I don't care about others. I only have one thing on my mind, and that is Hikaru. I don't pay attention to what others are doing or saying. My focus is solely on Hikaru. Whether it's in a crowd or all by myself, my thoughts always drift back to Hikaru. I long to be with Hikaru, to talk to him, to share my life with him. I don't know if Hikaru feels the same way about me, but I am willing to take the risk and let him know how I feel. I am not afraid of being rejected because I believe that love is worth fighting for. So, I will continue to pursue Hikaru and hope that one day, he will see my sincerity and fall in love with me too.

Ganz ok, die letzte Story hat es gerettet. It means that the last story has saved the situation. Maybe it was a thrilling adventure, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking mystery. Whatever it was, it had the power to turn things around and make everything okay again.

Stories have a unique ability to touch our emotions, inspire us, and transport us to different worlds. They can make us laugh, cry, and think deeply about life. The last story might have been a masterpiece, filled with vivid descriptions, engaging characters, and a captivating plot.

It could have been the perfect ending to a series or a standalone piece that left a lasting impression. Maybe it was a story that we will remember for a long time, one that will inspire us to write our own stories or to look at the world in a different way.

In conclusion, the last story has saved the day, and we should be grateful for the power of storytelling. It can bring joy, hope, and inspiration into our lives, and we should never underestimate its importance.

As the enchanting fantasy elements have gradually disappeared, the story gracefully transitions and continues as mainstream fiction.

However, it still manages to incorporate a few comedic elements here and there, adding a touch of lightheartedness to the narrative.

This particular volume, aside from the main story, presents a charming collection of short stories that focus on the diverse characters from the series.

I was truly captivated by these short stories as they served not only as an interesting diversion from the main plot but also as a wonderful means of fleshing out some of the characters.

Each story offers a unique perspective and delves deeper into the personalities, motives, and backstories of the characters, making them more relatable and engaging.

It's as if these short stories are like hidden gems that enhance the overall reading experience and give the readers a more comprehensive understanding of the fictional world and its inhabitants.

Overall, this volume is a great addition to the series and a must-read for fans who want to explore the characters in more detail.

A short stories collection presented in a graphical format awaits.

It consists of six stories that revolve around minor characters or those not yet introduced within the main story-line.

These stories offer an interesting exploration.

While I must admit that I'm not completely in sync with the life of a Japanese student,

it is always pleasant to encounter some light-hearted tales.

They bring an additional touch of color to the Hikaru no Go universe,

enhancing the overall experience and providing a different perspective.

Whether you're a die-hard fan of the series or just curious,

this collection is sure to offer some enjoyable moments.

So, sit back, relax, and let these stories take you on a journey through the world of Hikaru no Go.

This was an extremely enjoyable experience.

This volume takes a detour from the current storyline, presenting us with six short stories. Mostly, these stories are about side characters.

All of the stories are highly engaging. I especially relished seeing Akira without his "game face" on. The story that features him has added new depth to the character.

It's truly good stuff.

Each short story offers a unique perspective and enriches the overall narrative. The exploration of the side characters provides a more comprehensive understanding of the fictional world.

The absence of Akira's "game face" reveals a different side of him, making him more relatable and complex.

Overall, this volume is a great addition to the series and I'm looking forward to more.

A break from the main storyline occurred, filled with some random stories from the past. Each of these stories was centered on a character from the series. It was interesting to see different aspects of their lives and experiences. The stories were all pretty fun to read, as they added depth and flavor to the overall narrative. However, to be honest, I didn't exactly need this break from the main story. I was so engrossed in the main plot that I was eager to see what would happen next. But still, these side stories were a nice addition and gave me a chance to get to know the characters even better. ^^;;

I was slightly disappointed when I found out that this tankobon would not continue the story in any manner.

When I saw the cover, I thought the tankobon would center on Asumi Nase, like tankobon 16 did with Shinichiro Isumi. However, when I read the title on the back, I realized that wasn't the case.

This tankobon is a collection of short stories about six different characters.

The first story focuses on Akira Toya before his encounter with Hikaru Shindo. As a child prodigy, Toya was listless yet secretly yearned for friendship.

Finding no equal on the goban his age, his peers became young adults, which was rather distressing. He easily plays and defeats the Child Meijin but is saddened by not being able to make a new friend.

On the day he decides to take the Pro Exam, Shindo walks in to play that fateful game that gets Toya so obsessed.

The second story centers on Tetsuo Kaga. His former Middle School's Shogi Club calls him to teach some wayward students some Shogi.

Before heading to the club, he wonders about the Go club and finds it in a sad state. Most members are in the final year and have to quit for exams.

There is just one freshman and two perspective members not interested in joining. Mistaken for the club founder, he manages to recruit them and saves the Go Club.

The third story is about Asumi Nase shortly after failing the Pro Exam that Shindo passed. She ponders if she wants to continue being an insei.

Skipping a lesson, she goes on a blind date that ends up at a Go Salon where she realizes her love for Go and will continue even if she ages out.

The date, however, goes horribly.

The fourth story focuses on Yuki Mitani before Shindo crosses his path. To make money, Mitani plays Go for money and cheats to win.

The Go Salon owner calls an unscrupulous man who catches cheaters.

The fifth story is about Atsushi Kurata before he takes up Go as a profession. He can be found at the horse track studying odds and trusting his intuition.

He makes a stranger a lot of money but is nowhere to be seen the next week as he has taken up Go and fallen in love with it, becoming proficient due to his gut instinct.

The sixth and final story centers on Fujiwara-no-Sai during an adventure with Shindo. Through a misadventure with a baseball, they end up in an antique shop.

Sai prevents an injustice by an unscrupulous owner by playing Go, a unique game where they switch sides when the owner is losing.

All in all, despite no story continuation, these six stories offer good insights into minor characters. Some stories are better than others, but the overall collection is good.

It's great to read about Sai again, though not in the way I wanted. Still, despite liking the tankobon, I hope it's an outlier and the next one continues the story.

Fun stories about side-characters can be quite entertaining.

However, these are merely character or background sketches that marginally deepen the stories that took place several volumes ago.

They do not serve to progress a single plot line or character arc that was left unresolved as of the end of volume 17.

Nonetheless, they are satisfying in their own right.

If, on the other hand, you are solely interested in following Hikaru and the others from where we last left them, you could potentially skip the entire volume without missing anything of great significance.

It really depends on your personal preferences and what you are looking for in the story.

Some may enjoy delving deeper into the side-characters' lives and backstories, while others may prefer to focus solely on the main plot and characters.

Either way, the decision is yours to make.

Entertaining, but disappointing at the same time.

Encountering the occasional filler is acceptable from time to time. However, having an entire volume of filler immediately after the end of the main arc seems excessive.

It's as if these are the stories that the author favored and had in reserve, but could only publish them now because there was no genuine story left to continue.

The last volume was also bittersweet, as it involved a flashback to when Sai was still around.

This flashback provided some interesting insights into Sai's character and his relationship with the other characters.

However, it also felt a bit forced, as if the author was trying to squeeze in some extra content to make up for the lack of a proper conclusion to the main story.

Overall, while the series had its entertaining moments, the excessive use of filler and the somewhat disappointing conclusion left a lot to be desired.

I truly relished obtaining these snippets of some of the more minor characters.

It was fascinating to catch a glimpse into their lives and personalities, even if it was only in brief.

These characters, often overlooked in the grand scheme of things, added depth and texture to the overall story.

Their unique traits and quirks made them stand out and contributed to the rich tapestry of the narrative.

It was like uncovering hidden treasures within the story, and I found myself eager to learn more about them.

Each snippet was like a small puzzle piece, and as I pieced them together, a more complete picture of these minor characters began to emerge.

I'm glad that the author took the time to include these details, as it made the reading experience all the more enjoyable and engaging.

This was a really good volume.

It is an anthology that consists of short stories which center around the secondary characters from the series.

What's more, it even had a cover featuring Nase, who is an insei classmate of Hikaru's. Before this, Nase hardly had any dialogue or maybe just one or two lines.

This anthology served as a great and fun diversion. The reason for this is that Sai is now gone and the series seems to be running out of steam.

It offers a new perspective and some interesting stories about the secondary characters, which helps to keep the readers engaged and interested in the series.

Overall, it is a great addition to the series and a must-read for fans.

This is a short 'arc' of one-shot side stories about supporting characters throughout the series.

They vary in quality, but I'm truly delighted that these characters are given more spotlight.

I have always adored Nase, and I've long wished for more female characters to have significance in the series.

So, seizing the opportunity to showcase her go skills is truly wonderful.

There's a flashback to Akira Toya at the beginning of the series, which is excellent and alters the perception of those early arcs.

Some, like the Kaga chapter, seem to occur in the present day, while others, such as an 'origin' story for Kurata, are flashbacks.

I believe my least favorite was the Mitani chapter. It felt like a rehash of what already took place during his introduction arc and didn't enhance it in the slightest.

I also didn't care for the Sai one. It was just another forgettable story that had no impact on the overall plot.

Overall, while not all of these side stories were outstanding, they did provide some interesting insights into the supporting characters and added a bit more depth to the series.