"Wow, Hikaru no Go is such a great manga! Highly recommend!"
"Yeah, even though I don't know how to play Go, I found it incredibly fun after reading Hikaru no Go."
"Sai is so handsome! He's officially my new husband!"
"I have to admit, this is one of the best sports and competition manga I've read in recent years!"
"Who would've thought someone could make Go so exciting? That artist, the Porter, is really talented!"
"After reading the manga, I even bought a Go board."
"Let me guess, you probably ended up playing Gomoku on it instead of Go, right?"
"…How did you know?"
"Because I did the same thing!"
"I'm seriously considering learning how to play Go now."
"Me too! Go seems so cool!"
On Japan's various social media platforms, the buzz surrounding Hikaru no Go was growing more and more intense. Many people were discussing this brilliant work from a talented comic artist from China.
Some readers were already fans of Hikaru no Go and, noticing that no one else seemed to be talking about it, took to forums to post long reviews. Some even wrote helpful posts explaining the manga to attract readers who weren't familiar with Go. They included information about Sai's character, basic Go terms, and even explanations of certain Go moves to lower the entry barrier for new readers.
As discussions increased, more readers who had initially dismissed the manga due to its title decided to give it a try. Once they started, many were hooked, reading all the available chapters in one go and then rereading them. They just couldn't put it down.
Beyond the gripping storyline, the characters were a major topic of discussion. The trio of Akira Toya, Hikaru Shindo, and Sai each had distinct personalities and traits, which attracted fans of different kinds. Sai, in particular, became a favorite among some female readers. After seeing his handsome appearance, they eagerly went back to reread the manga, and many expressed that if Sai merchandise were available, they'd buy it immediately.
The rising popularity of Hikaru no Go even inspired other manga artists to believe that a resurgence of sports and competition-themed manga was on the horizon. Some started new manga projects in this genre, hoping to tap into this fresh market. However, most of these projects didn't gain significant traction—though that's a story for another time.
Meanwhile, at the Japan Go Institute...
Grandmaster Kiryuu, a 9th dan Go player, sat in his office sipping tea, deep in thought about the current state of the Go community in Japan.
Although the Go Institute was now officially government-backed and no longer needed to worry about financial struggles, it didn't mean they could spend money recklessly. If the funds they'd spent on commissioning this manga turned out to be wasted, there would surely be critics.
Knock, knock.
Just then, the door to Kiryuu's office was knocked on. Upon his invitation to enter, 9th dan player Matsuda stepped inside.
"Chairman! Great news!"
Matsuda burst into the room, waving a document in his hand, his face beaming with excitement.
"Oh? What's the good news?" Kiryuu raised an eyebrow at Matsuda's enthusiasm.
"Look at this!" Matsuda handed over the file.
Kiryuu took it and, as he skimmed the contents, his eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open in shock. It took him a moment to process what he was reading. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, "Is this… real?"
"Yes!" Matsuda could barely contain his excitement. "At first, I couldn't believe it either, but after confirming it multiple times, I can assure you that my idea has worked! Even though these are just the results from the last two months, it's already a promising sign!"
"This is… incredible!"
Kiryuu's lips quivered with emotion.
For a long time, the Go Institute had been facing a troubling issue: the number of people interested in learning Go had been steadily declining, and the game's popularity was waning.
But the report Matsuda presented revealed a surprising shift. Across various Go centers around Japan, the number of children enrolling to learn Go had increased! And according to surveys, most of these new students either wanted to play Go after reading Hikaru no Go or were brought by parents who were inspired by the manga to enroll their children.
"Spread the word! Let everyone know about this fantastic news!" Kiryuu took a deep breath and composed himself, his expression returning to calm.
Matsuda couldn't help but admire Kiryuu's ability to remain so composed. This was what made Kiryuu such a capable leader. Even after hearing such excellent news, he'd only allowed himself a brief moment of excitement before quickly regaining his composure.
Perhaps to Kiryuu, this was just a small step forward for the Go Institute.
"Uh… Chairman…" Matsuda hesitated for a moment, as though he had more to say.
"Matsuda-san, speak freely," Kiryuu said with a gentle smile.
After all, it was Matsuda's proposal that had led to this success. Maybe he had more ideas for boosting Go's popularity.
"Actually…" Matsuda began, "there's been an interesting discussion online recently. People are debating whether Go players from the olden days were stronger than today's players. I was thinking, we could use this discussion to further boost Go's popularity."
"Oh? Is that so?" Kiryuu nodded thoughtfully. "Then go ahead and follow through with your plan."
Kiryuu stood up and placed a hand on Matsuda's shoulder. "The future of Go rests with young people like you."
"Yes, sir!"
With Kiryuu's approval, Matsuda left the office, eager to share the good news with the rest of the Go Institute.
As Matsuda closed the door behind him...
"Hahaha!"
Kiryuu finally let out a burst of laughter, slapping his thigh in delight.
Outside, just a short distance down the hallway, Matsuda paused mid-step, his brow furrowing slightly.
Had he just heard someone laughing?
He glanced around but saw no one.
Maybe it's just my imagination, he thought, shrugging it off as he continued walking.
The idea of Kiryuu, who was always so serious, laughing in the Go Institute seemed impossible to Matsuda.
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