One of the disadvantages of being a non-native is that you miss out a lot of nuances when it comes to mangas like Chihayafuru... and this one. But then it speaks a lot when that handicap does not stop the manga from being beautiful, and addictive.
Shion no Ou is about a four year old Shion being discovered in a sea of her parents' blood. Taken in by kind neighbours, Shion grows up to be an amazing Shogi player. Almost, as if she were chosen by the god of Shogi...
It has been eight years, and the murders remain unsolved. Meanwhile, as the media become more aware of the talented young Shogi player with the tragic past, Shion realises that she does remember fragments of the events of that fateful night. And that the murderer might just be someone close to her.
The artwork is hands down one of the most gorgeous ones have seen. The portraits - yes, instead of graphic art, each rendering of characters is a portrait, that hide subtle nuances. The tension within the games (though hard to follow), the determination of each character, as well as the hunt for the murderer - each of them have been amazingly portrayed. And about the final reveal - some of the comments below claim that it was too obvious. Maybe it was. It is obvious that we readers love to guess who the criminal is when we read mystery novels/stories, and this manga does a fine job leading us on wild goose chases!
So I say, if you are tired of shojo heroines go 'kyaa kyaa' over trivial situations, or tragic heroines burdened with saving the world etc and want to appreciate a manga well written and well drawn, pick this one. And if you are anything like me, you would want to reread it once you know the ending, and appreciate the subtle hints the author had left behind all along (and cry victoriously that you knew it!)!
10 stars, well deserved.