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Reviewed by Michael Aronson “Akira is beginning a new school year at Kaio Middle School. With his daunting reputation as the Toya Meijin’s son, Akira finds he must prove himself to more than a few mean and jealous classmates. And with the help of upperclassman Yuri Hidaka, Akira finds the confidence to persevere in his hunt to beat Hikaru. Meanwhile, Hikaru is having a hard enough time just trying to find a third teammate to play in the Haze Middle School Go Club. A possible teammate arrives in the form of Yuki Mitani – but will he join their club or continue to swindle old timers for their pocket change?” This series just isn’t for me. Reading about board game tournaments is like going to a rock concert only for the band to pop a CD of their album into a stereo and sit idly while it plays. What’s the point? Not only do both situations fail to deliver the kind of enthralling experience expected of them, but the audience’s time might be better spent cracking open a Go board at home or catching the rock concert on TV. Hikaru No Go simply can’t justify the need for its illustrations. The panels of Go games in progress reveal the layout of the boards and position of the pieces, but if the reader is unfamiliar with the mechanics of the game itself – as I am – the images are meaningless. And considering that one game in this volume is played sight-unseen in which the players announce the co-ordinates they wish their pieces to be placed, if the characters don’t need to see the game board, why does the reader? There are some decent bits that introduce newcomer Yuki and his wobbly ethics, as well as Akira’s anguish over the possible existence of a worthy rival (it’s not Hikaru, it’s his dead lady ghost friend! Bah!), but they’re undercut by the series’ lack of stakes and visual dynamism. I’m not proud of raining criticism down upon something I just can’t stand on a conceptual level. I’d like for someone who enjoys Hikaru No Go to offer examples of its strengths and why it might appeal to a western audience. Sure, it offers some genre diversity, but that’s not a strong enough basis for recommendation. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
1 September 2010
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