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The Best Episodes of Hikaru no Go

Every episode of Hikaru no Go ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Hikaru no Go!

Hikaru Shindō is just a normal 12-year-old boy, but one day he's rummaging through his grandfather's things to see if he can find something to...
Genres:AnimationSci-Fi & Fantasy
Network:TV Tokyo

Best Episodes Summary

"Sai vs. Toya Koyo" is the best rated episode of "Hikaru no Go". It scored 8.7/10 based on 37 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 10/30/2002. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Akira vs. Sai".

  • Sai vs. Toya Koyo
    8.7/1037 votes
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    #1 - Sai vs. Toya Koyo

    Season 2 Episode 25 - Aired 10/30/2002

    The wait is over! Sai and Toya Meijin face off in a match that has the entire world glued to their computer screens. Who will triumph and discover the Divine Move?

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Akira vs. Sai
    8.6/1034 votes
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    #2 - Akira vs. Sai

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/13/2002

    Akira skipped his first match of the Pro exams in order to play the match against Sai on the net. Akira is perplexed over the identify of Sai which he thinks might be Hikaru while Ogata has his own thinking. Players all over the world are observing the match. Though Akira lost the match, he feels as though he had finally caught up with 'Hikaru'/Sai. When Akira heard from a Go cafe customer that Hikaru was sighted at an internet cafe, he races to the site thinking that he might be Sai. Hikaru denies he's Sai but gets ruffled when Akira seems to disregard him as a opponent. The episode ended with Hikaru saying 'If you keep chasing after an illusion of me, I'll pass by you eventually'.

    Director: Tetsuya Endo

    Writer: Shikichi Ohashi

  • The Thousand Year Answer
    8.4/1030 votes
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    #3 - The Thousand Year Answer

    Season 2 Episode 26 - Aired 11/6/2002

    When the match comes to a close, Sai is left the victor. However, when Hikaru discovers a flaw in the game that not even Sai was aware of, Sai finally realizes why he was allowed to return to the world of the living.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • A Painful Match
    8.2/1031 votes
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    #4 - A Painful Match

    Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 9/18/2002

    Hikaru/Sai spends half hour to decide on the first move while the others are having a field day discussing Hikaru. With a 15 moku handicap Hikaru set for Sai, Sai decides to attack early by baiting a trap for Meijin (Touya Kouyou) but which the latter is too careful to fall into. However, the Meijin sense a formidable presence around Hikaru, similar to the pressure he feels when playing against a seasoned Pro. Though Hikaru lost the game, the Meijin indicates that he would like to play Hikaru again without any handicap. Hikaru and Sai had a mini-debate about when Hikaru' going to let him play again. Akira further wonders about who Hikaru really is when his father confirms he would like to play Hikaru again.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • My Name is...
    8.1/1031 votes
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    #5 - My Name is...

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 6/19/2002

    Hikaru plays a Korean Insei-equivilant at a Go Salon.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Hikaru vs Ochi
    8.1/1031 votes
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    #6 - Hikaru vs Ochi

    Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 8/21/2002

    Hikaru and Ochi finally face-off. Determined to prove his worth to Akira, Ochi goes all out against Hikaru, while Hikaru does the same. As the game continues on, Hikaru realizes that Ochi has the advantage and strives to a opening before it's too late.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Dead Moment
    8.0/1031 votes
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    #7 - The Dead Moment

    Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 7/10/2002

    Isumi has gone on undefeated, while Hikaru has lost only one game so far. The time finally comes for them to play each other, and only one of them can win.

    Director: Tetsuya Endo

    Writer: Atsuhiro Tomioka

  • The Confession of Sai
    8.0/1028 votes
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    #8 - The Confession of Sai

    Season 2 Episode 23 - Aired 10/16/2002

    Toya Meijin has a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. Hikaru visits him and discovers that he has been playing internet Go. Hikaru begs Meijin to play Sai online. He agrees on one condition.

    Director: Katsuyoshi Yatabe

    Writer: N/A

  • Toya Koyo Retires!
    8.0/1027 votes
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    #9 - Toya Koyo Retires!

    Season 2 Episode 29 - Aired 11/27/2002

    The Go World goes into a state of shock after Toya Meijin announces that he is retiring as Professional Go player. As everyone tries to find out why Koyo has given up his titles and his status, Akira begins to worry about Hikaru's progress.

    Director: Toshiya Niidome

    Writer: Shikichi Ohashi

  • Eternal Rival
    7.9/1053 votes
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    #10 - Eternal Rival

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/10/2001

    Sixth grader Hikaru Shindo stumbles upon a mysterious Go board with a blood stain on it. Before he knows it he's hearing voices, one voice to be exact. The voice of an ancient Go instructor, Sai of the Fujiwara. Sai occupies a space in Hikaru's mind. Hikaru is the only one who can see, hear, or talk to Sai. Sai's one and only desire is to play Go. But he can only do that via Hikaru's body. However, Hikaru has no interest in playing Go. Will Hikaru allow Sai to play? And who is this mysterious young boy, Akira Touya?

    Director: Susumu Nishizawa

    Writer: Shikichi Ohashi

  • The Most Inconsiderate Act
    7.9/1033 votes
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    #11 - The Most Inconsiderate Act

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/19/2001

    The Go Sallon Yuki goes to doesn't mind giving him money for winning games, but they are tired of him cheating to get it. They hire a skilled player who pretends not to know anything about Go to teach Yuki a lesson. Unfortunately, Yuki falls for the trick and ends up betting 10,000 yen (about $90). Can Yuki manage to defeat this skilled player?

    Director: Masakatsu Iijima

    Writer: Atsuhiro Tomioka

  • The Third Match
    7.9/1030 votes
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    #12 - The Third Match

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 1/19/2002

    Akira is quite tense at the fact that he is finally facing Hikaru, or rather Sai. All is going well, until Hikaru notices a point that he thinks should be played and Sai doesn't play it. Determined to find out why, Hikaru takes over and plays it. Sai reveals that the move might have worked, if Hikaru was good enough to back that move up. How will Akira handle the situation when he sees Hikaru really play?

    Director: Mahara Gokyo

    Writer: Atsuhiro Tomioka

  • The Match of Revelation
    7.9/1031 votes
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    #13 - The Match of Revelation

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/6/2002

    Players who have been following Sai's net matches attended the 20th International Amateur Go Tournament in Japan. A commotion occurs at the mention of Sai's name as everyone is trying to who out who he is. The commotion caught the attention of Ogata and Akira. When Akira and Sai engaged in a match over the net, the former is reminded of his first match with Hikaru. Akira discontinues the match so as not to disrupt the ongoing tournament but fixes a date for a match with Sai which happens to be on the first day of Akira's Pro exams.

    Director: Hideki Tonokatsu

    Writer: Atsuhiro Tomioka

  • Hikaru's Strength
    7.9/1032 votes
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    #14 - Hikaru's Strength

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/20/2002

    Hikaru is slowly, but surely, getting better as evidenced when he beats Mitani in a game though with a handicap as well as Tsutsui. To play go with Sai, now that they decided not to play internet go anymore, Hikaru tries to get his gramps to buy him a go board/stones. When Hikaru beats a strong opponent at the go school, even to the astoundment of the teacher, he finally understands that one can only judge how strong others are when he's strong himself. He bumps into Kaio's first board when he's browsing a bookstore and the latter pulls him away to a match.

    Director: Shin'ichi Masaki

    Writer: Michiko Yokote

  • Whereabouts of the Win
    7.9/1030 votes
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    #15 - Whereabouts of the Win

    Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 7/17/2002

    After losing to Hikaru, Isumi begins to break down and begins losing his matches. Hikaru is also having trouble concentrating, upset about pointing out Isumi's illegal move. As Sai helps Hikaru regain his concentration, Isumi faces off against Ochi. Perhaps this game will be enough to return Isumi to his old self.

    Director: Shin'ichi Masaki

    Writer: Shikichi Ohashi

  • Waya vs Shindou
    7.9/1030 votes
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    #16 - Waya vs Shindou

    Season 2 Episode 13 - Aired 8/7/2002

    Hikaru and Waya finally face each other, and both are desperate to win. However, Waya has other reasons for wanting to win besides just turning pro, but Hikaru needs to win as well! When Waya traps Hikaru in a situation where only one move can save him, can Hikaru figure it off?

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • To the World of the Pros
    7.9/1030 votes
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    #17 - To the World of the Pros

    Season 2 Episode 17 - Aired 9/4/2002

    Having defeated Ochi, Hikaru has gained Akira's respect, and Akira is now awaiting their next match. As Hikaru wonders how his life will change now that he's become a Pro, Hikaru's mother confronts Waya's parents for advice on what to do. Also Sai begins to feel that he is no longer needed by Hikaru.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Sai vs Meijin
    7.9/1029 votes
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    #18 - Sai vs Meijin

    Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 9/11/2002

    Hikaru got a call that the Meijin is to play him in the first new dan series. Hikaru denies Sai's request to play instead. Both Master Kuwabara and Mr Ogata were surprised by each other's interest in Hikaru. Orchi, Waya and Akira also came by the Institute to watch the match. Hikaru decides to let Sai play with a 15 moku handicap instead of the 5.5 moku handicap given to new pros. Hikaru/Sai took a unprecedented half hour to decide on his first move while Sai contemplates on how to play the game.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Kurata 6-dan
    7.9/1029 votes
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    #19 - Kurata 6-dan

    Season 2 Episode 21 - Aired 10/2/2002

    Hikaru and Sai thwart the efforts of some con-artists trying to take advantage of unsuspecting amateur Go players, but one of con-artists is a Pro Go player.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Ouza vs. Akira
    7.8/1032 votes
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    #20 - Ouza vs. Akira

    Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/27/2002

    Although Ouza initally contemplated letting Akira win the match as a form of encouragement, he is angered by Akira's nonchalent attitude and decided to crush him completely. Akira forgot the safer strategy which could have won him the match, in order to show Hikaru his play. While the first snowflakes that mark the arrival of winter fell, Sai muses on the symbolic link between Hikaru and Akira and likened the presence of Akira as being placed there by God to help Hikaru on his path.

    Director: Tetsuya Endo

    Writer: Shikichi Ohashi

  • The First One to Pass
    7.8/1030 votes
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    #21 - The First One to Pass

    Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 7/31/2002

    The Pro Exam is nearing its end as the last three matches arrive. Ochi, Waya, and Hikaru are currently the top three, and Ochi is at the point where he'll pass even if he loses all of his matches. Hikaru and Waya must still be careful, as a loss or two could cause them to lose their spots.

    Director: Setsuo Takase

    Writer: Atsuhiro Tomioka

  • The Last Day of the Pro Exam Finals
    7.8/1029 votes
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    #22 - The Last Day of the Pro Exam Finals

    Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 8/28/2002

    With all of the other matches finished, the final decision of the Pro Exams rests upon Hikaru and Ochi's match. Can Hikaru defeat Ochi, or will he be forced to play Isumi again for a chance at going pro?

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Farewell Hikaru
    7.8/1028 votes
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    #23 - Farewell Hikaru

    Season 2 Episode 30 - Aired 12/4/2002

    Hikaru continuously ignores Sai's worries of his leaving and ends up allowing Sai to engage a drunk Ogata in a Go match. The next day, Sai begs Hikaru for a game, but something happens during the game that will change Hikaru's life

    Director: Tetsuya Endo

    Writer: Michiko Yokote

  • That Same Old Smile
    7.8/1030 votes
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    #24 - That Same Old Smile

    Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 3/26/2003

    The match between Hikaru and Akira comes to an end. Hikaru tells Akira that one day, he will tell him everything. At night Hikaru has a dream, with a surprise visitor! At the end, the song “Get Over” is played as we see everyone throughout the series. The Go world is changing and a younger generation has arrived!

    Director: Tetsuya Endo

    Writer: Shikichi Ohashi

  • The Beautiful Match
    7.7/1034 votes
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    #25 - The Beautiful Match

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/14/2001

    The finals of the Third Annual Junior High Go Tournament - Kaiou Junior High V. Haze Junior High. With a score of 1-1 it is up to Hikaru to win it for Haze. Can he do it? And what will happen when Akira spots Hikaru playing?

    Director: Yuji Sekimoto

    Writer: Michiko Yokote