Hikaru no Go

Description

From Viz:
Hikaru Shindo is like any sixth-grader in Japan: a pretty normal schoolboy with a two-tone head of hair and a penchant for antics. One day, he finds an old bloodstained Go board in his grandfather's attic and that's when things get really interesting. Trapped inside the Go board is Fujiwara-no-Sai, the ghost of an ancient Go master who taught the strategically complex board game to the emperor of Japan many centuries ago.
In one fateful moment, Sai becomes a part of Hikaru's consciousness and together, through thick and thin, they make an unstoppable Go-playing team. Will they be able to defeat Go players who have dedicated their lives to the game?
Will Sai achieve the "Divine Move" so he'll finally be able to rest in peace?

Note: Won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2000. Won the Creative Award in the 7th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2003.

Type

Manga

Related Series

N/A

Associated Names

El go de Hikaru

HikaGO

Hikaru - Kì thủ cờ vây

Hikaru's Go (Indonesian)

Hikarus go (Swedish)

HnG

Le go de Hikaru

O go de Hikaru

Vua Cờ

Хикару и го

Хікару і Ґо

היִקָארוּ נוֹ גוֹ

היקארו נו גו

هيكارو نو غو

ฮิคารุเซียนโกะ

ヒカルの碁

棋魂

고스트 바둑왕

히카루의 바둑

Groups Scanlating

N/A

Latest Release(s)

N/A

Status in Country of Origin

23 Volumes (Complete)
20 Volumes (Kanzenban, 2009)
12 Volumes (Bunkoban, 2012)
12 Volumes (Combini-ban, 2010)

Completely Scanlated?

Yes

Anime Start/End Chapter

Starts at Vol 1, Chap 1 (TV) / Vol 21, Chap 167 (TV Special)

Ends at Vol 21, Chap 166 (TV) / Vol 23, Chap 198 (TV Special) Special abridged

User Reviews

Hikaru no Go by Rashid

Forum

2 topics, 31 posts

Click here to view the forum

User Rating

Average: 8.7 / 10.0 (1616 votes)

Bayesian Average: 8.66 / 10.0

33%

26%

25%

10%

Last Updated

January 7th, 2026 7:07am PST - 6 days ago

Image [Report Inappropriate Content]

Genre

Comedy Drama School Life Shounen Sports Supernatural
Search for series of same genre(s)

Categories

Log in to vote! Show all (some hidden)

Category Recommendations

Me no Mae no Kami-sama

Haou Densetsu Lion

Hajime no Ippo

The King of Hell is Unhappy

Boku no Hero Academia

Recommendations

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi

Author(s)

Artist(s)

Year

Original Publisher

Shueisha

Serialized In (magazine)

Shuukan Shounen Jump (Shueisha)

Licensed (in English)

Yes

English Publisher

Viz (23 Volumes - Complete)

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #772 (-8)

Monthly Pos #1404 (-3)

3 Month Pos #2100 (+91)

6 Month Pos #2455 (+149)

Year Pos #2462 (-407)

List Stats

On 727 reading lists

On 966 wish lists

On 4133 completed lists

On 129 unfinished lists

On 477 custom lists

Note: You must be logged in to update information on this page.

Forum Posts Click to view the forum

Silly little question

9 years ago

The ending!

12 years ago

User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

I loved it!!

by buontequadi
5 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

I have nothing to say, couldn’t agree more with everything tailor31415 said. The intensity of the battles make me really want to learn and play Go, and I enjoyed following Shindo’s growth very much. Really wished there were more extra chapters of this manga, though.

Was this comment useful? Yes No

After a reread

by tailor31415
5 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

I read this manga long ago when it was being published, when I wasn't even a teenager yet. At the time, I hated the way the story played out - I wanted Sai back so badly.

I reread the manga just recently because of the live action cdrama coming out. Almost 20 years later, I've grown up so much and I finally fully appreciate the story the author wanted to tell. The idea that each and every one of us lives in in other people, that our lives have meaning, that a piece of ourselves will be carried forward thousands of years into the future, is so powerful. Though I haven't contributed anything like Sai did (of course not!), I just need to think about the little mannerisms and habits I've picked up from people I've known in my life to know that I'm the same for other people, a source of some little aspect they'll carry on. Sai exists and will forever exist in the Go played by Hikaru, Akira, and all those who follow after - it's a lovely thought.

Hikaru no Go is a beautiful story about connections, about relationships, and about inspiration. Hikaru's journey through Go is a real pleasure to read!

Was this comment useful? Yes No

Great Manga, until...

by Acradnxy
6 years ago

Rating: N/A

I was rearranging my "small library" full of old mangas the other day, it brought back so much fine memories. Especially when I re-read this one. I still remember how my classmates and me trying figure out how to play Go from this manga and anime. I still remember the hype when the anime launched the very first episode and from that on, we bought the manga, some of my classmates rented the manga and they only read hype mangas, such as Bleach, Naruto, etc. It was so good, really good. I can feel young Hikaru who was a little brat growing up to be more passionate for his dream. Of course, all of this thanks to Sai. I also can feel the rivalry between him and Akira and together they grow to become stronger not only as rivals, but also friends. That was soooooo good, until

Sai disappeared because of Hikaru himself yet I don't blame Hikaru. He was a noisy brat after all. I mean it's what we will do as a brat but what makes me dislike him even more is he doesn't grow to become a better person and still hanging to his bratty selfish personality even though he had been through so much. For example: ! The Go club he and his friends created after many many many many many many obstacles around them. Hikaru was like F this, I don't care anymore except for my own dream A.K.A I'm a selfish brat who never grow up and never learn anything that's why Sai got fed up and left me

Honestly, the real favorite character in this manga is Sai. I love him, my classmates love him, everyone loves him, who doesn't? He's not only the teacher for Hikaru, Akira and other characters on that manga's universe, he's our teacher too in this real world. He makes Go well known for other people from all around the world.Yet, the author decided to make him

disappeared just like that without giving any conclusion. I don't know about others, but it left me dissatisfy. Sure by making him
! disappeared Hikaru learn how to grow, yes he did FOR A WHILE. Then he reverted to his old selfish personality. I felt so disappointed that I dropped the manga, but after years I dropped it, I heard it has already ended. So I decided to re-read it, I skipped so many chapters because it became so boring then just jumped into the last volume of the manga... Ho, boy.... I shouldn't have to put my hope high. The ending is so terrible and it feels so rushed. Hikaru still a miserable brat who can't learn anything despite so many thing that he has been through And what about his friends? Those poor poor side characters... they don't get any development. They just in there to make me hate Hikaru even more. Look at how he did to Akari Fujisaki and Sai. What makes me bitter is how the author treated Sai. Yes, yes, I love Sai because he's so cute and funny, but I just want to know if Sai could rest in peace or he go back to the Goban again? Seriously, poor him. He just want to play Go until he achieved Hand of God. It seemed impossible to achieve, but that selfish brat is just too selfish. Oh, how I wish the author kept making it so I can see the REAL conclusion of this series. Instead I get that terrible ending...

... Last updated 6 years ago

Was this comment useful? Yes No

The greatest manga

by k3ltfalcon
7 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

I really love this manga. I don't know about Go. But I still enjoy the story. Hotta yumi is a great story teller. He know how to make people excited.
The ending maybe little bit of track. But I really love that ending. I make me little uncomfortable but that's really worth it.

Was this comment useful? Yes No

=_=

by eyma
8 years ago

Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

I agree that the ending is not to die for, and this manga does have other things that can be handled in a better way..
But, nevertheless, it was also a great story for me. Yes, ending is important but its not all there is in a story. I will just continue this with my imagination....

Note: The rivalry is the best, easily wins among all other I have read/watch to date. But, friendships were sacrificed, so yeah.. not good, overall. Still, the BEST in rivalry. LOVE IT.

... Last updated 3 years ago

Was this comment useful? Yes No

great start, terrible end

by nanner
10 years ago

Rating: 7.0 / 10.0

this is a shounen "classic" that starts out strong and sucks the reader in with its comedy and supernatural twist...but then fails to deliver much of anything in the end.
they either should have ended it with the dream and the symbolic passing of the torch (or fan in this case) or given us an actual ending. instead, once it loses the comedy+supernatural it loses the very thing that made it special, not to mention the plot that drove the story to begin with. it's good to see akira and hikaru's growth as people and go players, but the series starts a slow spiral downhill after the dream.
the non-ending we get makes wading through the last tedious quarter of the series very unrewarding. i understand life goes on and all that, but seriously, what was the point?
nothing was resolved.
if it was suspended that explains some of the problems with the ending, but not with the existing problems and increasing plot holes and the mess between the dream and the end of the series.
and there was a bunch of pointless chapters about side characters i hardly cared about that don't do much but fill in space.
i also had issues early on with the fact that hikaru, who was practicing so hard for the tournament so he could win with the club members, suddenly changes his mind and dumps the club and his friends. seriously, he couldn't have waited a few months, done the tournament like he promised, and then taken the insei test? the test was given every 4 months they said. no wonder some of the club members (who helped teach him to play well in the first place) were angry and felt betrayed. i was pissed at him myself.
that's not how your supposed to treat the people you call friends. and after that they become less than side characters, dissapeared aside from one or two appearances in odd chapters later on.
i rate the first several volumes at 10 and then they go downhill from there. the ending/ last volume i would rate at about a 5.
i'm not really sure if i would recommend this to others or not. its starts off as sai's search for the hand of god and continues (without resolving the first plotline) with hikaru's growth as a professional go player (which also has no ending). i feel that the flow between the first part and the second was choppy and the second was messy and not well thought out, as though the writer was unsure what to do once the dream had occurred.
if your reading this strictly for Obata Takeshi then you might enjoy seeing some of his early artwork and the beginning of the story is really well done.
if you want to read something solid of his with a satisfying ending, let me point you to bakumen instead.

... Last updated 10 years ago

Was this comment useful? Yes No

Great Story; Disappointing End

by Naonyang
10 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

I had a lot of fun reading this and learn a ton which was great. The story is really good and the rivalry is great. The thing with Sai made me sad and I'd hoped to see more of him in the end, but alas; the ending felt rushed and chopped and so much more could have been done. This could have been a truly fantastic and epic shounen manga but due to the lack-luster fade out ending akin to a firework that malfunctions and fizzles out; it lost it's spark.

Was this comment useful? Yes No

A captivating classic, too bad the ending doesn't follow...

by Jasminthe
10 years ago

Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

It's been years since I first read this manga and it still captivates me each time I reread it.

The only thing that really disappointed me is the ending that doesn't feel like it at all. I feel quite dissatisfied with how things stayed between all the characters. After all the tension and competitivity built between Akira, Hikaru, but also their Insei classmates and the "old" titles holders, I feel a bit let down. I would have liked to see the new wave of players in action, taking down some of their elders. And what about reaching the hand of god? What about a real great match between Hikaru and Akira?

Oh well, the manga's still pretty amazing despite all of that...

Was this comment useful? Yes No

I wish I could rate this higher.

by [A]classfashionbunny
11 years ago

Rating: 7.7 / 10.0

If I would rate only the first 125-ish chapters, I'd give this manga a rating above 9. What happens to one of them main characters is necessary, a brilliant move from the author, but the fact is that afterwards the manga turns into a train wreck. Plot either becomes a complete mess or is thrown out of the window, story focuses on pointless side characters and the last big conflict introduced feels overall forced. I didn't even realize that the ending was an "ending", nor did it really matter after 70, give or take a few, chapters of horrendous mess.

I loved the early parts though. It's been a while since a series has made me want to keep reading on without stopping.

Was this comment useful? Yes No

Could have gone a bit longer.

by wansmor
11 years ago

Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

This manga is good, it has successfully told the story of a board game (which involve highlly complex strategy) in a way that people don't have to understand the game to enjoy it. Reading the manga will make you feel like you want to play go. The only downside is the ending. I think the story could have gone for a bit longer. Anyway, it's a good manga. The art is good (Obata Takeshi is also one who's responsible for Deathnote's Art), you can really feel his style in HnG too.

... Last updated 10 years ago

Was this comment useful? Yes No