You don't want to hear this

About the English dub of Hikaru no Go


What follows is just my opinion and your reaction may be different. Note however that I wouldn't bet real money that you'd react differently.

I heard the warnings but I thought, "Gee! They can't mess up the English dub that badly, can they?"

First the good news. All of Yukari sensei's lessons were included. (Yay!) The Japanese soundtrack with subtitles are available. (Yay!)

And now, those of you who have tears, prepare to shed them now.

Hikaru and Akira sound much older than their ages would suggest. At the tender age of ten, both of them sound like they've already turned at least sixteen. Hikaru is almost acceptable but Akira has lost much of his qualities.

And now about Sai, the second most important character in this series (and the most important to some).

In the original Japanese version, Sai, although occasionally comic, projected a voice befitting his role as a member of the Emperor's household; courtly, elegant and just a shade effeminate (after all, he is supposed to be a gentleman in the strict sense of the word). Sure he weeps over playing Go, but he can also project fierce resoluteness and determination befitting the confidence from his mastery and love of the game.

Talk about losing your dignity. Sai, in the English dub, sounded rather buffoonish. It almost reminded me like a bad combination of Robin Williams and Carson Kressley with occasional old forms of English (without a British accent) thrown in. You'd have to hear it to get the same reaction I got.

ChiyoChan got a bit of an amused laugh from the English dub.

It was terribly disappointing but, as with some of the other anime that has been viewed in our household, we can at least still enjoy it with its original soundtrack and subtitles.


Applying the Bent Three

If White responds with N11 instead of M14, then N14 looks
like it could be used to form a Bent Three.

I've had groups killed by the Bent Three in the past. Today, I applied that same lesson in a game on IGS. I played my formations light while my opponent chose to play heavy; perhaps trying to break-up my stones.

White responded to an insignificant atari at N9; giving me sente. A lone stone that I had given-up for dead looked like it could be used for form a Bent Three. My surrounding formations looked like they could mutually support each other. So, as yoyoma always counsels me, I started to execute a plan ("Any plan. Even a bad one. As long as you have a plan!").

With the stones in place, it's now a matter of playing
solidly and keeping sente.

In the end, 32 stones were captured and White resigned.