The Totally Epic HikaGo Reread - Vol. 22

[effex]

~Volume 22 of Hikaru no Go~

Chapters 175-183

This is the second to last volume of Hikaru no Go! Next week, to celebrate the completion of The Totally Epic Hikaru no Go Reread, we'll be partying down in volume 23's discussion post. Pic spam! Fanfic recs! Comment fic! Music videos! Rampant spoilers! And whatever else we can think of.

Everyone is invited!

Comments

[effex]

* What is it with Go players and poking each other with (verbal) sticks?

* Not one of these boys is wearing a suit that fits him properly.

* It's interesting how the author continues to use the Chinese and Korean players to comment on the state of Japan's go. I'm trying to think of another sports/game/competition themed manga that gives it's international players such depth and characterization, but nothing's coming to mind.

* I also like all the translation problems they've got going on.

* I love Kiyoharu and his 'everybody just chill' and also his face. He makes great faces.

* Yay, Momma Shindo (and Grandpa) turned up! I don't remember, is this the first of Hikaru's games she's watched?

* I will never, ever get tired of all these DYNAMIC! ACTION! GO! panels.

* Drawing all those go stones must be a pain the ass.

* Oh, Akira. Be more besotted, I dare you.

* The face Hikaru makes after Akira tells him not to screw up is pretty great too.

* One! More! Volume! To go!

[onkoona]

replies in order:

*Aint got nothing else to get the adrenaline going. They are really to old for fisticuffs!

*I guess only Ogata is buying tailored...

*I had noticed that too. Basically it's a way to complain at the status of Go in Japan. As in lack of.

*I suppose some countries never run into other languages and problems caused there by. To me it's perfectly normal.
(superfluous comment: I had my second lesson of Japanese 1, tsugoi!)

*He does good faces, but boy is he pissed off most of the time!

* yes that is the first time, I think Hikaru has been keeping a low profile about Go at home

*Action scene! In a mental sport, pretty hard to do!

*Drawing them accurately too, 'cause people will notice if you don't! Ai, the pressure!

*Akira tries, doesn't he?

*Uh-hun!

[lacygrey]

I like the way many of the other characters turn up to watch the games. Oftan we haven't seen them for a while and they are older. Its like another of the 'rolecalls' where we see the old faces again.

[effex]

*I suppose some countries never run into other languages and problems caused there by. To me it's perfectly normal.
(superfluous comment: I had my second lesson of Japanese 1, tsugoi!)

You're probably correct - we mostly deal with English and Spanish in this part of Texas, and, while there can be language problems, it's not hard to find (several) someone to translate. Adding a third language would throw everybody off.

[lacygrey]

This is interesting. I wonder what the most commonly used international language would be in such circumstances. It seems a bit ridiculous that it would be English.

[seventh_sister]

Often it *is* English. Japanese, Chinese and Koreans all learn English at school which makes it into a language that they all know. It seems kinda ridiculous but happens everywhere in the world.

[lacygrey]

Not one of these boys is wearing a suit that fits him properly.

The ties are the best ^_^

I love Kiyoharu and his 'everybody just chill' and also his face. He makes great faces.

We get a lot more depth on him in these last volumes: his Go-hating parents (kind of the opposite of Kaga's), his lack of experience despite his ability. Up until the weekend they spend at Touya's he's an outsider, an opponent. Now we get to know him. He's also introduced as a maverick, a rebel, but next to one of Touya and Shindou's fights he's really Mr Ordinary and his reactions are priceless.

[effex]

The ties are amazing. I bet they would be even more, ah, stunning in color (especially Akira's).

And yeah, Kiyoharu really is the most 'normal' of the group. That plus his hair + 'rebel' framing = in a more traditional shonen manga he'd totally be the main character.

Grabs!

[onkoona]

(And there we were thinking there was nothing more.
Well I guess we were right, sort of.)

New Years Special #1
part 1
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/53654.html

part 2
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/53823.html

part 3
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/54072.html

part 4
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/54369.html


Isn't little Hikaru cute?

Re: Grabs!

[lacygrey]

Ive never seen this, its like a lengthened version of Sai's side story. I'll have to go find it on dailymotion. What's it called?

Re: Grabs!

[onkoona]

"Hikaru no Go - Special Edition"
Not much onfo there I'm afraid...

Re: Grabs!

[lacygrey]

So this is (yet another) unscrupulous go-playing antiques dealer...its starting to look like organised crime!


Interesting bit of trivia that Sai also likes playing cards!

Re: Grabs!

[onkoona]

Sai just want to play period. I don't think he knows anything about cards!

[lacygrey]

In this final arc also we see another side to Kurata. Because he's so down to earth and direct, its hard to think if him as 'intuitive', though this was the theme of his side story and here its the basis of his decision to make Shindou first board.

He's still as pretty childish about An Tenson. I like when Aikawa calls him a big kid.

(She's just such a fangirl -squees over everybody; shame we don't see more of her in fic)

[effex]

I like Kurata a lot - he's a strange mix of cool/responsible/intuitive/knows-his-shit and child-like. I can see him being a lot like Kuwabara when he gets older.

(Yay, Aikawa! Maybe we should make up a list and/or picspam of all the awesome women in HikaGo.)

[lacygrey]

Starting with the little old lady who tells Hikaru there's a Go salon by the station.
...or perhaps his Mum for cutting his allowance in the first place!

[lacygrey]

I can see him being a lot like Kuwabara when he gets older.

That just made me try to imagine Kurata playing Kubawara. I wonder how far the old man would get with his mind games?

[lacygrey]

Actually the first time I saw Yeongha Ko I thought, 'Finally! a girl with a major role in the story.'

[effex]

He is very, very pretty!

[lacygrey]

And provocative: one of the most interesting characters I think.

He realises they've misquoted him but goes along with it - rubs it in.

The scene where Hon Suyong tells him off and lays into him with a pillow: despite this, its clear who the more mature of them is.

[lacygrey]

Poor Waya - Isumi saw it coming that he'd be taken for the giant Le Ping by theur Chinese colleagues. That really was a bit unfair.

[effex]

Unfair and hilarious. That gag just keeps giving.

[lacygrey]

Next week, to celebrate the completion of The Totally Epic Hikaru no Go Reread, we'll be partying down in volume 23's discussion post. Pic spam! Fanfic recs! Comment fic! Music videos! Rampant spoilers!

Give it a plug on the comm?