This was a solid volume that truly shone a spotlight on several of the supporting cast members.

Particularly, Isumi took center stage in this entire volume as it was his arc. It had the potential to be absolute perfection, but unfortunately, it was lacking one crucial element: Sai isn't around anymore.

It was truly a pain to witness Hikaru without any direction or guidance. However, at least we had the pleasure of seeing the middle school gang once again.

Akari, in particular, has been a somewhat neglected character. It's quite remarkable to think that she was there from the very beginning. She was with Hikaru when he discovered Sai and the haunted go board. Her character really presented a missed opportunity.

Overall, this volume was actually rather good, but for some reason, I didn't enjoy it as much as I perhaps could have. I would rate it 3 stars.

SPOILER

In this volume, Hikaru is extremely inactive as he is mourning.

Consequently, we follow Isumi to China. There, he delves deeper into the world of Go and gains more knowledge. He returns to Japan just a few days prior to the pro test.

He engages in a game with Hikaru. When Hikaru realizes that he is playing Sai's moves, it dawns on him that Sai has been with him all along.

This revelation is so powerful that it brings tears to my eyes. The connection between Hikaru and Sai is truly touching and this moment in the story is one that will stay with me. It shows how deeply Sai's presence has affected Hikaru and how their bond through Go is unbreakable.

The way the story unfolds and this realization occurs is both heartwarming and emotional. It makes me appreciate the beauty and depth of the Go world and the relationships that can be formed within it.

This is not my favorite volume.

There is just too much Isumi in it.

Isumi's presence seems to overshadow other aspects that I might have otherwise enjoyed.

It feels as if the focus is too heavily placed on this particular character, leaving less room for the development and exploration of other elements.

I was hoping for a more balanced and diverse narrative, but unfortunately, this volume did not meet my expectations in that regard.

Perhaps in future volumes, the author will be able to find a better equilibrium and offer a more engaging and satisfying reading experience.

Until then, I will continue to read with the hope that things will improve.

This tankobon should have been subtitled "Isumi no Wéiqí" or something similar. After failing the Pro Examination, Shinichiro Isumi aged out of the Insei Program and left the Go Cram School to gather his thoughts. He was invited to the Chinese Go Association in Beijing for a couple of weeks of friendly games. When it was time to leave, Isumi stayed with Yang Hai for the remaining two months of summer.

Through Yang Hai, Isumi realizes that he overthinks before and during matches and learns how to handle the stress of competition and compartmentalize his concerns. Another beloved character from the Chinese Go Association is Le Ping, a bratty kid who resembles a miniature Yoshitaka Waya.

Meanwhile, back in Japan, everyone is worried about Hikaru Shindo. His mother is concerned about his future and visits his homeroom teacher. His former Go Club members confront him about his forfeits. Waya pays him a surprise visit. The patrons of his favorite Go Salon and Toshiro Tsubaki, also known as the Gorilla Man, are angry. However, throughout it all, Shindo remains firm, believing that he will find Sai if he stops playing Go and endures enough suffering.

It is Isumi who manages to make Shindo play Go when he visits him. During their game at the Pro Exam, Isumi cheats by moving a stone after releasing it. He quickly resigns, but the temptation to say nothing weighs on his heart. In order to enter the upcoming Pro Exam with a clear mind and heart, he needs to play Shindo.

Reluctantly, Shindo plays Isumi, justifying it as not being for a selfish purpose but to help his friend. After dusting off his goban, they begin to play seriously, and that's when it occurs. Shindo discovers Sai, not anywhere in the world but within his Go – Sai was within his Go all along – a revelation that brings tears to Shindo's eyes. One Go game clears the conscience of one and restores the faith of the other.

Overall, this is a wonderful tankobon centered around one of the most popular minor characters in the series. I really appreciate how everything comes full circle in the end, with Isumi and Shindo playing a game to restore themselves from whatever was bothering them. I look forward to Shindo's return to the Professional Go World in the next tankobon.

I had deep-seated fears that with Sai's departure, the series was bound to embark on a path of inevitable decline.

That fear seemed to be validated in this volume, as the story took a tangent with a side plot that revolved around Izumi's training in China. It felt like a diversion from the main narrative and left me worried about the future direction of the series.

However, all my apprehensions were set aside once the story cleverly utilized Sai's absence to create some intense drama. The aftereffects of Sai's departure and Hikaru's reaction to this new change in his life added a layer of depth and emotion that was truly captivating.

With Hikaru now alone, this volume also raised the crucial question of "What is Hikaru's motivation with Go now that Sai is no longer around?" The answer we received at the end was particularly satisfying, as it not only provided closure but also hinted at new possibilities and growth for Hikaru's character.

Overall, this volume managed to turn my initial fears into a sense of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead in the series.

This story is like comfort food for me.

I can't precisely figure out what it is that makes me keep rereading or rewatching it and the anime.

However, my interest in Go definitely plays a significant role.

The game of Go has always fascinated me with its complexity and strategic depth.

Moreover, I really like that this story is generally a positive one about the process of getting good at something.

It shows the determination, hard work, and growth of the characters as they strive to improve their skills in Go.

It's inspiring to see how they overcome challenges and setbacks along the way.

The story also has a certain charm and warmth that draws me in and makes me want to experience it again and again.

Whether it's the beautiful art in the anime or the engaging narrative in the story, there's something about it that just clicks with me and provides a sense of comfort and enjoyment.

It's a story that I can always turn to when I need a pick-me-up or just want to lose myself in a captivating world.

3.25★ This is mainly about Mr. Igaku, so it's a bit different from other volumes. I was especially excited about the final chapter!

Anime-manga match-up:

Episode 65 corresponds to volume 16 up to page 59 (matches 131-133.5).

Episode 67 corresponds to volume 16 pages 60-110 (matches 133.5-135).

Episode 68 corresponds to volume 16 pages 111-149 (matches 136-137.9).

Episode 69 corresponds to volume 16 pages 150-175 (matches 137.9-139.1).

The first half of episode 70 corresponds to volume 16 pages 175 to the end (from match 139.1 onwards).

Overall, this volume offers a unique perspective with its focus on Mr. Igaku. The detailed match-ups between the anime and manga episodes help fans better understand the story progression and how the two mediums align. It's always interesting to see how the anime adapts the manga and vice versa. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the manga or just getting into the anime, this volume has something to offer.

While the American comic book companies are toiling away, seemingly making super hero comics increasingly dull and uninteresting,

the Japanese, on the other hand, are achieving remarkable success in creating comic books centered around Go, a game that involves everyone sitting down.

Surprisingly, they have managed to make this topic interesting and exciting.

I, for one, don't even play Go, yet I found myself reading this particular comic book in one sitting.

It truly serves as a prime example of how comics should be crafted.

The Japanese approach to comic book creation, as demonstrated by this Go-themed comic, shows that even the most seemingly mundane or niche topics can be transformed into engaging and captivating reads.

It makes one wonder why the American comic book companies haven't taken a similar cue and explored new and different subject matters to breathe new life into their offerings.

Perhaps it's time for them to look beyond the tired old superhero tropes and embrace the creativity and innovation that the Japanese have shown in their comic book industry.

To be honest, I couldn't care less about Isumi.

His story is just a mere filler to justify his return among the professionals, but it could have been summarized in at most two chapters.

Shindo must recover quickly and return to playing because Sai perhaps has never completely disappeared: he is always there, on the goban, waiting for him.

Isumi's presence seems rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things. His narrative feels like an unnecessary addition that doesn't really add much depth or value to the overall story.

On the other hand, Shindo's situation is of much greater importance. The fact that Sai may still be waiting for him on the goban creates a sense of urgency for Shindo to get back in the game.

We can only hope that Shindo will be able to overcome his current difficulties and reunite with Sai once again on the goban.

I'm quite certain that anyone perusing the reviews for this volume has already delved into vol. 15. So, I don't have to fret about spoiling the disappearance of Sai, as I did in my previous review.

In this volume, three significant events unfold. Firstly, Hikaru is still mourning and moping over Sai's disappearance. Secondly, his friends, the patrons from the go salon where he used to practice, and others are deeply concerned about him. He hasn't shown up for any of his games in the past few months, leading them to believe that he's quitting. Thirdly, and what占据了本卷大部分篇幅的, is Isumi's time at the Chinese Go Association and his growth as a go player and as a person. This volume could have easily been titled "Isumi no Go" or "Isumi's Go". Additionally, 19-year-old Isumi looks really hot. His appearance has changed during the months we didn't see him. He's grown taller and his hair looks much better.

I truly relished seeing more of Isumi. He's one of my favorite minor characters in this series. The focus on him in this volume indicates that the characters aren't entirely overlooked, and perhaps we might witness more minor characters having their moment to shine. At least, I hope so. However, there's one aspect of this series that I don't like, and that is the fact that people are always left behind. First, it was his school go club, then it was his insei classmates. Who knows who will be next? In many other shonen anime, the main character's friends are of utmost importance to them, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. In those manga, I never got the impression that these were just disposable characters who were there until the main character decided to move on. The biggest missed opportunity is Akari. In the beginning of this series, she was always by Hikaru's side. They were close enough to call each other by their first names all the time. (For some reason, Hikaru sometimes calls Akira by his first name and sometimes by his last name, which doesn't make sense. Unless they're translation errors, but that also doesn't seem likely.) She even joined the go club with Hikaru, despite not knowing anything about go. My point is that she seemed like an important character, but then she and his other teammates all got sidelined, which is very disappointing. It would have been great if she had become good enough to have her own strong rivals.

Overall, despite some flaws, I enjoyed this volume more than vol. 15. I'm going to take a short break from this series for a few days because I'm currently in the mood for some romcoms. I need a little respite from reading the same series for so many consecutive days. I'll be back to read from vol. 17 to the end sometime next month. I already read the first chapter of vol. 17 because vol. 16 ended on a cliffhanger, and it felt incomplete just leaving it like that. I stopped at the second chapter, which is Hikaru's first game since returning to the competition.

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4.25 stars

This rating of 4.25 stars indicates a very good level of quality or performance. It suggests that the subject being evaluated has met or exceeded most expectations. With such a high rating, it is likely that the product, service, or experience has many positive aspects.

Perhaps it offers excellent features, outstanding customer service, or a great value for the price. However, it's important to note that a 4.25-star rating also implies that there may be some areas for improvement.

These could be minor details or aspects that didn't quite reach the level of perfection. Overall, a 4.25-star rating is a great achievement and a sign that the subject is well worth considering.

Whether it's a product you're thinking of purchasing, a service you're interested in using, or an experience you're looking forward to having, a 4.25-star rating gives you a good indication of what to expect.

Good but not great.

Hikaru is mostly absent from this volume as it zeroes in on Isumi, leaving out all other protagonists except for the last two chapters. Since I don't have the book right in front of me, it's possible there are some scenes earlier where Hikaru is moping and refuses to play Go, but it's likely just a few panels or maybe a page at most if they're more spread out than I recall.

Hikaru finally makes it clear in the penultimate chapter why he's been refusing to play Go. Obviously, it's related to Sai's disappearance. However, the implication in the previous volume was that Hikaru felt inadequate when remembering Sai's games, and that, combined with his disappearance, kept him from playing. The connection between the two was never properly explained. In fact, only the logical fallacy of post hoc ergo propter hoc links the two in any understandable way. Finally, in this last chapter, Hikaru reveals that his refusal to play is motivated by more than just moping. I don't know why it took so long to explain this. The admission only comes as an explanation of how/why the problem is resolved, which is a bit late, but oh well...

The Isumi chapters have a much different tone than the book usually does. Isumi himself is a far more serious and mature character than Hikaru. It worked well here, but I don't think it would hold up in the long term.