“Guided”
Hikaru no Go
ヒカルの碁
Would You Love or Hate This?
AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Guided
When Hikaru Shindou discovers an old go board in his grandfather's attic, he is greeted by the spirit of an ancient go master, Fujiwara no Sai. Sai spent his life teaching the techniques of the board game to an emperor during the Heian era, and now in his ghostly state, he is eager to share his passion with the unsuspecting Hikaru. The only problem is that Hikaru is not all that interested in board games. But Sai is not easily dissuaded. Pressured by Sai's unrelenting desire to pursue something he refers to as the "Divine Move," Hikaru begrudgingly consents to playing the game, executing moves as dictated by Sai. But slowly, intrigued by the dedication of his peers, he begins to learn the basics of the game. As Hikaru enters into the world of go, guided by his intangible tutor and inspired by his rival, Akira Touya, he cannot help but be drawn into the complex game as he grows determined to prove his own abilities.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 26 sampled reviews
What 26 readers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.26 · some divergence
5.2 pts
Recommenders 9.2 · others 4.0
↓ 0.04
Running avg · Nov 2007 → Feb 2026
- 10 “2008, I went and came back to the lan house. Yes, that was my start with this manga. Found, probably, after finishing Death Note in anime, I don't remember. I'm a penciller, and I was amazed by the...”
- 10 “It's the best manga I've ever read. And I've read a LOT of manga, from greats like Dragon Ball to I-only-this-read-for-the-sex-at-the-end like "Idol na kanojo to otaku na boku to". The fact that...”
- 9 “Hikaru no Go is written by Yumi Hotta and the art is by Takeshi Obata (the same artist that did Death Note). The story is about a young kid named Hikaru who finds a go board in his father's attic....”
Read Order & Related
Explore the Hikaru no Go universe
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A Manga Publication
- Format 198 × 23 ch × vol
- Total read 26h 24m approx
- Published Dec 1998 – Jul 2003
- Source Manga media type
- Ref. BS-M0018 catalog