Hikaru no Go (2020)

Most underrated drama but it's 2020's best one!

I have little expectation of this drama and thought it would be boring. I watched this with little interest but this drama adaptation turns out to exceed my expectations!

Although the casts aren't well-known, but they portrayed their characters well. My favorite would be Chu Ying! The character development of the characters are also satisfying.

There is no romance in this drama (w/c i liked!) but bromance u can get enouf of it. The friendship and bond is strong .. they value their relationship and help each other to not give up.

I dare say, this made my 2020 complete! As someone who's sceptical from live action dramas adapted from anime, it's totally unexpected and worth watching!

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The Best Bromance Drama Ever

This drama was so incredibly captivating that I found myself immediately rewatching it from the beginning right after finishing it.
I loved it so much that I couldn’t even bring myself to write a review at first.
But I really want to share how amazing this drama is with those who haven’t seen it yet, so I’m writing this review now.

The story is based on the Japanese manga "Hikaru no Go." I am also a fan of the original manga.
The manga itself is wonderful and very entertaining. Even though it has been more than 20 years since the manga finished its serialization, there are still many fans of this work in Japan.
The anime remains popular as well.
I want to extend the highest praise to the director, scriptwriter, production staff, and above all, the actors who managed to perfectly adapt this wonderful work into a 36-episode drama without losing any of its charm.

Hu Xianxu, who played Shi Guang, was particularly outstanding.
This was the first time I saw his acting, but I instantly became a huge fan. He embodied "Shi Guang" so perfectly.
He was truly amazing. His performance was so remarkable that I couldn’t believe there was such a talented actor in China.
What I particularly loved was how Shi Guang wasn’t portrayed as a cool character at all. Hu Xianxu didn’t try to make himself look cool in the slightest, and that’s what made his performance so fantastic.
Even though he is actually a very handsome actor, when he played the clumsy and lazy Shi Guang, he truly became the character. He was such an adorable, endearing character that you couldn’t help but love him.

And Hao Fushen, who played Yu Liang, was also amazing.
He perfectly captured Yu Liang's obsession, passion, and competitive spirit towards Shi Guang, while showing a humble and modest attitude outside of playing Go.
He portrayed a determined young man who constantly strives for greatness, living in the shadow of his father, a top figure in the Chinese Go world.

Zhang Chao, who played Chu Ying, delivered an extraordinary performance as a character that transcends humanity—neither a person, a god, nor a ghost, but the unique role of Chu Ying. His reactions to the modern world and his gradual adaptation were incredibly charming.
The relationship between him and Shi Guang, which was like that of a master and disciple, a family, brothers, and close friends, was truly wonderful.

As a fan of BL and bromance, I especially loved the relationship between Shi Guang and Yu Liang.
These two characters are each other’s greatest rivals and confidants in life.
Their personalities and lifestyles are completely different, so they probably wouldn’t have met or become friends without Go.
However, Go binds their destinies together, creating an unbreakable bond and a world that belongs to them alone.
It’s clear that Shi Guang and Yu Liang will continue to shine as two stars in the Chinese Go world for years to come.

I watched this drama without knowing the rules of Go, but I was so determined to understand it that I bought a "Go set" and a "Beginner’s Guide to Go." I’m now studying Go because of this drama. That’s how much it captivated me.
I’m so glad I found this drama. It has become a work that I’ll rewatch countless times throughout my life.

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Nothing just go for it

So i am reviewing this now but i watched it like last year. So i don't know why but i watched it in one go. It was so addicting to watch. I loved the bromance and this was the only drama where the interaction was so less between the shi guang and yu liang but i still did not feel sad. Like it did some black magic on me or something. I kow nothing about go but i can watch this again and again?????. Amd i loved the ending although felt sad for hong he as he was my most favourite character. I really wished he was with them but i know he would been the third wheel between them??

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Finding life’s meaning through a sport

I am not interested in Go. But I love a good sport centric or solid character development story.

And Hikaru no Go nails it - essence of what makes for a great sport / competition centric story.

True to good Japanese sports animes’ spirit, Hikaru no Go has well fitted cast which brings out the characters on screen, solid storyline which makes us care for the characters’ growth and journey, and lovely relationship dynamics - be it mentor-mentee, rivals or friends.

1. Acting and cast
First things first, what drew me in first was young Shi Guang played by Lucas Lu. What made me stayed after was older Shi Guang played by Hu Xian Xu. Shi Guang is one of the typical leads of “hidden talent who started late” troupe in sports story. They both nail this character well and manage to maintain the consistency even when it’s played by 2 different people. They piqued my interest and made me care for Shi Guang’s journey and development with Go. From not knowing what it is, to tolerating it because of Chu Ying, to learning about it and then to taking it seriously.

Both of them also had great chemistry with Chu Ying, played by Zhang Cao. This is important because it’s the story’s backbone and spirit. Chu Ying was a spirit who can only interact with Shi Guang throughout and the one who introduced the latter to Go. If this mentor-mentee dynamic didn’t work out, it means Shi Guang’s connection to Go won’t be as believable. Kudos to all 3 actors and their dynamics.

Other actors and actresses were also well casted, which adds to the enjoyment of this live adaptation.

2. Storyline and character development
Next, the pacing of storyline was done well.

I hadn’t read the manga before, so it probably helped considering I didn’t have any biased lens watching this.

The show first started with young Shi Guang playing Go reluctantly because of Chu Ying. Thereafter, he picked up Go again during high school because of an incident with his school mates. I enjoyed how the show took time to tease this part out and to establish this context for Shi Guang. I may not know or interested in Go. But I cared for Shi Guang, which then extends to the thing that Shi Guang came to love - Go.

Thus, I got invested in his improvement after he found his own motivation and interest in Go - not because of Chu Ying, not because of extra pocket money, not because of his ego, not because of his friends.

Every improvement and a small win by Shi Guang gave me a smile.

3. Relationship dynamic
Great sports stories are made up by characters who have a devotion and dedication to said sports as our main lead dived deeper into it. In Hikaru no Go, we see characters’ relationship with each other and with Go.

How lovely, to understand the characters motivation and to follow their discovery / learning of themselves through the game of Go and with each other. I still know nothing of Go after watching this (because I kinda zoned out whenever they got too much into the technicalities of it), but it never hindered my understanding of the characters’ motivation or traits or quirks.

I particularly loved Chu Ying’s battle with Yu Xiao Yang - on their 领悟 (learnings) from their inevitable face off. It stands to show how learning is boundless and everyone has their own unique journey / lesson on mastering an art.

While Yu Liang was supposedly the rival of Shi Guang, I somehow can’t seem to connect much to their dynamics. Not that the storyline or the actors’ chemistry were bad. Just other things - be it moments, characters or friendships- seem to drew me in more.

Ultimately, my favorite dynamic remains Chu Ying and Shi Guang.

Nevertheless, I rated Hikaru no Go at 8.5 because the story and cast didn’t managed to draw me in completely to the Go world. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think one requires to know Go to enjoy this story - just like I did. While it’s barely hit the mark for me, it might for you.

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This is not an adaptation this is a Spin off.

Warning guys this is not an adaptation of the anime, this is a spin off.
They made their own story using the IP. It's in a chinese setting with chinese world and characters. I appreciate the effort so much, not only you get the nostalgia but its an original story, most live actions the best thing they can do its just make a shitty adaptation of what we like. But this is different, in a good way, its fresh its new, its 2021. So much love was put into this, it only adds to the original because its not trying to copy it. I love that creators of this show, they wanted to put their heart their personalities into this and they succeed it. I hope more studio take this examples and make their original stories, yeah i know detective pikachu sucked but hey, I can appreciate the effort. Take more risks try new things, thats the spirit.
If you are one of the few people that have watched this and not the original anime, then watch the original you are not missing anything, you see its a WIN-WIN. This show could have been so bad but because it isnt makes me so happy. It get too soap opera at times, but besides that absulutely fantastic. It's a slow start so watch atleast 6 episodes i reccomend if you dont like it, then quit for sure. It has a lot of build up at first but then its followed by a lot pay off, a little boring at the beggining but fantastic middle and ending.

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A good Manga Adaptation.

I love this manga adaptation. I have read the manga, although the "character writing" of the main character (Shi Guang/Hikaru) is different from the manga. But I like it. Hikaru's initially calm character turns into a cheerful and goofy one. But the goofiness makes the story more lively.

Actually, the real manga is short. So there will be a lot of filler episodes, but most of the filler episodes don't feel like filler. Some episodes support story progress and character development. Except for a few episodes at the end. it felt a bit dragging.

But overall it is very good adaptation.
For overall experience i give it 9.5/10.
GOOD JOB.

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A beautiful and poignant live action adaptation of a beloved manga/anime series

Hikaru No Go was one my favorite anime and manga series from the early 2000's. It became so hugely popular that it spawned a newfound interest in Go, drawing many new players to the sport - me included (although I was never very good at it). But for some reason, the Japanese entertainment industry never felt the need to make a live action adaptation despite its massive fandom. It wouldn't be until almost 20 years later since the manga's inception when a C-drama adaptation of the series would be released. It's called Qi Hun in China, but it retained its original title for its international release. I didn't have the chance to watch it when it was initially shown because I didn't have subscriptions to Chinese streaming sites at that time. But recently, I remembered that I still haven't seen it and found it on iQIYI thankfully. As a fan of the source material, I went into this with a lot of skepticism because live action adaptations, more often than not, do not give justice to the original, so I didn't think they could pull it off. But color me surprised, they did and they did so with flying colors! I fell in love with the drama from the get-go. I could tell from the first few episodes that this was created by people who loved the manga and this was a love letter to the timeless work written and drawn by Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi. Yes, the setting, names, looks of the characters, and language are different, but they preserved the soul of the manga. It felt like Hikaru No Go through and through, not some cash-grabbing poor imitation of the original.

It follows the story of an unsuspecting young boy (Shi Guang/Hikaru) who stumbles upon an ancient Go board that is haunted by the ghost of a Go prodigy (Chu Ying/Sai) who met a tragic fate and has been waiting for more than a thousand years to obtain his redemption. Together they set out to find the “Divine Move”, something that most masters of the sport dream of finding. As the story progresses, Shi Guang grows to love the sport and Chu Ying starts to mentor him, teaching him everything he knows and molding him to become one of the finest players the sport has ever seen. The bond that they share is one of the focal points of the story and this drama gives justice to that. Their relationship is wholesome, touching, and heart-wrenching. Chu Ying isn't just Shi Guang's mentor but also his father figure and most avid cheerleader. They are thick as thieves! I cried buckets because of them.

Chu Ying is definitely the best character in this drama just like Sai in the anime/manga. He is such a pure soul and the perfect teacher. He's patient but strict. He encourages but he doesn't push too hard. He doesn't become envious of Shi Guang's growth and talent, but he feels proud instead. He knows that Shi Guang is his legacy and the only proof that he ever existed. Another thing that this drama got right is the rivalry between Shi Guang and Yu Liang (Akira). One of the highlights of this series is Shi Guang and Yu Liang's intense rivalry that develops into a beautiful friendship. Their tacit understanding of one another makes them a compelling pair. They may hate each other's guts sometimes, but they want the other to succeed and feel terrible when the other fails. Yu Liang is the complete opposite of Shi Guang and yet it is he who understands him best apart from Chu Ying.

Shi Guang's other relationships are equally heartwarming, from his supportive grandfather and high school friends to his comrades from his Go club who would do anything for him. It made me think that he is indeed fortunate to have friends like these. Hong He is one of my favorites among his friends, he is such a good guy and I found myself rooting for him. His love-hate relationship with Gu Yu is also interesting. I cried when Gu Yu confronted him and told him how much he envied and admired him at the same time. His teachers from his Go club are also very endearing as well as the nameless monks in Lan Yin temple and the construction guys who gave Shi Guang and the boys a hand. I also learned to love Yu Liang's senior, the arrogant playboy, Fang Xu. His character development is one of the things that I liked about this drama. I couldn't even dislike that spoiled brat who prides himself as the best player in their Go club because at the end, he becomes a little more mature and accepts defeat. I love every character in this drama except that braggart, Mu Qing Chun. He's a real piece of work! Hahaha!

The screenwriters did a marvelous job at adapting the source material, something I really didn't expect. The dialogues are so on point and there are many quotable quotes, especially from Chu Ying. The emotional beats and tense-filled scenes are so well-executed that I felt nervous whenever they played matches. I love that this is not just about Go but also about life, growing up, love, and loss. I cried so much watching this drama. Yes, they made changes, but I actually have no complaints, especially with the way they ended it. Truth be told, the manga ends abruptly with no real resolution or closure that many people felt disappointed. So the fact that they ended it the way they did made it better.

The music is also well-suited to the series. The makers of the drama even went out of their way to do a Chinese remake of the iconic theme from the anime that was originally written by Kids Alive. There are tons of easter eggs and callbacks to the manga and anime that if you're a fan, you will definitely be able to identify them.

I cannot heap enough praises for this drama and I cannot recommend it enough. If you're a fan of the anime/manga, this is a must-see! But if you're new to Go or the IP, it is also a wonderful coming of age story filled with ups and downs, wins and losses. It's not perfect, for sure, but I give it a 10 out of 10 because it is the kind of drama that I would want to rewatch again and again, and I became so attached to the characters that I felt that they're already a part of me. I was so immersed in this world that I'm very reluctant to leave it behind. I thank the makers of this drama from the writers, director, producers to the cast and staff, you made me laugh, cry, and feel good about myself. This drama truly deserves the only perfect 10-rating that I have ever given a C-drama thus far.

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one of the only shows ever to have made me cry

Hikaru no Go is genuinely so good. It's a pretty realistic coming-of-age story with fantasy elements that don't overwhelm the plot but rather enhance it.

Unfortunately I haven't seen/read the original media so I can't review it as an adaptation, but as a standalone show it's fantastic. Good pacing, good plot, plenty of ups and downs. Likeable and three-dimensional characters with plenty of flaws and bad decisions. Plenty of character growth. Unexpected plot twists, nice cinematography, good acting. Comedy and drama in equal measure.

I really have no complaints. This is one of the only shows that's ever made me actually cry, which was wildly unexpected, but goes to show how good the actors are and how well they portrayed experiences. And how good the framing was too for everything. Nothing felt like a scene in isolation and nothing felt out of place, everything flowed. I'd give it a 10 if I'd had no reason to cry in the first place!

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hm

omg really boring ,,curious opening but the story maybe to long for that boring story ,, this drama like a combine a set of cut scenes ,, i very hate annoying stubborn ML ,stubbornness out of place ,, it's actually quite interesting when discussing Igo, especially since I really intend to study it, and there are some problems that actually make me quite curious how it happened, until ep 12 I really couldn't stand to continue it, the plot was too slow ,alot of cast with annoying character ,, maybe it will get better at the end of the story, but too late

and for some events actually I don't understand why?
even though yuliang was able to finish the IGO online match but he chose to give up and rematch so he passed an important match

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非常棒的改编，剧情中国本土化了，不逊色于日本原作。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

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Cela frôle la perfection

J'en ai lu des mangas ( sauf celui-ci, je l'admets), j'en ai vu des animés (du moins lorsque j'étais encore jeune) et depuis ces 10 dernière années, j'en ai vu des dramas ( je ne compte pas ceux de mon enfance). C'est sans l'ombre d'une hésitation que je mettrais ce dernier dans la catégorie "énorme coup de coeur qui nous oblige à prier tous les dieux qu'une suite soit prévue". Car, oui peu de drama pourra se targuer de nous avoir mené par le bout du nez, du début à la fin.
Je ne suis pas familière de ce manga, qui n'est pas vraiment un genre que je plébiscite. Et pourtant. Ce drama commencé un jour d'ennui nous aura totalement scotché tant par le charisme incroyable des personnages que par un scénario à la limite de l'épique titanesque. Je n'aurais jamais cru qu'une partie de GO pouvait pratiquement nous transcender.
Le jeu d'acteur est incroyable. Jusqu'à présent, je ne pouvais que tomber de pâmoison devant le jeu des coréens. Mais depuis peu, après avoir découvert des pépites chez les chinois, je sais maintenant que les chinois savent aussi jouer de manière naturelle, de manière intense, de manière magnifique. Tout semble naturel, tout semble tellement vrai et sincère.
Une mention spéciale pour l'enfant qui interprète Shi Guan enfant, qui est incroyable ( oui, cela va être un mot que je vais utiliser sans modération), nous avons été bluffés par son jeu! Il a de beaux jours devant lui, et nous lui souhaitons de continuer à jouer.
Les interprètes de Chu Ying et de Shi Guan nous livrent une performance tout en subtilité et pleine de sensibilité. Mais, pour être honnête, ils ont tous tellement bien joué, je ne peux que saluer la performance générale des acteurs.
J'ai entendu dire que l'OST, le ending était la même que celui de l'animé, une très belle chanson qui va nous marquer pendant longtemps.
Mais ce qui fait la force de ce drama, ce qui le rend parfait à mes yeux, ce qui m'aura fait sourire, rire (et on rit souvent, un éclat de rire qui fait du bien), pleurer, "shipper" (et faut y aller pour que je sois aussi amoureuse d'une relation autre que familiale ou amoureuse) est la relation qui unit les personnages. Le lien qui les unit est incroyable. Il est vrai, il est intense, il est ce qu'on imagine de plus fort entre des personnes.
Le lien entre Shi Guan et Chu Ying est whoa (pour éviter d'utiliser encore incroyable). C'est magique. C'est tellement fort. C'est une amitié qui traverse le temps, qui va au-delà de ce que j'ai pu voir jusqu'à présent. Les épisodes finaux m'auront fait pleurer pour la première fois de ma vie, pleurer pour une amitié magnifique à laquelle je ne m'attendais vraiment pas. Mais la relation entre nos deux héros n'est pas la seule qui aura été vibrante. Il y a la relation entre les 2 profs du club de pro, les maîtres de Go, les moines, les élèves du lycée de Shi Guan, les amis de Shi Guan, Yu Lian et Shi Guang (les derniers épisodes entre ces deux là sont inoubliables aussi...), en bref, tous, nous auront fait vibrer.
Et devrais-je mentionner la philosophie derrière tout cela, les paroles pleines de sagesse, cet idéal, cet amour, cette envie de réussir et d'être heureux? Devrais-je mentionner cette solidarité? Ce besoin de le faire ensemble, de marcher main dans la main? Ce combat qui appartient à tout le monde? Je m'incline.
Ce drama est une perle, et si je ne donne pas la note maximum, c'est juste que : 36 épisodes ont été trop courts!

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