Quote:VIZ SIGNS LLC HIKARU ENGLISH RIGHTS: Viz LLC, a San-Francisco-based vendor of
anime and manga, has acquired the English language rights to the Hikaru No Go
manga (graphic novels) and anime (animated videos) that have captured the
imagination of thousands of new go players in Japan. The first English versions
of the anime and manga should appear later this year, according to AGA President
Chris Kirschner. "This is a great opportunity to introduce go to the American
public, and we're going to work together toward that goal," Kirschner said. Some
organizers believe that the release of the Hikaru series in English could spur
many more American young people's interest in go. The "fansubs" that have been
available on the Internet have already inspired many new young players.
Commercial products will reach an even wider audience. According to the
conventions of the "fansub" world, distribution and use of unauthorized
translations of manga and anime should cease when acquisition of the license is
announced, so it is likely that "fansub" versions of the series will soon be
hard to find. For those unfamiliar with the story, Hikaru No Go is a
coming-of-age story set in modern Japan. Brash young Hikaru discovers an old go
board in his grandfather's attic. Like a genie in a bottle, the spirit of a
great player has been trapped inside for decades. When Hikaru lets him out, he
is eager to continue his search for the perfect move - "the move of God."
Eventually, Hikaru is drawn inexorably into this quest. Praised for its high
production values, the Hikaru series has single-handedly revived interest in go
in Japan. According to sources there, until recently most Japanese young people
thought of go as "something grandfather plays", with no relevance to them. Now
however, teachers are flooding the Japan Go Association with requests for
demonstrations in their schools. "It's the biggest thing since Pokemon," they
say.
- reported by Roy Laird