Shindou, Hikaru
Summary
Assisted by the spirit Sai, Hikaru Shindou begins the series as a sixth-grade elementary school student. His journey into the world of Go is significantly shaped by his rivalry with Akira Toya, whom he meets early on. Initially dismissing Go as a hobby for oldsters and feeling annoyed by Sai’s insistence on playing, Hikaru’s interest gradually grows as he becomes more immersed in the game. He evolves from a casual member of his school’s Go club to an insei, and eventually becomes a professional Go player at the age of fourteen, one year after Akira. This progression marks his maturation throughout the series, which runs concurrently with his physical growth and aging. Hikaru is frequently depicted wearing clothing featuring the number 5, a visual pun on the Japanese word for five, which is pronounced go. Born on September 20th, his strategic strength lies in his ability to read many moves ahead rapidly. He often employs seemingly foolish moves that trick opponents into making errors, allowing Hikaru to trap them in his plans.
