Thankfully, The main characters are the big draw for this show. Well not so much in personality since most of the shogi players are either passive or aggressive. The characters are a mix of 'pretty boy' men and 'cute loli' girls, there are also a mix of middle/old aged adults that really look their age and all have their own unique look and personality. Something so simple, yet you can literally feel the emotion relayed through the pieces (also a recurring theme in the show). All I'm going to say is that I was shocked when I actually appreciated the crisp sound of shougi pieces slamming on to the board. It's hard to talk about sound effects in this day and age considering its pretty tough to critique such a simple (yet essential) part of anime. The only things that changed constantly were the characters. I mean theres only so many changes you can do to a shouji room and some matches last longer than one episode. Don't get me wrong, there are amazing details thanks to the high definition aspect, but it looked like they preferred to keep most things simple and settings limited. Everything looks crisp and clear, but at the same time it has a feel of simple and plain. The high definition aspect the the art and animation wasn't used to its full potential but what can you expect. Also, for an anime about shougi, its pretty G-darn bloody. Granted many things get left out during the games but once you're used to the terminology, you'll feel like you're right there watching the match. It paces itself perfectly and keeps the Shougi games very intense and thought provoking. A great draw to this show is that if you know anything about Shougi or not, you can still have a very inquisitive experience with all the mystery and drama stored in this lovely little 22 episode show. Sounds pretty ridiculous for a show centered around Shougi.īut I'll be damned if I didn't love every minute of this show.

But instead, they manage to make this quite an involving story concerning dead parents, corporate undermining, a mute loli, and a sexy trap. It could easily have taken the tired and true route by just making this a shounen sports title with an emphasis on comedy. Shion no Ou was a fairly fun take on the game of Shougi. Overall: 41/50 = 8.2 (Serious sports anime are a rare find ) Sound: 9 (The way Shion moves Shougi pieces is sexy)Ĭharacter: 8 (If you find a way to hate Shion, you're going to hell)Įnjoyment: 8 (Very good from beginning to end) Story: 9 (Shougi connected to a crime mystery is impressive)Īrt: 7 (Good quality for today's standards) However, Satoru seems to know a lot about Shion's troubled past, and his actions bring suspicion from Shion's friend Ayumi Saitou and the police-who are still investigating the death of Shion's loved ones.Īs the end of Satoru's tournament approaches, Shion starts remembering events related to the night when she lost everything and will have to show her mental fortitude to defeat her opponents and foil the plans of the culprits who ruined her life. He decides to organize a tournament open to both men and women, including professional and amateur players, and urges Shion to participate in the competition. Her talent attracts the attention of Satoru Hani, a successful businessman and brother of the current 'Meijin'-the title given to the defending champion of Japan's most prestigious shogi tournament. Despite losing her family at a young age and being unable to speak due to the trauma, in her loving adoptive family and at the shogi association, she has found the necessary emotional support to move on with her life and very demanding career. Defying the odds, middle school student Shion Yasuoka is becoming a rising star of the professional shogi world.

Shion wicked oni