First Impression: Hikaru no Go Cdrama

 

Okay, in the past, I have recommended Hikaru no Go and imagine my surprise to know there's gonna be a live-action adaptation.

Anime/manga adaptations typically aren't great, even in the East. It's not just China, Japan, and Korea who adapts anime/manga, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand does too. I mean come on, there's gonna be a Netflix adaptation of One Piece and the Going Merry have been seen off the coast somewhere. Yes, I am going to see because I'm a major OP fan and made it part of my itinerary to visit special spots for OP fans once I get to Japan alongside cultural sites. I am glad to see people getting into OP perhaps because of quarantine and Mother's Basement's reactions is really fun; since I have long been exposed by OP Youtubers, he should not be shocked there is an entire community dedicated to theories and analysis alone and get inundated by their incredible insight. Because I haven't seen them all, just know that's the case. It's not surprising since anime and manga have a large market overseas just like Kpop. It's also great because it has basic cultural knowledge that things like honorifics are easily explained away and often left untranslated. 

I'm just gonna use the original Japanese names. Because I'm not used to the Chinese names quite yet so be forewarned. 

I know it's been a long time since I saw and read Hikago but I know the story beats. So really, forgive me that for my first watch, I'm gonna see the differences in the adaptation. 

To be clear, it takes place in China therefore changes will be made to best fit into the culture. 

The beginning has a Hong Kong mention about 'welcoming' back to the motherland in 1997. In the high times in Hong Kong and CCP China, please note this it's different around that time. Although it does give an insight into some unintentional CCP propaganda (due to it being released during Hong Kong and China's tensions, not the actual history itself around 1997, just the common people seeing what Hong Kong and China's relations at the current time because while it's clearly taking place in 1997, most people in China would see it linking it to the current times. There will be people who remember what happened around that time, just people seeing the Hong Kong and China's relations being fresh on the minds that way more likely. While the show is based on a manga/anime, we have to understand it's taking place in a different country with its own culture and history with relations. The entertainment industry in China, while have to have heads up from their government's approval in certain matters like passing censorship and is propaganda, is from the common people's perspective even though people might not think about it. Y'know, just like every other country in the world because the media reflects our own reality albeit more dramatic. Outside of propaganda. CCTV is certainly propaganda no matter how much you cut it because promoting like crazy the dramas that has the two stars popular right now in propaganda shows as a policeman and a soldier aka wearing the nation’s flag meant revenue and stability if their economy is not doing that great.) even though the entertainment industry doesn't seem aware of it. 

Oh, and you will hear instrumentals of Get Over and the ending song is Bokura no Bouken. Then again, while some anime does get dub songs that are not American made, we shouldn't be surprised that they would have insert translated Japanese songs. 

Performances first thing first. The actor for Sai absolutely nailed Sai's childish yet wise personality. The child actor for young Hikaru is also quite nice and has great chemistry with Sai's actor. 

The actors are okay though I do have to mention Ji Li. Yes, Nie Huaisang is in this show as Mitani. I mean I already knew Ji Li would be on here since I heard he would be on the cast list. 

As much as the acting is good, the writing choices for the characters are just weird. I can get character expansions due to spending time and I get teens are dumb but at the same time, it's uncanny to see preteen actions going to high schoolers. 

So y'know in the original, the series actually teach you what moves and types of games there are in Go and inner commentary of thoughts that makes the silent game of Go tense. 

You won't see it here. The focus on Go dramatically decreased so as to focus on characters more. That is nothing wrong but I just wish to see characters' inner thoughts while playing and during the matches. Just a little voiceover, isn't that too much to ask? I haven't heard any voiceover from the counterparts. Only when the game is finished, we will get any commentary. I get being silent out for respect in Go matches but people have commented during the games outside of the room. But inner thoughts! Voiceovers, just anything to make the match actually tense than pulling funny faces and trash talking. 

The less focus on the go matches is a letdown because as much as the original is a coming-of-age, it's also showing you how to play the game of go, teaching you the basics and how a longtime player holds the go stones and how the system of professional go player works with international playground. 

When there are matches, we don't learn anything or why this move is important beyond what Chu Ying tells us. We don't get any inner thoughts on moves the characters did beyond just the surprise face on the opponent and smirks on the other. 

Like I said before, the story beats are still the same. However, if you're looking for a beat by beat, it's far more expanded to best fit the style of a Chinese drama and y'know Chinese. 

It's more expanded due to the brevity of a Chinese show - an hour and several minutes at best and forty minutes or so at the least - so that means time skips and age lifts and more interactions 

So that y'know Hikaru was supposed to be a high schooler by the end of the series? Yeah, he's one after a time skip here. Don't know what year but he's in high school though he stated he was 18 at the beginning so... since Hikaru took about a year to become a pro, the same year he became an insei no less, so he's 17. 

In the original series, we literally see Hikaru grow up so it's not surprising a live-action adaptation does not want to take years so taking the easy route with a time skip. 

Of course, they have to justify something like why he isn't pursuing Go right after meeting Akira and his dad. Apparently, they have somewhat minimal contact and Hikaru would have to not make any contact with the Go world in any way, shape, or form including a match or anything. It's only the match with Kaga's counterpart did we even get back to Hikago's main plot. 

So that means Sai has to rest for a little bit in Hikaru's heart without being seen by Hikaru so yeah that happened. I get why because Sai was the reason Hikaru started to play in the first place so it makes sense Hikaru would not want to touch another go stone. Again, this happened in canon.

I can't believe I have to point this out but Chinese and Japanese ghosts differed in their myths. So just know that. Again, they have to make a Japanese work fit into a Chinese frame. 

The series freaking starts with Hikaru's trip, the trip after Sai's disappearance, and himself telling the story. 

I feel like I have to discuss shipping. I am neutral in the Hikago about the ships. I don't hate AkiHika though I do favor Ogata x Sai for some reason. So yeah, for those who like AkiHika, you are getting lots of shipping material. I'm toasting for you right now while I'm listening to BTS and Taekook songs. I'm busy in this area for now. 

Now the current episode is up to Hikaru as an insei. In the Chinese sphere to be clear. But we are at that arc. There are only gonna be 35 episodes, half that of the original anime, and not even a third of the manga. 

Now we know that they are still following the story beats that Hikago fans love. They are simply expanding it. 

Besides, if anybody's worried, there are still good things about this adaptation such as Sai's personality being nailed. 

It's not perfect. It's pretty good so far but I want to see all of it. I want to see how they are going to adapt. I'm invested but when there are things like no inner thoughts because where is it in the matches?! Are just not there or questionable, I would give it a three out of five go stones.