Hikaru no Go (2020)

Worth the time

Simply one of the best adaptations I've seen in a while---and I've seen a lot. Both of Shi Guang's actors are both quite effective in pulling us into having an empathetic relationship with the character, be it in his shameless moments, the happy times or the sad. All throughout the series, we are made to feel emotionally invested in a board game (most of us don't even understand), and in secondary characters (we usually give a damn about). Yet it works, it works splendidly. In a way, we also became Chu Ying, we became a third party viewer of happenings where we have no physical control of, an entity that could see the bird's eye view.

That was why once Chu Ying had to say his goodbyes, the accumulation of memories for the past episodes came crushing in and gave us tear-inducing scene. We shared what he had. Like how Chu Ying was just one part of his life, we realized we have the same position as well, but the time spent together becomes memorable enough.

At the end of the drama series, we don't have the climatic battle moment we tend to see in other sports drama, but we got a glimpse at the beginning of Shi Guang's road to being a pro.

Hikaru no Go is now one of my all-time favorite dramas. Watching it was worth my time. Thank you to all actors, staff and production crew. This was ride.

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I came to Hikaru no Go after a string of romance heavy dramas because I was needing a bit of a break. It turned out to be just what I needed as it lands solidly on every level.

I do, so, adore a show that knows what it is and just breathes life into the space its meant to fill. The story is based on a manga of the same name and its souce material is definitely apparent. It feels like a sports anime in its narrative beats and pacing. We have an assortment of stock characters: our scrappy outsider savant protagonist, our rival who drives him to succeed, a handful of supportive friends, a prickly mentor, etc.

The show, however, doesn’t ever rest on its tropes or its archetypes. The story hits familiar narrative beats but stakes are real, victories feel earned, defeats are crushing; there are no shortcuts or hand-waving through the plot.The main characters are fully realized and fleshed out and portrayed wonderfully by their cast. They are flawed, prone to mistakes, sometimes selfish, sometimes selfless, earnest in their desires and often falling short of them, which is to say they feel human in the best sense of the term.

At the heart of the story is Shi Guang, who winds up bound to the spirit of an Ancient Chinese Go master, Chu Ying. The master proceeds to continue his love of Go by both playing vicariously through Shi Guang and by teaching him. Through him, young Shi Guang winds up crossing paths with Yu Liang, also a talented Go player, and the interaction creates a rivalry between them that spans years.

These two relationships, that of Shi Guang and his mentor, and Shi Guang and his rival are the fuel that move Shi Guang through the story as he comes of age and learns to find his own place in the world. Both relationships are portrayed with such nuance and skill, rendered with a loving care that would put most romances to shame. The relationships are never static, and are multi-layered and complex.

At times Chu Ying is Shi Guang’s best friend, sometimes a pouty child needing to be mollified, or his stern teacher expecting the best. Through all these the genuine love these two feel for one another is palpable. What binds them is more than just a shared love of a game, but a genuine affection and care for one another. They can build each other up and break each other’s hearts.

The relationship with Yu Liang is more tense, obviously, but is wonderful in that it demonstrates how competition and a rivalry can at one level foster personal growth, but also create its own intense form of intimacy, unique in its nature. While it is possible to see their relationship through a romantic/bl lens, and it is fun to do so, the show leaves room for interpretations on that point which feels like the right choice for them.

When we leave them there is still so much life for them to live, so much ahead of them. Apart from that is a gaggle of delightful and compelling side characters and relationships. There really is so much to love about this show. At 36 episodes it never felt like it dragged on too long, it never felt drawn out or overwrought. When trying to find a fault I’m left wanting.

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Sweet & delightful story, top notched acting, wonderful bromance

This drama is adapted from a very popular Japanese manga (comic) which was later also made into an anime (cartoon) in the early 2000s. The adapted story tells the struggle in bringing awareness of weiqi and retaining interests in the game among the youths, and the arduous path to fame and glory for the successful players. Weiqi is also known as GO in Japan and Baduk in Korea.

Despite being one of the oldest board games and was started in China more than 2,500 years ago, weiqi has not received a lot of attention, especially among the Chinese youths who favor Chinese chess. For years, Korea has been the champion and in recent years China produces multiple world class players to challenge the champions. Weiqi is a must-have and common item in all Chinese historical dramas today. All emperors, scholars, officials and generals are expected to be well versed at the game.

What seemingly a very simple board game, using only any drawn grid boards or tiles on the ground with any black and white pieces, weiqi is one of the most complex games. There are no complicated pieces, no complicated moves. Anyone can play it anywhere, any time. And yet it can be challenging and difficult to master. For me, weiqi is a philosophy; it helps us realize many analogies in life and understand the philosophy of life. It has no restrictive form and yet there is a name for every position on the board and a term for every action a player takes; it is intriguing and mesmerizing.

All the actors are unrecognizable to me, but their acting is one of the best - natural and believable. Shi Guang (played by Hu Xian Xu) is just like a kid in your neighborhood. He’s not very fond of academic work and fully absorbed into his toy cars (when he was a little boy). He is restless and at times, reckless, but he is the most endearing character who has great dynamics with everyone he encounters. Often, he is unintentionally funny.

When the spirit of Chu Ying (played by Zhang Chao aka Juck Zhang) appears to him, they become friends. Chu Ying uses Shi Guang as a medium to play weiqi, and his first opponent is Yu Liang (Hao Fu Shen) who is the youngest and the best weiqi player and his (Yu Liang’s) father is the nation’s number one weiqi player. To Yu Liang’s dismay, he loses the game and it is the most unforgettable event for him. He vows to work harder and wins back his honor. Since Shi Guang is not interested in weiqi in the first place and doesn’t want to be used by Chu Ying, he refuses to comply to Chu Ying’s instructions in playing the game. Chu Ying disappears. For years Shi Guang is happy with his life and has forgotten about Chu Ying until one day he’s back playing weiqi again in high school. Chu Ying returns. This time, they become pals. Chu Ying teaches Shi Guang all the skills, polishing him up for competitions. They love each other and they are inseparable. Chu Ying is Shi Guang’s angel but others think Shi Guang is having an active imagination and an imaginary friend. The path to become a professional player is covered with challenges and obstacles as Shi Guang finds out. Like all other weiqi players, his daily life is mundane; he plays weiqi eating, sleeping and all the time. I wish the drama has focused and showed the viewers more on how he has won playing with the more seasoned players with his strategic and unconventional moves. Unfortunately, all these are skipped and we only know of the results at the end of the competitions.

When the time comes and he has to leave, Chu Yin leaves without saying goodbye. Shi Guang is devastated. He grieves for the loss of a good friend who is also a part of him. For months, he’s lost, rendering him dropping out of weiqi. He returns when he realizes Chu Ying is now in his weiqi; they have become one.

Hu Xian Xu’s acting here is amazing. He captures the whole essence of the character of Shi Guang who is a happy-go-lucky kid with not much on his mind. He loves his friends but at the same time, mischievous to everyone. He may not be intelligent academically, but he is quick witted and can always find a way out of his predicament. His final few episodes are heart wrenching, crying for the loss of his soulmate, and I cry with him. Hu Xian Xu’s acting is so natural and so authentic, making the viewers laugh and love him.

Chu Ying is the spirit of an ancient weiqi player who is being slandered and whose name disgraced. He comes to Shi Guang by accident and piques Shi Guang’s interest in weiqi. They form a formidable alliance and become soulmates. For years, he helps Shi Guang realizing his potential. To others, Shi Guang seems like having an imaginary friend, speaking to himself and playing with himself all the time. The scenes are sweet and funny.

Zhang Chao’s depiction of Chu Ying is commendable. His portrayal is so real and makes the character such a lovable and beautiful ghost for all to enjoy. The contrast in their outfits is just so hilarious and yet so outstanding. His chemistry with Hu Xian Xu is undeniable.

Shi Guang has many buddies like Hong He (Zhao Hao Hong) and Shen Yi Lang (Sun Can), but none have the chemistry like he has with Yu Liang (Hao Fu Shen). Though they have met each other in episode one, they have not been together until the final episode when they are building a double team for the world championship. They bicker and banter a lot like young boys do, but their chemistry is amazing. I wish they have shown the scenes how the duo beat other renown weiqi couples with their unspoken communication, a look in the eyes, reading each other’s body language. For Yu Liang, Shi Guang is the light that brightens him up, and with his brightness, Shi Guang shines (their names).

This drama deals in depth with the relationships of Shi Guang with his mother, with Yu Liang, with his friends, and most of all, with his teacher, Chu Ying. It is delightful, funny, humorous and meaningful. The characters are flawed, interesting and well developed. This is one of the dramas that I’ve enjoyed thoroughly. It is also one of the very few that respects viewers’ intelligence. I love how they use the child actors for juveniles Shi Guang and Yu Liang, both children have resemblances of the older Shi Guang and Yu Liang, and the kid actors are adorable and great in their acts. I find myself smiling from episode one until the last. My only qualm is perhaps with the fan that Chu Ying has left for Shi Guang. I wish the writer has done it differently than giving a physical object of Chu Ying to tell the viewers that Chu Ying has never left Shi Guang but with him in his weiqi. I would love to have thought there has never been a Chu Ying but an inner voice of an unwoken prodigy. But with the fan, this has ruined the scenario for me; Chu Ying does exist but it’s hard to fathom how his immaterial fan materializes and becomes a solid object in front of Shi Guang.

Seeing the dedication of each player, their respect for each other and their humbleness, really makes my heart warm and brings a warm tear to my eyes. Winning is not everything, but the process in taking part in a competition is the most exhilarating experience one can enjoy. As with everything we may do in life, winning doesn’t really mean success and losing doesn’t really mean failure; it’s how we look at winning and losing.

As the world moves towards popular culture, ancient board games such as weiqi is being forgotten. Like ancient languages, fewer and fewer people know how to play and have the interest in weiqi. This drama tries to create awareness of the most wonderful game and promote interest among the youths. I hope after this drama, more people pick up playing weiqi. As for me, I am definitely doing so, crossing out one of the items which has been on my bucket list forever.

My verdict
This drama does not have all the big names, and yet it is well written and performed. The attention to details, in particular the norms of the era, is both immaculate and applaudable. This is an endearing and my most favorite non rom-com drama that evolves around weiqi and competitions. Even if viewers think weiqi is not their favorite subject, this drama is still an amazing watch because the story is so well told, the acting is fabulous and authentic, and the subject weiqi is deep and fascinating.

Some viewers have complained the final few episodes that the director has spent too much time dwelling into Shi Guang's pain and his breaking down. I actually love this breaking down period. It's a period of discovery and realization for him; I feel many people have missed that element here and therefore couldn't understand what the director's intention is. I wish the director has also delved further into Shi Guang's relationship with Yu Liang after Chu Ying, how the duo have communicated with each other silently, especially during their double competitions. Their body language part is too short and shallow without the depth like how it's been done for others.

This is a drama that deserves to be on everyone’s to-watch list. Strongly recommended.

TWO THUMBS UP!

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Why did I wait so long to watch this gem!?

It's because I couldn't imagine being interested in a series about a game I know nothing about. How shortsighted of me! If I hadn't heard AvenueX speak so highly of it in one of her videos, I really might never have experienced the overwhelming delight that watching this became.

Given that I did not know the background information of the story, I had nothing to measure it against or compare it to. I had the pleasure of being unexpectedly delighted from start to finish on every single aspect of it (even the sobbing for an entire day part as it neared the end). I feel like I received several years' worth of free therapy through those incredibly poignant and heart wrenching episodes. Honestly I will need a few weeks, maybe months, to fully integrate the deeper meaning and wisdom behind their individual and collective journeys.

The fact that I'm from NA and watching very much as an outsider to the culture and backdrop of these shows has truly been the most incredible journey and education on so many levels I don't even recognize myself any longer(8 months into watching Chinese series). I deeply appreciate the perspectives, family dynamics, emotional landscapes and rich history I am beginning to discover. So much more than a distraction or escape, it has become a much needed expansion on what has been my very limited awareness of a fascinating culture. I found that watching Hikaru no Go brought me immediately through the discomfort of knowing nothing about the game Go and proceeded to effortlessly and wholeheartedly capture my interest and imagination. It was so brilliantly executed and completely relatable on every level that I felt I had been warmly ushered into a good friend's home, offered the most comfortable chair, a glass of good wine and then spent the rest of the night having the best heart to heart imaginable. This series went far beyond entertainment for me. It was skillful mentorship on how to be a passionate and brave human being. There really aren't enough words in the dictionary to properly express my appreciation for Hikaru no Go, so I will close with encouraging those who have not experienced it yet to go ahead and give it a try. I feel it is well worth watching and though a completely different style than my all time favourite so far, Nirvana In Fire, it sits solidly right next to that masterpiece!

Deep gratitude to everyone involved in bringing this remarkable story to life!

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All around pleasant to watch

While I have no background knowledge of the game Go (except from Reply 1988) nor of manga, the drama effectively showed the journey of one’s unfounded passion. Accidentally discovered, reluctantly learned followed by relentless pursuit which ended with success beyond the conventional definition. It was interspersed with endearing characters and events that shaped the lead’s character. This was the ride that engaged me throughout, it was emotional at times but quite satisfying.

I truly enjoyed how Yu Liang and Shi Guang’s odd relationship exposed the worst and yet brought out the best in both of them. While the close interaction didn’t happen till the last episode you can feel their connection from their very first meeting. Yu Liang acted tough and aloof on the outside but you can feel his loneliness and longing for someone who can understand him. I also love Hong He, who wouldn’t want a friend like him? Loyal, thoughtful, considerate, loving, altruistic. I just want to hug him tight. His acting in particular was phenomenal! In fact all the actors including the club teachers were so good.

What I did not like was how slow it was in the first 20 episodes but I understand why it has to be done that way, it was needed in the story. The drama picked up after that but really climaxed for me in the last 6 episodes. There is so much to be said but in the end I would recommend this drama if you are looking for a slow burn, feel good, no romance slice of life genre. Go enthusiasts would likely find action here as I heard they actually hired professional Go players to make realistic plays.

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Memorable watch even for fans of the manga/anime

Hikaru no Go is one of my favourite animes of all-time, so this review will focus heavily on a comparison to the Studio Pierrot version with English subs. Major spoilers ahead.

This is a great adaptation and worth watching. It stays true to the source themes and intent, while introducing new interpretations and "localization" to suit the Chinese context. Some plot lines (~20%) are altered. The relative importance of various characters + their relationships are also different. However, it's well done and this drama stands commendably on its own.

Positives
- More pragmatic than the original anime; you can see the conflict between idealism and having to live in the real world, and how this weighs on characters' decision-making
- Much funnier than expected... I couldn't help but laugh out loud in many scenes
- Beautiful use of (what I presume are) Chinese philosophies or proverbs to illustrate key messages i.e. not being aware of the situation will lead to certain defeat; these added depth and clarity to the more open-ended / subtle / context-heavy Japanese style
- Solid acting, music, production value
- Heartwarming and deep relationships between side characters, that don't just revolve around Hikaru (Shi Guang)
- Closing song a very nice nod to the anime!

Negatives
- Loose ends: Waya (Hong He) leaving professional Go remains seemingly unresolved. One of my favourite ending scenes in the anime is of Touya Meijin (Yu Xiao Yang) sitting in front of a Go board with one stone placed, as if waiting for an invisible opponent. After telling Shi Guang he wanted another match with Sai (Chu Ling), they show no resolution of this request. A bit strange.
- Akira (Yu Liang) does not "discover" that Chu Ling (the infamous online Go player) is in Shi Guang's playing; this omission was a critical oversight as it established the pair's long history together, and illustrated how well Yu Liang was the only one who truly understood Shi Guang. Similarly, Shi Guang never confides in Yu Liang about Chu Ling even when they're training for pair Go, but strangely tells Kawai-san (Cao Xu).
- Shi Guang calling out the move that would've allowed Yu Xiao Yang to win the game against Chu Ling is labeled as "the Divine Move" in this drama; I personally believe this explicit assignment is philosophically inconsistent with the idea of the Divine Move in the first place.
- The opening where Hong Kong returns to China in 1997 felt overly political, although it is a powerful way to instantly create the nostalgic feeling of a bygone era.
- Certain arcs are less exciting: the online Go fever, use of unconventional openings i.e. Tengen by Yashiro (used by a heavily adapted Mu Qing Chun) and subsequently, how little is shown on Shi Guang's gusto and creativity in responding.

Neutral / Others
- Characters are less selfish, especially Chu Ling and Shi Guang; there are also fewer morally grey depictions.
- Tone of bromance between Shi Guang and Yu Liang is muted for much of the series, but is suddenly 10x in the finale.
- When Isumi (Sheng Yi Lang) visits Shi Guang after training in Japan, this production team decided to let Shi Guang have his "a-ha" moment alone, instead of during his replay with Sheng Yi Lang.
- The period of Shi Guang's depression and angst post Chu Ling's departure is significantly shorter, which is probably a good thing.
- Chu Ling leaves in the original anime because he finally realizes the purpose of his life and the nature of Go; however, since he apparently did not commit suicide in this series and was brought to the modern world by a supernova explosion, the timing of his departure is no longer tied to his personal enlightenment; this creates a slight disconnect.

All in all, this was a beautiful drama. Please watch it and see for yourself~

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A very heartwarming and relatable watch

This drama is PHENOMENAL! Went into this expecting nothing since I don't know the actors or anything about the drama. It just popped up in my YT recommendation while I was watching another cdrama. I definitely did not expect this to become one of my all time favorite Chinese dramas (and I've watched quite a lot already). The poster was quite uninviting and the general description of the drama did not really help. But I still gave it a try cos why not, I'll just drop it after watching 1 or 2 episodes if I don't like it, like manyyyyyy other c-dramas lmao.

BUT after just the first episode I was sold. The story is so interesting. I have not seen any other drama like this. It realistically portrayed how people come and go in our life, especially the different people in each stage of our life. Sometimes in order to move forward with our lives, we don't get to spend much time with our close friends and we get to have new friends in that new stage of our life. But still, we don't forget that relationship and connection we have with our friends from the past and the present. I just love how this was portrayed in the different stages of Shi Guang's journey.

The acting of Lu Siyu (young Shi Guang) was what really prompted me to continue watching this drama. And the cast after they grew up, Hu Xuan Xu and Hao Fu Shen, made me even more crazy for the drama. Each of the actors played their parts well, and none of them disappointed me. Each character also has their own side story which is very realistic in a way that each of us experiences different things and reacts differently to situations. I never knew Zhang Chao before this drama, I only knew that his face is familiar as I've seen him in other dramas but that's it. But after this drama, I will definitely look forward to his future projects since I love his acting in this drama. Same goes for the other actors who really amazed me (aherm Hu Xuan Xu).

The cast, the script, the production, everything is really done super well. JUST WATCH IT! You will not regret it.

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AMAZING, ONE OF THE BEST DRAMAS I EVER SEEN

Everything in this drama was perfect, the story, the characters, the cinematography, the way everything was portrayed. I'm not related to the manga or anime, but looking at what the fans of the original manga/anime have said, it was an amazing live adaptation, the acting was so good, and the cast was perfect, one of the things I enjoyed the most was to see the development and growth of the characters, the strong relationship between the main ones. the goodbye of chu ying was for me the best and most emotional scene of the series, and the chemistry between shi guang and yu liang was perfect, the last few episodes were the best in the whole series.

I really love Hong he :'( he was an amazing character and one of the best, I really love everything about this. hikaru no go is a really good drama, a must watch, this made me so happy and I really felt everything, the true love and passion for something, the hard work to reach your goals and dreams, the true friendship/love for others and many more beautiful things that they left in me, I really enjoyed this drama, it's really worth to watch, trust me, you will love this.


I cried 5 times watching this, I miss chu ying and now I feel like it was too short I NEED MORE OF THEM I FINISH IT JUST YESTERDAY AND I MISS THEM SO MUCH. CHU YING PLEASE COME BACK :(

I'm not really good at English so if there's any mistake hehe

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Lessons in life

I'm having second thoughts watching it but I was so thankful that I watched it. Full of encouragement and realization in life. So touching and will definitely enlighten you how you have to keep moving forward despite struggle in life. Will make you realize how blessed you are and appreciate what you have and be thankful and grab every opportunity. It might not happen as you wanted or as you plan it because it might turned out way much better. This series is very touching I love the story because it's very detailed and was able to show how it all started and will let you know the emotions of each and every character where coming from. Sometimes we might not be able to fully understand our friends or family where they coming from if they feel like giving up or discouraged. Whatever it is do not give up on your loved ones no matter what.

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worth your time, WHOLESOME & REALISTIC, non cringe

This drama is totally underrated amongst the international viewers. At first I was confused as to why the title sounded japanese but the drama was chinese, did not realise it was an adaptation A GOOD ONE THOUGH AHH (most adaptations are a no for me). Many dramas that I've watched were mainly romance focused because I don't seem to get interested in non-romance dramas but this is just *chefs kiss* SO GOOD. I accidentally stumbled on it and have zero regrets! I usually can't stand dramas that are based around some type of activity e.g sports or cooking, because most make it dramatic and unrealistic, but I will have to say they did not dramatise "go" in a way where it is cringe. There was multiple satisfying character developments and you will just feel so moved as to how the characters change as if you were the one watching over them (sounds weird ik). What I did not expect was the tint of bromance, BUT I'LL TAKE IT. I highly rec this drama to anyone, I almost dropped the drama but stayed to see the protagonist grow, phew luckily I stayed or i might've missed out on this masterpiece. I am looking forward to each of the actors future works too, well going to wait patiently.

HOWEVER: HUGE SPOILER ALERT
THE ONLY ISSUE I HAVE WITH THE PLOT OVERALL is
Similar to others, I understood why Hong He wanted to quit playing Go, but I did not expect it to be forever? In the end nothing was shown much bout him. I expected for him to maybe have a few years break from Go then he would return to it after his family issue was sorted out, but nothing was cleared up. He was one of my favourite characters too which was SAD, LIKE WHY. I still wanted to know if he ended up with the girl or had a happy ending at least, I can't bare to imagine him having a sad ending, after knowing that he is the type of character that would act happy even though he is not. UGH

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So far best live-action adaptation of an anime I've ever seen

I'm so damn happy about this adaptation of Hikaru no Go. I hadn't much hope at first, but I'm so glad that I watched this, even if the story differs from the original plot in the last part of the show, it's written well and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I must admit that maybe I grew more affectionate to these characters than the originals in the manga; I just fell in love with them, especially Hong He and Chu Ying.
Hong He was really a pleasant surprise, I absolutely loved every moment he was on screen, he made me laugh and cry and I just wanted to have him as best-friend. The actor did an incredible job playing Hong He, my attention just gravitated towards him unconsciously, really. I think he is probably my favorite character of the entire drama.
And what can I say about Chu Ying? The actor absolutely captured the very essence of his character and I loved him as much I was fond of Sai in the manga, he's just adorable. I was so entertained by his and Shi Guang's interactions, it was a joy to watch their friendship grow and develop; also episodes 32-33 made me crying non-stop, I was devastated, even if I knew That was coming.
I want to make a honorable mention to Fang Xu, for some reason, be it here or in the manga, his character never stop to amuse me and the actor did really a great job handling him. His brotherly relationship with Yu Liang never failed to make me smile and his growth was the one I appreciated more.

To be fair, every actor did a splendid job and I think that why the adaptation did turn out so well: everyone understood their character and made him alive. The script was written well and it was coherent, the music fitted just fine to the scene and the flow of the story didn't appear disconnected at all. Also I'm also really impressed by the special effect for Chu Ying, they really did a good job.
In conclusion, I recommend this to anyone, it's really worth your time! It's the first drama about sport that I've seen that is so well made, I just loved it.

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