A review by micadat
Hikaru No Go, Vol. 1: Descent of the Go Master by Yumi Hotta

5.0

I play chess and I found a lot of the tension of a game very similar to what happens in games of Go. The world of excitement and drama within the square of a board game. The intense focus of two people both exerting themselves to the limit in a game of calculation and intuition. I talked to a friend regarding the drama of the drawings, comparable force fields to those in Dragon Ball, even though there are no “Sayajins” here there is definitely some “force”. I practiced Tai Chi and there I was told about “chi”, or “life force”, that could be manipulated. This kind of “woo” or magical thinking is somehow very adequate to translate how it feels to be in a chess match. An energy, a tension, a vitality, a warrior spirit, something radically powerful, and very well portrayed in this Manga Series.

The relationship between a past master and a future master, a relationship of mentorship, of belonging to a tradition. This also is portrayed beautifully. That sports can be like this, “connecting past and future”, is something admirable. I cherish the experience I had reading this manga.