Akira, me too.
Additional Comments:
In this volume, Hotta mentions the existence of something called the Hikaru no Go Gorgeous Characters Guide. The translation made it sound like it was previously only available in Japanese but had since been made available in English. If that was the case, it's out of print and unavailable now. I came very close to buying a copy of the Japanese edition (on Amazon it's $5-8 including shipping!) but reminded myself that I'm currently at negative shelf space and don't have room for something I can't even read.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
kenyuen1's review against another edition
4.0
It's genuinely fun to see Hikaru grow, but the specter of Sai still lingers. Still sad to see that storyline pruned, since Sai is as much a main character as Hikaru. The story feels a little bit lesser without our favorite ghost. Kind of wish we could have seen both characters continue to progress as the story continued.
erinsbookshelves's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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