The Best Episodes of Hikaru no Go

#1 Fan Favorite
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8.7/10(48 votes)
#1 - Sai vs. Toya Koyo
S2:E2510/30/2002
The wait is over! Sai and Toya Meijin face off in a match that has the entire world glued to their computer screens. Who will triumph and discover the Divine Move?
Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
8.6/10(45 votes)
#2 - Akira vs. Sai
S1:E182/13/2002
Akira skipped his first match of the Pro exams in order to play the match against Sai on the net. Akira is perplexed over the identify of Sai which he thinks might be Hikaru while Ogata has his own thinking. Players all over the world are observing the match. Though Akira lost the match, he feels as though he had finally caught up with 'Hikaru'/Sai. When Akira heard from a Go cafe customer that Hikaru was sighted at an internet cafe, he races to the site thinking that he might be Sai. Hikaru denies he's Sai but gets ruffled when Akira seems to disregard him as a opponent. The episode ended with Hikaru saying 'If you keep chasing after an illusion of me, I'll pass by you eventually'.
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
8.6/10(41 votes)
#3 - The Thousand Year Answer
S2:E2611/6/2002
When the match comes to a close, Sai is left the victor. However, when Hikaru discovers a flaw in the game that not even Sai was aware of, Sai finally realizes why he was allowed to return to the world of the living.
Director:Kunitoshi Okajima
Writer:Michiko Yokote
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Director:Kunitoshi Okajima
Writer:Michiko Yokote
8.2/10(43 votes)
#4 - My Name is...
S2:E66/19/2002
Hikaru plays a Korean Insei-equivilant at a Go Salon.
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
8.2/10(41 votes)
#5 - A Painful Match
S2:E199/18/2002
Hikaru/Sai spends half hour to decide on the first move while the others are having a field day discussing Hikaru. With a 15 moku handicap Hikaru set for Sai, Sai decides to attack early by baiting a trap for Meijin (Touya Kouyou) but which the latter is too careful to fall into. However, the Meijin sense a formidable presence around Hikaru, similar to the pressure he feels when playing against a seasoned Pro. Though Hikaru lost the game, the Meijin indicates that he would like to play Hikaru again without any handicap. Hikaru and Sai had a mini-debate about when Hikaru' going to let him play again. Akira further wonders about who Hikaru really is when his father confirms he would like to play Hikaru again.
Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
8.1/10(42 votes)
#6 - That Same Old Smile
S3:E153/26/2003
The match between Hikaru and Akira comes to an end. Hikaru tells Akira that one day, he will tell him everything. At night Hikaru has a dream, with a surprise visitor! At the end, the song “Get Over” is played as we see everyone throughout the series. The Go world is changing and a younger generation has arrived!
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi

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The 20 WORST Episodes of Hikaru no Go

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8.1/10(38 votes)
#7 - The Confession of Sai
S2:E2310/16/2002
Toya Meijin has a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. Hikaru visits him and discovers that he has been playing internet Go. Hikaru begs Meijin to play Sai online. He agrees on one condition.
Director:Katsuyoshi Yatabe
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Katsuyoshi Yatabe
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
8.0/10(71 votes)
#8 - Eternal Rival
S1:E110/10/2001
Sixth grader Hikaru Shindo stumbles upon a mysterious Go board with a blood stain on it. Before he knows it he's hearing voices, one voice to be exact. The voice of an ancient Go instructor, Sai of the Fujiwara. Sai occupies a space in Hikaru's mind. Hikaru is the only one who can see, hear, or talk to Sai. Sai's one and only desire is to play Go. But he can only do that via Hikaru's body. However, Hikaru has no interest in playing Go. Will Hikaru allow Sai to play? And who is this mysterious young boy, Akira Touya?
Director:Susumu Nishizawa
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Susumu Nishizawa
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
8.1/10(37 votes)
#9 - Toya Koyo Retires!
S2:E2911/27/2002
The Go World goes into a state of shock after Toya Meijin announces that he is retiring as Professional Go player. As everyone tries to find out why Koyo has given up his titles and his status, Akira begins to worry about Hikaru's progress.
Director:Toshiya Niidome
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Toshiya Niidome
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
8.0/10(40 votes)
#10 - Hikaru vs Ochi
S2:E158/21/2002
Hikaru and Ochi finally face-off. Determined to prove his worth to Akira, Ochi goes all out against Hikaru, while Hikaru does the same. As the game continues on, Hikaru realizes that Ochi has the advantage and strives to a opening before it's too late.
Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
8.0/10(38 votes)
#11 - Farewell Hikaru
S2:E3012/4/2002
Hikaru continuously ignores Sai's worries of his leaving and ends up allowing Sai to engage a drunk Ogata in a Go match. The next day, Sai begs Hikaru for a game, but something happens during the game that will change Hikaru's life
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Michiko Yokote
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Michiko Yokote
7.9/10(41 votes)
#12 - The Match of Revelation
S1:E172/6/2002
Players who have been following Sai's net matches attended the 20th International Amateur Go Tournament in Japan. A commotion occurs at the mention of Sai's name as everyone is trying to who out who he is. The commotion caught the attention of Ogata and Akira. When Akira and Sai engaged in a match over the net, the former is reminded of his first match with Hikaru. Akira discontinues the match so as not to disrupt the ongoing tournament but fixes a date for a match with Sai which happens to be on the first day of Akira's Pro exams.
Director:Hideki Tonokatsu
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Hideki Tonokatsu
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.9/10(38 votes)
#13 - Sai was here...
S3:E102/19/2003
After much convincing, Hikaru agrees to play Isumi. However, he will play him for Isumi’s sake, not his own. He will not enjoy the game or get into it. He can’t betray Sai. But when the game of Go becomes intense, is there anything that Hikaru can do? Hikaru ties hard not to betray Sai. He promised him that he would never play again. But can it be helped? Will Sai ever return to him?
Director:Mashu Itō
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Mashu Itō
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.8/10(43 votes)
#14 - The Most Inconsiderate Act
S1:E1112/19/2001
The Go Sallon Yuki goes to doesn't mind giving him money for winning games, but they are tired of him cheating to get it. They hire a skilled player who pretends not to know anything about Go to teach Yuki a lesson. Unfortunately, Yuki falls for the trick and ends up betting 10,000 yen (about $90). Can Yuki manage to defeat this skilled player?
Director:Masakatsu Iijima
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Masakatsu Iijima
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.8/10(42 votes)
#15 - Hikaru's Strength
S1:E192/20/2002
Hikaru is slowly, but surely, getting better as evidenced when he beats Mitani in a game though with a handicap as well as Tsutsui. To play go with Sai, now that they decided not to play internet go anymore, Hikaru tries to get his gramps to buy him a go board/stones. When Hikaru beats a strong opponent at the go school, even to the astoundment of the teacher, he finally understands that one can only judge how strong others are when he's strong himself. He bumps into Kaio's first board when he's browsing a bookstore and the latter pulls him away to a match.
Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Michiko Yokote
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Director:Shin'ichi Masaki
Writer:Michiko Yokote
7.8/10(41 votes)
#16 - The Dead Moment
S2:E97/10/2002
Isumi has gone on undefeated, while Hikaru has lost only one game so far. The time finally comes for them to play each other, and only one of them can win.
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.8/10(41 votes)
#17 - Forever Inside You
S3:E143/19/2003
The game between Hikaru and Akira wages on. They are both into the game and excited about it. Meanwhile, Amano tells news of a junior Japan, China, and Korea Go Tournament. It’s for experienced Go players under the age of 18. Everyone is worried because they have no one who could stand a chance against Korea, or even China, except for Akira. Amano says that they have Hikaru and the new wave that’s coming…
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
7.8/10(40 votes)
#18 - The First One to Pass
S2:E127/31/2002
The Pro Exam is nearing its end as the last three matches arrive. Ochi, Waya, and Hikaru are currently the top three, and Ochi is at the point where he'll pass even if he loses all of his matches. Hikaru and Waya must still be careful, as a loss or two could cause them to lose their spots.
Director:Setsuo Takase
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Setsuo Takase
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.8/10(40 votes)
#19 - The Last Day of the Pro Exam Finals
S2:E168/28/2002
With all of the other matches finished, the final decision of the Pro Exams rests upon Hikaru and Ochi's match. Can Hikaru defeat Ochi, or will he be forced to play Isumi again for a chance at going pro?
Director:Kunitoshi Okajima
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Kunitoshi Okajima
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
7.8/10(40 votes)
#20 - To the World of the Pros
S2:E179/4/2002
Having defeated Ochi, Hikaru has gained Akira's respect, and Akira is now awaiting their next match. As Hikaru wonders how his life will change now that he's become a Pro, Hikaru's mother confronts Waya's parents for advice on what to do. Also Sai begins to feel that he is no longer needed by Hikaru.
Director:Hideki Tonokatsu
Writer:Michiko Yokote
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Director:Hideki Tonokatsu
Writer:Michiko Yokote
7.8/10(39 votes)
#21 - Waya vs Shindou
S2:E138/7/2002
Hikaru and Waya finally face each other, and both are desperate to win. However, Waya has other reasons for wanting to win besides just turning pro, but Hikaru needs to win as well! When Waya traps Hikaru in a situation where only one move can save him, can Hikaru figure it off?
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
7.8/10(39 votes)
#22 - Sai vs Meijin
S2:E189/11/2002
Hikaru got a call that the Meijin is to play him in the first new dan series. Hikaru denies Sai's request to play instead. Both Master Kuwabara and Mr Ogata were surprised by each other's interest in Hikaru. Orchi, Waya and Akira also came by the Institute to watch the match. Hikaru decides to let Sai play with a 15 moku handicap instead of the 5.5 moku handicap given to new pros. Hikaru/Sai took a unprecedented half hour to decide on his first move while Sai contemplates on how to play the game.
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.8/10(39 votes)
#23 - Kurata 6-dan
S2:E2110/2/2002
Hikaru and Sai thwart the efforts of some con-artists trying to take advantage of unsuspecting amateur Go players, but one of con-artists is a Pro Go player.
Director:Hiroshi Kuruo
Writer:Michiko Yokote
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Director:Hiroshi Kuruo
Writer:Michiko Yokote
7.8/10(38 votes)
#24 - The Wakajishisen
S1:E284/24/2002
The top 16 in the A league all take part in the Young Lions Tournament. If Hikaru can manage to get past the first round, he'll finally get to face Akira again. Meanwhile, Isumi faces an old rival, and everyone wants Isumi to put him in his place. As Sai and Ogata monitor Hikaru's game, they become shocked when Hikaru turns a bad move into a good move. However, when the round ends, only 3 Insei will have made it to the next round.
Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
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Director:Tetsuya Endo
Writer:Atsuhiro Tomioka
7.7/10(47 votes)
#25 - Akira Bears His Fangs
S1:E310/24/2001
After confronting Hikaru, Akira challenges him to a rematch. As they sit down to play, Sai notices Akira's fangs bearing down on him. Will Sai go easy on Akira, or will he crush him? And, what will happen when the Meijin challenges Hikaru to a game?
Director:Harume Kosaka
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi
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Director:Harume Kosaka
Writer:Shikichi Ohashi