Hokuto Cup

The players of the Hokuto Cup

Although the anime generally followed the manga's plotline, faithful readers of the manga were disappointed that the last arc was not aired. Where the anime ended, the manga continued with Hikaru planning to enter the Hokuto Cup, a tournament for under-18 Go pros. As the highest-ranking under-18 pro, Akira qualifies for the tournament but Hikaru has to play a series of games to become one of the three Japanese competitors. His friends Waya and Ochi also enter the qualifying matches. He meets Kiyoharu Yashiro, a player from the Kansai (Western Institute), whose style is as strange and offbeat as his own.

Hikaru, along with Akira and Kiyoharu Yashiro, are selected to represent Japan, while Hong Su-Yeong (a Korean Go player who was beaten by Hikaru earlier in the series) and two others represent Korea and three of Shinichiro Isumi's Chinese friends represent their country.

The captain of the Korean Go team, Ko Yeong-ha (sometimes incorrectly spelled Yongha), is interviewed and his remarks translated for Japanese viewers. The translator makes an error which causes it to appear that he is disparaging the skill of Honinbo Shusaku, who, like Hikaru, was possessed by Sai. Although Yeong-ha later finds out, he refuses to correct the error and instead emphasizes it when he realizes that it enrages Hikaru, who takes it as a direct affront to Sai. This leads to Hikaru eventually challenging the captain, and he loses by only half a moku (point). Japan eventually comes in last, behind Korea (1st) and China (2nd).

At the end of the game, Yeong-ha asks Hikaru for his reason in playing Go. With tears in his eyes, he answers with the line "To link the far past, with the far future".

In the end of the story, it shows two inseis who are ranked 14th and 16th the group 1 were discussing whether Akira Toya or Hikaru Shindo were stronger. In the Young Lions tournament, they are each paired with Hikaru and Akira, making them change their mind about who is stronger. In the second round Hikaru and Akira are paired against each other. That is where the manga ended.

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