Product Details

• Actors: Tomoko Kawakami, Yu Asakawa, Mayumi Asano, Susumu Chiba, Eriko Fujimaki
• Directors: Shin Nishizawa
• Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English, Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Viz Video
• DVD Release Date: December 27, 2005
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000AM6OC6
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #52,037 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

• This is item 1 in The Hikaru No Go Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Based on a manga written by Yumi Hotta and drawn by Takeshi Obata that appeared in Shonen Jump, Hikaru no Go ran for three years on Japanese television. Hikaru Shindo is a normal 6th grader of no great accomplishments--until he encounters the ghost of Sai of Fujiwara, an exquisite Go master who lived at the Heian court 1,000 years ago. Sai committed suicide after being falsely accused of cheating, but his love of Go keeps him attached to this world. In return for enabling Sai to play Go, Hikaru gains a sort of built-in tutor to help him with history and social studies. But after his first few games as Sai's puppet, Hikaru becomes fascinated by the intensity of the players; he wants to learn to play on his own. Hikaru's new interest and preoccupied manner puzzle his friend Akari and his teacher, and earn him two foes: the icy prodigy Akira Toya and the rude Tetsuo Kaga. Hikaru no Go offers all the elements of a classic shonen (boy's) anime series: a hero with untapped potential, supernatural influences, interpersonal rivalries, and a complex game, but it's refreshingly free of product tie-ins. Although no knowledge of Go is needed to enjoy the show, Hikaru could introduce American kids to that endlessly challenging game. (Unrated, suitable for ages 8 and older) --Charles Solomon

Product Description
Debut DVD Release on the SHONEN JUMP DVD Library

With a two-tone hairstyle and a streak of immaturity, Hikaru Shindo finds an old Go board with a hidden surprise. Trapped within the Go Board is Fujiwara-no-Sai, the ghost of an ancient Go master. In the blink of an eye, Sai becomes part of Hikaru's consciousness and soon Hikaru begins to learn the true essence behind this ancient game of skill and strategy. Serialized in SHONEN JUMP Magazine:

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great anime, great music, December 15, 2005

By	thetenken (McLean, VA) - See all my reviews

I would like to highly recommend the Hikaru no Go anime. If one can get past preconceived notions concerning the premise of the show (What? Kids playing an ancient board game? That's boring...), one will find that the anime is a very good study of character development, motivation, and a very detailed and accurate insight into a world that most are not privy to in our lifetimes. The music of the series is very well suited, with a very inspirational theme that reflects well on the scenes. This series has all the classic motifs of shonen manga (conflict, friendship, and adventure), and does them well.

I would also recommend that people DO NOT read I. Kim's review, as it contains spoilers for the entire series and should definitely not be read by any who wish to read the manga or watch the anime.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly Powerful and Universal, November 14, 2006

By	Kiwi Bird - See all my reviews

Hikaru no Go centers on the intense rivalry between Hikaru and Akira over the game of Go. Akira has been training since he was two years old, and Hikaru has only gradually come to see the lure of the game after making the acquaintance of a ghost, Sai, who loves Go more than life itself.

This series draws out the humor and drama of modern life on the 19-by-19 grid of the Go board. This series has a universality that is rarely seen. It can be appreciated by people of all ages, a major feat by itself, and is very unlikely to offend.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly surprised, June 6, 2007

By	Sil Lum Sifu - See all my reviews

I watched this because of my own interest in Go, and because I thought it would be fun to watch with my daughter - who is studying the game with me. But it is my wife and I who watch Hikaru No Go so raptly! It's very hard, with so many episodes available, to avoid just burning through them. The story does an excellent job of building anticipation for what happens next. The animation itself is nothing special, although it isn't bad by any means. What really shines in this series is the great story, about friendship, personal growth, determination, and Go, of course! The games of Go are very exciting. For reference, some other animes that we think are good are FMA, El Hazard, A Little Snow Fairy Sugar, and Witch Hunter Robin. (Just in case you thought I was a big Sailor Moon fan spouting off about the next "big thing".) After my wife and I watched these, I was concerned they were too sophisticated for my daughter (age 6). I was wrong. She loves the show.

One irritating thing about these DVDs is the poor dub quality. Do yourself a favor and watch them in Japanese with the subtitles. The English voices are extremely grating. Hikaru doesn't sound like a sixth grader. Akira sounds like he has a stick up his backside, and poor Sai has been given an extremely foppish voice. Come on! Sai in the Japanese is really cool! Again, watch with subtitles! The only other thing that irritates me about these discs is the Naruto preview at the beginning of each disc, which cannot be skipped. You have to fast forward through it.

A special bonus: each episode is accompanied by a live-action Go lesson!

We really look forward to the rest of the series.