5 Must-Read Go (Baduk) Manga: From Hikaru no Go to the Latest Ongoing Series

When you hear “manga about Go,” the first title that comes to mind is probably Hikaru no Go.

But in fact, there are plenty of other Go manga out there.

From hot-blooded shonen stories to romance-infused shojo manga and even easy-to-read 4-panel comics, the variety is huge.

In this article, we’ve picked five recommended Go manga and will introduce their plots and appeal.

All of them are enjoyable even if you don’t know the rules of Go, so be sure to give them a try.

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Recommended Popular Go Manga List (Quick Table)

First, here’s a list of the five works we’ll be introducing.

If anything catches your eye, let’s take a closer look in the next section.

5 Recommended Go Manga

From here, we’ll introduce each of the five works one by one.

For each title, we’ll cover basic info, a synopsis, and recommended points—in that order.

All of these are easy to read even if you’ve never played Go, so start with whichever one interests you most.

Hikaru no Go

Hikaru no Go is a series written by Yumi Hotta and illustrated by Takeshi Obata.

It was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2003 and concluded in 23 volumes.

It was supervised by Yukari Umezawa of the Nihon Ki-in and was also adapted into an anime.

When it comes to Go manga, this is the title most people mention first.

Synopsis

The protagonist is Hikaru Shindo, an elementary school boy who knows absolutely nothing about Go.

One day, after finding an old Go board at his grandfather’s house, he encounters the spirit of Fujiwara no Sai, a Go player from the Heian era.

Guided by Sai, Hikaru gradually steps into the world of Go.

It’s a story of steady growth as he competes with rivals his own age.

Recommended points

The biggest appeal of this series is that you can enjoy it even without knowing the rules of Go.

Hikaru himself starts out knowing nothing about the game.

Because readers follow his journey from zero, the excitement of competition comes through even if you can’t read the board positions.

It’s also fun to see the setting expand—from a middle school Go club to the world of insei (Go trainees aiming to go pro).

During its run, it sparked such a boom that it was called a social phenomenon.

Many young people started playing Go because of this manga, and it’s even said that tournament participation increased.

Some people were inspired by Hikaru no Go, started playing, and later became professional players.

Obata’s artwork is another major reason for its popularity.

If you want to peek into the world of Go, be sure to read it.

Go to Go

Go to Go is written by Touto Hasuo and illustrated by Haruna Nakazato.

It is currently serialized in Young Magazine (Kodansha), and new volumes are still being published.

It is supervised by Yuta Iyama (9-dan) and Rei Terayama (6-dan).

With top players involved, it’s a serious, authentic Go manga.

Synopsis

The protagonist, Kosei Akiyama, is a capable, well-rounded kid who started Go in sixth grade—and suffered a major setback.

After that, he drifts through life without a goal and becomes a high school student.

Then, through a certain trigger, Kosei encounters Go again.

It’s the story of him deciding to face Go once more in order to get revenge on the geniuses who once defeated him.

Recommended points

This series is defined by a story built around revenge and rivals.

You can follow the matches and growth like in a sports manga, so it’s easy to keep reading even if you’re not familiar with Go.

Watching Kosei challenge talented opponents again and again naturally makes you want to root for him.

Like Hikaru no Go, it’s supervised by professional players, so the board positions are handled with care.

And since it’s ongoing, it’s also fun to follow the developments in real time.

If you like heated, competitive stories, give it a read.

Crows in the Starry Sky

Crows in the Starry Sky is a shojo manga by Satoshi Morie.

It was serialized in Hana to Yume (Hakusensha) and concluded in 8 volumes.

It’s a Go manga that ran in a shojo magazine, supervised by women’s professional player Mayu Hosaka (3-dan).

Synopsis

The protagonist is Waka Karasuma, a 13-year-old girl who loves Go.

One day, she meets Soji Sagisaka, a 17-year-old prodigy Go player.

This encounter becomes the catalyst for the two to influence each other and grow.

Waka also gradually steels her resolve to aim for becoming a professional player.

Recommended points

The highlight is that you can enjoy both the intensity of matches and romance.

The delicate emotional shifts typical of shojo manga make the competitive scenes even more exciting.

The relationship between the two close-in-age leads drives the story forward.

Since it’s complete in 8 volumes, it’s also satisfying to binge from start to finish.

With a women’s pro supervising, you can enjoy the Go scenes with confidence as well.

It’s a perfect pick for anyone who wants both romance and competition.

Komorebi no Go

Komorebi no Go is a Go manga by Yuyu Katase.

It spans 16 volumes and is already complete.

Classified as a girls’/women’s title, it’s a school-based story.

It depicts everyday life moving back and forth between a Go salon and high school.

Synopsis

The protagonist, Chizuru, helps out at an old Go salon run by her grandfather.

However, she keeps losing whenever she plays against the regular customers.

Then one day, an unfamiliar high school boy asks her for a game.

But for some reason, he seems dissatisfied with the way she plays.

From this unexpected meeting, Chizuru’s daily life begins to change dramatically.

Recommended points

Its charm lies in a youth story that feels like a classic club-activities manga.

You’ll get pulled into the flow of the team aiming for the National High School Team Championship.

At 16 volumes, it’s a substantial read—and since it’s finished, you can enjoy it all the way to the ending without worry.

The frustration of not being able to win, and the joy of celebrating with friends, are both portrayed with care.

If you like club activities and youth stories, you won’t regret reading it.

Mikoto’s Next Move!

Mikoto’s Next Move! is a 4-panel manga published by Houbunsha.

It comedically depicts the everyday lives of high school girls devoted to Go.

Because it’s 4-panel, you can read it in much less time than a story-driven manga.

It’s an easy title to pick up as an entry point into Go manga.

Synopsis

At the center of the story are high school girls who are passionate about Go.

Rather than focusing only on wins and losses, it comedically portrays their casual everyday life with friends.

The humorous back-and-forth keeps the pace moving.

Recommended points

What makes this series great is that you can relax and laugh.

It’s better suited for people who want to enjoy everyday interactions rather than serious match scenes.

Since each 4-panel episode is short, it’s perfect for reading in spare moments.

It’s also recommended to read one episode at a time between work or school.

Summary

So far, we’ve introduced five recommended Go manga.

If you want a classic growth story, Hikaru no Go is the pick; if you want a heated rivalry story, the ongoing Go to Go is recommended.

If you want both romance and matches, choose Crows in the Starry Sky; for a youth story, go with Komorebi no Go; and if you want something light, try Mikoto’s Next Move!.

No matter which one you read, you’re sure to experience the appeal of Go.

If reading manga makes you interested in Go, we also recommend trying it for yourself.

With PlayGo.gg, you can start learning Go online right away—from the rules.

If manga makes you want to try Go, be sure to give it a shot.