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Shion no Oh

I like Shogi, I'm not any good at it (played too much chess and can't switch my thinking to the almost entirely different game mechanics) but I do enjoy playing it and pondering some of the moves.

The rather prominent 'psychological thriller' (murderers hidden in shadow, blood on a shogi board, wavering hands...perhaps I'm too cynical for it to work) attempt felt a bit naff and my biggest peeve is that we don't get a proper view of the board! In the final match in the episode we don't ever get a proper view of the board or why moving the particular piece made such a game winner. It's like watching a film about texas hold em but not seeing the community cards in the final hand, seeing the hero get motown means nothing without the rest of the community...The ending of the ep looks as if the series will follow a more criminal element (I do hope shogi doesn't save the day somehow...it would be too absurd).

I'd prefer for this to be a story about how shogi helps Shion recover and 'find herself' (to coin the commonest of phrases...) rather than something else, it's a game, a good game, but still a game, it only has impact f you let it and no serious criminal would...

I'll probably check out the next episode or two and decide whether to follow from there.

I checked out the series and not exactly sure how to react to it. I guess it was fairly good and got me interested more into shogi. I just wish there was a new anime about mahjong, now that's a game I can play. Wink

Well anyways as the show, the first episode like most other titles introduces the characters, their feelings, past, and reasons. I'll be looking forward to watching the second episode and hope it'll be good. Like the last scene where spoiler[Shion is going to get kidnapped by the stalker guy with her opponent that she didn't beat who turns out to be a guy is standing by]; you can't tell me that isn't going to drag a person into watching the second episode.

hentai4me wrote:

The ending of the ep looks as if the series will follow a more criminal element (I do hope shogi doesn't save the day somehow...it would be too absurd).

I find that a high possibility. Confused

Have you ever seen Hikaru no Go? For most of the first season they hardly showed any of the Go moves t all. It wasn't until Hikaru started seriously training to become pro that they showed any of his games properly. Since Shion is already considerably skilled and was just eliminated from becoming professional (at least, female professional) I don't know how they're going to play out the shougi angle. I do expect good things from this series though. The animation is also great.